• 155 Criminal Justice Essay Topics

Courses related to the study of criminal justice usually require students to complete an essay at some point. If you have been asked to write a criminal justice essay, there are several things that you will need to keep in mind to ensure that your essay ticks all of the right boxes.

This article will take you through some essential tips on writing a criminal justice essay and provide 155 criminal justice essay topics to get students’ creative juices flowing.

What Is Criminal Justice?

Any discussion of how to write a criminal justice essay must begin with a clear understanding of what the term ‘criminal justice’ actually refers to. In short, criminal justice can be defined as the system responsible for dealing with crime. This system includes everything from law enforcement and the courts to prisons and probation services.

When writing a criminal justice essay, students will usually be asked to focus on one particular area of the criminal justice system. For example, they may be asked to write about the police, the courts, or prisons. Be sure that your subject matter can directly be linked back to the criminal justice system in order to make the most impact on the reader.

Types of Criminal Justice Essays

There are many types of criminal justice essays, and each style will have different requirements in terms of content and structure. Here are some of the most popular types of criminal justice essays that students may be asked to write:

Criminal Justice Research Essays

Research essays will require students to conduct extensive research on a particular topic within the criminal justice system. Students will need to collect evidence from multiple reliable sources and use this evidence to support their argument.

Criminal Justice Argumentative Essays

An argumentative essay on criminal justice will ask students to take a particular stance on an issue within the criminal justice system and then defend their position using evidence. These types of essays usually require students to have a strong understanding of both sides of the argument before taking a stance.

Criminal Justice Compare and Contrast Essays

A compare and contrast essay will ask students to consider two or more topics within the criminal justice system and identify their similarities and differences. Compare and contrast essays often require students to have a strong understanding of both topics in order to make effective comparisons.

Criminal Justice Cause and Effect Essays

A cause and effect essay will look at why something happens within the criminal justice system and its effects on society or an individual. These types of essays often require students to carry out extensive research in order to identify the causes and consequences of a particular issue.

Criminal Justice Problem-Solution Essays

A problem-solution essay will ask students to identify a problem within the criminal justice system and put forward a solution for this problem. These types of essays often require students to have a strong understanding of both the problem and the potential solutions before they can offer a solution.

Criminal Justice Critical Analysis Essays

Students will be asked to conduct a critical analysis of a criminal justice system issue in a critical analysis essay. These essays often require students to have a strong understanding of the issues at hand in order to offer a well-rounded analysis.

No matter what type of criminal justice essay you are asked to write, be sure to carefully read the instructions to determine what is required of you. Once you understand the task at hand, you can begin planning and writing your essay.

General Tips for Writing a Criminal Justice Essay

When writing a criminal justice essay, there are a few general tips that you can follow to make sure that your essay is of the highest quality.

Before you start writing your essay, it is essential to take some time to plan out what you are going to say. This will help to ensure that your writing flows smoothly and that all of the critical points are covered.

If your essay requires you to carry out research, be sure to do so thoroughly. Collect evidence from several sources and make sure that this evidence is reliable. Also, make sure to cite all of your sources in the appropriate MLA, Chicago, or APA style.

Your essay should follow a logical path from beginning to end. Use headings and subheadings to help break up your writing and make it easy to read.

Proofreading

Once you have finished writing your essay, be sure to proofread it carefully in order to catch any mistakes. It is also good to have someone else read over your essay to give you feedback.

Make sure that you follow these tips when writing your criminal justice essay to give yourself the best chance of success.

With the guide above detailing the possible types of criminal justice essays you may be asked to write and some general tips for writing a criminal justice essay, you may now be wondering what topics you could write about. To help get you started, we have provided a list of 155 criminal justice essay topics below:

Criminal Justice Research Essay Topics

  • The impact of social media on the criminal justice system
  • The use of DNA evidence in the criminal justice system
  • The role of technology in the criminal justice system
  • Racial bias in the criminal justice system
  • The death penalty in the United States
  • The juvenile justice system
  • Police brutality in the United States
  • The war on drugs in the United States
  • The prison system in the United States
  • Rehabilitation vs. punishment in the criminal justice system

Criminal Justice Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Is the death penalty an effective form of punishment?
  • Should juveniles be tried as adults?
  • Is the prison system in the United States effective?
  • Should rehabilitation be the main aim of the criminal justice system?
  • Is social media a help or a hindrance to the criminal justice system?
  • Should DNA evidence be used in all criminal cases?
  • Should police officers be armed?
  • Should the age of adulthood be lowered to 16 in criminal cases?
  • Should there be a national registry for sex offenders?
  • Is stop and search an effective police tactic?

