Available From UC Press

While many researchers study offenders and offending, few actually journey into the correctional world to meet offenders face to face. This book offers researchers, practitioners, and students a step-by-step guide to effectively research correctional populations, providing field-tested advice for those studying youth and adults on probation, on parole, and in jails and prisons.
 
The book addresses topics such as how to build rapport with offenders and those who monitor them; how to select from the many types of correctional data that can be collected; how to navigate the informed consent process and maintain research ethics; and how to manage the logistics of doing research. With personal stories, “what if” scenarios, case studies, and real-world tools like checklists and sample forms, the authors share methods of negotiating the complexities that researchers often face as they work with those behind bars.

Kathleen A. Fox is Associate Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University.
Jodi Lane is Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology and Law at the University of Florida.
Susan F. Turner is Professor in the Department of Criminology, Law, and Society and Director of the Center for Evidence-Based Corrections at the University of California, Irvine.

“This is a must-read for newbies or those of us who are still invested in the art of the partnership."—Faye S. Taxman, George Mason University
 
"It is time to break open the 'black box' of corrections research, and this book is the first practical guide on how to do this. A treasure trove of essential information. A must-read book for any student, scholar, or policymaker studying criminal justice."—Joan Petersilia, Stanford Law School

"A much-needed roadmap to study correctional populations. This is truly a how-to book that provides practical and useful information that you will not find anywhere else."—Edward Latessa, University of Cincinnati

"A detailed and rewarding primer to improve the quality of our research collaboration with correctional agencies and populations and to maximize the value of our research findings.”—John Hepburn, Arizona State University