Synopses & Reviews
Reflecting the trend away from comprehensive hardback books toward briefer, paperbacks, BASICS OF RESEARCH METHODS FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CRIMINOLOGY, 3e combines accessibility and a conversational writing style with Michael G. Maxfield?s expertise in criminology and criminal justice in a concise, streamlined paperback. In fewer than 400 pages, this popular book introduces you to the core of criminal justice research using the most current, real data available. Reflecting the latest developments from the field, it features coverage of such key issues as ethics, causation, validity, field research, research design, and more. The Third Edition also includes expanded coverage of web-based research and how to access and utilize new CJ data sets. Balancing coverage of both qualitative and quantitative methods, the text is packed with real-world examples, practical applications, and Internet research exercises.
Synopsis
This brief introduction to research methods combines accessibility and a conversational writing style with Michael G. Maxfield's expertise in criminology and criminal justice. In fewer than 400 pages, the text introduces you to the basics of criminal justice research utilizing real data and featuring coverage of such key issues as ethics, causation, validity, field research, and research design.
About the Author
Michael G. Maxfield is a professor of Criminal Justice at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. He is the author of numerous articles and books on a variety of topics, including victimization, policing, homicide, community corrections, and long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect. Prof. Maxfield is the editor of the JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN CRIME AND DELINQUENCY and serves on the editorial boards of the JOURNAL OF QUANTITATIVE CRIMINOLOGY and CRIMINAL JUSTICE: THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF POLICY AND PRACTICE.Earl R. Babbie graduated from Harvard University before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and began teaching shortly thereafter. Credited with defining research methods for the social sciences, Dr. Babbie has written several texts, including bestseller THE PRACTICE OF SOCIAL RESEARCH.
Table of Contents
1. Criminal Justice and Scientific Inquiry. 2. Ethics and Criminal Justice Research. 3. General Issues in Research Design. 4. Concepts, Operationalization, and Measurement. 5. Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs. 6. Sampling. 7. Survey Research and Other Ways of Asking Questions. 8. Field Research. 9. Agency Records, Content Analysis, and Secondary Data. 10. Evaluation Research and Problem Analysis. 11. Interpreting Data.