Research question
What effects do daily criminal justice policies have on the 25% drop in inmates at local jails due to covid-19?
From March- June 2020, more than 208,511 convicts were expedited released in an attempt to cope with COVID19 regulations. As the pandemic spread, the penitentiary systems attempted to let go of more inmates to create room for social distance. Against this background, the decrease in the local jail population was attributed to the justice system policies which support effective medication and care of inmates (Department Of Justice, 2021). More so, the number of inmates held for minor crimes decreased by 45% hence coinciding with the COVID-19 decline rates. For the sake of retaining the means through which people could contain the pandemic, the criminal justice system had to ensure that each function operates at an optimal capacity and the only way to achieve optimal capacity is to ensure local jails does not succumb to the pressure the pandemic exerted on the rest of the national sector.
Methodology
The best methodology that can be used to solve or explore the underlying problem statement further is through the application of mixed-methodology. Mixed-methodology covers all the aspects needed to explore the problem statement extensively without negating the primary elements of the entire investigation (Minton et al., 2020). In terms of procedures, mixed-methodology integrates more than one single technique while analyzing an issue. For instance, quantitative and qualitative data are applied in a single evaluation. To illustrate further, the problem statement has both quantitative and qualitative aspects. Hence, applying mixed-methodology will cover these aspects with ease and problem statement requirements. Furthermore, the inmate populations declined. Therefore, there is a relationship between the decline in the number of prisoners and the pandemic. A mixed-methodology approach enables the researchers to explore in-depth the matters concerning the prison systems and at the same time cover all the vital aspects that they might come across. Therefore, this methodology will give room for the formulation of relationships derived from the problem statement.
Overcoming Challenges
One of the main challenges is the separation of each methodology so that all the aspects can be explored without bias. An additional advantage is the research will rely on the secondary data availed through the bureau of justice statistics (Minton et al., 2020). More so, the reasons for expediting prisoners for the sake of meeting the COVI-19 pandemic protocols. The large decline in the number of prisoners was due to the curfew placed to reduce movements and other previous measures were put in place in the judicial system. The problem statement connects the criminal justice system with policies used to drive and influence incarceration. In terms of methodology trends, digital tools such as Microsoft Excel can be used to analyze the numerical data and help the researchers to evaluate the data in front of them. For instance, the definite separation of factual basis. Furthermore, the nature of the research has to rely on the objectivity and immediate implication of the data retrieved from the entire problem statement. In other words, the only way of eliminating the entire challenge is through the retrieval of accurate data.
How a Decline In Local Jail Inmates Relates To Criminal Justice
The criminal justice system’s role entails decision making at the state and local level. These decisions impact COVID-19 protocols and regulations within and outside the criminal justice system. For instance, court orders are executed through the criminal justice system frameworks. Also law enforcement such as receiving expedition release due to COVID-19 are implemented through the criminal justice systems. Furthermore, the criminal justice system has to keep track of the regulations made and their impact on the community.
Methodologies That Might One Might Have Difficulty With
All the numerical and none numerical aspects of the research can fit into a mixed-methodology approach. Hence, the researcher can easily use any methodology to explore the research question.
References
Department Of Justice (2021). Covid 19 Spurs 25% Drop in Inmates held in Local Jails
Minton, T., Ph.D, Z., & Maruschak, L. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 on the Local Jail Population, January-June 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2021, from.