This book has two central purposes: to demonstrate the importance of qualitative research through an examination of the type of data that it is capable of producing, and, to do so using first-hand research accounts of ethnographic work. In reflecting upon personal experiences of field-work, together with the research strategies employed, the authors illustrate their arguments in a detailed and accessible manner. The themes they discuss include the ethics and politics of field-work, reflexivity and data production, feminist field-work, the publication and production of studies, and an...

Written by a leading commentator on the culture of crime and criminality, this book is a hard-hitting and disturbing insight into the activities and attitudes of professional Criminals. The work is based upon interviews with generations of criminals whose activities range from violence, intimidation, and protection rackets through to drug dealing and car theft. Professional criminals talk in graphic detail about their violent methods and ruthless attitudes to those who stand in their way. The stories show a picture of a community where criminals have an elevated status, where violence is seen...