The book examines the different ways in which data are collected and analysed in research on crime and criminal justice. In doing so it deals with social surveys, experimental methods, official statistics, observation and detailed interviews. Throughout, it exphasizes the necessity of examining forms of data collection and analysis within the context of the criminological problems that are being investigated, the theoretical approaches that are used to address these problems, and the political and institutional contexts within which research takes place. A distinctive contribution of the book is its emphasis upon the need to examine the dynamic interchange between problems, theories, methods and politics.