Editor-in-Chief, Encyclopedia of Social Measurement Professor of Criminology, Sociology, and Political Economy at the University of Texas at Dallas	January 2005
	"In the past, social measurement was characterized by distinctions that I consider unproductive. There were distinctions between quantitative and qualitative methodologies and discipline-specific preferences. These divisions were reinforced by teaching and exclusive professional associations. Besides division within social sciences, there’s been external criticism that social scientists suffer “physics envy” and human behavior is not amenable to scientific investigation. "

Can you tell me a bit about your background and how you became interested in the mechanics of Social Measurement?
I’ve been interested in the concept of justice since I was quite young and originally planned to become an attorney or judge. I didn’t actually decide to pursue criminology instead of law until the summer after graduation from college. I’d worked briefly as a para-legal. I tried to negotiate within a criminal justice “system” to help individual clients, but I was continually frustrated by obstacles and barriers to what I consider justice within that system.

I knew I’d made the right choice almost as soon as I started graduate studies in sociology. I was assigned as a research assistant to a sentencing commission. My desk was in the basement and my contribution was small, but it was great fun to be part of a research team that examined sentencing patterns and used the findings to convince the legislature to adopted policy changes that affected sentencing throughout an entire state.

My career covers twenty years and the power of measurement to improve the social world continues to impress me. I’m still working to measure justice and use my research findings to improve the process of justice we provide for offenders, victims, and the community. As the entries in the encyclopedia aptly convey, we are fortunate that the “tool kits” for social scientists keep expanding and so does the fun.

I heard an interesting quote on the radio this morning “When things get measured, things get done” is this the underlying theme of the study of Social Measurement?
That’s great. Social scientists who do applied research would agree wholeheartedly.

In such a vast study, how did you determine which subjects would be covered in the Encyclopedia?
We made, and revised and revised, a huge wish list of entries. The difficult part was locating authors, but we worked on it for several years and had a lot of help through referrals.

Why do you feel that these subjects are important to cover in the Encyclopedia?
Most of us learn research methods from a few graduate courses and doing a few studies. These experiences can’t provide the full spectrum of measurement opportunities. This area is ideally suited to a huge reference source, such as an encyclopedia.

Where do you see the study of Social Measurement going? Where do you see it in ten years?
This is an important question. I see social sciences poised for exponential growth in coming years, but success will depend on the extent to which we embrace diverse design and measurement opportunities.

In the past, social measurement was characterized by distinctions that I consider unproductive. There were distinctions between quantitative and qualitative methodologies and discipline-specific preferences. These divisions were reinforced by teaching and exclusive professional associations. Besides division within social sciences, there’s been external criticism that social scientists suffer “physics envy” and human behavior is not amenable to scientific investigation. Some of the debates and mudslinging are entertaining, but it seems more like rivalry between adolescent cliques.

I’m lucky to be a criminologist, because my field appreciates expertise that is multidisciplinary. Major contributions in criminology often come from adapting a new measurement technique pioneered elsewhere. There’s no single best research design, data collection method, or measurement technique, and it seems futile to argue to the contrary. It also is impossible for any one scientist to know the capabilities of all measurement tools. Thus, a better strategy for overall success is to appreciate diversity and work on team building. I see movement in this direction through inter-disciplinary research consortiums and funding sources that more often reward collaborative efforts. Hopefully, this is only the beginning.

Will this title serve as the foundation for all new students in Social Measurement? Will the Encyclopedia set the standards for the study? Serve as the great unifier?
This question implies a goal that is too lofty. I am proud of the diversity across entries. We made a concerted effort to include a good mix of qualitative and quantitative pieces, and to highlight a wide range of substantive topics that represent social sciences.

The encyclopedia sits among the disciplines commonly grouped together as "the social sciences." What unifying and/or divisive role(s) will it play?
The volumes do not separate traditional social science disciplines because I don’t think they are as important as subject matter and methodological approaches. I hope that will help unify readers. Although we do have entries sufficiently diverse for everyone to find something of value, I suppose those who adhere to strict disciplinary boundaries or rigid methodological divisions may not find value in the diversity of entries here. I think that sort of narrowness is not the direction for the future in social sciences.

