Earl R. Babbie graduated from Harvard University before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and began teaching shortly thereafter. Credited with defining research methods for the social sciences, Dr. Babbie has written several texts, including the bestselling THE PRACTICE OF SOCIAL RESEARCH and THE BASICS OF SOCIAL RESEARCH. Michael G. Maxfield is Professor of Criminal Justice at John Jay College, City University of New York. He is the author of numerous articles and books on a variety of topics, including victimization, policing, homicide, community corrections, and long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect. Working with students and colleagues at the John Jay College Research and Evaluation Center, Professor Maxfield developed the evidence generation approach to applied justice research. He is editor of the Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency.