After discussing some of the complex, sensitive issues involved in doing policy-related research, this paper describes a strategy for social scientists to use in doing collaborative research with criminal justice agencies. The strategy calls for: (1) careful selection of programs or practices on which to conduct research; (2) collaboration with decision makers that includes a responsibility to present complete and objective feedback about policies; (3) continuing evaluation and feedback about the consequences of program or policy changes that engages a wide variety of stakeholders in the discussion of policy; (4) recognition of the value-laden nature of the research itself; and (5) advance agreement on the rules for the collaborative research enterprise. (Author)