Title: Methods in Social Research
Author: M. Bess Vincent
Last saved by: Windows User
Company: Anoka-Ramsey Community College

Assignment Title: Courtroom Ethnography Project
Created for:  Criminology
Author: M. Bess Vincent, Sociology
Summary:  This is a larger project designed to expose students to the real-world happenings in a courtroom setting.  Students practice the method ethnography and use the classes’ observations to analyze the role of discretion in the criminal justice system.
Integrative Learning Elements:  Connections to Experience, Transferable and Applicable, Reflective
Other Elements:  Qualitative Reasoning in the Disciplines

Part 1: Introducing Ethnography

Before giving out this assignment, students read an ethnography such as Terry Williams’ Cocaine Kids, Erik Fritzvold’s Dorm Room Dealers, or an excerpt of Elijah Anderson’s Code of the Street.  While these works are related to the substantive material in the course, they also provide an opportunity to discuss research methods.  When discussing them, I ask students to consider questions such as:

-Do you think this was a good method for collecting data on this topic?  What might you have done differently?
-Do you think that the researcher was biased in his (or her) analysis?
-What do you think would be the hardest part of using ethnography?
-Do you think that the subjects were really honest with the researcher?
-This researcher observed criminal activity and did not report it to the police.  Do you think that the researcher was ethical?

Part 2:  Ethnographic Observation

Next, students learn more about how to conduct ethnographic research.  We spend one class session learning about ethnography, including how to observe, how to write up one’s notes, and what should be included.  

Once students feel comfortable with the method, I hand out the ethnographic observation assignment (the assignment and rubrics are attached under the names, “ILFG_CourtroomEthnography_Observation,” and “ILFG_CourtroomEthnography_ObservationRubric”).  Students much conduct a 30-minute observation in the local district court with the purpose of answering this research question:  

What role does discretion play in the processing and sentencing of criminal offenders?

Students are provided with guidelines about specific observations to make (date/time/setting/people/cases) but also that they should include their interpretations of events.  These interpretations are important because they help the researcher to reflect on the ways that they have influenced the research process.  These observations are posted to the public Blackboard discussion board for the course so that all classmates may see others’ observations.

Inevitably, students have questions about the courthouse and many feel apprehensive, since they have never been to court before.  Others may assume that they will see the kinds of trials held on television programs like Law and Order.  After giving out the assignment, it is worthwhile to give them 5 minutes to write down some thoughts about what they expect they will see in the courtroom so that they can reflect on this after they have completed their observation.

Part 2: Ethnographic Essay

After students have had a chance to read their classmates’ observations, we spend a class session discussing them.  In particular, we discuss odd/humorous observations, similarities, differences, and feelings while in the setting.  Potential questions are:

-How did your expectations BEFORE entering the setting match up with what you observed in the setting?  Is this what you expected?
-Did anything surprise you while you were in the courtroom?
-How did you feel in the courtroom?  
-As you read your classmates’ observations, did you find that your experience matched what others observed?
-Did any of you go at the same time? What did you think when you read the other observation?  What did the other student observe that you didn’t or are there differences in the ways that you interpreted events?
-If you had to do this again, what would you do differently?
-Is this a useful method for collecting data about courtroom discretion?

After a thorough discussion, students are provided with the second part of this assignment.  The full assignment and grading rubrics are attached under the names, “ILFG_CourtroomEthnography_Essay” and “ILFG_CourtroomEthnograph_EssayRubric”.  Students must write a 3-4 page paper answering the following question:

Given the ethnographic observations you and your classmates have made in the Montgomery County District Court, do you feel that discretion plays a large role in the processing and sentencing of criminal offenders?

In answering the question, students must introduce the role of discretion in the courtroom, describe our research methods, and then support a thesis about the presence/absence of discretion in this specific courtroom setting.  They are required to use examples from the classes’ observations as evidence in their argument.  They conclude with a discussion of the implications for society.