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100 Amazing Criminal Justice Research Topics 2023

To score the top grades, students must choose the right criminal justice research topics for their papers and essays. Writing assignments in this academic field deal with justice and crime. However, the study field of a learner can be limited to specific academic barriers and choices. Criminal justice is a science. Nevertheless, criminal justice is generally a science that focuses on the study, analysis of the occurrence, and prevention of illegal acts.

But, what are some criminal justice topics that learners can consider? Well, students can select criminal justice topics for their papers by focusing on definite issues.

Criminal justice topics are limited and flexible because they offer hypotheses. However, criminal justice paper topics should be based on case studies or legislative acts. Additionally, students should be confident in terms of their ability to research and write about their chosen topics.

So, are still asking, what are some good criminal justice research topics? If yes, here are some of the great criminal justice research paper topics to consider.

Basic Criminal Justice Research Topics

Perhaps, your educator asked you to write an original paper. In that case, consider standard or basic research topics in criminal justice. Here are examples of such topics.

What are the major problems in prison systems?
What are the major crime prevention principles?
Discuss the deterrence and rational option theory
How does the law punish workplace and school sexual offenders?
Why is capital punishment common among men than women?
What are the most common features for ransom and kidnapping cases- Consider behavior style and motifs
Explain the cybercrime’s legal perspective
Crime prevention- What are the major principles?
How to determine whether a person fired off accidentally or deliberately
How are crime, justice, and mass media related?
What is experimental criminology?
Discuss Miranda vs. Arizona and its effect today
What are victim services?
Discuss juvenile recidivism
A review of parental abduction laws
How to prevent wildlife crime
What is felon disenfranchisement?
Describe the functions of forensic science
How effective are witness protection programs?
How do criminal cases differ from civil cases?

If you wish to write a simple paper, consider some ideas from this list of basic criminal justice topics. Nevertheless, make sure that you’re comfortable researching and writing about the topic that you choose.

Controversial Topics in Criminal Justice

Maybe you want to write a paper on a controversial topic. In that case, consider any of these criminal justice controversial topics.

Major causes of college violence
Biased investigations of African Americans
Punishment versus reform- Which one is more beneficial?
How good is a restorative justice model as a tool for criminal justice
Should an insane person be exempted from liability?
Is school-based drug testing ideal for colleges and high schools
Is the current judicial system racial?
What is the correlation between crime and race?
How is juvenile delinquency related to bad parenting?
Can prisons be decongested by restrictive housing?
How can people protect themselves from false accusations?
Should the names of sex offenders be included in public records?
What causes controversy about prostitution legalization?
How is crime linked to the social class of a person?
Selective incapacitation- Is it effective as a crime reduction policy?
How can eyewitness testimony facilitate crime investigation?
How effective is community policing as a program for reducing homegrown crimes?
How effective are youthful offenders’ boot camps?
Should pornography be categorized as a form of sexual violence?
How can the state enhance gun control?

This category has some of the best argumentative topics. That’s because somebody can argue from different angles when discussing some of these topics. Nevertheless, extensive research is required to compose solid papers on these topics.

Criminal Justice Debate Topics

Maybe you want to write about a debate topic. This category has some of the best topics to talk about in criminal justice. That’s because they mostly involve current issues that concern most people. Some of them are about problems whose solutions have not been found yet. Here are examples of topics in this category.

How effective and fair is the death penalty as a way of deterring crime?
How fair is the extradition law?
Should deceit and trickery be used for interrogations and investigations?
Should cooperation with informants in prisons be acceptable?
Death penalty for juveniles- Should it be used?
How effective are super-max prisons?
Super-max prisons are cruel
How can police shootings be justified?
Drunk drivers’ punishment- Should it be severe?
How effective e is zero-tolerance when it comes to crime reduction?
Should criminal charges attract mandatory imprisonment without a possibility for parole?
Should shaming become an element of criminal punishment?
How are civil liberties threatened by the Patriot Act?
Should the Rights Amendment for a victim be added to the constitution?
Should plea bargaining be considered an acceptable means of settling criminal cases?
American society needs more laws to prevent the cruelty meted on animals
How humane is the U.S society?
Discuss the Susan Wright trial
What is political corruption?
Discuss the Marbury versus Madison Case

Criminal Justice Research Proposal Topics

What are some good research topics for criminal justice that will get you the necessary funding? You’re likely to ask this question when writing a proposal for your research. Here are some of the best research proposal topics to consider in criminal justice.

How does crime relate to aggression?
Mental health problems like depression and the internet
How mental health relate to violence
Use of violence and torture towards criminals
Invalidity or validity of Rational Choice theory
Crime and violence- Are they nurtured or products of nature?
Major trends in criminology
Crime and dysfunctional families
Basis, theories, and limitations of feminist criminology
How crime occurrence can be reduced by the examination of criminal behavior

Juvenile Justice Paper Topics

Perhaps, you need juvenile topics in criminal justice for your academic papers. In that case, consider criminal justice paper topics, prepared by our writing professionals.

Do children deserve the same trial with adults?
Rehabilitation of children involved in violent crimes
Should children and adults have the same prisons?
Can juveniles be socio-paths?
Should house arrest be granted to juvenile offenders that do not engage in violent crimes?
What are the best solutions for teens that keep committing crimes?
How can the criminal justice system deal with frequent juvenile offenders?
Is punitive juvenile justice effective?
How rampant is juvenile victimization?
How effective are school-based juvenile programs for preventing crime?

International Topics Dealing with Criminal Justice

Several criminal justice issue topics can be addressed at an international level. Here are examples of such topics.

How are international offenders treated currently?
NATO ethics in Afghanistan and Iraq
Violations of human rights in Uganda
International intervention- When is it acceptable?
Information accessibility and police cooperation at an international level
Methods used by criminals to traffic drugs
Analysis of an international criminal justice tribunal
What the appeal process for the international criminal court?
Discuss the issue of child soldiers during the Israel-Palestine conflict
Discuss the XYZ Corporation’s transnational crimes

Criminal Justice Thesis Topics

A thesis topic should be interesting and relevant. If struggling to come up with a topic for your thesis, consider these samples for inspiration.

Why do some offenders become criminals after servicing their sentences?
How can legislation change the delinquency and violence levels in the U.S concerning drug use?
How can wrong convictions be prevented?
How do people influence the making of decisions of public policies about the criminal justice system?
How accurately do television, novels, and movies depict a country’s criminal justice system?
Does a criminal deserve cruel treatment and unlawful use of force by law enforcers?
How effective are strategies for stopping or determining criminal behavior?
How can the reentry of an offender to society be made seamless?
Should law enforcers wear cameras?
How effective and accessible is the judicial system?

In addition to these ideas, you can choose criminal justice reform topics or criminal justice ethic topics. Nevertheless, choose only topics you find interesting and comfortable working on.

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100+ Interesting Criminal Justice Research Questions and Topics

Thu Sep 16 2021

By nickdeda

In matters of assignment difficulty, criminal justice is known for its difficulty level. Criminal justice requires extensive research, logical reasoning, accurate formatting, and adequate resources. Complicated as it may sound, settling on workable criminal justice research questions and topics might lessen your work while writing the research essay.

Selecting the ideal criminal and justice research topic might be time-consuming and confusing. So, choosing a niche you are conversant with helps save you time and should be the go-to step. Nonetheless, it is paramount to note that a criminal justice research paper should consider the heterogeneity of legislation from one state to the other.

Criminal Justice Research Paper Topics

These are ideas for criminal justice research questions and topics. They range from crimes of police brutality to social services work. They are sorted by fields, and from the suggestions, you can generate a thesis statement for your criminal justice research paper.

Criminal Law Research Topics

Criminal law is a weighty field in criminal justice, and it defines criminal offences, regulates the charging and trial of suspects. Therefore, your research could be centered on any of the seven principles of criminal law. Meanwhile, these are some of the criminal justice research paper topics to consider.

National security laws
Witnesses programs
Sensitive information protection
Cyberstalking legislation
Protection of sensitive information
Punishment methods for animal cruelty
Alternative methods of research for double jeopardy
Analysis of false confessions
Is it possible to remain neutral in cases involving mental disorders?
Limitations of jailhouse informants

Criminal Justice Controversial Topics

Criminal justice controversial issues are framed in the pro and con format. These topics explore the different controversial issues in the criminal justice fields. Criminal justice controversial topics include,

Mental hospitals and law code
Police officers limited rights
The importance of eyewitness evidence
Bias in investigations involving African Americans
Sniffer dog practice
Legal codes in various American states
Modern music culture and crimes propaganda
Capital punishment ethics
Is medical marijuana a leak?
Religious freedom

Criminology Research Topics

Criminology research topics focus on the anatomy of a crime. They should explore the causes, costs and consequences of a crime. These are some of the criminology topics you could consider,

Identity theft and social media
Art fraud cooperation
Analysis of unemployment and street situation
Forensic research identification method
Child abuse and TV violence
Aggression against homeless people
Drunk driving prevention ads
Rehabilitation of crime witnesses suffering from PTSD
Correctional methods of cyber criminology
Motives of armed crime groups

Criminal Justice Research Topics on Types of Crimes

Criminal justice paper topics consider the wide range of criminal offences. These topics evaluate practices that are conventionally identified crimes, although they are concealed in other mannerisms. Research topics on types of crimes include,

Gang culture
Media offences
Drunk driving
Healthcare frauds
Political corruption
Financial crimes in Asia
The history of transactional corporations crime
The effects of environmental irresponsibility
Ethical crimes and political prisoners

Basic Criminal Justice Research Topics

In other instances, your tutor might not specify the particular criminal justice field your research paper should encompass. Should you face such a situation, these are some of the criminal justice debate topics to consider. Nonetheless, you should ensure your thesis covers a particular issue and not a broad and general subject.

Domestic violence
Religious offences and cultural traits
Harassment at the workplace
Prevention of cries in schools and colleges
Gender bias in legal investigations
Substance abuse prevention
War crimes versus civil crimes
Benefits of private prisons
The history of criminal ethics
The criminal justice court procedure

Criminology Research and Measurement

Research papers in this category consider the sociological origins of theoretical criminology. The research evaluates the cultural and environmental influences on crime. Topics in this category include,

Jury selection process
Internet piracy differences
Death penalty debate
Honesty among attorneys
Wrongful conviction research cases
Abuse of judicial authority
Causes of global criminality
Civilian review board policy
Judicial comparison definitions
Psychological effects of imprisonment

Criminal Justice Research Topics on Racism and Discrimination

Criminal justice topics on racism and discrimination focus on the plight of the minority and their rights. Apart from tackling the rampant discriminatory practices, your research could explain the history of some of the practices. Meanwhile, these are some of the topics to consider in this category,

Racial discrimination during negotiation processes
African American legislative apartheid
Racial conflicts in institutions of higher learning
Racial prejudice among prisoners in America
Gender bias in eyewitnesses
Famous African American prisoners
Fashion culture and police officers
Immigrants and the rise in crime rate
Rap music and cause-and-effect behaviour
The history of punishment and slavery

International Criminal Law Research Topics

International criminal law is a forgiving field since it offers a wide range of issues to discuss. This field also calls for you to explore your imagination while coming up with a research topic. Meanwhile, these are some of the international criminal law topics for a research paper,

Drug trafficking methods
Human trafficking in Africa
Human rights violation in Uganda
Child soldiers in the Israel-Palestine conflict
International tribunal analysis
International Criminal Court Appeal process
Police cooperation and information accessibility
Current international offenders
NATO Ethics in Iraq and Afghanistan
When is international intervention acceptable?

Criminal Justice Research Topics on Society and Justice

Criminal justice creates a bridge between the legal system and society. Therefore, legally discussing societal issues would work as a criminal justice research proposal example. These research questions for criminal justice highlight some of the areas you could tackle,

Social learning methods
Feminism and aggression
Precautions of shoplifting
Music piracy
Life after prison
The theory of social control
Evaluation of eyewitness memory
Restorative justice processes
Similarities in child abduction cases
Immigration and social offences

Research in Criminal Justice System

The justice system has its flaws and gaps. Therefore, you could tackle challenging topics that recommend better reforms in the system. They include,

Probation and parole legal flaws
Child protection services
Abuse of power in the criminal justice system
Parole and probation legal flaws
Sentencing disparities challenges
Transitional justice in practice
Interrogation process recording
Identification of white-collar crimes
Stress management among law enforcers
Prison labour ethics

These criminal justice research questions and topics offer a wide range of options to consider. Nonetheless, should you need assistance writing your essay, feel free to reach out to us. We have a team of writers who come up with good quality essays at affordable rates.

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Home » 500+ Criminal Justice Research Topics

500+ Criminal Justice Research Topics

Criminal justice is a complex and critical field that encompasses various aspects of crime prevention, law enforcement, legal proceedings, and punishment. Research plays a crucial role in understanding and addressing the challenges and opportunities in this field. From studying the causes and consequences of crime to exploring the effectiveness of policies and interventions, there is a wide range of fascinating and important criminal justice research topics to explore. Whether you are a student, a scholar, a practitioner, or a curious citizen, delving into the world of criminal justice research can deepen your knowledge, sharpen your critical thinking skills, and contribute to creating a safer and fairer society. In this post, we will introduce some of the most compelling and relevant criminal justice research topics that you may find intriguing and informative.

Criminal Justice Research Topics

Criminal Justice Research Topics are as follows:

The effectiveness of community policing in reducing crime rates
The impact of body-worn cameras on police accountability and public trust
The causes and consequences of police use of excessive force
The role of race and ethnicity in police-citizen interactions and perceptions
The effectiveness of diversion programs in reducing recidivism among juvenile offenders
The impact of mandatory minimum sentencing on crime rates and prison populations
The challenges and opportunities of restorative justice as an alternative to punitive justice
The role of mental health and substance abuse treatment in reducing criminal behavior
The ethics and implications of using predictive policing algorithms
The impact of private prisons on the criminal justice system and society
The effectiveness of victim-offender mediation in reducing the harm of crime
The prevalence and causes of wrongful convictions and the implications for justice
The role of media in shaping public perceptions of crime and justice
The effectiveness and fairness of the death penalty as a form of punishment
The role of international law in addressing transnational crimes such as terrorism and human trafficking
The impact of the War on Drugs on drug use, drug-related crime, and public health
The effectiveness of gun control laws in reducing gun violence and crime rates
The role of technology in enhancing or challenging the criminal justice system, such as DNA analysis or facial recognition software
The prevalence and causes of domestic violence and the effectiveness of intervention programs
The impact of sentencing disparities based on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status
The role of plea bargaining in the criminal justice system and the implications for justice
The effectiveness of sex offender registries and notification laws in reducing sex crimes
The impact of pretrial detention on defendants’ rights and outcomes
The role of community-based corrections in reducing recidivism and promoting reentry
The ethics and implications of using unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for surveillance and law enforcement
The effectiveness and implications of using risk assessment tools in pretrial decision-making
The prevalence and impact of hate crimes and the challenges of prosecuting them
The role of eyewitness testimony in criminal trials and the reliability of memory
The effectiveness of drug courts in reducing drug-related crime and improving outcomes for offenders
The impact of race and ethnicity on the administration of the death penalty
The role of juries in the criminal justice system and the factors that affect their decisions
The effectiveness and ethics of using informants in criminal investigations and prosecutions
The prevalence and impact of cybercrime and the challenges of investigating and prosecuting it
The effectiveness of juvenile justice reforms in promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism
The impact of community-based policing on police-citizen relations and trust
The role of social media in shaping perceptions of crime and justice
The effectiveness of prison education and vocational training programs in promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism
The prevalence and impact of human rights abuses in the criminal justice system, such as torture or discrimination
The effectiveness of gang prevention and intervention programs in reducing gang-related crime
The role of implicit bias in the criminal justice system and its impact on outcomes
The impact of solitary confinement on mental health, behavior, and reentry outcomes
The impact of police body cameras on public trust and police accountability.
The effectiveness of diversion programs for juvenile offenders.
The impact of community policing on crime reduction
The use of predictive policing in law enforcement
The impact of decriminalizing marijuana on crime rates
The role of mental health professionals in the criminal justice system
The effectiveness of de-escalation training for police officers
The impact of technology on police surveillance practices
The relationship between gender and sentencing disparities in the criminal justice system
The relationship between poverty and crime
The effectiveness of restorative justice programs in reducing recidivism
The impact of the War on Drugs on mass incarceration
The use of cognitive-behavioral therapy in offender rehabilitation
The effectiveness of diversion programs for people with substance use disorders
The role of implicit bias in jury selection
The impact of police officer stress on use of force incidents
The use of big data in criminal investigations and decision-making
The effectiveness of restorative justice practices in school disciplinary policies
The relationship between mental illness and homelessness in the criminal justice system
The impact of mandatory minimum sentences on juvenile offenders
The role of drug courts in the criminal justice system
The effectiveness of offender reentry programs for people with disabilities
The impact of restorative justice programs on victims of crime
The use of therapeutic jurisprudence in the criminal justice system
The relationship between race and ethnicity and the use of force by private security personnel
The effectiveness of educational programs in correctional facilities
The impact of eyewitness identification procedures on wrongful convictions
The role of community-based policing in reducing crime rates
The use of predictive analytics in bail decisions
The effectiveness of correctional education programs on recidivism
The impact of immigration enforcement policies on immigrant communities’ trust in law enforcement
The relationship between mental health and juvenile detention
The use of biometrics in criminal investigations and identification
The effectiveness of mental health courts in reducing recidivism among people with co-occurring disorders
The impact of gender and sexuality on hate crime victimization and reporting
The role of cultural competence in police training
The use of risk assessment tools in pretrial detention decisions
The effectiveness of community supervision programs for people with substance use disorders
The impact of social and economic policies on criminal justice outcomes
The relationship between race and ethnicity and criminal case outcomes
The use of therapeutic communities in correctional facilities
The effectiveness of specialized courts for domestic violence cases
The impact of gun violence on public safety and crime rates
The role of eyewitness memory and recall in criminal investigations and trials
The use of DNA evidence in criminal investigations and exoneration
The effectiveness of probation and parole programs for people with disabilities
The impact of victim impact statements on sentencing decisions
The relationship between criminal justice policies and racial and ethnic disparities in incarceration rates
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles in law enforcement
The effectiveness of community-based restorative justice programs for juvenile offenders
The impact of public defender workload on criminal case outcomes
The role of community activism and advocacy in criminal justice reform
The use of risk assessment tools in school disciplinary policies
The effectiveness of family-focused interventions in reducing juvenile recidivism
The impact of police officer race and ethnicity on use of force incidents
The relationship between race and ethnicity and prosecutorial decision-making
The use of virtual reality simulations in police training
The effectiveness of mental health diversion programs for people with traumatic brain injuries
The impact of juvenile life without parole sentences on individuals and society.
The use of drones in criminal investigations
The effectiveness of community-based alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenders
The impact of wrongful convictions on the criminal justice system
The role of implicit bias in criminal justice decision-making
The use of risk assessment tools in child welfare investigations
The effectiveness of offender reentry programs in reducing recidivism
The impact of hate crimes on marginalized communities
The relationship between mental health and the use of force by police officers
The use of body language analysis in criminal interrogations
The effectiveness of community policing strategies in building trust between police and communities
The impact of race on police use of force and police brutality
The role of prosecutorial discretion in the criminal justice system
The use of algorithms in pretrial detention decisions
The effectiveness of victim-centered approaches to sexual assault investigations
The impact of domestic violence on child custody decisions
The relationship between social media and cybercrime
The use of facial recognition technology in law enforcement
The effectiveness of police officer training programs on cultural sensitivity and bias reduction
The impact of the school-to-prison pipeline on youth
The role of mental health courts in diversion programs
The use of virtual reality technology in criminal justice education and training
The effectiveness of crisis intervention teams in responding to mental health crises
The impact of immigration policies on crime reporting and victimization rates in immigrant communities
The relationship between police department size and use of force incidents
The use of predictive analytics in parole and probation supervision
The effectiveness of juvenile justice system diversion programs for LGBTQ+ youth
The impact of bail reform on pretrial detention rates and recidivism
The role of trauma-informed care in the criminal justice system
The use of artificial intelligence in forensic investigations
The effectiveness of prison entrepreneurship programs in reducing recidivism
The impact of COVID-19 on the criminal justice system
The relationship between mental health and incarceration rates
The use of social network analysis in criminal investigations
The effectiveness of drug testing and monitoring programs for probationers and parolees
The impact of mandatory minimum sentences on drug offenses
The role of the media in shaping public perceptions of crime and the criminal justice system
The use of body-worn cameras in courtroom proceedings
The effectiveness of mental health diversion programs for veterans involved in the criminal justice system
The impact of race and ethnicity on the plea bargaining process
The relationship between police department diversity and community trust
The use of crime mapping in law enforcement strategies
The effectiveness of animal therapy programs in correctional facilities
The impact of the death penalty on families of victims and offenders
The role of prosecutorial misconduct in wrongful convictions.
Racial disparities in the use of capital punishment
The effectiveness of electronic monitoring as an alternative to incarceration
The role of restorative justice in reducing recidivism
The relationship between mental illness and criminal behavior
The effectiveness of drug courts in reducing drug-related offenses
The impact of body-worn cameras on police behavior and citizen complaints
The use of risk assessment tools in sentencing and release decisions
The effectiveness of boot camp programs for juvenile offenders
The use of eyewitness testimony in criminal trials
The impact of victim-offender mediation on the criminal justice system
The relationship between education level and criminal behavior
The effectiveness of parole and probation in reducing recidivism
The use of artificial intelligence in criminal justice decision-making
The role of public defenders in the criminal justice system
The impact of mandatory minimum sentences on the prison population
The effectiveness of therapeutic courts for individuals with substance abuse disorders
The impact of social media on the reporting of crimes and public perception of crime
The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in reducing recidivism
The impact of mental health courts on the criminal justice system
The role of community service in reducing recidivism
The relationship between domestic violence and gun ownership
The effectiveness of diversion programs for individuals with mental illnesses
The impact of sentencing guidelines on judicial discretion
The use of police body language in detecting deception during interviews
The relationship between incarceration and employment opportunities post-release
The effectiveness of community-based supervision programs for released offenders
The impact of the war on drugs on the criminal justice system
The role of race and ethnicity in plea bargaining decisions
The use of risk assessment tools in juvenile justice
The effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy in correctional facilities
The impact of restorative justice on the victims of crime
The relationship between gun laws and gun violence rates
The effectiveness of pretrial diversion programs for individuals with mental illnesses
The role of reentry programs in reducing recidivism
The impact of mandatory arrest policies in domestic violence cases
The use of polygraph tests in criminal investigations
The relationship between gang membership and criminal behavior
The effectiveness of drug treatment courts in reducing recidivism
The impact of solitary confinement on mental health and behavior
The role of gun buyback programs in reducing gun violence
The relationship between substance abuse and child abuse
The effectiveness of victim impact panels in reducing drunk driving
The impact of juvenile detention on mental health and behavior
The use of forensic science in criminal investigations
The relationship between race and wrongful convictions
The effectiveness of prison education programs in reducing recidivism
The impact of police militarization on community trust and safety
The relationship between race, ethnicity, and police use of force.
The impact of mandatory minimum sentencing laws on incarceration rates.
The effectiveness of community policing in reducing crime rates.
The relationship between mental illness and criminal behavior.
The role of gender in criminal justice sentencing and outcomes.
The impact of the war on drugs on incarceration rates and drug use.
The effectiveness of restorative justice programs in reducing recidivism.
The impact of solitary confinement on mental health and rehabilitation.
The relationship between poverty and crime rates.
The role of technology in modern policing and criminal justice.
The effectiveness of drug courts in reducing drug-related crime.
The relationship between immigration and crime rates.
The impact of mandatory arrest policies in cases of domestic violence.
The effectiveness of victim-offender mediation in reducing recidivism.
The role of social media in modern crime and policing.
The impact of police militarization on community trust and safety.
The effectiveness of rehabilitation programs for incarcerated individuals.
The relationship between gun ownership and violent crime.
The impact of wrongful convictions on individuals and the criminal justice system.
The role of race and ethnicity in jury selection and decision-making.
The effectiveness of mental health courts in reducing recidivism.
The relationship between education and crime rates.
The impact of body-worn cameras on police officer behavior and decision-making.
The effectiveness of drug treatment programs in reducing recidivism.
The relationship between domestic violence and gun ownership.
The impact of the death penalty on deterrence and sentencing outcomes.
The role of implicit bias in policing and criminal justice decision-making.
The effectiveness of community-based reentry programs for formerly incarcerated individuals.
The relationship between crime rates and social inequality.
The impact of predictive policing on crime rates and community trust.
The effectiveness of probation and parole programs in reducing recidivism.
The relationship between mental health and policing.
The impact of police unions on police accountability and reform efforts.
The role of the media in shaping public perceptions of crime and justice.
The effectiveness of pretrial diversion programs in reducing incarceration rates.
The relationship between police use of force and police training.
The impact of mandatory minimum drug sentences on racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
The effectiveness of juvenile detention alternatives in reducing recidivism.
The relationship between mass incarceration and economic inequality.
The impact of police body language on civilian compliance.
The role of community organizations in crime prevention and intervention.
The effectiveness of reentry programs for people with disabilities.
The relationship between mental health and criminal justice reform.
The impact of immigration policies on community safety and trust.
The role of prosecutorial discretion in the criminal justice system.
The effectiveness of job training programs for formerly incarcerated individuals.
The relationship between race and drug policy.
The impact of pretrial detention on case outcomes and incarceration rates.
The effectiveness of diversion programs for offenders with mental health issues
The prevalence and impact of police corruption and the challenges of rooting it out
The role of victim impact statements in the criminal justice system and their impact on sentencing
The impact of social inequality on crime rates and the criminal justice system
The role of political ideology in shaping criminal justice policy and practice
The effectiveness of rehabilitation and reentry programs for adult offenders
The prevalence and impact of sexual harassment and assault within the criminal justice system
The role of the Fourth Amendment in regulating police searches and seizures
The effectiveness of restorative justice practices in addressing campus sexual assault
The impact of mass incarceration on families and communities
The ethics and implications of using artificial intelligence in criminal justice decision-making
The role of bail reform in promoting justice and reducing pretrial detention
The prevalence and impact of police misconduct and accountability mechanisms
The effectiveness of drug policy reform in reducing drug-related harm and promoting public health
The impact of globalization on transnational crimes and the challenges of international cooperation
The role of prosecutorial discretion in shaping criminal justice outcomes
The prevalence and impact of white-collar crime and the challenges of prosecution
The role of public defenders in ensuring access to justice for indigent defendants
The effectiveness of mental health courts in diverting mentally ill offenders from the criminal justice system
The impact of the criminal justice system on immigrant communities and the challenges of immigrant detention and deportation
The role of forgiveness in restorative justice and its implications for healing and reconciliation
The effectiveness of alternative dispute resolution in reducing court congestion and promoting justice
The prevalence and impact of hate speech and the challenges of regulating it
The role of public opinion in shaping criminal justice policy and practice
The effectiveness of community supervision in reducing recidivism and promoting reentry
The impact of the criminalization of homelessness on vulnerable populations
The role of community activism and advocacy in promoting criminal justice reform
The effectiveness of therapeutic jurisprudence in promoting rehabilitation and well-being
The prevalence and impact of police militarization and its implications for public safety and civil liberties
The role of eyewitness identification procedures in criminal investigations and the reliability of identification evidence
The effectiveness of harm reduction strategies in reducing drug-related harm and promoting public health
The impact of the criminal justice system on Indigenous communities and the challenges of decolonizing justice
The role of hate crime legislation in promoting justice and reducing hate-motivated violence
The effectiveness of police training programs in reducing racial and ethnic bias and promoting cultural competence
The prevalence and impact of gun violence and the challenges of gun control policy
The role of the Eighth Amendment in regulating cruel and unusual punishment
The effectiveness of problem-solving courts in addressing complex social issues and promoting justice
The impact of the criminal justice system on LGBTQ+ communities and the challenges of achieving equality and inclusivity
The role of victim services in promoting healing and well-being for crime victims
The effectiveness of drug testing and monitoring programs in promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism
The prevalence and impact of prison gangs and the challenges of managing them
The role of implicit bias in eyewitness identification and the implications for justice
The effectiveness of diversion programs for offenders with substance abuse issues
The impact of social media on crime reporting and law enforcement
The role of mental health diversion programs in reducing mass incarceration and promoting treatment
The prevalence and impact of wrongful convictions of innocent people and the challenges of exoneration
The relationship between immigration and crime rates
The impact of drug courts on drug-related offenses and recidivism rates
The use of restorative justice practices in the criminal justice system
The effectiveness of reentry programs for people released from prison
The use of polygraph tests in criminal investigations and court proceedings
The impact of bail amounts on pretrial detention and case outcomes
The relationship between gun ownership and crime rates
The effectiveness of mental health screening and assessment for individuals involved in the criminal justice system
The use of virtual courtrooms in criminal proceedings
The impact of juvenile detention on mental health and future criminal behavior
The relationship between poverty and crime rates
The use of eyewitness identification procedures in criminal investigations and court proceedings
The effectiveness of community service programs as a sentencing alternative
The role of racial profiling in law enforcement practices
The use of risk assessment tools in sentencing and parole decisions
The impact of mandatory reporting laws on child abuse and neglect cases
The relationship between parental incarceration and children’s wellbeing
The effectiveness of diversion programs for drug-related offenses
The use of cognitive-behavioral therapy in offender rehabilitation programs
The impact of solitary confinement on mental health and recidivism rates
The relationship between social capital and crime rates
The use of DNA evidence in criminal investigations and court proceedings
The effectiveness of crisis response teams in reducing police use of force incidents
The role of race and ethnicity in jury selection and decision-making
The impact of court fines and fees on individuals involved in the criminal justice system
The relationship between education and crime rates
The use of risk assessment tools in domestic violence cases
The effectiveness of reentry programs for individuals with substance use disorders
The impact of court-appointed attorneys on case outcomes and access to justice
The role of victim impact statements in sentencing decisions
The use of mental health courts for individuals with co-occurring disorders
The effectiveness of court-mandated treatment programs for drug offenders
The impact of gender on the sentencing and treatment of offenders
The relationship between drug policy and crime rates
The use of forensic psychology in criminal investigations and court proceedings
The effectiveness of cognitive interviewing techniques in witness testimony
The impact of the media on public perceptions of the criminal justice system
The relationship between neighborhood characteristics and crime rates
The use of body-worn cameras in police-community interactions
The effectiveness of reentry programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities
The impact of mandatory minimum sentences on sentencing disparities
The role of mental health providers in prisons and jails
The use of civil asset forfeiture in law enforcement practices
The effectiveness of diversion programs for individuals with mental illness involved in the criminal justice system
The impact of police militarization on community trust and police accountability
The relationship between unemployment and crime rates
The use of artificial intelligence in identifying and preventing human trafficking
The effectiveness of reentry programs for individuals with traumatic brain injuries
The impact of community-based alternatives to policing on public safety and crime rates.
The impact of the militarization of police on community relations
The effectiveness of restorative justice practices in reducing recidivism
The relationship between socioeconomic status and juvenile delinquency
The impact of police department culture on officer behavior
The role of community courts in addressing low-level offenses
The effectiveness of reentry programs for people who were formerly incarcerated
The impact of body-worn cameras on police officer behavior and community perceptions
The relationship between mental illness and police use of force
The use of neuroscience in criminal sentencing
The effectiveness of gun control policies in reducing gun violence
The role of alternative dispute resolution in the criminal justice system
The use of biometrics in criminal investigations
The effectiveness of gang prevention and intervention programs
The impact of domestic violence on employment and economic stability
The use of artificial intelligence in criminal investigations and sentencing
The role of implicit bias in eyewitness identification
The use of drug courts in addressing drug addiction and drug-related crimes
The effectiveness of reentry programs for juvenile offenders
The impact of social media on crime and victimization
The relationship between mental health and incarceration of women
The use of surveillance technologies in correctional facilities
The effectiveness of victim-offender mediation programs
The impact of prosecutorial discretion on plea bargaining outcomes
The role of mental health assessments in competency to stand trial determinations
The use of biographical information in criminal investigations
The effectiveness of diversion programs for people with mental illness
The impact of police body language on community perceptions
The relationship between criminal justice policies and racial disparities in healthcare
The use of geospatial analysis in predicting crime patterns
The effectiveness of community service programs in reducing recidivism
The impact of court fines and fees on people with low incomes
The role of neuroscience in detecting deception
The use of technology in victim advocacy and support services
The effectiveness of juvenile justice diversion programs for LGBTQ+ youth
The impact of parental incarceration on children and families
The relationship between race and juvenile justice system involvement
The use of facial recognition technology in correctional facilities
The effectiveness of community-based mental health services in reducing incarceration rates
The impact of prison labor on employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated people
The role of community-based restorative justice in addressing hate crimes
The use of predictive analytics in child welfare investigations
The effectiveness of alternative sentencing programs for drug-related offenses
The impact of immigration enforcement policies on crime reporting in immigrant communities
The relationship between implicit bias and jury decision-making
The use of technology in improving language access in the criminal justice system.
The impact of police body language on citizen perceptions and trust
The effectiveness of police academy training on officer decision-making in high-pressure situations
The role of technology in the spread of human trafficking
The relationship between mental health and probation and parole revocation rates
The use of community courts in addressing quality of life offenses
The effectiveness of prisoner reentry programs on family reunification and support systems
The impact of public defender caseloads on the quality of legal representation
The role of implicit bias in jury selection and decision-making
The use of diversion programs for juveniles involved in prostitution
The effectiveness of community supervision programs for offenders with serious mental illness
The impact of immigration enforcement policies on the criminal justice system
The relationship between recidivism rates and prison education and vocational programs
The use of body-worn cameras in prison settings
The effectiveness of alternative dispute resolution in reducing court congestion
The impact of prison labor on reentry and recidivism rates
The role of risk assessment tools in parole and probation decision-making
The effectiveness of drug courts in addressing substance abuse and recidivism
The impact of solitary confinement on mental health and behavior in prison
The relationship between domestic violence and firearm possession
The use of mental health diversion programs for veterans involved in the criminal justice system
The effectiveness of juvenile drug court programs on reducing recidivism
The impact of private prisons on inmate rehabilitation and public safety
The role of implicit bias in pretrial detention decisions
The use of GPS monitoring in pretrial release and probation supervision
The effectiveness of offender education and job training programs in reducing recidivism
The impact of collateral consequences on reentry and recidivism rates
The use of crisis intervention teams in responding to mental health emergencies
The effectiveness of community-based alternatives to detention for juveniles
The role of public opinion in shaping criminal justice policy
The effectiveness of police body-worn cameras in reducing police misconduct and excessive use of force
The impact of incarceration on family dynamics and relationships
The relationship between access to legal representation and case outcomes
The use of community supervision and support programs for individuals with substance use disorders
The impact of pretrial detention on case outcomes and recidivism rates
The role of prosecutorial discretion in plea bargaining and sentencing
The use of facial recognition technology in criminal investigations and surveillance
The effectiveness of problem-solving courts in addressing specialized criminal cases
The impact of prison privatization on inmate rights and access to services
The relationship between race, gender, and criminal justice outcomes
The use of mental health courts in diversion programs
The effectiveness of community policing strategies in building trust and reducing crime rates
The impact of police militarization on community perceptions and police-citizen interactions
The role of forensic evidence in criminal investigations and court proceedings
The use of artificial intelligence in predicting criminal behavior and recidivism.
The use of restorative justice in the criminal justice system
The impact of police militarization on community policing efforts
The effectiveness of diversion programs for individuals with substance use disorders
The relationship between economic inequality and crime rates
The use of artificial intelligence in pretrial risk assessment
The impact of mandatory minimum sentences on non-violent drug offenses
The impact of the War on Drugs on communities of color
The relationship between mental health and probation violations
The effectiveness of drug courts in reducing recidivism rates
The role of eyewitness testimony in wrongful convictions
The use of facial recognition technology in criminal investigations and prosecutions
The effectiveness of diversion programs for juvenile offenders
The impact of probation and parole supervision on recidivism rates
The relationship between police use of force and mental health disorders
The use of predictive analytics in criminal sentencing
The effectiveness of reentry programs for individuals with mental illness
The impact of bail systems on low-income individuals and communities
The role of implicit bias in sentencing decisions
The use of social media in criminal investigations
The impact of mandatory sentencing on judicial discretion
The relationship between drug addiction and property crime
The use of predictive analytics in risk assessment for pretrial release
The effectiveness of substance abuse treatment programs in correctional facilities
The impact of police body-worn cameras on police-citizen interactions
The role of forensic evidence in wrongful convictions
The use of drones in border patrol and immigration enforcement
The effectiveness of community supervision programs for individuals with mental illness
The impact of mandatory sentencing on the prison population and corrections costs
The relationship between gang activity and violent crime
The use of artificial intelligence in criminal investigations and evidence collection
The effectiveness of juvenile diversion programs for first-time offenders
The impact of prosecutorial misconduct on wrongful convictions
The role of implicit bias in police use of force incidents
The use of risk assessment tools in pretrial detention decisions for juvenile defendants
The effectiveness of prison education programs in reducing recidivism rates
The impact of racial profiling on policing practices and community trust
The relationship between homelessness and criminal behavior
The use of predictive analytics in identifying and preventing cybercrime
The effectiveness of mental health treatment programs for incarcerated individuals
The impact of the school-to-prison pipeline on students of color
The role of community-based programs in reducing crime rates and recidivism
The use of neuroscience in criminal investigations and sentencing decisions
The effectiveness of diversion programs for individuals with co-occurring disorders
The impact of solitary confinement on mental health and recidivism rates.
The effectiveness of diversion programs for offenders with substance use disorders
The impact of judicial discretion on sentencing outcomes
The relationship between access to legal representation and sentencing disparities
The use of body-worn cameras in reducing police misconduct and brutality
The impact of bail practices on pretrial detention and racial disparities
The relationship between police unions and police accountability
The effectiveness of community supervision in reducing recidivism
The impact of solitary confinement on mental health outcomes for inmates
The relationship between criminal justice policies and racial wealth inequality
The use of risk assessment tools in sentencing decisions
The effectiveness of mandatory minimum sentences in reducing crime rates
The impact of victim impact statements on sentencing outcomes
The relationship between criminal justice policies and environmental justice
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) in law enforcement
The effectiveness of juvenile justice diversion programs for at-risk youth
The impact of police militarization on community relations
The relationship between immigration enforcement and public safety
The use of artificial intelligence in predicting recidivism risk
The effectiveness of police training on de-escalation tactics
The relationship between the criminal justice system and income inequality
The use of geographic profiling in criminal investigations
The effectiveness of mental health courts in reducing incarceration rates
The impact of mandatory arrest policies on domestic violence victims
The relationship between criminal justice policies and public health outcomes
The use of body-worn cameras in reducing false accusations against police officers
The effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy in reducing domestic violence recidivism
The impact of race and ethnicity on police use of force during traffic stops
The use of predictive analytics in parole and probation revocation decisions
The effectiveness of offender treatment programs for intimate partner violence offenders
The impact of prison education programs on post-release employment and recidivism
The relationship between prison labor and modern-day slavery
The use of predictive modeling to prevent child abuse and neglect
The effectiveness of community courts in reducing recidivism rates
The impact of community-based organizations on crime prevention
The relationship between mental health and substance use disorders in the criminal justice system
The use of mobile forensic technology in criminal investigations
The effectiveness of gender-responsive programming in reducing female recidivism rates
The impact of anti-immigrant sentiment on policing in immigrant communities
The relationship between police legitimacy and public trust
The use of data analytics in law enforcement resource allocation
The effectiveness of reentry programs for people with disabilities
The impact of police misconduct on wrongful convictions
The relationship between restorative justice and school discipline
The use of location tracking technology in the criminal justice system
The effectiveness of anti-bias training for law enforcement officers
The impact of drug decriminalization on public safety and health.

