Research Guides: Government Documents: Sociology

Government Documents for Sociology

The United States Federal Government, as well as all the state governments, have created a large amount of statistical data relating to our society and its people, and has been proven a treasure trove of hard data that sociology students can make use in their research.

Education Annuals

The Digest of Education Statistics and The Condition of Education.are two important annuals are published by the United States government that are especially useful for sociology students in their research projects.

Digest of Education Statistics
This annual provides a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school. The Digest includes a selection of data from many sources, both government and private, and draws especially on the results of surveys and activities carried out by the National Center for Education Statistics
The Condition of Education
This annual reports on the key indicators of the condition of education in the United States. These indicators summarize important developments and trends using the latest statistics

Statistical Information

DATA
Data.gov provides easy access to government datasets covering a wide range of topics—everything from weather, demographics, health, education, housing, and agriculture. The data is used by the public, students, researchers, journalists, and businesses. Usage of Data.gov has grown steadily over the years, reaching approximately 20 million page views annually.
Census data
The Census Bureau is the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy.

National Criminal Justice Reference Service

National Criminal Justice Reference Service
The National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) is a federally funded resource that is a great one-stop-shop site for any topic releated to criminal and social justice, the law, and public safety. Check the A-Z Topics list on the left hand side of the page.

USA.gov

USA.gov
USA.gov is an Official Guide to Government Information and Services and provides a Google-like search to find the government documents on your research subject.

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Bureau of Justice Statistics
A great place to find social crime statistical data for research assignments, the BJS is the United States' primary source for criminal justice statistics and the primary statistical agency of the Department of Justice. It is one of the thirteen principal federal statistical agencies throughout the Executive Branch, agencies whose activities are predominantly focused on the collection, compilation, processing, or analysis of information for statistical purposes.

The mission of BJS is to collect, analyze, publish, and disseminate information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government. BJS also provides financial and technical support to state, local, and tribal governments to improve both their statistical capabilities and the quality and utility of their criminal history records.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is a component of the Office of Justice Programs in the U.S. Department of Justice.