Abstract
This chapter contains an edited transcript of a conversation between the two authors that took place in November of 2017. It provides first person insights into the trials and tribulations that we faced while conducting ethnographic fieldwork within the homicide units of two police organizations. We focus specific attention on topics such as preparing for fieldwork, entry into the field, data collection protocols, analysis strategies, and exiting the field. In doing so, we seek to identify lessons learned and provide readers with insight into the textured nature of agency-based qualitative research.
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Notes
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Below we include some of our favorite texts that have adopted ethnographic methods or some kind of sustained fieldwork, as well as a few of our own pieces based on the research described above. Most of the publications are based on ethnographies of police departments. The few that aren’t – such as the texts by Tony Parker – nonetheless have been inspirational to one or other of us and contain useful information about the art and craft of speaking to, and researching, difficult to reach groups.
Further Reading
Below we include some of our favorite texts that have adopted ethnographic methods or some kind of sustained fieldwork, as well as a few of our own pieces based on the research described above. Most of the publications are based on ethnographies of police departments. The few that aren’t – such as the texts by Tony Parker – nonetheless have been inspirational to one or other of us and contain useful information about the art and craft of speaking to, and researching, difficult to reach groups.
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Dabney, D., Brookman, F. (2018). Fieldwork with Homicide Detectives: 60 Minutes of Reflections from a British and American Criminologist. In: Rice, S., Maltz, M. (eds) Doing Ethnography in Criminology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96316-7_9
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