How is the release of this work important to the emerging field of Social Measurement? What impact will it have?
I hope it will reinforce the positive aspects of collaborative, interdisciplinary work that draws on the strengths of both quantitative and qualitative data to address important questions about human interaction.

Does the Encyclopedia cover collection of data, or purely analysis?
Both, and more. There are many entries about research design, sampling and other issues with selection of subjects, philosophy of science, and implications from research endeavors.

What problems do you currently encounter that will be resolved by the Encyclopedia?
I’ll use the entries to consider new strategies, and as a resource to think about measuring in a new way. I try to teach students to think “outside of the box” and I think this resource will help those who measure to do so too.

With Social Measurement being such an interdisciplinary field; was it difficult to pull contributors from multiple fields of study?
We followed a sampling design known in the social sciences as a referral chain or “snowball” sample to identify potential authors. First, we assembled an editorial advisory board filled with wonderful social scientists from many disciplines and with various areas of expertise. These advisors helped us identify topics to include in the volumes and potential authors from all over the world. It was easier to locate authors for some topics than for others. I’m pleased with breadth and depth of the final collection.

Does the Encyclopedia contain hard data, or is it mostly theory of collection and analysis?
The encyclopedia includes entries that cover many forms of measurement used by social scientists to study behavior. Each section includes entries that address important components of quantitative and qualitative research methods, which are dissected and illustrated with examples from diverse fields of study. The articles convey research basics in sufficient detail to explain even the most complicated statistical technique, and references for additional information are provided for each topic.

Most entries describe actual research experiences to illustrate both the realm of possibilities and the potential challenges that might be encountered. Some entries describe major contributions by the social scientists who made them. The authors are accomplished methodologists in their fields of study. They explain the steps necessary to accomplish the measurement goals, as well as provide their practical advice for ways in which to overcome the likely obstacles.

Although there aren’t matrices containing data, many of the entries provide website addresses, government and private agencies, and other locations from which data can be obtained.

Do you think the Encyclopedia will be welcomed within industry or is it geared more for the academics? Who is the Encyclopedia intended for?
The intended audience is pretty diverse, which is why the encyclopedia is more likely to be in libraries than on an individual’s bookshelf. I hope students who are wondering about social science will peruse the encyclopedia and come away appreciating the powerful impact that is available from our work. I also hope that both emerging and accomplished scholars will use the encyclopedia to expand their expertise to other methodologies.

I’m not sure what you mean by industry, but social scientists work in all sorts of positions. You’ll find us in university departments as professors of sociology, psychology, anthropology, political science, and economics. You’ll also find us as professors of geography, history, philosophy, math, management, planning, finance, journalism, architecture, and art history. Even this multidisciplinary list isn’t exhaustive. Social scientists influence decision-making in the world outside of universities too. We work in all branches of government, large and small organizations, and many types of businesses. Daily life for most people is influenced by social science research in marketing, insurance, and government. Not everyone is these positions is a social scientists, however; the distinction involves scientific inquiry which is what every entry in this encyclopedia is about.

Will the theory covered in the Encyclopedia have global appeal?
Gosh, I hope so; that was our aim from the very beginning. We really tried to locate authors and reviewers to represent social science across the globe.

I see that you have spent vast amounts of time in the criminal justice system. On a personal note, how do you feel about California’s three-strike law? Is it a solution or does it merely add to the problem?
It depends on how you define problem and solution. One effect has been employment in corrections; another has been helping Californians to spend taxes. Seriously, mandatory policies such as these tend not to achieve the desired objective. They remove the ability to make a decision from those in positions to know best. In this case, a legislative decision supercedes judicial scrutiny decision-making. As a result only narrowly defined criteria about offense determine sentencing, with no role for the characteristics of individual cases. The aim was to enhance public safety and to provide equity in sentencing; the result has been neither.

What do you do in your spare time? Any hobbies?
My husband and I have two young sons who keep us pretty busy. We both like to cook, and we spend a lot time farmer’s markets and gourmet grocery stores. In spare time, I’m trying to rejuvenate some big gardens in our backyard. I also like to poke around antique shops; I collect oak furniture, trunks and unusual boxes, and jewelry.

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E-Mail: kleonard@utdallas.edu
Phone:  (972) 883-4969
http://www.utdallas.edu/dept/socsci/kleonard/

This article by Joe Martis
j.p.martis@elsevier.com