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256 Research Topics on Criminal Justice & Criminology

Are you a law school student studying criminal behavior or forensic science? Or maybe just looking for good criminal justice topics, questions, and hypotheses? Look no further! Custom-writing.org experts offer a load of criminology research topics and titles for every occasion. Criminological theories, types of crime, the role of media in criminology, and more. Our topics will help you prepare for a college-level assignment, debate, or essay writing.

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⚖️ Criminology vs. Criminal Justice
🔬 120 Criminology Research Topics
💂 116 Criminal Justice Research Topics

🔥 Hot Criminology Research Topics

The role of media in criminology.
Cultural explanation of crime.
Benefits of convict criminology.
Main issues of postmodern criminology.
Is criminal behavior affected by the politics?
How does DAWN collect data?
The limitations of crime mapping.
Personality traits that trigger criminal behavior.
Community deterioration and crime rates.
Does experimental criminology affect social policy?

🔬 120 Criminology Research Topics & Ideas

Here are 100 criminology research topics ideas organized by themes.

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General Criminology Research Paper Topics

Criminology as a social science.
Criminology and its public policies.
History of criminology.
Crime commission: legal and social perspectives .

Criminal Psychology Research Topics

What is the nature of criminal behavior ?
How does the lack of education affect the incarceration rates?
Childhood aggression and the impact of divorce
The effect of the upbringing on antisocial adult behavior
How do gender and cultural background affect one’s attitude towards drug abuse ?
Forensic psychology and its impact on the legal system
What is the role of criminal psychologists?
Different types of forensic psychological evaluations
What’s the difference between therapeutic and forensic evaluation?
Does socioeconomic status impact one’s criminal behavior ?

Criminology Research Topics: Theories

What crimes are typical for what ages?
How does the type of crime correspond with the level of exerted aggression ?
What is the connection between citizenship (or lack thereof) and law violation?
How does education (or lack thereof) correspond with crime level?
Does employment (or lack thereof) correspond with law violation?
What is the connection between family status and law violation?
Does gender affect on the type of law violation?
How does ownership of firearms correspond with law violation?
Does immigrant status correlate with law violation?

Is there a connection between mental health and law violation?
What are the causes of violence in the society?
Does the crime rate depend on the neighborhood ?
How does race correspond with the type of crime?
Do religious beliefs correspond with law violation?
How does social class correlate with crime rate?
What are the reasons for the homeless’ improsonment?
How does weather correspond with law violation?

Criminology Topics on Victimization

Biological theories of crime: how do biological factors correspond with law violation?
Classical criminology: the contemporary take on crime, economics, deterrence, and the rational choice perspective.
Convict criminology: what do ex-convicts have to say on the subject?
Criminal justice theories: punishment as a deterrent to crime.
Critical criminology : debunking false ideas about crime and criminal justice.
Cultural criminology: criminality as the product of culture.
Cultural transmission theory: how criminal norms are transmitted in social interaction.
Deterrence theory: how people don’t commit crimes out of fear of punishment.
Rational choice theory : how crime doing is aligned with personal objectives of the perpetrator.
Feminist Criminology: how the dominant crime theories exclude women.
Labeling and symbolic interaction theories: how minorities and those deviating from social norms tend to be negatively labeled.
Life course criminology : how life events affect the actions that humans perform.
Psychological theories of crime: criminal behavior through the lense of an individual’s personality.
Routine activities theory : how normal everyday activities affect the tendency to commit a crime.
The concept of natural legal crime.
Self-control theory : how the lack of individual self-control results in criminal behavior.
Social construction of crime: crime doing as social response.
Social control theory : how positive socialization corresponds with reduction of criminal violation.
Social disorganization theory : how neighborhood ecological characteristics correspond with crime rates.
Social learning theory : how (non)criminal behavior can be acquired by observing and imitating others.
Strain theories : how social structures within society pressure citizens to commit crime.
Theoretical integration: how two theories are better than one.

Criminology Research and Measurement Topics

Citation content analysis (CCA): a framework for gaining knowledge from a variety of media.
Crime classification systems: classification of crime according to the severity of punishment.
Crime mapping as a way to map, visualize, and analyze crime incident patterns.
Reports and statistics of crime: the estimated rate of crime over time. Public surveys.
Drug abuse warning network (DAWN): predicting trends in drug misuse.
Arrestee drug abuse monitoring (ADAM): drug use among arrestees.
Edge ethnography: collecting data undercover in typically closed research settings and groups through rapport development or covert undercover strategy.
Experimental criminology: experimental and quasi-experimental research in the advancement of criminological theory.
Fieldwork in criminology: street ethnographers and their dilemmas in the field concerning process and outcomes.
Program evaluation: collecting and analyzing information to assess the efficiency of projects, policies and programs.
Quantitative criminology: how exploratory research questions, inductive reasoning , and an orientation to social context help recognize human subjectivity.

Criminology Topics on Types of Crime

Campus crime: the most common crimes on college campuses and ways of preventing them.
Child abuse : types, prevalence, risk groups, ways of detection and prevention.
Cybercrime : cyber fraud, defamation, hacking, bullying, phishing.
Domestic violence : gender, ways of detection and prevention, activism.
Domestic violence with disabilities .
Elder abuse : types, prevalence, risk groups, ways of detection and prevention.
Environmental crime. Natural resource theft: illegal trade in wildlife and timber, poaching, illegal fishing.
Environmental crime. Illegal trade in ozone-depleting substances, hazardous waste; pollution of air, water, and soil.
Environmental crime: local, regional, national, and transnational level.
Environmental crime: climate change crime and corruption.
Environmental crime: wildlife harming and exploitation.
Hate crime : how prejudice motivates violence.

Homicide : what motivates one person to kill another.
Human trafficking : methods of deception, risk groups, ways of detection and prevention.
Identity theft : methods, risk groups, ways of detection and prevention.
Gambling in America .
Juvenile delinquency : risk groups, prevention policies, prosecution and punishment.
Juvenile Delinquency: Causes and Effects
Organizational crime: transnational, national, and local levels. Ways of disrupting the activity of a group.
Prostitution : risk groups, different takes on prevention policies, activism.
Robbery : risk groups, ways of prevention, prosecution and punishment.
Sex offenses: risk groups, types, prevalence, ways of detection and prevention.
Terrorism: definition, history, countermeasures .
Terrorism : individual and group activity, ways of detection and prevention.
Theft and shoplifting : risk groups, ways of detection, prevention policies, prosecution and punishment.
Counter-terrorism: constitutional and legislative issues .
White-collar crime : types, ways of detection, prevention policies, prosecution and punishment.

Criminology Topics on Racism and Discrimination

How systemic bias affects criminal justice?
How discriminatory portrayal of minority groups in the media affects criminal justice?
Racial profiling : targeting minority groups on the basis of race and ethnicity.
Racism and discrimination towards African-Americans .
Racial profiling : what are the cons? Are there any pros?
How discriminatory is the UK Court System?
How discriminatory is the US Court System?

🌶️ Hot Criminal Justice Topics

The history of modern police.
Different types of prison systems.
Is situational crime prevention effective?
How to prevent wrongful convictions.
Challenges faced by crime victims.
The advantages of community corrections.
How do ethics influence criminal justice?
Disadvantages of felony disenfranchisement.
Does correctional system in the USA really work?
Possible problems of prisoner reentry process.

💂 116 Criminal Justice Research Topics & Questions

Here are some of the most typical and interesting criminal justice issues to dazzle your professor.

Prison system : the main problems and the hidden pitfalls.
The question of gender: why are there more men who receive capital punishment than women?
Kidnapping and ransom: common features, motifs, behavior patterns.
Crime prevention : key principles.
Firing a gun: what helps professionals understand whether it was deliberate or happened by accident?
Cybercrime : the legal perspective.
Internet vigilantism: revenge leaks.
Hate crime on the Internet: revenge leaks, trolling, defamation.
Crime and justice in mass media .
Parental abduction laws.
Sex offender registry: pros and cons.
The deterrence theory and the theory of rational choice : are they relevant in the modern world?
Sexual assault in schools and workplaces.
Jury selection: how is it performed?
Experimental criminology: the latest innovations.

Wildlife crime: areas of prevalence, ways of prevention.
Felony disenfranchisement laws: when do they apply?
The relation between organized crime and corruption .
Victim services: what help can a victim of a crime get?
Prison rape and violence: the psychological aspect, ways of prevention.
Juvenile recidivism : what are the risk groups?
Forensic science : role and functions in modern criminal justice.
Shoplifting: how to prevent theft?
Witness Protection Program: who is eligible and how to protect them.
Date rape : what are the ways for the victims to seek legal assistance?
Substance abuse and crime: correlation or causation?
Identity theft: dangers and consequences in the modern world.
Online predators: what laws can be introduced to protect kids? Real-life examples.
Civil and criminal cases: how to differentiate?
Domestic abuse victims: what laws protect them?
Elder abuse : what can be done to prevent it?
The strain theory : the unachievable American dream.
Concepts of law enforcement: pursuing criminal justice .
Ethics and criminal justice: the unethical sides of law enforcement.
The top problems to be solved by law enforcement today.
Information sharing technology: how has it helped in the fight against terrorism ?
Terrorism in perspective: characteristics, causes, control .
Serial killers : types.
Drug use and youth arrests.
Aggressive behavior : how does it correlate with criminal tendencies?
Community corrections : are they effective?
Sentencing: how does it take place?
Punishment types and the established terms.
Unwarranted arrest: when is it acceptable?
Human trafficking in the modern world.
Human trafficking: current state and counteracts .
The role of technology in modern forensics .
Similarities and differences between homicide , murder, and manslaughter.
Types of offenders: classification.
Effects of gun control measures in the United States .
The role of crime mapping in modern criminal justice.
Male crimes vs female crimes: are they different?
Prisons : the problems of bad living conditions.
Victimization : causes and ways of prevention.
Victimology and traditional justice system alternatives .
Rape victims: what are their rights?
Problem-solving courts: what underlying problems do they address?
Mandatory sentencing and the three-strike rule.
Have “three-strikes” laws been effective and should they be continued?
Criminal courts : what can be learned from their history?
Hate crimes : what motivates people to commit them?
Youth gangs: what is their danger?
Fieldwork: how is it done in criminology?
Distributive justice : its place in criminal justice.
Capital punishment : what can be learned from history?
Humanities and justice in Britain during 18th century .
Abolition of capital punishment .
Criminals and prisoners’ rights .
Crime prevention programs and criminal rehabilitation .
Campus crime: what laws and precautions are there against it?
Criminal trial process: how does it go?
Crimes committed on a religious basis: how are they punished?
The code of ethics in the Texas department of criminal justice .
Comparison between Florida and Maryland’s legislative frameworks .
Fraud in the scientific field: how can copyright protect the discoveries of researchers?
Prosecution laws: how are they applied in practice?
The classification of crime systems.
Cyberbullying and cyberstalking: what can parents do to protect their children?
Forgery cases in educational institutions, offices, and governmental organizations.
Drug courts : how do they work?

Controversial Topics in Criminal Justice

Want your work to be unconventional? Consider choosing one of the controversial topics. You will need to present a number of opposite points of view. Of course, it’s acceptable to choose and promote an opinion that you think stands the best. Just make sure to provide a thorough analysis of all of the viewpoints.

You can also stay impartial and let the reader make up their own mind on the subject. If you decide to support one of the viewpoints, your decision should be objective. Back it up with plenty of evidence, too. Here are some examples of controversial topics that you can explore.

Reform vs. punishment: which one offers more benefits?
Restorative justice model : is it the best criminal justice tool?
The war on drugs : does it really solve the drug problem?
Criminal insanity: is it a reason enough for exemption from liability?
Juvenile justice system : should it be eliminated?
Drug testing on the school ground.
Police brutality in the United States .
How to better gun control ?
Why Gun Control Laws Should be Scrapped .
Pornography: is it a type of sexual violence?
Whether death penalty can be applied fairly?
Jack the Ripper: who was he?
The modern justice system: is it racist?
A false accusation: how can one protect themselves from it?
Concealed weapons: what are the criminal codes of various states?
Race and crime: is there a correlation?
Registering sex offenders: should this information be in public records?
Juvenile delinquency and bad parenting: is there a relation?
Assessing juveniles for psychopathy or conduct disorder .
Should all new employees be checked for a criminal background ?
Are delinquency cases higher among immigrant children?
Restrictive housing: can it help decongest prisons?
Homegrown crimes: is there an effective program against them?
Prostitution: the controversy around legalization .
Eyewitness testimony : is it really helpful in an investigation?
Youthful offenders in boot camps: is this strategy effective?
Predictive policing : is it effective?
Selective incapacitation: is it an effective policy for reducing crime?
Social class and crime: is there a relation?
Death penalty: is it effective in crime deterrence?
Extradition law: is it fair?
Devious interrogations: is deceit acceptable during investigations?
Supermax prisons: are they effective or just cruel?
Zero tolerance: is it the best policy for crime reduction?
Marijuana decriminalization: pros and cons.
Marijuana legalization in the US .