Criminal Justice Problem Solution Essay Topics

  • How can police brutality be reduced in the United States?
  • How can the war on drugs be won?
  • How can the juvenile justice system be improved?
  • How can rehabilitation be made more effective in the criminal justice system?
  • How can the use of DNA evidence be improved in the criminal justice system?
  • How can social media be used to help solve crimes?
  • How can racism be eliminated from the criminal justice system?
  • How can the prison system be improved in the United States?
  • How can the death penalty be made more effective?
  • What can be done to reduce crime rates in the United States?

Criminal Justice Opinion Essay Topics

  • Do you believe that the death penalty is an effective form of punishment?
  • Do you believe that juveniles should be tried as adults?
  • Do you believe that the prison system in the United States is effective?
  • Are police officers more or less effective when they are armed?
  • How do you feel about stop and search police tactics?

Criminal Justice Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

  • The criminal justice system in the United States vs. the criminal justice system in the UK
  • The death penalty vs. life in prison
  • DNA evidence vs. eyewitness testimony
  • Police brutality in the United States vs. police brutality in other countries
  • The juvenile justice system in the United States vs. the juvenile justice system in France
  • The prison system in the United States vs. the prison system in other countries
  • Rehabilitation vs. punishment

Criminal Justice Definition Essay Topics

  • The term “social justice”
  • The term “police brutality”
  • The term “white-collar crime”
  • The term “organized crime”
  • The term “street crime”
  • The term “cybercrime”
  • The term “capital punishment”
  • The term “juvenile delinquency”
  • The term “recidivism”
  • The term “restorative justice”

Criminal Justice Cause and Effect Essay Topics

  • The cause of police brutality in the United States
  • The effects of the war on drugs in the United States
  • The cause of juvenile delinquency
  • The effects of the prison system in the United States
  • The cause of recidivism
  • The effects of rehabilitation in the criminal justice system
  • The cause of white-collar crime
  • The effects of capital punishment
  • The cause of cybercrime
  • The effects of social media on the criminal justice system

Criminal Justice Essay Topics About Famous Cases

  • The O.J. Simpson case
  • The Trayvon Martin case
  • The Rodney King case
  • The Michael Brown case
  • The Eric Garner case
  • The Ferguson riots
  • The Baltimore riots
  • The Charleston church shooting
  • The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting
  • The Orlando nightclub shooting
  • The Las Vegas mass shooting
  • The Parkland school shooting
  • The Waco siege
  • The Ruby Ridge standoff
  • The Oklahoma City bombing

Criminal Justice Essay Topics About Legislation

  • The USA PATRIOT Act
  • The Patriot Act of 2001
  • The Homeland Security Act of 2002
  • The USA FREEDOM Act
  • The Voting Rights Act of 1965
  • The Civil Rights Act of 1964
  • The Fair Housing Act of 1968
  • The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
  • The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
  • The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996
  • The Border Patrol Act of 1925
  • The USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005
  • The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act of 2006

Criminal Justice Essays About Social Issues

  • The war on drugs
  • Police brutality
  • Racial profiling
  • Mass incarceration
  • The school-to-prison pipeline
  • Private prisons
  • Capital punishment
  • Juvenile justice
  • Forensic science
  • Gun control

Criminal Justice Essay Topics About Reform

  • Prison reform
  • Sentencing reform
  • Drug policy reform
  • Police reform
  • Judicial reform
  • Immigration reform
  • Electoral reform
  • Gun control reform
  • Innovations in criminal justice system reform in the United States

Criminal Justice Narrative Essay Topics

  • A day in the life of a police officer
  • A day in the life of a prison guard
  • A day in the life of a probation officer
  • A day in the life of a parole officer
  • A day in the life of a court clerk
  • A day in the life of a prosecutor
  • A day in the life of a death row inmate
  • A day in the life of a public defender
  • A day in the life of a private attorney
  • A day in the life of a jury member
  • A day in the life of a bailiff
  • A day in the life of a judge
  • A day in the life of a victims’ advocate

