Abstract
This chapter examines how research in the multidisciplinary subject area of criminology gives rise to ethical considerations specific to the sensitive topics and vulnerable participants associated with the endeavors of researchers. The lessons learned arise from working in a UK university ethics committee but reflect international ethics principles and practices and are therefore relevant to an international audience. Reviewing criminological research projects calls for a skill set that includes an awareness of the problematic ethical nature of researching victims, perpetrators, and professionals in the statutory, charity, and voluntary sectors. The discussion explores some core ethical concerns and the ways in which the identified risks can be addressed by the committee, so as to provide constructive and enabling responses, the aim being to support the researcher to implement a range of solutions to ethical dilemmas. Through this process, the challenges of seemingly ethically unacceptable research topics can be overcome and produce relevant data. In doing this, a range of aspects are addressed, including the protection of the researcher as well as the researched, working with security sensitive materials, reputational threats to organizations and the role of the researcher-practitioner. Also considered in some detail is how to manage anticipated as well as unexpected disclosures of harm, limits to confidentiality, and the ethical conduct of the researcher.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
All European Academies (ALLEA) (2011) The European code of conduct for research integrity. Retrieved from https://www.allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Code_Conduct_ResearchIntegrity.pdf
All European Academies (ALLEA) (2017) The European code of conduct for research integrity, Revised Edition. Berlin. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/other/hi/h2020-ethics_code-of-conduct_en.pdf
American Society of Criminology (2016) Code of ethics. Retrieved from https://www.asc41.com/ASC_Official_Docs/ASC_Code_of_Ethics.pdf
Baele SJ, Lewis D, Hoeffler A, Sterck OC, Slingeneyer T (2018) The ethics of security research: an ethics framework for contemporary security studies. Int Stud Perspect 19(2):105–127. https://doi.org/10.1093/isp/ekx003
Bell L, Nutt L (2012) Divided loyalties, divided expectations: research ethics, professional and occupational responsibilities. In: Miller T, Birch M, Mauthner M, Jessop J (eds) Ethics in qualitative research, 2nd edn. SAGE, Los Angeles, pp 76–93
Brannen J (1988) Research note the study of sensitive subjects. Sociol Rev 36(3):552–563. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-954X.1988.tb02929.x
British Psychological Society (2014) Code of human research ethics. Retrieved from https://www.bps.org.uk/sites/bps.org.uk/files/Policy/Policy%20-%20Files/BPS%20Code%20of%20Human%20Research%20Ethics.pdf
British Society of Criminology (2015) British Society of Criminology statement of ethics for researchers. Retrieved from http://www.britsoccrim.org/documents/BSCEthics2015.pdf
Economic and Social Research Council (n.d.-a) Criteria for research ethics committee review. Retrieved from https://esrc.ukri.org/funding/guidance-for-applicants/research-ethics/criteria-for-research-ethics-committee-review/
Economic and Social Research Council (n.d.-b) REC procedures. Retrieved from https://esrc.ukri.org/funding/guidance-for-applicants/research-ethics/governance-arrangements-for-research-ethics-committees/rec-procedures/
Economic and Social Research Council (n.d.-c) Remit and responsibilities of RECs. Retrieved from https://esrc.ukri.org/funding/guidance-for-applicants/research-ethics/governance-arrangements-for-research-ethics-committees/remit-and-responsibilities-of-recs/
Feinstein A, Audet B, Waknine E (2014) Witnessing images of extreme violence: a psychological study of journalists in the newsroom. JRSM Open 5(8):205427041453332
Fitzgerald JL, Hamilton M (1997) Confidentiality, disseminated regulation and Ethico-legal liabilities in research with hidden population of illicit drug users. Addiction 92(9):1099–1107
Health Research Authority (2018b) Governance arrangements for research ethics committees. Retrieved from https://www.hra.nhs.uk/planning-and-improving-research/policies-standards-legislation/governance-arrangement-research-ethics-committees/
Healy D (2009) Ethics and criminological research: charting a way forward. Ir Probat J 6(1):171–181
Hedgecoe A (2016) Reputational risk, academic freedom and research ethics review. Sociology 50(3):486–501. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038515590756
Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service (2018) Access to courts and tribunals for academic researchers. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/guidance/access-to-courts-and-tribunals-for-academic-researchers
Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (n.d.) Research at HMPPS. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/her-majestys-prison-and-probation-service/about/research