Now that you have looked through the full list of topics, choose wisely. Remember that sometimes it’s best to avoid sensitive topics. Other times, a clever choice of a topic will win you extra points. It doesn’t depend on just the tastes of your professor, of course. You should also take into account how much relevant information there is on the subject. Anyway, the choice of the topic of your research is up to you. Try to find the latest materials and conduct an in-depth analysis of them. Don’t forget to draw a satisfactory conclusion. Writing may take a lot of your time and energy, so plan ahead. Remember to stay hydrated and good luck!

Now, after we looked through the topic collections on criminology and criminal justice, it is time to turn to the specifics in each of the fields. First, let’s talk more extensively about criminology. If you are training to be a criminologist, you will study some things more deeply. They include the behavior patterns of criminals, their backgrounds, and the latest sociological trends in crime.

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In the field of criminology, the specialties are numerous. That’s why it’s difficult to pinpoint one career that represents a typical member of the profession. It all depends on the background of a criminologist, their education, and experience.

Careers possible with a criminology major.

A criminologist may have a number of responsibilities at their position. For example, they might be called forth to investigate a crime scene. Participation in autopsies is unpleasant yet necessary. Interrogation of suspects and subsequent criminal profiling is another essential duty.

Some professionals work solely in research. Others consult government agencies or private security companies. Courts and law firms also cooperate with criminologists. Their job is to provide expert opinion in criminal proceedings. Some of them work in the prison systems in order to oversee the rehabilitation of the convicted.

Regardless of the career specialty , most criminologists are working on profiling and data collection. A criminologist is another word for an analyst. They collect, study, and analyze data on crimes. After conducting the analysis, they provide recommendations and actionable information.

A criminologist seeks to find out the identity of the person who committed the crime. The time point of a crime is also important, as well as the reason for it. There are several areas covered by the analysis of a criminologist. The psychological behavior of the criminal or criminals is closely studied. The socio-economic indicators are taken into account. There are also, of course, the environmental factors that may have facilitated the crime.

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Some high-profile cases require a criminologist to correspond with media and PR managers extensively. Sometimes criminologists write articles and even books about their findings. However, it should be noted that the daily routine of a professional in the field is not so glamorous. Most criminologists do their work alone, without the attention of the public.

The research a criminologist accumulates during their work is extensive. It doesn’t just sit there in a folder on their desk, of course. The collected statistics are used for developing active criminal profiles that are shared with law enforcement agencies. It helps to understand criminal behavior better and to predict it. That’s why a criminologist’s work must be precise and accurate for it to be practical and useful. Also, criminology professionals must have a good grasp of math and statistics.

Thinking of a career in criminology? You will need to, at the very least, graduate from college. There, you’ll master mathematics, statistics, and, of course, criminology. An associate’s degree may get you an entry-level position. But the minimum entry-level requirement is usually the bachelor’s degree. The best positions, though, are left for the professionals with a master’s degree or a PhD.

Just having a degree is not enough. To succeed as a criminologist, you will require all your intelligence, commitment, and the skill of analyzing intricate situations. An aspiration to better the society will go a long way. You will need to exercise your creative, written, and verbal communication skills, too. An analytical mind will land you at an advantage.

Criminology: Research Areas

Times change and the world of crime never ceases to adapt. The nature of criminal transgression is evolving, and so do the ways of prosecution. Criminal detection, investigation, and prevention are constantly advancing. Criminology studies aim to improve the practices implemented in the field.

There are six unified, coordinated, and interrelated areas of expertise. Within each, the professionals are busy turning their mastery into knowledge and action.

The first research area is the newest worry of criminology – cybercrime. The impact of this type of crime is escalating with every passing day. That’s why it’s crucial for the law enforcement professionals to keep up to date with the evolving technology. Cybercrime research is exploring the growing threat of its subject at all levels of society. Cybercrime may impact people on both personal and governmental levels. Cybercrime research investigates the motivation and methodology behind the offenses and finds new ways to react.

The second research area is counter fraud. Crimes that fall under this category include fraud and corruption. The questions that counter fraud research deals with are many. How widely a crime is spread, what method is best to fight it, and the optimal courses of action to protect people and organizations.

The third research area is that of forensics. The contemporary face of justice has been changed by forensic science beyond recognition. Nowadays, it’s much harder for criminals to conceal their activity due to evolved technologies. The research in forensics is utilizing science in the identification of the crime and in its reconstruction. It employs such techniques as DNA recovery, fingerprinting, and forensic interviewing.

What is forensic interviewing? It helps find new ways to gather quality information from witnesses and crime scenes. It also works on developing protocols that ensure the protection of this human data and its correct interpretation by police.

The fourth research area is policing. Police service is facing a lot of pressing issues nowadays due to budget cuts. At the same time, police officers still need to learn, and there are also individual factors that may influence their work.

The fifth research area is penology. It’s tasked with exploring the role of punishment in the criminal justice system. Does punishment aid the rehabilitation of perpetrators, and to what extent? The answer will help link theory to practice and thus shape how criminal justice practitioners work.

The sixth research area is that of missing persons. Before a person goes missing, they may display a certain pattern of behavior. The study of missing persons helps to identify it. The results will determine the handling of such cases.

Now that we know what criminology is, it’s time to talk about criminal justice.

While criminology focuses on the analysis of crime, criminal justice concentrates on societal systems. Its primary concern is with the criminal behavior of the perpetrators. For example, in the USA, there are three branches of the criminal justice system. They are police (aka law enforcement), courts, and corrections. These branches all work together to punish and prevent unlawful behavior. If you take up a career in criminal justice, expect to work in one of these fields.

The most well-known branch of criminal justice is law enforcement. The police force is at the forefront of defense against crime and misdemeanor. They stand against the criminal element in many ways. For instance, they patrol the streets, investigate crimes, and detain suspects. It’s not just the police officers who take these responsibilities upon themselves. There are also US Marshals, ICE, FBI Agents, DEA, and border patrol. Only after the arrest has been made, the perpetrator enters the court system.

The court system is less visible to the public, but still crucial to the criminal justice system. Its main purpose is to determine the suspect’s innocence or guilt. You can work as an attorney, lawyer, bailiff, judge, or another professional of the field. In the court, if you are a suspect, you are innocent until proven guilty. You are also entitled to a fair trial. However, if they do find you guilty, you will receive a sentence. Your punishment will be the job of the corrections system.

The courts determine the nature of the punishment, and the corrections system enforces it. There are three elements of the corrections system: incarceration, probation, and parole. They either punish or rehabilitate the convicts. Want to uptake a career in corrections? You may work as, including, but not limited to: a parole officer, a prison warden, a probation officer, and a guard.

📈 Criminal Justice: Research Areas

The research areas in criminal justice are similar, if not identical, to those of criminology. After all, those are two very closely related fields. The one difference is that criminal justice research has more practical than theoretical applications. But it’s fair to say that theory is the building blocks that practice bases itself on. One is impossible without the other unless the result you want is complete chaos.

So, the question is – what topic to choose for the research paper? Remember that the world of criminal justice is constantly changing. Choosing a subject for research in criminal justice, consider a relevant topic. There are many pressing issues in the field. Exploring them will undoubtedly win you points from your professor. Just make sure to choose a direction that will give you the opportunity to show off both your knowledge and your analytical skills.

Not sure that your original research direction will be appreciated? Then choose one of the standard topics. Something that is widely discussed in the media. And, of course, make sure that you are truly interested in the subject. Otherwise, your disinterest will translate into your writing, which may negatively affect the overall impression. Also, it’s just more enjoyable to work on something that resonates with you.

What can you do with your research paper? Literally anything. Explore the background of the issue. Make predictions. Compare the different takes on the matter. Maybe there are some fresh new discoveries that have been made recently. What does science say about that?

Also, remember to backup all your arguments with quotes and examples from real life. The Internet is the best library and research ground a student could hope for. The main idea of the paper, aka the thesis, must be proven by enough factual material. Otherwise, it’s best to change your research direction.

And, of course, don’t put it all off till the last minute. Make a plan and stick to it. Consistency and clever distribution of effort will take you a long way. Good luck!

🤔 Criminal Justice Research FAQs

Criminological and criminal justice research are the scientific studies of the causes and consequences, extent and control, nature, management, and prevention of criminal behavior, both on the social and individual levels.

Criminal justice and criminology are sciences that analyze the occurrence and explore the ways of prevention of illegal acts. Any conducted personal research and investigation should be supported by the implemented analytical methods from academic works that describe the given subject.

There are six interrelated areas of criminology research:

Cybercrime research makes law enforcement professionals keep up to date with the evolving technology.
Counter fraud research investigates cases of fraud and corruption.
Forensics research utilizes science: DNA recovery, fingerprinting, and forensic interviewing.
Research in policing investigates individual factors that may influence the work of police officers.
Penology explores the role of punishment in the criminal justice system.
The study of missing persons helps to identify patterns of victims’ behavior.

There are seven research methods in criminology:

Quantitative research methods measure criminological and criminal justice reality by assigning numerical values to concepts to find patterns of correlation, cause and effect.
Survey research collects information from a number of persons via their responses to questions.
Experimental research assesses cause and effect in two comparison groups.
Cross-sectional research studies one group at one point in time.
Longitudinal research studies the same group over a period of time.
Time-series designs study the same group at successive points in time.
Meta-analysis employs quantitative analysis of findings from multiple studies.

The basis of criminological theory is criminological research. It influences the development of social policies and defines criminal justice practice.

Criminological research doesn’t just enable law students to develop analytical and presentational skills. The works of criminal justice professionals, scholars, and government policymakers dictate the way law enforcement operates. The newest ideas born out of research identify corrections and crime prevention, too.

Here is a step-by-step instruction on how to write a criminal justice research paper:

Choose a topic
Read the materials and take notes
Come up with a thesis
Create an outline for your work
Draft the body
Start with a cover page, an abstract, and an intro
List the methods you used, and the results you got
Include a discussion
Sum it up with a conclusion
Don’t forget a literature review and appendices
Revise, proofread, and edit

The most common types of methodologies in criminal justice research include:

Observation of participants.
Surveys and interviews.
Observation of focus groups.
Conducting experiments.
Analysis of secondary data and archival study.
Mixed (a combination of the above methods).

Learn more on this topic:

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The Differences Between Criminal Justice and Criminology: Which Degree Is Right for You? (Concordia St. Paul)
Corporate Crime: Britannica
The Development of Delinquency: NAP
Databases for Research & Education: Gale
A CS Research Topic Generator: Purdue University
A Introduction To The Federal Court System: US Department of Justice
Criminal Justice Research Topics: Broward College
Research Topics in Criminology: Cambridge Institute of Criminology
CRIMINOLOGY: University of Portsmouth
Research: Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice, University of Maryland
Criminal Justice: RAND
Research Methods in Criminal Justice: Penn State University Libraries
Research: School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University
Criminology – Research Guide: Getting started (Penn Libraries)
Criminology Research Papers: Academia
The History & Development of the U.S. Criminal Justice System: Study.com
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & CRIMINOLOGY: Marshall University
Criminal Justice: Temple University
Criminal Justice: University of North Georgia
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The Top 10 Most Interesting Criminal Justice Research Topics

Are you writing a research paper and having a hard time finding good criminal justice research topics? Thankfully, we have compiled a list of 10 of the best criminal justice research paper topic ideas. We’ve also included several criminal justice research questions and examples of criminal justice research topics to help you write your best paper.

Criminal justice is a great field for both those wanting a greater understanding of the US justice system and those who want to know what it is like to be a lawyer . If you want to write the best criminal justice paper you can, this article is for you.

Find your bootcamp match

What makes a strong criminal justice research topic.

Strong criminal justice research papers consist of a focused question to answer and a specific area of criminal justice like forensic science, serial killers, substance abuse, sexual offenders, cyber criminology, corporate crime, juvenile justice, or criminal behavior. Most educational institutions have guidelines that must be followed for picking criminal justice topics for your criminology research paper, and this list will give you a great place to start researching.

Tips for Choosing a Criminal Justice Research Topic

Follow the guidelines of your institution. If you are studying criminal justice at any university like Loyola University, Cornell University, Walden University, or even Harvard University, your professor has probably given you guidelines to stick to.
Keep it focused. When you’re writing a criminal justice research paper it is best to keep a tight focus on your topic. Keep your research focused and remember to stay on task by using study tips, taking breaks, and improving on and practicing your writing skills daily.
Choose a narrow topic. When choosing your topic the scope of your criminal justice research paper mustn’t be too broad. Ask and answer one question or use one thesis statement that is clear and well-defined.
Choose a topic that is well-researched. When writing a paper on criminal justice, many topics are too new to have solid research. Pick a topic that has many cases related to it, or is focused on a common issue.
Choose a topic you are passionate about. There is nothing worse than being stuck writing about a topic you have no interest in. That’s why you should make sure your topic is something that you want to write about. If it ignites your passion, write about it.

What’s the Difference Between a Research Topic and a Research Question?

The difference between a research topic and a research question is that research topics are the broad area of study and research that is used to answer the research question. Research questions are what you are attempting to answer by researching your criminal justice topic.

Criminology topics can encompass areas of study like crime mapping, crime rates, crime prevention, female crimes, experimental criminology, homegrown crimes, or even criminal psychology. Research questions should be very narrow and like do certain criminal justice laws reduce crime? Do criminal justice practitioners engage in critical criminology? Does education in prison reduce reincarnation?

How to Create Strong Criminal Justice Research Questions

When writing a strong criminal justice research question you should ask three questions. Does this question have sufficient research to reference? Is the question narrow and focused? Am I passionate about this topic? If you ask these questions and use our guide to help you get started, you’ll be well on your way to writing a great criminal justice research paper.

2. White-Collar Crimes Compared to Working-Class Criminals Punishments

White-collar crimes are generally finance-related crimes such as fraud, embezzlement, or money laundering. According to Cornell University School of Law, white-collar crime costs over $300 billion annually in the US. However, white-collar criminals are prosecuted less severely than their working-class counterparts.

3. False Accusation, False Confessions, and Plea Bargaining

This area of criminal behavior is interesting, as our justice system actually allows for admissions of guilt even if the party did not commit the crime. Sometimes sentences can be reduced if a guilty plea is entered even if the party did not commit the crime.

4. Restorative Justice Efforts on Youthful Offenders

Juvenile and youth offenders have many different rules and avenues for justice. One of these unique approaches to keeping young people from their delinquent behavior employed by problem-solving courts is the concept of restorative justice. Restorative justice is a process that helps offenders make amends with the person or community they hurt with their deviant behaviors.

5. Criminal Justice Reform in Hate Crimes

Hate crimes are crimes that are motivated by hatred of someone or a group of people’s immutable characteristics. In recent years, many states have adopted the federal bias categories as outlined by the Department of Justice. These categories are not adopted by every state, which creates several directions for research questions.

6. Organized Crime and the Social Class Criminal Behavior of Members

Organized crime has been around for centuries, but can be prevalent in communities that see crime as a way of life and family. It can be a robust topic to try and understand the influences that family and community have on organized crime.

7. Criminal Justice Agencies and International Crime Investigation Efforts

One thing that is not often talked about is the relationship between criminal justice agencies that work together across countries. Many agencies work together, and many are made jointly. The most notable agency that does this is Interpol which, in 2021, arrested 1,003 alleged criminals and closed 1,660 cases in just one investigation .

8. Impacts of Wildlife Crime and Environmental Crime

Two little written about criminal justice topics in this scientific field are the topics of environmental and wildlife crime. Pollution, littering, dumping, poaching, and wildfire started by humans are all areas that could be a great place to use your analytical skills and nab a decent grade.

9. Relationship Between Crime and Eyewitness Testimony

Eyewitness testimonies are a staple of modern justice. Many violent crime convictions hinge on the ability of eyewitness testimony to convince a jury of what occurred. Sometimes eyewitness testimony can be unreliable, or the multiple witnesses can testify something different from one another resulting in a wrongful conviction. Many crimes like drunk driving or theft can rest on this method of testimony.

10. Relationship Between Law Enforcement and Racial Profiling

Racial profiling is a topic that has received a lot of coverage and is one of the major criminal justice issues of today. Human rights careers deal with the impact of racial and social issues in the US. There are many areas in which law enforcement has to improve in the area of social science. This is a broad topic with many implications for criminal justice ethics and the area of distributive justice.

Criminal Justice Research Questions

Does restorative justice reduce incarceration rates in juveniles?
Do drug courts engage with racial profiling in the criminal justice system?
Are environmental crimes underreported in the criminal justice field?
Can organized criminal behavior be reduced by new crime control measures?
Does mental illness cause more false confessions?

Choosing the Right Criminal Justice Research Topic

If you take these criminal justice research topic ideas and start researching, you’ll find a topic that strikes your creativity and deals with current justice issues. If college courses seem like they may not be for you, you can always use your knowledge to get a job in criminal justice without a degree .

As we stated earlier, two important parts to finding a great topic for criminology studies or criminal justice is to follow your institution’s guidelines and find a topic that you’re passionate about. Difficult topics like child abuse, victim services, jury selection, sexual violence, or any other of the wide range of topics are important and you can do them real justice and care in your paper.

Criminal Justice Research Topics FAQ

A good criminal research topic should be a broad area with lots of research and case studies behind it. It follows your institutional guidelines and that you are passionate about.

Controversial topics in criminal justice include issues that the court is not settled on or ones that disrupt long-standing positions in the courts. Issues like private prisons, gun control, reproductive rights, and criminal court reform could all be considered controversial.

Feminist criminology started in the late 60s and early 70s to bring attention to both female criminals and victims. The movement started because of the male-focused approach to criminal psychology with little to no regard for how a woman may be psychologically different.

