Freisthler, B., Lery, B., Gruenewald, P.J., & Chow, J. (2006). Methods and challenges of analyzing spatial data for social work problems: The case of examining child maltreatment geographically. Social Work Research, 30(4), 198-210. METHODS AND CHALLENGES OF ANALYZING SPATIAL DATA FOR SOCIAL WORK PROBLEMS: THE CASE OF EXAMINING CHILD MALTREATMENT GEOGRAPHICALLY Bridget Freisthler, Ph.D. Department of Social Welfare UCLA School of Public Affairs 3250 Public Policy Building, Box 951656 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1656 E-mail: freisthler@spa.ucla.edu Bridgette Lery, Ph.D. Research Associate Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago 99 Bosworth Street San Francisco, CA 94112 E-mail: blery@chapinhall.org Paul J Gruenewald, Ph.D. Prevention Research Center Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation 1995 University Ave., Suite 450 Berkeley, CA 94704 E-mail: paul@prev.org Julian Chow, Ph.D. School of Social Welfare University of California at Berkeley 120 Haviland Hall Berkeley CA 94720-7400 E-mail: jchow99@berkeley.edu Correspondence should be sent to Bridget Freisthler at the above address or by phone at (310) 206-1602. Preparation of this manuscript was made possible in part by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Center grant number P60-AA06282 (Gruenewald, P.I.). The authors wish to thank Barbara Needell, California Department of Social Services and Stuart Foundation for making this research possible.