GSU Library Research Guides: CRJU 3020: Research Methods In Criminal Justice: Statistics and Websites

Databases

Statistical Abstract of the United States This link opens in a new window
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A well-known and highly-valued statistical reference providing a comprehensive collection of statistics on the social, political, and economic conditions of the United States.
Historical Statistics of the United States This link opens in a new window
Historical United States data on migration, health, crime, climate and the environment, religion, economics, and more.
ICPSR (Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research) This link opens in a new window
ICPSR is research science data on topics from social media, politics, to GIS & more. By providing this data ICPSR seeks to advance and expand social and behavioral research.

Websites

City of Atlanta Uniform Crime Reports
The Uniform Crime Report or UCR Report contains the official crime statistics for the City of Atlanta. The reports show crime statistics on a monthly basis and are released within 45 days after the end of the month.
Uniform Crime Reporting (FBI)
Contains four annual publications, Crime in the United States, National Incident-Based Reporting System, Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, and Hate Crime Statistics.
Georgia Crime Statistics
Contains custom reports on Georgia Family Violence Statistics and Georgia Crime Statistics.
U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics
This site collects, analyzes, publishes, and disseminates information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government.
National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS)
Established in 1972, the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) is a federally funded resource offering justice and drug-related information to support research, policy, and program development worldwide.
International Justice Statistics
The United Nations (UN) is the principal source of comparative crime and justice statistics. The UN Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (ODCCP) promotes research and collaboration, studies new and emerging forms of crime, and produces documents to assist in the global fight against crime and drug abuse.
The World Prison Brief
The World Prison Brief is an online database providing free access to information on prison systems around the world. It is a unique resource, which supports evidence-based development of prison policy and practice globally.
World Factbook of Criminal Justice Systems
This factbook, developed under BJS grants, provides narrative descriptions of the criminal justice systems of 45 countries around the world.

Credibility Check

Before you use a resource in your paper, you need to determine if it is credible. There are many approaches but this is one I find easy to remember:

CABLE!

C - Currency: When was the page created? Or when was the article or book published ? If it is a website, are the links still active? Given your topic, how recent do your resouces have to be?

A – Authority: Who is the author? What are the author's credentials? If it is a website, what is the domain name for the site? (e.g. .edu; .org) If it is in print, is it from a reputable publisher?

B – Bias: What is the purpose of the resource? Is there a position/opinion presented? If it is a website, what types of sites are being linked to? Are they random or well-known sites? If it is a print resource, who are the advertisers?

L – Level: Do you feel comfortable using this site for a college-level assignment? Is the site popular or intended for specialists?

E – Exploration: Verify the information in other sources. You are reading a lot on your topic, and soon you will be able to identify certain universal ideas and trends in your area. Match what you have learned against the resources you are considering - does it jive?

! - Is the resouce available in time for it to be properly read and incorporated into your paper?