Criminology and Ethics

Question 1

What ethical concerns arise in criminology research?

Answer 1

1. Funding biases may influence research direction.
2. Power imbalances can put subjects at risk.
3. Focus on minorities may lead to public bias and aggressive policing.
4. Ethical dilemmas in misleading or deceiving subjects during research.

Question 2

What is the Wigmore test, and how does it relate to ethics?

Answer 2

It is a legal test that determines whether communications are privileged, as in the case of Bruckert and Parent’s work on Luka Magnotta.

Question 3

Should deception ever be used in criminology research?

Answer 3

Deception may be justified in specific cases if it is necessary, ethically managed, and disclosed post-research.