What are some good straightforward resources for learning how to
analyze publicly traded sub-prime mortgage companies like New Century
Financial?

If you have access to rating agency reports, brokerage reports, or if
you contact the underwriters of different companies to understand
their underwriting policies can help you in your analysis.  If you
trying to do subprime reserach for your own investment, the easiest
way is to contact different companies to get their underwriting policy
and compare the risks and performance of their loans.