Toward a New Methodology for Legal Research in Criminal Justice

This article informs the reader about legal research, compares it with other forms of social science research, and ultimately argues for the respect it is due, contending that law is at the core to a complete understanding of criminal justice and criminology. While research has a strong positivistic focus, legal scholarship has often set the foundational aspects of much in the field of criminal justice. The discipline is changing rapidly, however, with mixed methods research combining both qualitative and quantitative analysis, including legal issues in criminal justice. The article maintains that: (1) law research and social science research methodologically are not mutually exclusive; (2) legal research has made significant contributions to criminal justice and is not peripheral to quantitative research; and (3) legal research will and should continue to effectively contribute to the advancement of scholarship in criminal justice.