Current issues in the criminal justice system include topics like racial justice, social justice, police reform, reproductive rights, and LGBTQ+ discrimination. Many of these topics are being discussed in both state and federal courts.

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Advanced Criminology & Criminal Justice Research Guide

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Strong Research Questions

A strong research question covers a well-defined and well-studied area of research. Strong research topics/questions are:

clear and simple
consistent with assignment requirements
of interest to you

Developing Your Research Question

A broad topic has literally thousands of articles on it, and you won't be able to adequately cover it in your literature review. It will be far easier for you to research and write your literature review if you develop a strong, focused research question:

Do some exploratory research on your topic idea, in your course textbook and class notes to identify specific issues, arguments, and analytical approaches in your research area and then identify possible relationships between them.

Ask yourself questions about your research topic : What interests me about this topic? What have people said about it? What gaps, contradictions, or concerns arise as you learn more about it? What relationships are there between different aspects of the topic?

Write a research question that your hypothesis answers : Use the information from your exploratory research and your answers to questions about your broad topic and the area you've decided to explore to build a focused, clear, simple research question

Identify the key concepts of your research question : what concepts will you need to define and measure in a study to answer your research question? How will you operationally define these concepts into numbers that you can analyze?

Identify your variables: Use your operational definitions to identify and list the independent and dependent variables for your research question. Identify possible confounding variables and the variables you would use to control for them.

Choose a current topic: Develop a hypothesis for a research area about which articles are continuing to be published. Avoid defunct or little-known areas of research.

Write about what interests you: Professors want students to develop experiments in areas that they care about. If you're interested in the topic, it will be more fun for you to do your experiment and write up your research paper, and probably more fun for your professor to read it, too.

Ask your professor for feedback on whether the hypothesis you develop is a good hypothesis, one that can be tested.

Picking Your Topic IS Research

Once you've picked a research topic for your paper, it isn't set in stone. It's just an idea that you will test and develop through exploratory research. This exploratory research may guide you into modifying your original idea for a research topic. Watch this video for more info:

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135+ Amazing Criminal Justice Research Topics In 2023

Are you a law student or enrolled in law college? Are you looking for criminal justice research topics? Here, in this blog, you can find your criminal justice research topics. Statanalytca.com explains the 135 amazing criminal research paper topic ideas for 2023 in this blog.

When we listen to the word criminal justice, many words come into our mind like “victim,” “enforcement,” “crimes,” “courts,” “prison,” and law sanctions. Criminal justice is a term that governments make to justice for people, reduce and make decisions to prevent crimes. Governments make law sanctions to reduce crimes. Every country has a different criminal justice system.

The criminal justice system in the United States is a complex system of federal, state, and local laws, with state and federal constitutions, international treaties, and customary law. Each layer of government shares responsibility for a different aspect of the process. Federal law enforcement agencies enforce laws that may be broken by people who are not in their jurisdiction.

For example : When an individual from New York City travels to Florida to commit a crime such as a robbery or murder they will be arrested by the Florida police and handed over to federal authorities.

A criminal justice research paper necessarily requires accuracy, attention, and patience. Sometimes students are confused about writing criminal research paper topics, or they have a shortage of time to complete research papers.

Most college students ask for assignments to write criminal justice research papers. If you want criminal justice research paper help, you can take our trusted research paper assignment help .

How To Choose A Good Research Topics

Table of Contents

Choosing a research topic is a very challenging task. You should pick a topic that is both interesting and relevant to your audience. You should analyze the crime report before choosing the criminal justice research topics. Research the types of crimes in your country and where your country ranks in the global crime index.

Some research topics include the following:

The role of law enforcement, prosecutors, and public defenders.
Challenges with eyewitness identifications.
Different types of evidence are used in criminal cases.
The effect of jury selection on trials.
How criminal justice impacts mental health.

What Is a Research Paper in Criminal Justice?

A research paper in criminal justice is an academic paper presenting findings from research on a specific criminal justice topic. These papers typically require extensive research and analysis of primary and secondary sources, such as case studies, official reports, statistics, and academic literature. The research paper aims to contribute new knowledge to the criminal justice field, identify trends or patterns, or assess the effectiveness of interventions or policies.

Research papers in criminal justice typically follow a standard academic format, including an introduction that sets the context and research questions, a literature review that summarizes existing research, a methodology section that outlines the research design and data collection methods, a results section that presents findings, and a conclusion that summarizes the research’s significance and implications.

Criminal justice research papers may focus on various topics, including the legal system’s operations, law enforcement practices, corrections, crime prevention, and victimization. These papers may be used to inform policymakers, practitioners, and academics about the state of the criminal justice system and suggest evidence-based solutions to improve its effectiveness and fairness.

Let’s Discuss The Criminal Justice Research Topics-

Here in this section, we will tell you some of the best criminal justice research topics for 2023:-

Basic Criminology and Criminal Justice Research Topics

Basic criminal Research Topics.
History of Criminal Ethics.
Criminology as Social Science.
Criminology and Public Policy.
Advantages of Private Prisons.
Civil Crimes vs War Crimes.
Offenses Against Religion & Cultural Traits.
Causes of victimization.

Court Cases Criminal Justice Research Topics

Can victims of crime receive help?
How serious are shoplifting incidents?
When do felony disenfranchisement laws apply?
Is organized crime and corruption synonymous?
What is legal help available to victims of date rape?
What is the difference between civil and criminal cases?
Forensic science: how effective is it in modern criminal justice?
Is there a link between substance abuse, crime, and substance use?
Who is eligible for the protection program, and what protection is provided?
Prison rape and violence: What can be done to prevent sexual and domestic violence in prison?

Controversial Criminal Justice Research Topics

Gun control causes.
Struggle with mental health issues.
Police officers’ legal rights are limited.
College Violence Causes.
Gun violence and prevention policies.
Crimes Propaganda and Modern Music Culture.
Race and politics of criminal justice.
An investigation into victim services.
Eyewitness Evidence Importance.
Legal codes used in America.
Zero tolerance policy and crime rates.
Sexual assault.
culture, and gender equality.
What is the best way to reduce recidivism?
pros and cons of prisons in America.
Criminalization of poverty.
Gender and Punishment.
The effects of drugs on children’s development.
Effects of drug addiction on mental health.
Youth offenders and Bootcamps.

Debate Criminal Justice Research Topics

Failures in criminal justice.
Criminal justice system expectations.
Statistical analysis in criminal justice.
Debate on criminal justice act.
criminal justice trend evaluation.
Trends in the criminal justice system.
Criminal justice system corrections in the USA.
Find the solution to prevent crimes.

Criminology Research Topics On Theories

Is employment related to law violations?
What is the relationship between family status and legal violations?
Is gender related to the type of law violation?
What is the relationship between citizenship and law enforcement?
How does education relate to crime levels?
How does gun ownership relate to breaking the law?
Is there a link between immigration status and law violations?
What types of crimes are common at what ages?
How does the type of crime relate to the level of aggression?

Criminal Justice Research Topics Based On Crime and Communities

The impact of community policing on crime prevention in urban areas.
The effectiveness of restorative justice programs in reducing recidivism rates.
The relationship between poverty and crime in urban communities.
The role of race and ethnicity in criminal justice outcomes and disparities.
The effectiveness of community-based interventions in reducing juvenile delinquency.
The impact of gun laws on violent crime in urban communities.
Social media’s role in spreading crime and its effects on communities.
The effectiveness of drug courts in reducing drug-related crimes and improving public safety.
The relationship between mental illness and criminal behavior in urban communities.
The impact of immigration policies on crime and public safety in urban areas.
The effectiveness of re-entry programs for ex-offenders in reducing recidivism and promoting successful reintegration into society.
The impact of community-based victim services on the criminal justice system and crime prevention.
The relationship between neighborhood social disorganization and crime rates.
The role of technology in improving crime prevention and solving crimes in urban communities.
The effectiveness of community-based diversion programs for non-violent offenders.
The impact of neighborhood watch programs on crime prevention and community safety.
The role of community involvement in addressing hate crimes and bias incidents.
The impact of domestic violence on communities and the criminal justice response.
The effectiveness of drug treatment programs in reducing drug-related crime and improving public health.
The criminal justice system’s impact on marginalized communities and efforts to promote equity and justice.

Criminal Justice Research Topics On Racism and Discrimination

Eliminating discrimination in the criminal justice system.
Gender Bias in Eyewitnesses.
African American Legislative Apartheid.
Racial Discrimination in College Campuses.
How criminal justice law is enacted on Migrants.
Inequality in the criminal justice system Research.

General Criminal Justice Research Topics

Police brutality and excessive force
Criminal profiling and investigation techniques
Restorative justice programs
Cybercrime and cyberterrorism
Gun control policies and their effectiveness
The impact of race and ethnicity on sentencing
Juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention
Wrongful convictions and the death penalty
Gender and crime
Drug policy and its impact on crime.
Community policing and trust-building strategies
The effectiveness of rehabilitation and reentry programs for offenders
Domestic violence and its impact on victims
Crime prevention through environmental design
Forensic science and the reliability of evidence in criminal investigations
Corruption in law enforcement and the criminal justice system
Mental health treatment for inmates and offenders
Human trafficking and modern-day slavery
The use of technology in criminal investigations and surveillance
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the criminal justice system.

Types of Criminal Justice Research Topics

Homicide, serial murders, and serial murder are the most popular topics in murder studies.
A case study of robbery crime, unusual daylight robbery in a news article.
Identity Theft and Ways to Protect, the prevalence of identity theft in the community, causes, and effects of cell phone theft.
Analysis and critique of Current fraud cases, Fraud and business ethics, fraud schemes, and investigation.

International Criminal Law Topics

Criminal ethics, criminal law research assignment paper.
Criminal courtroom observation reaction.
Childhood obesity.
Crime Prevention.
International crimes and their laws.
International criminal court.
Human Rights and Inequality.
Rape Cases.

Criminal Justice Research Topics For College Students

The Impact of Police Body Cameras on Law Enforcement Accountability
Violent Crime Reduction Effectiveness of Restorative Justice Programs
Racial Disparities in Sentencing and Their Implications for Justice
The Role of Mental Health Services in Diverting Offenders from the Criminal Justice System
Media Effects on Perceptions of Crime and Criminal Conduct
Examining the Use of Technology in Solving Crimes and Enhancing Investigations
Juvenile Justice Policies: Rehabilitation vs. Punishment
The Intersection of Immigration Policies and Criminal Justice Outcomes
Criminal Profiling and its Reliability in Solving Crimes
The Effect of Minimum Sentence Laws on Incarceration Rates and Public Safety.

Criminology Research Topics

Armed Crime Groups History Motives.
Cyber Criminology Correction Methods.
Art Fraud Cooperation.
Drunk Driving Prevention Ads.
Identity Theft & Social Media.
Topic on Child Abuse & TV Violence.
Aggression Against Homeless People.
Unemployment & Street Situation Analysis.
Forensic Research Identification Methods.
Crime Witnesses PTSD Rehabilitation.

Career With The Criminology Major

There are a variety of jobs you can get with a criminology degree. We sort listed the top 8 trending jobs that you can get with a criminology degree:

Criminologist.
Private investigator
Forensic scientist .
Correction officer.
Jury consultant.
Loss prevention specialist
Clinical social worker.

Tips On How To Write Criminal Justice Research Topics

A step-by-step guide on how to write criminal justice research topics:

Choose a particular topic.
Read the given materials and take some notes.
Come up with a thesis.
Create an outline for your project.
Write down all the information that you have collected.
Start with a cover page, and an intro.
List the technique you used and the results you got.
Include a discussion.
Always write a conclusion.
Don’t forget to correct your grammar mistakes.
Revise, proofread, and if it is incorrect then edit.

Importance of Criminal Justice Research Papers In 2023

Here are some important of criminal justice research papers in 2023:

1. Informed Policy-Making

Criminal justice research papers provide valuable data and insights that policymakers use to develop effective laws and policies, enhancing the fairness and efficiency of the justice system.

2. Evidence-Based Practices

Research papers help identify evidence-based strategies for law enforcement, corrections, and crime prevention, leading to better outcomes and reduced rates of reoffending.

3. Transparency and Accountability

By revealing systemic issues and gaps, research papers push for greater transparency and accountability within the criminal justice system, fostering public trust.

4. Improved Decision-Making

Policymakers, law enforcement, and other stakeholders use research findings to make informed decisions on resource allocation and allocation of efforts.

5. Advancing Knowledge

Criminal justice research papers contribute to the body of knowledge in the field, allowing researchers and academics to build on existing findings and develop innovative approaches to understanding crime and justice.

6. Addressing Disparities

Research papers shed light on disparities in the justice system, such as racial or socioeconomic disparities, prompting efforts to address and rectify these inequalities.

7. Enhancing Public Awareness

Research papers raise public awareness about issues like wrongful convictions, mental health challenges, and the impact of crime on communities, spurring advocacy and societal change.

Get More Criminal Justice Research Topics At Statanalytica.com

Hope you choose criminal justice research topics for this blog. If you have any difficulty choosing criminal justice research topics, you can contact us at any time. Our professional writers are available to suggest criminal justice research topics ideas and research paper help.

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So, you can contact us for any type of paper writing service and impress your teacher or professor by choosing a good criminal justice research topic.

This is the end of this post about criminal justice research topics. However, diverse criminal justice research topics offer unique insights into various aspects of the criminal justice system. These research areas are crucial for policymakers, practitioners, and academics to comprehensively understand the system’s challenges and develop effective interventions that improve its fairness and effectiveness.

On the other hand, we mentioned more than 135 criminal justice research topics based on different categories. So that it is easier for you to choose the best criminal justice research topics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1.what are some criminal justice research topics.

Research Topics in Criminal Justice System: 1. Capital Punishment. 2. Community Corrections. 3. Crime Prevention. 4. Criminal Courts. 5. Criminal Justice Ethics. 6. Criminal Law. 7. Criminal Specialisation. 8. Drug Courts.

Q2. How do I choose a research topic?

Two main ways to find a research topic: through your academic interests or by self-initiation. You can find a topic through your academic focus, talk to your professors and classmates about what they’re working on, and they can point you in the right direction and introduce you to the process of conducting research. The other option is to start with The idea that interests you.

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Criminal Justice Research Guide

Source Selection & Evaluation

Characteristics of a Research Question

Topic selection, topic verification.

Search Tips & Strategies
Online Sources
Data & Statistics
Citing Sources [opens a new window] This link opens in a new window

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Research questions have a few characteristics.

They're open-ended . (They can't be answered with a simple yes or no response.)
They're often measurable through quantitative data or qualitative measures.
They summarize the issue/topic being researched.
They may take a fresh look at an issue or try to solve a problem.

In addition, research questions may . . .

answer how or why questions.
fit within a cause/effect structure.
have a pro/con format.
introduce an argument that is then supported with evidence .

Topic selection is the process you use to choose your topic. This is the more creative side of topic development. There are several steps to this process.

Brainstorming. Start a list of topics that interest you and are within the guidelines of the assignment. They could be personal, professional, or academic interests. Researching something that interests you is much more enjoyable and will keep you interested in the research process. Write down related words or phrases. These will be useful at the research stage.
Reshaping the topic. Sometimes you'll choose a topic that's either too narrow or too broad. Find out ways to broaden or narrow the topic so that it's a better size to fit your research assignment. This is where Wikipedia and generic Google searches are okay. You can use those sites to get other ideas of how your topic idea may work. Perform some simple searches to see what information is out there. (Just be sure not to cite Wikipedia or Google.)
Looking at the body of research. Once you have a topic that you think is a good size, take a look at the body of research that's available for the topic. Check in catalogs and databases. Look at reputable websites. You want to be sure that your topic has an adequate amount of research before you invest too much time into the idea.
Revising. Throughout this process, be prepared to revise your topic. Don't think that you have to keep the same topic that you started with. Topic revision happens all the time. In fact, we often develop better topics as a result of this revision!

Topic verification is the process you use to confirm your topic is viable for research. This is the more technical side of topic development. There are also several steps to this process.

Using search strategies. Do some experimental searching in the databases using search strategies . Try different combinations to see what you find. Use your notes from your brainstorming to search for different synonyms or phrases.
Locating relevant and reliable information. At this stage, you want to see if you can find both a good quality and good quantity of sources. You don't need to read the entirety of the sources right now. Just read their abstracts and identifying information. Confirm that the sources you find support each other. Double-check the authority of the authors. This is the source evaluation stage.
Verifying information. Once you've confirmed that the sources are reliable and relevant, decide whether or not you can verify the information in the sources. If your sources corrobate each other, you have a good topic. In fact, even if they dispute each other, that is sometimes okay. It just depends on your topic's goal. However, if you cannot verify the reliability of any of your sources' information, then you may need to start over again with a new topic idea.
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Last Updated: Dec 7, 2023 11:04 AM
URL: https://libguides.columbiastate.edu/crimjustice

Research Methods for Criminal Justice Students

(3 reviews)

Monica Williams, Weber State University

Publisher: Monica Williams

Language: English

Formats Available

Conditions of use.

Learn more about reviews.

