Reflexivity in Criminological Research


Book Description

This comprehensive collection contributes to, advances and consolidates discussions of the range of research methods in criminology through the presentation of diverse international case studies in which contributors reflect upon their experiences with powerless and powerful individuals or groups.




Reflexivity and Criminal Justice


Book Description

This collection presents a diverse set of case studies and theoretical reflections on how criminologists engage with practitioners and policy makers while undertaking research. The contributions to this volume highlight both the challenges and opportunities associated with doing criminological research in a reflexive and collaborative manner. They further examine the ethical and practical implications of the ‘impact’ agenda in the higher education sector with respect to the production and the dissemination of criminological knowledge. Developed to serve as an internationally accessible reference volume for scholars, practitioners and postgraduate criminology students, this book responds to the awareness that criminology as a discipline increasingly encompasses not only the study of crime, but also the agencies, process and structures that regulate it. Key questions include: How can criminal justice policy be studied as part of the field of criminology? How do we account for our own roles as researchers who are a part of the policy process? What factors and dynamics influence, hinder and facilitate ‘good policy’?




Doing Criminological Research


Book Description

The new edition of this bestselling textbook brings criminological research alive for students. It introduces the processes and practicalities of preparing, doing, experiencing and reflecting upon criminological research. The success of the First Edition has been its ability to contextualize research accessibly within real-life examples of crime, criminology and criminal justice– doing interviews with offenders in prison, undertaking evaluation on crime related projects, using questionnaires to measure fear. Its strength continues to lie in its ability to span the process of doing criminological research, helping students to understand the journey of the researcher.




Ethics in Qualitative Criminological Research


Book Description

Providing academic insights, reflections, and practical guidance on ethically conducting qualitative criminological research, this book emphasizes real-life examples to navigate research risks, boundaries, and emotions, while spotlighting reflexivity as a pivotal tool for qualitative inquiries, serving as an ethical compass throughout the research process. By engaging with this book, readers will be exposed to critical themes of managing risks, including physical harm and psychological trauma, navigating boundaries, dealing with the intense emotions that surface during research, and the importance of reflexivity in qualitative criminological research. The themes are illustrated through real-life examples that the authors have encountered during their fieldwork, using reflexive practices to highlight how they were able to ethically deal with unforeseen challenges. By presenting solutions, asking critical questions, and offering practical recommendations, the book guides readers on mitigating ethical issues, and provides a comprehensive approach to conducting research responsibly and ethically. Ethics in Qualitative Criminological Research will be useful for undergraduate and postgraduate students, academic researchers and practitioners with an interest in conducting research, and pracademics occupying both practitioner and academic roles.




Criminological Research


Book Description

Good research starts with careful planning and a thorough understanding of the research process. The abilities to design a research study and to evaluate those conducted by others are core skills every student of criminology must learn. With guidance from theoretical considerations through the steps of the research process, this book equips you with the necessary tools to carry out a successful, ethical study. This is a completely updated new edition, and it features A new skills-focused chapter on how to evaluate existing qualitative studies and design new ones Rich examples from real research making the ideas and concepts concrete New in-depth case studies on fashion counterfeiting, electronic monitoring and youth justice to illustrate the realities of conducting qualitative research A full discussion of the politics of research, issues of access, ethics and managing risk in the field Thought-provoking exercises reinforce practical research skills This book is the perfect guide to theory and practice for any student undertaking qualitative research on crime or criminal justice.




Criminological Research


Book Description

The ultimate new guide to your criminological research project, this introductory textbook supports you through your research journey, providing all the knowledge and skills you need to conduct your own research in criminology, and confidently evaluate published work. It is packed with a wide range of relevant examples supported by helpful discussions on their complexities and ethical implications, giving you a comprehensive understanding of how to research crime. Key features include: A complete look at the research process, from the first steps of deciding your research question to writing up your results, all illustrated with engaging criminological examples ‘What is the mistake?’ exercises to help you avoid the most common errors A dedicated chapter on key ethical issues Step-by-step guides to analysing both quantitative and qualitative data Follow research processes with ease with this accessible textbook and gain the confidence to conduct sound and credible research every step of the way.




Public Criminology?


