BACKGROUND INFORMATION
My name is Dr. Ruth Hatcher from the University of Leicester, School of Psychology.
This research aims to investigate the public’s view of the role and functions of the England and Wales Probation Service.
IF YOU DO NOT RESIDE IN ENGLAND OR WALES PLEASE DO NOT COMPLETE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE.
If you agree to take part in this research, you will be asked to complete an online questionnaire which will ask you about what you think the roles and functions of the Probation Service of England and Wales are. The questionnaire will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. You will be provided with a list of statements and you will be asked to rate your agreement with each statement.
CONSENT STATEMENT
1. I understand that my participation is voluntary and that I may withdraw from the research at any time during completion of the questionnaire without giving any reason. I also understand that, once I have completed and submitted the questionnaire, I will not be able to withdraw my participation.
2. I am aware of what my participation will involve.
3. My data are to be held confidentially by Ruth Hatcher and her research students. I will not be asked to provide any identifying information and hence my data will not be traceable back to me (i.e. it will be anonymous).
4. My data will be kept electronically in a password protected file for a period of at least five years after the appearance of any associated publications.
5. In accordance with the requirements of some scientific journals and organisations, my coded data may be shared with other competent researchers. My coded data may also be used in other related studies. As my name/any other identifying details are not required for the research, it wil not be possible to shared this with anyone.
6. The overall findings may be submitted for publication in a scientific journal, or presented at scientific conferences.
7. This study will take approximately four months to complete.
8. I will be able to obtain general information about the results of this research by contacting the researcher after 1st November 2010.
9. I understand that if, after reading this information, I chose to complete the online questionnaire that my consent will be implied. This means that in completing the online questionnaire I give my consent for my data to be used for the outlined purposes of the present study
If you have any questions about the research that you would like answering before participating, please contact the researcher on
rmh12@le.ac.uk
