Research Methods In Crime And Justice

This fresh and innovative hybrid text/online material for undergraduate CJ RESEARCH METHODS uniquely addresses the fundamental teaching issue for this course: how to communicate and successfully teach students that their future success as criminal justice practitioners is linked to their acquisition of research skills. The author Brian Withrow, a former Texas State Trooper, widely published academic researcher, and teacher of the undergraduate methods course, consistently demonstrates how research skills aren't just essential to university academic researchers; they are essential to student success as criminal justice practitioners, and to all who want to succeed in an information economy. More than 80 short, sharply focused examples throughout the text rely on actual research that is conducted by, on behalf of, or relevant to criminal justice practitioners. The book engages students' interests like no other. The online materials provide a wide array of instructor support material, all written by the author, and also offer a unique feature, The Researcher's Notebook, which provides students (and their instructors) a series of structured exercises leading to the development and completion of a research question, conducting a literature review, and designing a research method that provides the data necessary to answer the research question - all with a minimal amount of instructor supervision. Cover images are courtesy of Lauren Withrow

Research Methods in Crime and Justice, 2nd Edition, is an innovative text/online hybrid for undergraduate Criminal Justice Research Methods courses. This material uniquely addresses the fundamental teaching issue for this course: how to show students that success as criminal justice practitioners is linked to their acquisition of research skills. Brian Withrow, a widely published academic researcher and former Texas State Trooper, developed this approach for his own undergraduate Research Methods class. He persuasively demonstrates that research skills aren’t just essential to university academic researchers but to successful criminal justice practitioners as well. More than 80 short, sharply focused examples throughout the text rely on research that is conducted by, on behalf of, or relevant to criminal justice practitioners to engage students’ interest like no other text of its kind. Extensive web materials all written by the author provide an array of instructor support material, including a Researcher’s Notebook that provides students (and their instructors) with a series of structured exercises leading to the development of a valid research project. Withrow systematically walks students through defining a question, conducting a literature review, and designing a research method that provides the data necessary to answer the research question—all online, with minimal instructor supervision. The second edition features expanded coverage of measurement, qualitative research methods, and evaluation research methods, as well as additional downloadable journal articles to ensure students begin to think critically about research and can read scholarly literature.

Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology connects key concepts to real field research and practices using contemporary examples and recurring case studies throughout the book that demonstrate how concepts relate to students’ lives. Authors Callie M. Rennison and Timothy C. Hart introduce practical research strategies used in criminal justice to show students how a research question can become a policy that changes or influences criminal justice practices. The book’s student-driven approach addresses both the "why" and the "how" as it covers the research process and focuses on the practical application of data collection and analysis. By demonstrating the variety of ways research can be used, and reinforcing the need to discern quality research, the book prepares students to become critical consumers and ethical producers of research. The Second Edition includes two new case studies woven throughout, and new expert profiles to highlight contemporary topics. Editable PowerPoint slides and a test bank are available to instructors.

Intuitive, accessible, and filled with real-world testimonials from criminal justice scholars, Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology: A Mixed Methods Approach, Second Edition, gives students the tools they need to understand the research they read and take the first steps toward producing compelling research projects themselves. Featuring a step-by-step organization that follows the stages of a research project, it emphasizes the actual experience of conducting research and includes a wealth of examples. The text is enhanced by robust pedagogy including chapter objectives, key terms, a running glossary, and chapter-ending discussion questions.

"Intuitive, accessible, and filled with real-world testimonials from actual criminal justice scholars, Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology: A Mixed Methods Approach gives students the tools they need to understand the research they read and take the first steps toward producing compelling research projects themselves. Features: Logical, step-by-step organization follows the stages of a research project ; Robust pedagogy includes chapter objectives, key terms, a running glossary, and chapter-ending discussion questions ; Companion Website offers self-quizzes for each chapter, key terms flashcards, and weblinks (www.oup.com/us/lanier) ; Instructor's Resource CD includes a Test Bank, questions, exercises, activities, and PowerPoint-based lecture slides (available to adopting instructors)."--Publisher's website.

Now with even more real-world examples throughout and comprehensive coverage of qualitative methods, the Seventh Edition of the market-leading RESEARCH METHODS FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CRIMINOLOGY combines the scholarship, accuracy, and conversational tone of Earl Babbie's best-selling THE PRACTICE OF SOCIAL RESEARCH with Mike Maxfield's expertise in criminology and criminal justice. Providing the most comprehensive, authoritative introduction to criminal justice research available today--and enhanced by new examples, research, applications, and built-in study tools--this edition continues its focus on getting students to DO research. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

The Encyclopedia of RESEARCH METHODS IN CRIMINOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE The most comprehensive reference work on research designs and methods in criminology and criminal justice This Encyclopedia of Research Methods in Criminology and Criminal Justice offers a comprehensive survey of research methodologies and statistical techniques that are popular in criminology and criminal justice systems across the globe. With contributions from leading scholars and practitioners in the field, it offers a clear insight into the techniques that are currently in use to answer the pressing questions in criminology and criminal justice. The Encyclopedia contains essential information from a diverse pool of authors about research designs grounded in both qualitative and quantitative approaches. It includes information on popular datasets and leading resources of government statistics. In addition, the contributors cover a wide range of topics such as: the most current research on the link between guns and crime, rational choice theory, and the use of technology like geospatial mapping as a crime reduction tool. This invaluable reference work: Offers a comprehensive survey of international research designs, methods, and statistical techniques Includes contributions from leading figures in the field Contains data on criminology and criminal justice from Cambridge to Chicago Presents information on capital punishment, domestic violence, crime science, and much more Helps us to better understand, explain, and prevent crime Written for undergraduate students, graduate students, and researchers, The Encyclopedia of Research Methods in Criminology and Criminal Justice is the first reference work of its kind to offer a comprehensive review of this important topic.

Criminal Justice Research Methods provides students with an accessible, easy-to-understand guide to all aspects of social scientific research methods. It features a comprehensive discussion of qualitative and quantitative data gathering strategies and a plethora of current examples to help readers understand the process of doing research and investigating issues that are relevant to criminal justice and criminology. The opening chapter differentiates between pure and applied research, explains the relationship between theory, and method, identifies different types of research, and clarifies why research is necessary. Additional chapters cover ethical adherence, experimental designs, and crime data and sampling techniques. Students explore survey research designs and learn effective skillsets for interviewing and observing. The final chapters examine unobtrusive measures and secondary analysis; validity, reliability, and triangulated methods; and scaling and index construction. Throughout, learning objectives, summaries, discussion questions, and key terms support student engagement and retention. Concise and highly contemporary, Criminal Justice Research Methods is ideal for courses with emphasis on research in criminal justice and criminology.