Statistics in Criminal Justice

NEW AND REVISED THIRD EDITIONThis book introduces basic statistics and statistical concepts, with each chapter building in sophistication to prepare for the concepts that follow. Emphasizing comprehension and interpretation over computation, the book still takes a serious approach to statistics, tailored to the real world of crime and justice. The updated and expanded 3rd edition includes additional chapter-end exercises; expanded computer exercises that can be performed in the Student Version of SPSS; extended discussion of multivariate regression models, including interaction and non-linear effects; a new chapter on multinomial and ordinal logistic regression models, designed for comprehension and interpretation; and new material on multivariate regression models. One course that students always put off until they are nearing the completion of their degree requirements is statistics. The fear is that the material is either too difficult or the book doesn't make sense. Although as teachers we can do little about the former, we can do much about the latter, and Weisburd and Britt have done just that. Statistics in Criminal Justice is precisely the book I wish I learned statistics with when I was a student. It presents readers with the basic tools needed to be a consumer and user of criminal justice research, includes many examples spanning a wide range of criminal justice/criminological topics, and the end-of-chapter study questions and computer exercises reinforce key concepts. To the authors' credit, this text goes even farther by introducing the reader to more advanced forms of regression-based analyses. As such, the book can and should be read by undergraduate students starting off in higher education, graduate students embarking on their academic careers, and even seasoned faculty who every now and again need to recall a formula or brush up on some matters. After reading Statistics in Criminal Justice, I am sure you will join me in thanking these two first-rate scholars for taking the time to teach us statistics in an enjoyable and effective manner.-Alex R. Piquero, Presidential Scholar & Professor, University of Maryland-College Park