Research Methods In Criminal Justice

RQ: What is the relationship between depression levels experienced by Baltimore Police officers and the incidences of domestic violence against a spouse?

This research question involves examining the relationship between depression levels experienced by Baltimore Police officers and the incidence of domestic violence against a spouse.

IV: Depression Levels experienced by Baltimore Police officers.

DV: Incidence of domestic violence against a spouse.

This research question, is not immediately clear whether there is a causal relationship between the IV and DV.

Causality implies that changes in the IV directly cause changes in the DV. To determine causality, I would need to conduct a controlled experiment or a longitudinal study that manipulates the levels of depression in Baltimore Police officers and observes the resulting changes in the incidence of domestic violence against their spouses. However, conducting such an experiment in this context could be ethically and practically challenging.

It’s more likely that my research question explores an associative or correlational relationship, meaning I am trying to understand whether there is a statistical association or relationship between the two variables.

For example, I may be interested in whether police officers with higher depression levels are more likely to have spouses who experience domestic violence. This type of research can provide valuable insights into potential connections between the variables, but it does not establish causation.

This research question aims to investigate the relationship between depression levels in Baltimore Police officers and the incidence of domestic violence against their spouses. While the research can reveal associations or correlations, it may not establish causality without more specific study design and data analysis.