Uses of Meta-Analysis in Criminal Justice Research: A Quantitative Review

Meta-analysis has been adopted in many scientific fields for synthesizing large bodies of research, for evidence-based development of practical policies, and for empirical resolution of difficult questions. It provides a rigorous, objective, and quantitative strategy to make effective use of an existing body of research, even when the results seem inconsistent and inconclusive. This paper reviews usage of meta-analysis in research on criminal justice-related issues and problems over the past three decades, identifying 176 studies published between 1976 and 2006 using meta-analysis methods on criminal justice topics. Characteristics of these 176 studies are coded and analyzed to identify trends in the use of meta-analysis by criminal justice researchers, as well as to summarize distinctive variations in how it has been used. A comparison of criminal justice with meta-analysis usage in other social and applied science fields suggests some hesitation in adopting the methodology.