Reviewed by Kelly Arney, Dean of Behavioral Sciences, Associate Professor, Grace College on 12/15/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This textbook covers topics needed for criminal justice students to understand as they are going to be doing continual research in their field. Most of the examples cover criminal justice-specific real work examples with an emphasis on law enforcement. Interestingly, this could be utilized for a larger behavioral science class as it encompasses the foundations of research that can be applied to most degrees in behavioral sciences. It places a large emphasis on the scientific method, how to design research, and data collection. It differs from other textbooks by not exploring the specifics of experimental designs, nonexperimental designs, quasi-experimental strategies, and factorial designs. The integration of real-world examples throughout each chapter will likely help students to grow in their willingness to engage in research that is necessary to the profession. Emphasis is placed on finding, understanding, and utilizing research.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content was accurate and error-free. No biases material or examples were identified.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content was relevant and recent. The foundational terminology spans the last two decades. This book was originally based on Bhattachergee's 2012 Social Science Research: Principles, Methods, and Practice and Blackstone's 2012 Principles of Sociological Inquiry: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods. This material was built on and this textbook is accurate with more recent examples. It has devoted a chapter to ethics in research which I found particularly relevant. It not only covers ethical standards such as the Belmont Report but also dives deep into ethics surrounding the specifics of those requirements. It has a section for research on humans, the Stanford Prison Experiment, Institutional Review Boards, informed consent, vulnerable populations, and the professional code of ethics. This textbook explores these areas in depth. Compared to other textbooks, this has devoted a substantial area to these topics that seem especially relevant recently and particularly important to emphasize for the criminal justice student.

Clarity rating: 5

This textbook seems to make research a little easier. The author has bolded the terminology words for students and created a nice and simple way of organizing the areas of study. The author has multiple categories inside each chapter that give meaning to the section. It is clear what each chapter is about, then each section inside that chapter. Research Methods can be a world of confusing terminology, but this author has simplified this and taken it to a level that students can easily follow. The Key Terms and Discussion Questions at the end of each chapter are also a nice guide for students to clarify what they read in each chapter.

Consistency rating: 4

Consistency is a difficult task in research methods because terms are interchangeable. Some of the terminology was inconsistent, but it described the same things and did not seem confusing. This textbook was the easiest to read when compared to the other textbooks on Research Methods. The sentences were simple and to the point. The book was not overrun with examples or mathematical equations that tend to confuse students. The instructor of the class may need to work to create the standard terminology they want to be used in class. This textbook explores the different terminology, so that can be a learning experience for students in and of itself. People use different terms in real life. It is an easy read as far as research goes. The clarity in the sentences and larger categories is apparent.

Modularity rating: 5

This is one of the largest strengths of this textbook. The text is easy to follow. The author did an excellent job of dividing the chapters into categories that divide the content into smaller readable sections. This makes smaller assignments much easier to assign to instructors. The sections have nice bolded titles and clear spacing between them with bolded words inside the sections. This makes pulling out specific areas and the relevant terminology much easier than in a traditional textbook. It is clear the author put time into organizing this textbook in a student-friendly way.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics are organized well. The chapters flow in a way that seems relevant to how it should be taught in the classroom. It is logical in that flow. The chapters are encompassed into larger sections: Think like a researcher, Research design, Qualitative data collection and analysis techniques, A qualitative and quantitative data collection technique, and finally Quantitative data collection and analysis techiniques. Inside each of these larger 5 sections are the chapters that expand on that idea. It is wellorganized.

Interface rating: 5

The digital pdf and the online versions of the textbook did not have any navigational problems. This textbook has some illustrations that worked well. No issues were noted with the interface.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The writing in this textbook was straightforward and clear. I did not find any typos or grammatical errors. This was an easy-to-read textbook.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This textbook was culturally inclusive. I did not find any of the materials in this book to be insensitive or offensive. The examples in this textbook were general examples and did not associate with a cultural component. The only area I think that encompassed this was the vulnerable population section. That was very generalized and mostly suggested students consider who would fall into the vulnerable population category given what they want to research. The chapter on Research Questions (CH 4) did dive into the idea that students are social scientists and use their bias for their research projects. This was more about observing the world around them and then asking questions. It did not dive into cultural sensitivity any further.

I would recommend this book for research in behavioral science college-level classes. This book can be applied to students well beyond the criminal justice major. Many of the examples can be used for psychology, sociology, law, political science, and social work students. Don't let the criminal justice part of the title limit you. This is an easy-to-read and well-organized research textbook with helpful review guides included at the end of each chapter.

Reviewed by Mari Sakiyama, Associate Professor, Western Oregon University on 12/14/23

Each chapter of the textbook included the objectives, summary, key terms, and a few discussion questions. The key terms used in the book were in bold and were easy to identify. The chapters covered in the textbook are appropriate, and they are grouped in sections. Given that the provided examples throughout the textbook are CJ related, the major specific students can relate themselves to the course materials and it is easier for them to apply their conceptual CJ research ideas to research questions or a proposal. Glossary with definitions at the end of the book was not listed.

Content Accuracy rating: 2

I thought the content was accurate, and the author put the book together in an error-free manner. However, I thought that the textbook was slightly qualitative research heavy as opposed to quantitative research. Also, in the sampling section, I probably would not label non-probability and probability sampling for inductive qualitative and deductive quantitative research, respectively.

Given that research methods is generally required at all 4-year CJ programs and the majority of the concept of the course does not get outdated, the textbook definitely meets both relevancy and longevity.

Despite research methods tend to be full of jargon and technical terminologies, the material was written and introduced in a very reader-friendly and lucid manner. Perhaps, this book might had been the easiest read amongst all the research methods books I have read.

Both terminology and framework were internally consistent throughout the textbook. Although research methods consist with many interchangeable terms that describe the same thing, the author did a great job maintaining its consistency. In addition, the format for each chapter was also consistent and was easy to follow.

Modularity rating: 4

The textbook contains 15 chapters and are grouped in 5 different sections. Each chapter or even within those chapters can be divisible into smaller segment to fit instructors’ existing course structure. However, as mentioned earlier, the textbook was more qualitative research oriented and I thought some of the sections could be combined (i.e., III & IV). In addition, I think sampling could be its own section. Nonetheless, with the divisibility as well as the author’s permission to reuse and modify with attribution, the issues could be easily resolved.

The textbook was well-organized and -structured. I generally do not cover different designs until after midterm but I personally like the flow of this textbook.

Interface rating: 3

The textbook did not have any navigation problems, since each chapter’s organization is consistent. Some of the tables that provided key summaries of strategies/designs or its comparison of strengths/weakness are very helpful to learners. The author did a great job creating charts and diagrams, bur there could be more of them. Also, the number of illustrations/photos were limited but that could be easily adjusted when incorporating the textbook.

The style of writing was appropriate and straightforward. I did not find any typos or grammatical errors. I believe that the textbook would be an easy read compared to other publishers’ research methods textbooks.

I did not find any of the materials in the textbook that were culturally insensitive nor offensive. Examples throughout the textbook were general examples that did not necessarily associate with cultural component.

While there have been OER research methods books for Sociology and Psychology, I think this is the first OER book for CJ research methods, at least that I know of (and kudos to the author)! It would be an excellent material for undergraduate CJ students. I definitely consider using this book for my class.

Reviewed by Youngki Woo, Assistant professor, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on 12/16/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The textbook covers most areas of research methods in the field of criminology and criminal justice. Like other textbooks, each chapter identifies the learning objectives and showed it in the beginning. At the end of each chapter, there are several discussion questions for students. Each chapter is comfortable to follow and addresses all the learning objectives to provide a straightforward response to the discussion questions. In addition, each chapter covers ideas of the subject appropriately and provides an effective index, key terms, and glossary.

Content is accurate and it is easy to read and follow.

Each chapter addresses fundamental concepts and techniques that students should know about research methods in social sciences. The book is published in 2022, indicating that content is up-to-date.

The text is simple and well-written, and content is informative and straight-forward.

Consistency rating: 5

The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework. The author did a great job in providing summary at the end of the chapter that tied along with the learning objectives that are provided at the beginning of the chapter.

There are five parts in the textbook and each part is easily divisible into smaller reading sections that can be assigned at different points within the course (please see the Table of Contents). Personally, chapter 4 and 5 covers relevant information, but they could have gone more in depth when describing the different techniques along with a variety of research examples.

The topics in the text are presented in a logical and clear fashion. The logical organization carries students through the sequence of the research process. As an instructor, I like the organization that is flexible and helps students better understand the fundamental research skills in criminal justice.

Personally, I would suggest the author to add more photos/images/charts to give examples of what each objective talk about on each chapter. It would help the reader to figure out some methodological techniques with a visual representation. Nonetheless, the text is free of significant interface issues, including navigation problems and any other display features that may distract or confuse the reader.

There are no typos or technical/grammatical errors that I am aware of in the textbook.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The text is not culturally insensitive and offensive as the text discuss mainly about research methods. Some examples in the textbooks are children and family.

Overall, this book contains information that could help students understand the knowledge about methodological terms and skills. This book would be suitable for undergraduate methods courses in most social sciences.

1. Scientific Research
2. Paradigms, Theories, and Research
3. Ethics in Research
4. Research questions
5. Research approaches and goals
6. Research methodologies
7. Measurement
8. Sampling
9. Focus groups
10. Field research
11. Qualitative data analysis
12. Interviews
13. Surveys
14. Experiments
15. Quantitative data analysis

Ancillary Material

About the book.

This book is based on two open-access textbooks: Bhattacherjee’s (2012) Social science research: Principles, methods, and practices and Blackstone’s (2012) Principles of sociological inquiry: Qualitative and quantitative methods. I first used Bhattacherjee’s book in a graduate-level criminal justice research methods course. I chose the book because it was an open educational resource that covered the major topics of my course. While I found the book adequate for my purposes, the business school perspective did not always fit with my criminal justice focus. I decided to rewrite the textbook for undergraduate and graduate students in my criminal justice research methods courses. As I researched other open- educational resources for teaching social science research methods, I found Blackstone’s book, which covered more of the social science and qualitative methods perspectives that I wanted to incorporate into my book.

As a result, this open-access textbook includes some content from both previous works along with my own additions based on my extensive experience and expertise in conducting qualitative and quantitative research in social science settings and in mentoring students through the research process. My Ph.D. is in Sociology, and I currently teach undergraduates and graduate students in a criminal justice program at Weber State University. Throughout my career, I have conducted and published the results of research projects using a variety of methods, including surveys, case studies, in-depth interviews, participant observation, content analysis, and secondary analysis of quantitative data. I have also mentored undergraduates in conducting community-based research projects using many of these same methods with the addition of focus groups and program evaluations.

About the Contributors

Monica Williams, Ph.D ., Associate Professor, Weber State University

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CCJ4701 - Research Methods in Criminal Justice

Starting your search, research methods in criminal justice, tips for writing research proposals, literature reviews & empirical research articles.

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Identify your topic and possibly even your thesis statement. Unlike in Google, in our databases, you need to search by using keywords. Keywords are the words that describe your topic. So, start brainstorming about what words you can use to describe your topic.

Here is a sample topic: I am conducting a literature review on drug use by Hispanic gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender adults, possibly even polysubstance use. I would also like try to find research that incorporates information from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).

Right away you can identify some key concepts:

Polysubstance use
National Survey on Drug Use (NSDUH)

Now that you have identified your key concepts, you need to flesh these out to include all the various forms of these concepts - this allows for your search to be as inclusive as possible:

drug use or drug abuse or substance abuse or substance use or recreational drug use
polysubstance use or polysubstance abuse
drug users or drug abusers or drug addicts
hispanic or latino or latina or mexican or central american or south american or hispanics or latin or Latinx
gay or lesbian or glbt or homosexual or transgender or lgbt or lgbtq or queer
National Survey on Drug Use and Health or NSDUH

You're now ready to begin searching! Just remember to check-out the recommended databases to search for peer-reviewed articles!

Research Questions Research proposals outline a planned research project and the research questions that will be investigated. Requirements and expectations may differ based on the discipline and whether the proposal is for a class assignment, a thesis or dissertation, or to apply for research funding or grants. However, regardless of the type, all proposals require clearly defined research questions. Some challenges for choosing good research questions often include identifying questions that have a manageable scope and locating sources that include scholarly research about the issues.

Identifying a Manageable Scope Research questions that have a manageable scope are neither too broad nor too narrow. If a research question(s) is too broad, there will be too much information and too many issues to cover. If a research question(s) is too narrow, there may not be enough information. Keep in mind that assigned topics are often designed to be broad to allow you to choose the focus and specific issues you want to investigate. To select an appropriate scope, investigate the topic and issues by reviewing books, ebooks, encyclopedias, or handbooks that provide topic overviews.

Locating Criminal Justice Research To narrow a research question think about the issues associated with the broader topic or problem. Then, explore the topic by locating academic research that discusses evidence about the issues. The library provides access to thousands of criminal justice resources where you can find background information about topics and scholarly research articles that discuss issues.

Developing an outline early in the writing process using section headings and sub headings is a good first step to get organized and begin thinking through your proposal. It is also good to establish a habit of regularly reviewing sources about your topic (books, journal articles, etc.) and keep track of the sources you read and will potentially use. Listed below are some writing tips to consider as you begin to write your proposal.

Research Proposals should include:

concise title that describes the focus of your research (working titles are often changed while investigating a topic)
document elements that include appropriate headings/subheadings (Title, Abstract, Introduction, Literature Review, Method, Proposed Timeline, References)
explanation of why your research is important and useful within your discipline (how does the research fit in with existing research)
statement of aims that indicate the goals and scope of your investigation (focus on developing a manageable topic)
synthesis of "the literature" related to your research topic/questions (the literature refers to relevant research found in scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles)
describe the research method you propose (research setting, sample, and a protocol showing the steps you will use in the process)
citations to the sources you consulted for your proposal (APA style requires in-text citations and complete reference entries)

References & Resources

Creswell, J.W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. Feig, E. (n.d.). Writing the research proposal . In OER Commons . Retrieved from https://www.oercommons.org/courseware/module/13393 Grand Canyon University. (n.d.). Developing a research proposal . In Center for Innovation in Research and Teaching . Retrieved from https://cirt.gcu.edu/ University of Central Florida Writing Center. (n.d.). Grammar and punctuation . Retrieved from http://uwc.cah.ucf.edu/find-resources/ University of Southern California USC Libraries. (2018). Writing a research proposal. In Organizing Y our Social Sciences Research Paper. Retrieved from http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/researchproposal

Literature Reviews

Literature reviews provide a synthesis of the scholarly literature related to a research question(s) or topic. They include a discussion of information reported by researchers in empirical journal articles along with your own analysis and evaluation of sources. Preparing a literature review is a two-step process that includes conducting literature searches to locate relevant empirical articles and your own analysis and synthesis of the research in the written review.

Keep in mind that there are various types of literature reviews. The most common are included as a section in an empirical research article, a chapter in a thesis or dissertation, a standalone literature review article, or a section in an academic paper.

Literature reviews in empirical research articles, theses and dissertations, or standalone review articles are considerably broader in scope and involve comprehensive literature searches.
Literature reviews in academic papers are narrower in scope and requirements are typically based on course assignments. Often, students are required to locate a certain number of empirical journal articles (research articles). Secondary sources (journal articles, books, book chapters, government reports, etc.) that often discuss empirical research or provide background information might also be included.

Academic Databases & Google Scholar

Empirical articles are published in peer-reviewed journals (sometimes called refereed), which means that articles are reviewed by experts in their field prior to publication to ensure that only reliable, high-quality information is published. Empirical journal articles for all disciplines are accessible by searching academic databases that are provided by the Libraries. The video below provides an example of how to locate Criminal Justice databases and search strategies to locate peer-reviewed research articles.

Google Scholar can also be helpful to use in combination with library database searches because it provides citations and links to empirical journal articles. Typically Google Scholar does not provide full text access to most articles. You must link to, but you can use the links provided to access the full text from the UCF Libraries pages. Google Scholar also does not include options to limit searches to view only peer-reviewed journal articles or filter options to refine searches.

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Last Updated: Oct 26, 2023 10:44 AM
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Mixed Methods Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice: a Systematic Review

Published: 07 January 2021
Volume 47 , pages 526–546, ( 2022 )

Cite this article

Nicole Wilkes 1 ,
Valerie R. Anderson 1 ,
Cheryl Laura Johnson 2 &
Lillian Mae Bedell 1

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6 Citations

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The field of criminology and criminal justice encompass broad and complex multidisciplinary topics. Most of the research that falls under these areas uses either quantitative or qualitative methodologies, with historically limited use of mixed methods designs. Research utilizing mixed methods has increased within the social sciences in recent years, including a steadily growing body of mixed method research in criminal justice and criminology. The goal of this study was to examine how mixed method designs are being employed within research related to criminal justice and criminology. Our systematic review located 327 mixed method articles published between 2001 and 2017. Findings indicated most criminology and criminal justice research is being conducted within the specialty area of victimology. This study provides an overview of mixed methods research in criminology and criminal justice and also illustrates that most publications are not including methodological concepts specific to mixed methods research (e.g., integration). Along with our systematic review, we offer a series of recommendations to move mixed methods research forward in criminology and criminal justice.

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What is Qualitative in Qualitative Research

Patrik Aspers & Ugo Corte

Criteria for Good Qualitative Research: A Comprehensive Review

Drishti Yadav

The Trustworthiness of Content Analysis

Aarons, G. A., Fettes, D. L., Sommerfeld, D. H., & Palinkas, L. A. (2012). Mixed methods for implementation research: Application to evidence-based practice implementation and staff turnover in community-based organizations providing child welfare services. Child Maltreatment, 17 (1), 67–79.

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Chapter Google Scholar

Bazeley, P. (2018). Integrating analyses in mixed methods research . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

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Brent, J. J., & Kraska, P. B. (2010). Moving beyond our methodological default: A case for mixed methods. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 21 (4), 412–430.

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Buckler, K. (2008). The quantitative/qualitative divide revisited: A study of published research, doctoral program curricula, and journal editor perceptions. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 19 (3), 383–403.

Burrell, N. A., & Gross, C. (2018). Quantitative research, purpose of. In M. Allen (Ed.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods (pp. 1378–1380). Los Angeles: SAGE.

Campbell, D. T., & Fiske, D. W. (1959). Convergent and discriminant validation by the multitrait-multimethod matrix. Psychological Bulletin, 56 (2), 81–105. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0046016 .

