Problems of Method in Comparative Criminology

Methodological problems of conducting comparative research in criminology are reviewed in the light of the severe lack of comparative research in criminology. Methodological difficulties in conducting survey research in comparative criminology are outlined. These include the necessity to establish equivalence of meaning, comparability of samples, temporal equivalence and equivalence of interviewers. It is suggested that an important and as yet unexplored avenue for comparative criminology may be in the area of comparative systems analysis.