Ethical principles and concerns are at the heart of criminological research and can arise at the planning, implementation and reporting stages. It is only if researchers are aware of the issues involved that they can make informed decisions about the implications of certain choices. This book charts the changing topography of ethics, governance and accountability for social science research in Criminology, contributes to the developing discourse on research ethics and demonstrates why research ethics should be taken seriously. Bringing together a range of experts, this book examines the key issues and challenges of ethical research. Considering both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, a range of issues are considered, including the measures in place to ensure ethical research practice for social scientists; the relationship between state funding and research findings; the challenge of researching sensitive areas; the changing face of governance and accountability and the function of the Ethics Committee.
Pedagogical features such as seminar questions, chapter summaries, lists of further reading and explanations of key concepts appear throughout the text to encourage critical thinking. This book is enlightening and compelling reading for students of criminology and particularly for those taking modules on Research Methods in Criminology.