Campbell, R., Fehler-Cabral, G., Bybee, D., & Shaw, J. (2017). Forgotten evidence: A mixed methods study of why sexual assault kits (SAKs) are not submitted for DNA forensic testing. Law and Human Behavior, 41 (5), 454–467.

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Wilkes, N., Anderson, V.R., Johnson, C.L. et al. Mixed Methods Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice: a Systematic Review. Am J Crim Just 47 , 526–546 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-020-09593-7

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Book Title: Applied Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology

Authors: Eric J. Fritsch, Ph.D.; Chad R. Trulson, Ph.D.; and Ashley G. Blackburn, Ph.D.

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Book Description: Applied Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology provides a solid foundation in research methods for undergraduate students who are studying to become practitioners in the criminal justice field. This text takes a practical and applied approach that is both engaging and useful in developing students into educated consumers of research.

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Book description.

The biggest challenges in teaching research methods are making difficult subjects applicable to students and overcoming student resistance to the course material. Students typically have minimal knowledge of research methods prior to enrolling in the course and typically do not understand why they even have to take the course in the first place. Initially, students fail to see how a solid foundation in research methods will assist them as practitioners in the criminal justice field. This text overcomes these challenges and others by creating a practical, applied, and user-friendly text that focuses on developing students into educated consumers of research.

Organization and Focus

In order for students to understand research methods and engage in the course, there must be significant practical application of the material. Research methods must be made real and tangible for the students. This book focuses on applying the concepts learned in the text to real-life examples of research. The reality is that most students will never conduct independent research of their own. However, everyone is exposed to the results of research on a daily basis. One cannot read the daily newspaper or watch the nightly news without hearing about new research results in the medical or other professional fields. Therefore, we developed a textbook that focuses heavily on being educated consumers of research. We believe that students should not only be educated in the concepts of research methods but also need to become educated consumers of research. Students need to develop the skills to critically assess the quality of the research to which they are exposed. The text is not just about the “how to” of research but also focuses on what to look for when evaluating the quality of research.

That we have included only nine chapters in our text is the first indicator of our focus on developing students into educated consumers of research, while the depth of information provided on important topics is the proof. The organization of chapters is practical, comprehensive, and engaging. We have developed a structure that is more nuanced than simply grouping research designs and techniques into chapters. Each chapter builds upon the prior chapters so students can incrementally learn the dynamics of the research process. For instance, Chapter 2 (Getting Started: The Beginnings and Pitfalls of Research) and Chapter 8 (Putting It All Together: Understanding and Assessing Criminal Justice Research) are powerful examples of the organization of the book, demonstrating that we are constantly providing a clear context and recalling prior material so students can see the big picture of research methods.

Our focus is important to today’s students and professors at the typical undergraduate university, in the typical undergraduate criminal justice and criminology program. As mentioned, the great majority of graduates will not be expected to design and carry out a research project. Yet, all students will be expected to know how to read, critique, critically evaluate, and comment on research findings. Whether in their chosen profession or simply in their everyday lives, a focus on producing good consumers of research is the logical and most useful focus for undergraduate students.

Engaging features are consistently presented in each chapter. The features focus on the application of research methods and include those presented below.

Chapter Opening Case Studies provide a practical context for concepts covered in each chapter. Students will review research questions, methodology, results, limitations presented by that particular research design, and the impact on criminal justice. For example, Chapter 9 begins with an overview of a study designed to answer the following research question, “Is gang involvement, along with involvement in gang crime and other risky lifestyles, related to being the victim of a violent crime?” Furthermore, the research question “What are the behavioral and psychological consequences of becoming a prisoner or a prison guard?” is addressed at the beginning of Chapter 2. The standardized format for each chapter opening allows the reader to quickly become familiar with what to expect at the start of each chapter. In addition, the case study is intended to peak the interest of students regarding the topics covered in the chapter.
Research in the News gives students the opportunity to review and assess research studies that are used to report current events. For example, in Chapter 3, a study involving a survey of 10,000 undergraduate students on guns and gun threats on college campuses is presented as the debate over allowing guns on college campuses intensifies. This feature will further illustrate real life examples of criminal justice research and how the studies can influence criminal justice policy. In addition, as this feature appears in later chapters, it is used to revisit and reemphasize topics discussed in earlier ones.
Classics in CJ Research allows students to review classic studies from the earlier days of criminal justice research. The studies presented are the seminal studies on the topic. Classics from the situational obedience studies by Zimbardo and Milgram, to the Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment, to the seminal study of the criminal investigation process by Greenwood and Petersilia, and others will be presented in each chapter.
What Research Shows: Impacting Criminal Justice Operations illustrates major research studies that have had an impact on the criminal justice field. Although the practical application of research methods will be demonstrated throughout the text, this feature will illustrate major research studies that have had an impact on the operations of the criminal justice system. For example, the research on the deterrent effect of Scared Straight programs and the impact of prison rape research are discussed in this feature.

Pedagogical Aids

The chapters also contain pedagogical aids to facilitate student learning. Bolded key terms are presented throughout each chapter. These are a critical study tool since research methods is very term-heavy. The bolded key terms can also be used by students as they go back through the text and review for a test. Critical thinking questions are presented at the end of each chapter and provide students an opportunity to review and apply the research concepts covered.

Applied Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology by University of North Texas is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Asking Survey Questions About Criminal Justice Involvement

1 Westat, Rockville, MD, USA

David Cantor

Criminal justice involvement is a multifaceted construct encompassing various forms of contact with the criminal justice system. It is a sensitive topic to ask about in surveys and also a sensitive topic for respondents to answer. This article provides guidance for writing survey questions on criminal justice involvement, starting with a review of potential causes for reporting error and nonresponse error associated with survey questions on criminal justice involvement. Questions about criminal justice involvement are subject to errors that are common to any survey (eg, misunderstanding questions, recall bias, telescoping). Reponses to these questions are also subject to underreporting because of social desirability concerns. We also address strategies to reduce error for questions pertaining to criminal justice involvement (eg, self-administered data collection, wording of forgiving questions, indirect methods). We then discuss common design decisions associated with writing survey questions on criminal justice involvement (eg, type and frequency of criminal justice involvement, reference period,) and provide examples of questions from current surveys.

Criminal justice involvement encompasses various forms of contact with the criminal justice system. Involvement in the criminal justice system starts after an individual is arrested and can include pretrial detention, conviction, incarceration, probation, and parole. 1 Criminal justice involvement is an important life event that affects not only the persons involved but also others involved in their lives. Research shows that criminal justice involvement has a negative effect on people’s physical and mental health, 2 - 4 employment and earnings, 5 marriage and family life, 5 , 6 and access to housing opportunities, 7 among other areas. Parental involvement in the criminal justice system is found to have a detrimental effect on children’s health, 8 , 9 behaviors, 7 , 10 , 11 income and financial security, 12 , 13 food security, 13 receipt of health services, 14 and education, including college access and completion. 15 - 17

Given the detrimental effects criminal justice involvement can have on a person’s life, data are needed to systematically examine these effects on the general population. However, collecting such data is challenging, in part because asking questions about criminal justice involvement in general population surveys is often a sensitive issue for respondents. This article provides guidance and advice for writing survey questions on criminal justice involvement, with particular attention to the sensitive nature of the topic. 18 Although guidance and advice are available for writing questions about a sensitive topic, 19 - 21 they are not specifically designed for questions about criminal justice involvement. Therefore, we first review potential causes for reporting error and nonresponse error associated with survey questions on criminal justice involvement. Next, we discuss strategies to reduce error for such questions. We conclude by discussing common design decisions associated with writing survey questions on criminal justice involvement and providing examples of questions from current surveys.

Reporting and Nonresponse Error Related to Questions on Criminal Justice Involvement

As with any type of survey question, questions pertaining to criminal justice involvement are subject to error related to reporting and nonresponse. With regard to reporting error, a respondent can misunderstand the survey question, partially or inaccurately recall relevant information, use a cognitive shortcut to come up with a response, or fail to report an answer using one of the response options provided to them. 19 For example, the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG)—a general population survey introduced to sampled members as being about “family life, marriage and divorce, having and raising children, and health and health care”—asks all male respondents, “In the last 12 months, have you spent any time in a jail, prison, or a juvenile detention facility?” 22 To respond, a respondent must first interpret what the question means (comprehension), determine what is considered a “jail, prison, or a juvenile detention facility,” and then interpret what it means to “spend any time” in such a place. Some respondents might interpret “spend any time” to mean “spending time as a result of formal sentencing,” whereas others might interpret it as a 1-night stay in a jail before appearing in court.

A respondent must then remember events that qualify under the given definition (recall). One type of recall error is external telescoping, 23 , 24 which occurs when a respondent reports an incident taking place outside the period of interest. Respondents are more likely to telescope memorable events they can recall, even if the event occurred before the period of interest. 25 A second type of recall error is when the respondent does not remember the event at all. 25 For example, respondents might forget or not recall a 1-night stay in a jail that happened in the distant past. 26

In addition to these common sources of reporting error, questions on criminal justice involvement are also subject to response error because they cover a sensitive topic. Topics can be sensitive because of (1) intrusiveness (criminal justice involvement is not generally discussed with others); (2) possible negative consequences, sometimes even legal concerns, from disclosing criminal justice involvement to another individual; and (3) the social stigma associated with criminal justice involvement. 4 , 27 Because of the social stigma associated with criminal justice involvement, respondents are prone to not report these events even when they are retrieved from memory, leading to underreporting. 18 The tendency to underreport events that invoke social stigma is also known as social desirability bias. For example, on the NSFG, the respondent might recall from memory an instance of criminal justice involvement in the correct reference period. However, before reporting, the respondent might edit his or her answer to “no” to avoid potential judgment.

Evidence of this editing process for criminal justice involvement can be found in studies comparing self-reported data with administrative data that found that arrests, 26 delinquent activities that led to police contact, 28 committing welfare and unemployment benefit fraud, 29 and convictions 29 were underreported. In addition, female respondents, 27 , 29 older persons, 27 , 29 persons with higher education, 27 , 30 persons with higher levels of social desirability concerns, 27 , 28 , 30 and persons with more severe offenses 26 , 27 , 30 underreport criminal justice involvement more often than male respondents, younger respondents, persons with lower education, persons with lower levels of social desirability concerns, and persons with minor offenses, respectively.

With regard to nonresponse error, several studies show that persons tend not to participate in surveys that have sensitive topics, 31 especially surveys that ask about undesirable behaviors and attitudes. 32 , 33 However, including items about criminal justice involvement in general population surveys is unlikely to substantially alter response rates unless (1) the survey is introduced as a survey on criminal justice involvement or (2) respondents know beforehand that items on criminal justice involvement are part of the survey. As mentioned earlier, the NSFG is described as a survey about “family life, marriage and divorce, having and raising children, and health and health care” in the advance letter to sampled households. 22 Sampled members do not know beforehand that the survey includes 4 questions on criminal justice involvement ( Table 1 ) asked of men aged 15-44. The final weighted response rate for the 2006-2010 NSFG data collection was similar between men (75%) and women (78%), even though the 4 questions on criminal justice involvement are asked only of male respondents. 34 During the 2011-2013 NSFG data collection, the response rate for the male questionnaire was 1 percentage point lower than the response rate for the female questionnaire, 35 a difference that was negligible.

Item nonresponse rates to questions on criminal justice involvement from general population surveys, United States

a Item nonresponse rates were calculated by using public-use data. The rates are unweighted. Percentages were calculated as the number of respondents who agreed to participate in the survey but did not provide a substantive answer to a particular question about criminal justice involvement divided by the number of respondents who agreed to participate in the survey and were asked the question about criminal justice involvement.

Nonresponse to specific survey questions (also known as “item nonresponse”) also does not seem to be a problem with questions on criminal justice involvement. We computed item nonresponse rates to questions on criminal justice involvement from 4 surveys (the NSFG, 35 National Survey on Drug Use and Health [NSDUH], 36 Survey of Criminal Justice Experience, 37 and National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health 38 ; Table 1 ). Item nonresponse rates were <2% for all but 2 estimates from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (ie, question on “father in jail/prison” in wave 3 and wave 4). This low nonresponse rate is within the typical range of missing data for nonsensitive questions. 39 However, it may also be that refusing to answer these questions is perceived to be an admission of criminal justice involvement.

Strategies to Reduce Reporting Error Common to All Survey Questions

As noted previously, questions about criminal justice involvement are subject to errors common to any survey (eg, misunderstanding survey questions, forgetting, telescoping). When crafting survey questions on criminal justice involvement, several principles minimize these sources of error. First, survey questions on criminal justice involvement should use simple language 40 that can be understood by all respondents. Questions should avoid the use of jargon or technical or big words. For example, the term criminal justice involvement may have various meanings across the general population. In addition, respondents might interpret jail in multiple ways. Some respondents may think it is a specific type of incarceration (eg, jail vs prison) and others might interpret it as being incarcerated. One way to increase comprehension is to provide a definition to the respondent when using a specific term.

Second, question writers should keep the task of answering manageable for the respondent. 40 Even if a respondent understands the meaning of criminal justice involvement, the task of recall and using retrieved memory to answer the question may become unmanageable, especially for respondents who have to search their memory for events that happened a long time ago or for respondents who have multiple experiences with criminal justice involvement.

One way to aid the recall task is to use examples. Examples make the search of memory more specific to the targeted behavior or situation. For example, if the intent of the question is to include any time the person was incarcerated, regardless of the type of facility (eg, jail, prison, or a juvenile facility), examples can illustrate a stay as the result of formal sentencing, a temporary stay before appearing in the court, or being in a secure facility as a juvenile. Although examples are generally useful for making the question easy for the respondent to answer, respondents might focus too much on the examples. 41 This excess focus on the examples might unduly restrict the respondent’s memory search to just the examples and could make the question longer and more complex than necessary. The survey designer has to judiciously select examples that cover a variety of situations without substantially increasing the length and complexity of the survey. For example, the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth—1997 Cohort (NLSY97) asks respondents if they have ever “been sentenced to spend time in a corrections institution.” The examples provided to respondents for this question include “a jail, prison, or a youth institution like a juvenile hall or reform school or training school.” 42 The examples do not substantially increase the length and complexity of the question but are comprehensive enough to cover almost all situations.

Another way to aid recall is to lengthen the survey questions by adding memory cues to improve recall. 20 Memory cues can take the form of examples, but they may also provide contexts that promote recall. For example, referencing a particular period of a person’s life (eg, divorce, losing a job) may trigger memories that are associated with criminal justice involvement. Although textbooks on questionnaire design recommend writing short questions, 21 , 40 long questions with memory cues have been found to increase the reporting of a targeted behavior. 43 A compromise has to be made among question length, questionnaire space, and simplification, and question writers have to be mindful of this compromise.

Strategies to Reduce Reporting Error for Sensitive Questions

The sensitivity of questions about criminal justice involvement leads to additional concerns about reporting error. Specifically, respondents tend to underreport criminal justice involvement because of fear of negative repercussions or presenting a negative image. Several survey procedures are used to reduce this type of underreporting.

Self-Administered Modes

A survey can be administered by an interviewer in person or completed by respondents on their own. Research shows that respondents are more likely to report sensitive behaviors when using self-administered modes than when using interviewer-administered modes. 18 , 27 , 44 - 48 Self-administration removes respondents’ concerns about privacy and looking good in front of the interviewer. Self-administered modes also reduce the likelihood that another person will hear or read their answers, thereby reducing the risk of disclosure. The effectiveness with which self-administration reduces underreporting does not differ across various self-administration modes (eg, paper questionnaire, online survey). 18 The NSFG follows this strategy by including the 4 questions on criminal justice involvement in the audio computer-assisted self-interviewing component of the survey. 49

“Forgiving” Introduction

The survey literature suggests that sensitive questions be set up in a “forgiving” context to reduce social desirability concerns by relaxing the “norm” associated with the topic. For example, Holtgraves et al 50 provided a forgiving introduction before asking respondents about vandalism: “Almost everyone has probably committed vandalism at one time or another.” They then compared answers obtained under this introduction with answers obtained without the forgiving introduction. The question with the forgiving introduction elicited 70% more admissions of vandalism than the question without a forgiving introduction. Examples of forgiving introductions can be found in 2 other studies. 31 , 51 Several studies, however, did not find that a forgiving introduction improved reporting of socially undesirable behaviors or attitudes. 45 , 52 The Survey of Criminal Justice Experience uses this strategy when asking about being stopped by the police; the survey includes a forgiving introduction—“Nowadays, people are often stopped by the police for many different reasons”—before asking if respondents have ever been stopped by the police since age 18. 37

Question Presupposing the Behavior

Related to the forgiving introduction is using “loaded” survey questions; that is, survey questions that presuppose or assume that respondents have engaged in the socially undesirable behavior. 20 Research has found that questions presupposing a behavior produce a higher report of that behavior than questions that do not make such an assumption. For example, Knauper 53 reported on one study that asked respondents, “In the past 10 years, how many times did you witness a crime?” This loaded question led to substantially more reports of witnessing crimes than the alternative question that did not carry such a presupposition (eg, “Did you witness a crime in the past 10 years? If yes, how many times?”). 53 This strategy is recommended for questions measuring socially undesirable behaviors, 20 although no empirical research has examined the usefulness of this strategy when asking questions about criminal justice involvement.

