The work has been set up to lead students through the steps of a literature search; thus it begins with an introduction to the library card catalog, followed by explanations of several other sources of books, journals, and microforms. Specifically, it lists indexing services, journal titles in the field, bibliographies, computerized literature searches, general reference sources, sources of audiovisual materials, theses and dissertations, and historical research sources. In addition, it cites sources for legal research. International information sources are included, as are several government documents and their publishing agencies. Special libraries, such as the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, are listed, as are private agencies and organizations which may publish or collect information pertaining to some aspect of criminal justice. The handbook also instructs students in the organization of the research data and assembly of the research paper. Appendixes and a glossary are given.