Title overview
Introduces students to current research shaping the field as they learn about research methods. The text discusses quantitative and qualitative research and emphasized classic and contemporary examples.
Leads students through the research process. The text is organized to carry readers through the sequence of the research process. Contents flows logically, which helps students build knowledge gradually and in proper context. Since chapters are self-contained, instructors may shuffle the order of the chapters to suit their syllabus or research style.
Guides students in developing ethical standards. Hagan includes an early chapter on ethics (Chapter 2), which covers ethical issues in criminology and criminal justice research and presents cases as illustrative examples.
Familiarizes students with best-practices for quality research. Chapter 11 covers policy analysis and evaluation research that enables students to become familiar with the latest “what works” research.
Helps students understand the basic statistics used in the field. Chapter 13, “User’s Guide to Statistics,” provides a useful recap of statistical theories and methods commonly used in criminological and criminal justice research for those not familiar with or needing a review of statistics.
Brings the text up to date with the most recent developments and research in the field, including:
UPDATED: Pursuing timely topics introduced in the last edition, such as the Belfast Report, the Syphilis study in Guatemala, and CrimeSolutions.gov to keep current with developing changes.
NEW: Adding discussion of the NCS Initiative (The National Crime Statistics Exchange), controversies regarding the crime dip, and the National Consortium for Justice. Telephone focus groups are also introduced as is the availability of the National Institute of Justice’s “Data Resources Program.”
UPDATED: Thoroughly updating all references, tables, figures, and examples to incorporate the most recent information possible.
NEW: Incorporating useful websites in all of the chapters to provide dynamic resources and references for further reading.
Brings the text up to date with the most recent developments and research in the field, including:
UPDATED: Pursuing timely topics introduced in the last edition, such as the Belfast Report, the Syphilis study in Guatemala, and CrimeSolutions.gov to keep current with developing changes.
Adding discussion of the NCS Initiative (The National Crime Statistics Exchange), controversies regarding the crime dip, and the National Consortium for Justice. Telephone focus groups are also introduced as is the availability of the National Institute of Justice’s “Data Resources Program.”
UPDATED: Thoroughly updating all references, tables, figures, and examples to incorporate the most recent information possible.
Incorporating useful websites in all of the chapters to provide dynamic resources and references for further reading.
Table of contents
1. Introduction to Criminal Justice Research Methods: Theory and Method
2. Ethics in Criminal Justice Research
3. Research Design: The Experimental Model and Its Variations
4. The Uniform Crime Reports and Sampling
5. Survey Research: Questionnaires
6. Survey Research: Interviews and Telephone Surveys
7. Participant Observation and Case Studies
8. Unobtrusive Measures, Secondary Analysis, and the Uses of Official Statistics
9. Validity, Reliability, and Triangulated Strategies
10. Scaling and Index Construction
11. Policy Analysis and Evaluation Research
12. Data Management: Coding, Tabulation and Simple Data Presentation
13. Data Analysis: A User’s Guide to Statistics
Appendix A: How to Write the Research Report
Appendix B: Table of Random Numbers
Appendix C: Distribution of Chi-Square
Appendix D: Answers to Pop Quizzes in Chapter 13
Final Quiz
Glossary
References
Name Index
Subject Index
Author bios
Frank E. Hagan, Ph.D., a graduate of Case Western Reserve University, is a professor of sociology and the author of seven books, including Introduction to Criminology (5th edition), and Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology (10th edition).
He is also the author or coauthor of many journal articles and articles in edited volumes. His major interests are research methods, criminology and organized crime, white collar crime and political crime and terrorism.
Awards:
2004 - The Regional Fellows' Award and the Founders' Award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
2000 - The Academy Fellows' Award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
2006 - The Outstanding Teacher's Award from Mercyhurst University