Long Questions With Familiar Words

Bradburn and colleagues 20 recommend using words or terms that are familiar to respondents to reduce the threat of the survey items. They found that respondents to surveys generally preferred the word booze to liquor and that survey items using the word booze produced 15% more reports of socially undesirable behavior than did survey items using the word liquor . 20 Bradburn and colleagues 20 also showed that longer items increased the report of socially undesirable behavior. Although this result has not been generalized to other types of sensitive behaviors such as criminal justice involvement, the NSDUH 36 and the NLSY97 42 use examples to make questions longer (NSDUH: “During the past 12 months, that is, since [DATE], did you stay overnight or longer in any type of juvenile detention center, sometimes called ‘juvie,’ prison, or jail?” NLSY-97: “Have you ever been sentenced to spend time in a corrections institution, like a jail, prison, or a youth institution like a juvenile hall or reform school or training school or to perform community service?”).

“Ever” Only or Before “Current”

Bradburn et al 20 recommend asking whether respondents have “ever” engaged in a sensitive behavior (eg, Did you ever, even once, take something from a store without paying for it?) before asking whether they currently engage in that behavior (eg, In the past 12 months, did you take something from a store without paying for it?). Their thinking is that if respondents report a behavior for their lifetime, they may be more willing to report it in the recent past than those who did not report a behavior for their lifetime. Bradburn et al did not present empirical evidence supporting this recommendation, but several surveys (eg, the NSDUH 36 and the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey 54 ) use this recommendation when asking about sensitive behaviors.

High-Frequency List or Open-Ended Format

Closed-ended response categories communicate to the respondent what the investigator believes is the norm for the population. These norms are used when responding to a question. A high-frequency list communicates a higher norm than a low-frequency list. For example, when asked to report sexual partners using a low-frequency list (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, ≥5) or a high-frequency list (0, 1-4, 5-9, 10-49, 50-99, ≥100), female respondents reported more sexual partners when responding to a condition that had the high-frequency list than to a condition that had the low-frequency list. 45 An alternative to using a high-frequency list or low-frequency list is to use an open-ended question that does not provide any response categories to the respondent.

Indirect Methods

All previously mentioned strategies aim to encourage the report of socially undesirable behaviors or attitudes by reducing the perceived threat or social undesirability of survey items. Another approach to encourage reports of sensitive behaviors is to use indirect methods that maintain respondents’ anonymity. 18 , 55 For instance, Holbrook and Krosnick 56 used the forced alternative method, a version of the randomized response technique, to measure voter turnout. Specifically, they asked respondents to get a coin and flip it. Respondents whose coins came up tails were instructed to answer “no” (regardless of their true status with respect to voter turnout), whereas respondents whose coins came up heads were asked to answer the survey item, “Did you vote in the elections held on November 5, 2002?” By using the randomized response technique, respondents’ answers do not directly reveal their status with respect to the sensitive behavior of interest. However, the prevalence of persons engaged in the behavior can still be estimated at the aggregate level. Because of this extra protection of individual status, indirect methods increase disclosure of socially undesirable behaviors. 55 , 57 Examples of indirect methods include the randomized response technique (respondents are randomly assigned to answer 1 of 2 questions about a controversial issue) 58 and its possible variations. One such variation is the unrelated question method, in which respondents are randomly assigned to answer the question of interest (eg, voter turnout) or a question unrelated to the question of interest (eg, whether the respondent was born in April). 59 Another variation is the force alternative method that has been described previously. 56 , 60 In the variation called the cross-wise model, respondents are presented with both a sensitive question of interest and an innocuous question that is unrelated to the sensitive question and 2 response options from which to choose; the 2 response options are “my answers are the same for both questions” and “my answers are different for both questions” without revealing what their answers to the sensitive question are. 61

The item count technique is another indirect method in which respondents are randomly assigned to receive a long list of questions including the sensitive question of interest or the same list without the sensitive question of interest. Respondents are then asked to provide the number of items from the list they endorse. 62 In the 2-list method (a variation of the item count technique), all respondents receive 2 mutually exclusive lists—list A and list B; for a random half of the respondents, list A includes the sensitive question of interest, whereas for the other random half, list B includes the sensitive question. 63 Lastly, the item sum technique for continuous variables randomly assigns the respondents to receive a long list with the sensitive question or a short list without the sensitive question and asks them to report, for example, a sum across the list. 64

A major disadvantage common to all these indirect methods is that individual status with regard to the sensitive behavior of interest is not known, making it difficult, if not impossible, to analyze the data at the individual level. There are emerging methods to analyze the data obtained using the item count technique, 65 but their application is not straightforward. Furthermore, these methods may not be applicable to other indirect methods.

Designing Questions on Criminal Justice Involvement for General Population Surveys

To apply the aforementioned principles for designing questions on criminal justice involvement, it is first necessary to make decisions on what information is most essential to collect. One such decision is what type of criminal justice involvement is of interest. Questions about criminal justice involvement are asked in several general population surveys ( Table 2 ). The questions cover a range of criminal justice involvement, including committing crimes, being incarcerated, and being paroled. The questions differ in the type of criminal justice involvement. For example, the NSFG 49 and NLSY97 42 ask about any type of incarceration. The NSDUH 36 asks about any type of incarceration among juveniles only. The Survey of Criminal Justice Experience (SCJE 37 ) asks about incarceration in jail and in prison separately.

Reference period of questions on criminal justice involvement in general population surveys, United States a

a The table showcases that (1) different reference periods are used for different types of involvement and (2) different surveys use different reference periods even for a similar type of involvement. The table is organized by type of involvement, such as committing crimes, being stopped or ticketed by police, being arrested or charged, having to go to court, being convicted, being probated, being incarcerated (including in jail or prison), and being paroled. Reference periods for recalling criminal justice involvement include since last interview, lifetime, in past 12 months, since age 18, and current. The survey items are chosen for illustrative purposes; the table is not intended to be exhaustive of all survey items asked in all surveys.

b This question is asked of respondents aged 12-17.

A second decision is choosing the appropriate reference period for criminal justice involvement. The surveys we examined included questions about lifetime experience (eg, NSDUH, NLSY97), involvement since age 18 (eg, SCJE), involvement in the past year (eg, NSDUH), involvement since the last interview (NLSY97), or current involvement (the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study [FFCWS]; Table 2 ). Various reference periods can be found within the same survey. For example, NLSY97 asks about lifetime conviction for a felony but about the past 12 months for parole. Schaeffer and Presser 69 advise setting the appropriate reference period based on the periodicity of the target events, the salience and regularity of the events, and the analytic goals of the survey. In general, rare and salient events can use longer reference periods, and mundane and more frequent events should use shorter reference periods. Criminal justice involvement is a rare, memorable, and salient event for most persons. According to the 2011-2013 NSFG, nearly 7 in 100 males aged 15-44 reported having spent any time in a jail, prison, or juvenile detention center in the past 12 months. 49 Thus, asking about lifetime experience is appropriate for a survey of the general population. However, a shorter reference period (eg, in the past 12 months) might be more appropriate for some subgroups who have more frequent involvement with criminal justice (eg, current inmates or former prisoners). Researchers’ analytic use of the information should also be considered when setting the reference period. If the researcher is interested in studying the effect of current or recent incarceration on health, the reference period should be set to reflect that need.

In many cases, surveys on criminal justice involvement are interested not only in whether there was any involvement but also in how often involvement occurred. The survey designer should decide whether it is better to ask for the number of events or the rate of occurrence during a specified period (eg, once per month, once per week). Questions on the frequency of criminal justice involvement take various forms ( Table 3 ). We suggest asking for counts of criminal justice involvement in surveys of the general population because criminal justice involvement does not occur regularly enough in the general population for a rate to be useful. In the surveys we reviewed, nearly all questions about the frequency of criminal justice involvement asked for a count. A closed-ended question format with a high-frequency list is recommended for this purpose.

Questions on the frequency and duration of criminal justice involvement in general population surveys, United States a

a The table illustrates that surveys on criminal justice involvement are interested not only in whether there was any involvement but also in how often involvement occurred. The table is organized by type of involvement, such as committing crimes, being arrested, being charged, being convicted, being probated, being incarcerated (including in jail or prison), being paroled, or being required to perform community service. Types of information on how often criminal justice involvement occurred include frequency and length of time of criminal justice involvement. Reference periods for recalling criminal justice involvement include since last interview, lifetime, in past 12 months, since age 18, and current. The survey items are chosen for illustrative purposes; the table is not intended to be exhaustive of all survey items asked in all surveys.

Several surveys ask about the total time spent incarcerated. Questions on duration of criminal justice involvement ask for the total length of time during a respondent’s lifetime (National Former Prisoner Survey 70 ), the length of time in the past 12 months (NSDUH), the duration of the most recent involvement (NSFG, SCJE), or the duration of current involvement (SCJE). Total length of time during the lifetime or in the past 12 months will require calculations and estimation on the part of the respondent if there is more than 1 spell in the reference period. Duration for the longest spell or the most recent spell is cognitively less demanding because it does not involve mental calculations. In addition, asking about the longest spell or the most recent spell allows respondents to anchor on a specific event, facilitating better recall and more accurate placement of the event in the correct reference period. We encourage researchers to provide anchors of this type when writing questions about frequency or duration of criminal justice involvement. For example, NLSY97 is a longitudinal survey, and respondents are interviewed multiple times. In the later waves of interviews, NLSY97 asks respondents to report what happened to them since the last interview. Using the last interview as an anchoring point for respondents has the potential to reduce external telescoping and encourage better recall.

It may be of interest to researchers on criminal justice involvement to ask about the type of crime or offense that led to the criminal justice involvement. Some surveys do not ask for the type of crime or offense involved (eg, NSFG). Other surveys ask only for a broad category of crime or offense; NLSY97 has 1 question asking if respondents have ever been convicted of a felony. Still other surveys (eg, FFCWS, NSDUH) ask about specific crimes charged for, convicted of, or committed. NSDUH asks if respondents have been arrested or booked for 17 types of crime, ranging from vandalism and driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs to arson and murder. The specificity of crime type is driven by the analytic goals of the researchers and other practical concerns, such as questionnaire length. Respondents may not be able to map their knowledge about the crime to formal categories, such as those shown in NSDUH. Differences may also exist between what respondents were arrested for and of what they were convicted. To the extent possible, categories on the questionnaire should be developed around the analytic goals.

After the questions are designed, researchers are encouraged to pretest and evaluate their survey questions before taking them into the field. Pretesting could involve requesting feedback from potential respondents, having experts in criminal justice involvement and survey methodology review the questions, and administering the questions to a small number of eligible respondents. 71 One common mistake of survey designers is not allowing enough time to pretest and revise the survey based on the feedback. It is best to build pretesting into the project schedule to ensure that results can be incorporated into the final survey questions.

As shown in the surveys we reviewed, it is possible to collect data on criminal justice involvement in general population surveys. Little evidence suggests that including questions on criminal justice involvement in surveys affects response rates 34 , 35 or results in abnormally high item nonresponse ( Table 1 ). Survey designers need to be aware that these questions should follow design principles similar to any other question, making the respondent’s cognitive tasks as simple as possible by facilitating comprehension and recall of the target events. In addition, researchers should design the procedures and questions to account for the sensitive nature of the topic, which may involve using a self-administered questionnaire (or module), writing the questions to promote disclosure (eg, using forgiving wording), or using indirect questioning methods.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding: The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This article was commissioned by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Standing Committee on Improving Collection of Indicators of Criminal Justice System Involvement in Population Health Data Programs on behalf of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Opinions and statements included in this article are not necessarily adopted, endorsed, or verified as accurate by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine or any other organization or agency that provided support for the project. Support for the Standing Committee was provided by HHS through an interagency agreement with the National Science Foundation (No. SES-1024012).

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100 Criminal Justice Research Topics For College Students
100 Amazing Criminal Justice Research Topics 2023. To score the top grades, students must choose the right criminal justice research topics for their papers and essays. Writing assignments in this academic field deal with justice and crime. However, the study field of a learner can be limited to specific academic barriers and choices.
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At Walden University, students pursuing a PhD in Criminal Justice can choose the General Program or one of several specializations: Emergency Management. Public Management and Leadership. Global Leadership. Online Teaching in Higher Education. Homeland Security Policy and Coordination. Law and Public Policy. Justice Administration.
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Criminal Justice Research Topics on Society and Justice. Criminal justice creates a bridge between the legal system and society. Therefore, legally discussing societal issues would work as a criminal justice research proposal example. These research questions for criminal justice highlight some of the areas you could tackle, Social learning methods
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500+ Criminal Justice Research Topics. January 6, 2024. by Muhammad Hassan. Criminal justice is a complex and critical field that encompasses various aspects of crime prevention, law enforcement, legal proceedings, and punishment. Research plays a crucial role in understanding and addressing the challenges and opportunities in this field.
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Criminology Topics on Types of Crime. Campus crime: the most common crimes on college campuses and ways of preventing them. Child abuse: types, prevalence, risk groups, ways of detection and prevention. Cybercrime: cyber fraud, defamation, hacking, bullying, phishing. Domestic violence: gender, ways of detection and prevention, activism.
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Two little written about criminal justice topics in this scientific field are the topics of environmental and wildlife crime. Pollution, littering, dumping, poaching, and wildfire started by humans are all areas that could be a great place to use your analytical skills and nab a decent grade. 9.
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Examples of Field Research in Criminal Justice. If you recall from Chapter 2, Humphreys' Tea Room Trade is an example of field research. Humphreys participated to an extent, acting as a "watchqueen" so that he could observe the sexual activities taking place in public restrooms and other public places.
Advanced Criminology & Criminal Justice Research Guide
It will be far easier for you to research and write your literature review if you develop a strong, focused research question: Do some exploratory research on your topic idea, in your course textbook and class notes to identify specific issues, arguments, and analytical approaches in your research area and then identify possible relationships ...
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Here are some important of criminal justice research papers in 2023: 1. Informed Policy-Making. Criminal justice research papers provide valuable data and insights that policymakers use to develop effective laws and policies, enhancing the fairness and efficiency of the justice system. 2.
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Criminal Law Research Topics. The Evolution of Criminal Law and Its Impact on Society. Comparative Analysis of Criminal Law Systems Worldwide. The Role of International Law in Combating Transnational Crime. The Effectiveness of the Insanity Defense in Criminal Trials. Cyber Law: Addressing New Age Cybercrimes.
Construct a Research Question
Start a list of topics that interest you and are within the guidelines of the assignment. They could be personal, professional, or academic interests. Researching something that interests you is much more enjoyable and will keep you interested in the research process. Write down related words or phrases. These will be useful at the research stage.
Chapter 4: Survey Research
The same is true for research in criminology and criminal justice. Surveys are frequently the data collection method of choice to answer research questions. For example, if we want to know whether the police officers in our local police department prefer to work 8-, 10-, or 12-hour shifts, we can survey them to address this issue.
Research Methods for Criminal Justice Students
This book is based on two open-access textbooks: Bhattacherjee's (2012) Social science research: Principles, methods, and practices and Blackstone's (2012) Principles of sociological inquiry: Qualitative and quantitative methods. I first used Bhattacherjee's book in a graduate-level criminal justice research methods course. I chose the book because it was an open educational resource ...
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Research Questions Research proposals outline a planned research project and the research questions that will be investigated. Requirements and expectations may differ based on the discipline and whether the proposal is for a class assignment, a thesis or dissertation, or to apply for research funding or grants. ... Locating Criminal Justice ...
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The field of criminology and criminal justice encompass broad and complex multidisciplinary topics. Most of the research that falls under these areas uses either quantitative or qualitative methodologies, with historically limited use of mixed methods designs. Research utilizing mixed methods has increased within the social sciences in recent years, including a steadily growing body of mixed ...
Applied Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology
Students will review research questions, methodology, results, limitations presented by that particular research design, and the impact on criminal justice. For example, Chapter 9 begins with an overview of a study designed to answer the following research question, "Is gang involvement, along with involvement in gang crime and other risky ...
A Qualitative Study: An Examination of Police Officers' Lived
In the United States, as society was evolving with increased population and technology in the late 19th century and early 20th century, a primary role of the police was to provide social service-type functions such as assisting those in need of housing and food (Oliver, 2017).Then the police transitioned toward a focus on their crime control function in the reform era of policing (Walker, 1977 ...
Asking Survey Questions About Criminal Justice Involvement
Research shows that criminal justice involvement has a negative effect on people's physical and mental health, 2 - 4 employment and earnings, 5 marriage and family life, 5, 6 and access to housing opportunities, 7 among other areas. Parental involvement in the criminal justice system is found to have a detrimental effect on children's ...
A Scoping Review of Qualitative Research Methods Used With People in
For example, there is a call for more health services research in prisons (Kouyoumadjian, Schuler, Hwang, ... Scoping reviews allow synthesis of broad research topics, ... Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 53, 424-448. Crossref. Google Scholar.
The Importance of Research Methods in Criminal Justice
A research design of high quality is also important in criminal justice research, and the research design should be detailed. For instance, it should explain how a researcher will collect data from the sample, how the data will be analyzed, and how the researcher's conclusions should answer the research questions or hypotheses.
Criminal Justice Research Proposal Topics By Tutoriage Writers
What Is a Research Paper in Criminal Justice? This is the traditional research that scopes the topics of justice and crimes. It aims to reveal important tendencies, methods, and reasons to understand the current situation in society. Also, such a job can help to reduce the level of crimes and improve the punishment system.
Experimental Design in the Study of Crime Media and Popular Culture
In doing so, researchers test hypotheses or unproven ideas. For example, one of the more lasting scholarly questions is the influence of the media on viewers' perceptions of the world. ... This greater control and precision is well suited to address specific research questions, ... Basics of research methods for criminal justice and ...
Asking Survey Questions About Criminal Justice Involvement
Research shows that criminal justice involvement has a negative effect on people's physical and mental health, 2 - 4 employment and earnings, 5 marriage and family life, 5, 6 and access to housing opportunities, 7 among other areas. Parental involvement in the criminal justice system is found to have a detrimental effect on children's ...

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