Book Description

What is the role and value of criminology in a democratic society? How do, and how should, its practitioners engage with politics and public policy? How can criminology find a voice in an agitated, insecure and intensely mediated world in which crime and punishment loom large in government agendas and public discourse? What collective good do we want criminological enquiry to promote? In addressing these questions, Ian Loader and Richard Sparks offer a sociological account of how criminologists understand their craft and position themselves in relation to social and political controversies about crime, whether as scientific experts, policy advisors, governmental players, social movement theorists, or lonely prophets. They examine the conditions under which these diverse commitments and affiliations arose, and gained or lost credibility and influence. This forms the basis for a timely articulation of the idea that criminology’s overarching public purpose is to contribute to a better politics of crime and its regulation. Public Criminology? offers an original and provocative account of the condition of, and prospects for, criminology which will be of interest not only to those who work in the fields of crime, security and punishment, but to anyone interested in the vexed relationship between social science, public policy and politics.




The SAGE Handbook of Criminological Research Methods


Book Description

Conducting research into crime and criminal justice carries unique challenges. This Handbook focuses on the application of ′methods′ to address the core substantive questions that currently motivate contemporary criminological research. It maps a canon of methods that are more elaborated than in most other fields of social science, and the intellectual terrain of research problems with which criminologists are routinely confronted. Drawing on exemplary studies, chapters in each section illustrate the techniques (qualitative and quantitative) that are commonly applied in empirical studies, as well as the logic of criminological enquiry. Organized into five sections, each prefaced by an editorial introduction, the Handbook covers: • Crime and Criminals • Contextualizing Crimes in Space and Time: Networks, Communities and Culture • Perceptual Dimensions of Crime • Criminal Justice Systems: Organizations and Institutions • Preventing Crime and Improving Justice Edited by leaders in the field of criminological research, and with contributions from internationally renowned experts, The SAGE Handbook of Criminological Research Methods is set to become the definitive resource for postgraduates, researchers and academics in criminology, criminal justice, policing, law, and sociology. David Gadd is Professor of Criminology at Manchester University School of Law where he is also Director of the Centre for Criminology and Criminal Justice. Susanne Karstedt has a Chair in Criminology and Criminological Justice at the University of Leeds. Steven F. Messner is Distinguished Teaching Professor of Sociology, University at Albany, State University of New York.




Doing Criminological Research


Book Description

The new edition of this bestselling textbook comes completely revised and updated to take students on a guided tour of criminological research. As a trusted companion, this book brings together a range of experts in the field to provide key perspectives on how to prepare, do and present research. Each chapter comes with a range of learning features and contextualised case studies, giving an in-depth review on conducting research projects. The book: Includes fascinating case studies on transnational crime and policing, victims, male offenders, institutional abuse and more Comes with study questions, activities, key terms and a glossary Includes visual material which highlights and illustrates key points Contains new chapters on mixed methods; web based criminological research; experimental criminological research and quantitative criminological research This is the go-to for any student studying criminology, essential to those conducting their own research in the field.




Engaging with Ethics in International Criminological Research


Book Description

Despite a voluminous literature detailing the procedures of research ethics boards and institutional ethical review processes, there are few texts that explore the realpolitik of conducting criminal research in practice. This book explores the unique lived experiences of scholars engaging with ethics during their criminological research, and focuses on the ethical dilemmas that researchers encounter both in the field and while writing up results for publication. Who benefits from criminological research? What are the roles and impacts of ethics review boards? How do methodological and theoretical decisions factor in to questions of ethical conduct and research ethics governance? This book is divided into four parts: Part I, Institutional arrangements and positionality, explores the ongoing and expanding process of ethics protocol and procedures, principles of confidentiality, and the positionality of the researcher. Part II, Trust and research with vulnerable populations, examines the complexity of work involving prisoners, indigenous peoples and victims of extreme violence, power dynamics between researchers and participants, and the challenges of informed consent. Part III, Research on and with police, reflects on the importance of transparent relations with police, best practices, and the consequences of undertaking research in authoritarian contexts. Part IV, Emerging areas, scrutinizes the ethics of carceral tours and suggests possible alternatives, and offers one of the first sociological and criminological examinations of dark net cryptomarkets. Drawing upon the experiences of international experts, this book aims to provoke further reflection on and discussion of ethics in practice. This book is ideal for students undertaking courses on research methods in criminology, as well as a key resource for criminology researchers around the world.