The main argument is that the conventional methodological approach to comparative criminological analysis that uses the nation as the unit of analysis should be abandoned in favor of an in-depth case study methodology. While case studies are often considered noncomparative, they can offer rich data about crime and criminal justice placed within a historical and cultural context. The major impediments to the development of a comparative criminology are identified as: (1) an inadequate understanding of the nature of comparative criminology, and (2) the difficulty obtaining appropriate data for cross-national comparisons. To overcome these difficulties, the author suggests that criminological concepts and theoretical proposition theories should be tested and elaborated under different political and social contexts. Second, current and emerging crimes in different countries should be examined followed by an investigation of the mechanisms of social control and the operations of criminal justice systems in different countries. China is suggested as a strategic site for the development of a comparative criminology due to its rapidly growing economy and its distinctive historical, cultural, and political context. References