Final answer:
True, ethical criminological research must aim to provide social value in addition to doing no harm, with researchers responsible for participant safety, informed consent, and impartiality. Objectivity and value neutrality are imperative, as well as the transparent reporting of results.
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer the question of whether ethical criminological research must have social value to research participants rather than simply doing no harm, it is important to consider the ethical imperatives in sociological and criminological studies. It is true that to be truly ethical, research should certainly avoid harm, but it must also aim to provide social value. Researchers are responsible for ensuring the safety of their participants, obtaining informed consent, and maintaining value neutrality.
Consideration of harm in research is multifaceted. Physical harm, emotional distress, and abuse of trust or privacy breaches are among the common concerns. Researchers must also avoid distorting data to fit personal biases or predetermined outcomes and are obligated to disclose findings impartially.
Max Weber emphasized the importance of researchers remaining without bias and maintaining a neutral value throughout the process, from design to publishing results. Sociologists aim to retain objectivity and avoid skewing data to match predetermined outcomes aligned with specific agendas. Research ethics also encapsulate the idea of social value, implying that research should benefit society or contribute positively beyond academic interest.