Information Commissioner’s Office (n.d.) Lawful basis for processing: consent. Retrieved from https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/lawful-basis-for-processing/consent/
Israel M (2004) Ethics and the governance of criminological research in Australia. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/252421449_Ethics_and_the_Governance_of_Criminological_Research_in_Australia
Israel M (2016) A history of coercive practices: the abuse of consent in research involving prisoners and prisons in the United States. In: Adorjan M, Ricciardelli R (eds) Engaging with Ethics in International Criminological Research. Routledge, London, pp 69–86
Israel M, Hay I (2011) Research ethics in criminology. In: Gadd D, Messner SF, Karstedt S (eds) The SAGE handbook of criminological research methods. SAGE, London
Kaplan EA (2008) Global trauma and public feelings: viewing images of catastrophe. Consum Mark Cult 11(1):3–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/10253860701799918
Karagiannopoulos V (2016) Insider unauthorised use of authorised access: what are the alternatives to the computer misuse act 1990? Int J Law Crime Justice 47:85–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2016.08.003
Lowman J, Palys T (2000) The research confidentiality controversy at SFU. Retrieved from http://www.sfu.ca/~palys/Controversy.htm
Monaghan LF, O’Dwyer M, Gabe J (2013) Seeking university research ethics committee approval: the emotional vicissitudes of a ‘rationalised’ process. Int J Soc Res Methodol 16(1):65–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2011.649902
National Health and Medical Research Council (2018) National statement on ethical conduct in human research 2007 (updated 2018). Retrieved from https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/national-statement-ethical-conduct-human-research-2007-updated-2018
O’Reilly K (2011) Key concepts in ethnography. [electronic resource]. SAGE, Los Angeles
Palys T, Lowman J (2000) Ethical and legal strategies for protecting confidential research information. Can J Law Soc 15(1):39–80
Perez L, Jones J, Englert D, Sachau D (2010) Secondary traumatic stress and burnout among law enforcement investigators exposed to disturbing media images. J Police Crim Psychol 25:113–124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-010-9066-7
Ray JV, Kimonis ER, Donoghue C (2009) Legal, ethical, and methodological considerations in the internet-based study of child pornography offenders. Behav Sci Law 28:84–105
Roberts L, Indermaur D (2007) The ethics of research with prisoners. Curr Issues Crim Just 19:309–326
Stair TO, Reed CR, Radeos MS, Koski G, Camargo CA (2001) Variation in institutional review board responses to a standard protocol for a multicenter clinical trial. Acad Emerg Med 8:636–641
The Research Ethics Guidebook (n.d.) Practitioner research and dual roles. Retrieved from http://www.ethicsguidebook.ac.uk/Practitioner-research-and-dual-roles-187
Tyler R, Davies E (2013) Recruitment issues in school-based drug and alcohol research with young people. PsyPag Q 87:29–34
UK Research and Innovation (n.d.) GDPR and research – an overview for researchers. Retrieved 15 Feb 2019 from https://www.ukri.org/about-us/policies-and-standards/gdpr-and-research-an-overview-for-researchers/
Universities UK (2012) Oversight of security-sensitive research material in UK universities. Retrieved 7 Feb 2019 from https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Pages/oversight-of-security-sensitive-research-material-in-uk-universities.aspx
University College London Legal Services (2018) Research with children: guidance on data protection issues. Retrieved from https://www.ucl.ac.uk/legal-services/sites/legal-services/files/research_with_children_guidance_v1.1.pdf
University of Bristol (n.d.) GDPR and research data. Retrieved from https://www.bristol.ac.uk/staff/researchers/data/dealing-with-sensitive-data/gdpr-and-research-data/
Wiles R, Crow G, Charles V, Heath S (2007) Informed consent and the research process: following rules or striking balances? Sociol Res Online 12(2):1–12. https://doi.org/10.5153/sro.1208
Winlow S, Hall S (2012) What is an ‘Ethics Committee’?: academic governance in an epoch of belief and incredulity. Br J Criminol 52(2):400–416
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Karagiannopoulos, V., Winstone, J. (2019). Constructive and Enabling Ethics in Criminological Research. In: Iphofen, R. (eds) Handbook of Research Ethics and Scientific Integrity. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76040-7_67-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76040-7_67-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-76040-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-76040-7
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Religion and PhilosophyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Humanities