Background
Field research is usually associated with qualitative techniques, although other applications are possible. This
method encompasses two different methods of obtaining data: direct observation and asking questions.
When conditions or behavior must be studied in natural settings, field research is usually the best approach. One of
the key strengths of field research is the comprehensive perspective it gives the researcher. This aspect of field
research enhances its validity. Field research is especially appropriate to the study of topics that can best be
understood within their natural settings.
Field observer roles range from full participation to fully detached observation. The term field research is broader
and more inclusive than the common term participant observer. Gold’s typology provides an outline of the different
roles that field researchers may play:
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complete participant
participant-as-observer
observer-as-participant
complete observer
Field researchers frequently supplement observations by interviewing subjects. Field research interviews are usually
much less structured than survey interviews. At its best, a field research interview is much like normal conversation.
Gaining access to subjects, sampling subjects, and making records of observations and interviews must be
considered in planning for field research. Any research on a criminal justice institution, or on persons who work
either in or under the supervision of an institution, normally requires a formal request and approval. The best
strategy for gaining access to any formal criminal justice organization consists of a four-step procedure:
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find a sponsor – a person who is personally known to the executive director
write a letter to the executive director
arrange for a telephone conversation with the executive director
meet with and/or interview the contact person
There is the question of how cases will be selected for observation in field research. The text discusses a strategy
for studying active criminals that combines the use of informants and snowball sampling. Sampling in field research
tends to be more complicated than in other kinds of research.
Just as there is great variety in the types of field studies we might conduct, many options are available for making
records of field observations. Of course, the methods selected for recording observations are directly related to
questions of measurement, especially how key concepts are operationalized.
In many field studies, observations are recorded as written notes, perhaps in a field journal. Field notes may be
recorded on highly structured forms, where observers mark items in much the same way a survey interviewer marks
a closed-ended questionnaire. Structured field observation forms often resemble survey questionnaires, and the text
mentions the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s handbook for conducting structured field observations, called
environmental surveys.
Criminal justice research sometimes combines field research with surveys or data from official records. The
flexibility of field methods is one reason observation and field interviews can be readily incorporated into many
research projects. The text provides examples of different applications of field research: shoplifting, traffic, and
violence in bars.
Validity is usually a strength of field research, while reliability and generalizability are sometimes weaknesses.
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