Contextual and structural factors and several aspects of management and administration may affect crime rates in public housing. Relevant factors may include the management, the admission and eviction policies, the amount and extent of police presence and response, and tenant organizations and perceptions. Variations in physical structure and neighborhood may also have an influence. Research design issues include the unit of analysis, the selection of comparison groups, diffusion and displacement effects, event locations, apportioning effects, and measurement considerations. Data collection strategies include surveys, official records, and observations. Public housing authorities, police records, injury surveillance data, and tenant/resident surveys each have specific features and limitations as data sources. Research also needs to recognize the variety of public housing residents, including long-term residents, distressed families, working-class loners, and residents who are coping but isolated. Reference notes