Contemporary Topics in Criminology

This essential book brings together leading criminology researchers from across the globe to explore the critical role of the ‘evidence base’ in crime and criminal justice. It began with a simple question: if experts were asked to write about the evidence base in their area of expertise, what would they say? Casting the net widely to ensure a diverse range of topics, contributors were given a straightforward brief: 5000 words on any aspect of the evidence base within their field. The result is a lively and accessible collection of papers offering critical assessments and insightful commentary on the state of research evidence.

This book is designed for students, academics, policymakers, and practitioners in criminology, criminal justice, and related fields. It addresses the challenges of turning empirical evidence into effective policy and practice, while highlighting methodological, political, and practical issues faced by researchers. The chapters provide research-driven insights into the evidence base across various areas, making this an invaluable resource for understanding the intersection of research and public policy in criminal justice.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Evidence Base.

Laura Huey is Professor of Sociology at Western University, London, Canada; Editor of Police Practice and Research; a member of the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC); and a member of the Canadian Council of Academies’ expert panels on Cybercrime and Policing.

Lorna Ferguson is Assistant Professor at the University of Regina, Canada, and is Founder of the Missing Persons Research Hub. Lorna has a broad interest in policing research, including issues related to search and rescue, incident command, technologies, crime concentration, and cybercrime. Her specialization is police responses to missing persons.