Crime research has grown substantially over the past decade, with a rise in evidence-informed approaches to criminal justice, statistics-driven decision-making and predictive analytics. The fuel that has driven this growth is data – and one of its most pressing challenges is the lack of research on the use and interpretation of data sources. This accessible, engaging book closes that gap for researchers, practitioners and students. International researchers and crime analysts discuss the strengths, perils and opportunities of the data sources and tools now available and their best use in informing sound public policy and criminal justice practice.

Crime research has grown substantially over the past decade, with a rise in evidence-informed approaches to criminal justice, statistics-driven decision-making and predictive analytics. The fuel that has driven this growth is data – and one of its most pressing challenges is the lack of research on the use and interpretation of data sources. This accessible, engaging book closes that gap for researchers, practitioners and students. International researchers and crime analysts discuss the strengths, perils and opportunities of the data sources and tools now available and their best use in informing sound public policy and criminal justice practice.

'This voluminous reference is, indeed, a handbook...But what distinguishes the collection is not its breadth but its continuity.' -- American Bar Foundation Research Journal, 1981

The Criminal Justice Student Writer's Manual is designed to teach beginning students how to conduct criminal justice research and write papers in the discipline. This comprehensive resource frees instructors from having to teach much of the detail of the writing process. It is a valuable tool for all criminal justice courses that ask students to write from introductory classes through advanced undergraduate and graduate classes.