Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology (with CD-ROM and InfoTrac ) [Hardcover]

Michael G. Maxfield (Author), Earl R. Babbie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 19, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0534615600 | ISBN-13: 978-0534615604 | Edition: 4

Based on Earl Babbie's best-selling text, THE PRACTICE OF SOCIAL RESEARCH, this text combines the key strengths of Babbie's text (accessibility; a conversational, "friendly" writing style; and great examples) with Michael G. Maxfield's expertise in criminology and criminal justice for a text that addresses the specific methods used in criminal justice research. The new edition of this market-leader includes changes in its coverage of ethics, causation, validity, and research design, as well as updated coverage and statistics, and expanded examples, especially in the discussion of field research. A running case study on the dropping crime rate in New York City?a study to which co-author Maxfield has close links?further demonstrates the important role of research methods in our evolving understanding of crime and society.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael G. Maxfield is Professor of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University, Newark. He is the author of numerous articles and books on a variety of topics--victimization, policing, homicide, community corrections, and long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect. Professor Maxfield serves on editorial boards of the "Journal of Quantitative Criminology" and "Criminal Justice: The International Journal of Policy and Practice."

A native of New England, Earl Babbie graduated from Harvard University before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley and began teaching shortly thereafter. Earl Babbie has written several texts for Thomson Wadsworth, including the best-selling THE PRACTICE OF SOCIAL RESEARCH.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing; 4 edition (February 19, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0534615600
• ISBN-13: 978-0534615604
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #798,617 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Dry, May 13, 2011

By 

Sabrina Hill - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology (Hardcover)

This textbook is the dullest book ever!!! This textbook gave me a headache every time I had to read a chapter. It doesn't explain critical things in the simplest form and I find the chapters too wordy to be saying too much of nothing.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Does A Good Job, January 24, 2010

By 

Danny Yu (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology (Hardcover)

Face it: most college students do not read every single word and page in a textbook.

With such a complex class, I would say this textbook did a fairly good job in providing brief but understandable material. Granted, it might not be the best of methods, but it allows the reader to skim through some parts and read the ever so useful "Main Points" at the end of every chapter. Then, for a fast paced student like me with so many classes, I could just read back on the pages I NEED to read to understand certain concepts.

Have fun researching!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Research Methods for criminal justice, August 20, 2009

By 

Noreen Gambill (Georgia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology (Hardcover)

This book discusses methods of researching. Some of the techniques of a good research should include methods like attributes, qualitative and quantitative measures. This book can be a little confusing if you are not familiar with this type of research.