Criminal Justice Essay Topics About Ethics

  • The ethics of the death penalty
  • The ethics of solitary confinement
  • The ethics of plea bargaining
  • The ethics of mandatory minimum sentencing
  • The ethics of asset forfeiture
  • The ethics of police brutality
  • The ethics of stop and frisk
  • The ethics of racial profiling
  • The ethics of the war on drugs
  • The ethics of mass incarceration
  • The ethics of private prisons
  • The ethics of juvenile justice
  • The ethics of the school-to-prison pipeline
  • The ethics of forensic science

Criminal Justice Essay Topics About Career Options

  • A career as a police officer
  • A career as a detective
  • A career as a crime scene investigator
  • A career as a forensic scientist
  • A career as a criminal defense attorney
  • A career as a prosecutor
  • A career as a judge
  • A career as a paralegal
  • A career as a court reporter
  • A career as a bailiff
  • A career in corrections
  • A career in probation and parole
  • A career in victim advocacy
  • A career in law enforcement administration
  • A career in private security
  • A career in intelligence and counterterrorism

Every topic in this list offers students the chance to explore an issue of importance to the criminal justice system and share their own insights and perspectives on that issue. Remember that writing a criminal justice essay can be quite challenging, especially if you have never written one before. However, with a little bit of planning and some help from online resources, it is possible to write a great criminal justice essay that will earn you a good grade.

Related Posts

  • 120 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics
  • 110 Personal Essay Topics
  • 135 US History Essay Topics
  • 160 Process Analysis Essay Topics
  • 120 Expository Essay Topics
UndergraduateStudying for 1st degree
MasterStudying for Master’s degree
PhDPursuing Doctoral degree

Categories:

  • Essay Samples
  • Essay Topics
  • Essay Writing Guides

Recent posts:

  • 170 Ethics Essay Topics
  • 160 Satire Essay Topics
  • 160 Rhetorical Essay Topics
  • 150 Political Essay Topics
  • 145 Classification Essay Topics
  • 140 Sociology Essay Topics
  • 140 Opinion Essay Topics
  • 140 Environmental Essay Topics
  • 135 Controversial Essay Topics
  • 125 Classification and Division Essay Topics
  • 120 Literary Essay Topics
  • 100 Profile Essay Topics
  • 90 Heart of Darkness Essay Topics
  • 80 Holocaust Essay Topics

Testimonials

Group 6

Criminology Essay Examples

Cathy A.

12+ Criminology Essay Examples to Inspire Your Writing

Published on: May 6, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 30, 2024

Criminology Essay Examples

Share this article

Many students struggle to understand the complex world of criminology and may have difficulty finding essay examples to guide their writing. Without proper guidance, students may show subpar academic performance.

But fret not! Our blog post offers 12+ diverse and unique criminology essay examples to help students expand their understanding.

So let’s dive into these examples.

On This Page On This Page -->

Descriptive Essays about Criminology 

Read the following examples to learn more! 

Title: The Impact of the Death Penalty on Crime Rates - Criminology Essay 

The death penalty has been a controversial issue for decades, with arguments for and against its use in criminal justice systems around the world. One of the main arguments in favor of the death penalty is that it acts as a deterrent to crime, reducing the incidence of serious offenses such as murder. However, the effectiveness of the death penalty in reducing crime rates has been a topic of debate among criminologists and policymakers.

Studies on the impact of the death penalty on crime rates have yielded mixed results. Some research has suggested that the death penalty does act as a deterrent to crime, while other studies have found no significant effect. One potential explanation for these conflicting findings is that the effectiveness of the death penalty may depend on various factors, including the severity and certainty of the punishment, the public's perception of the fairness of the criminal justice system, and the social and economic conditions in the community.

One of the challenges in studying the impact of the death penalty on crime rates is the difficulty in isolating its effect from other factors that may influence crime, such as changes in social and economic conditions or shifts in law enforcement strategies. Moreover, the use of the death penalty may vary across states or countries, making it challenging to draw definitive conclusions.

Despite these challenges, research on the impact of the death penalty on crime rates remains important, as it can inform policymakers and help guide decisions about the use of capital punishment. In recent years, some states in the United States have abolished the death penalty, citing concerns about its fairness, effectiveness, and cost. Other countries around the world have also moved away from the use of the death penalty in criminal justice.

In conclusion, the impact of the death penalty on crime rates remains a complex and contested issue. While some studies suggest that the death penalty may act as a deterrent to crime, the evidence is far from conclusive. Further research is needed to better understand the factors that influence the effectiveness of the death penalty and to inform discussions about its use in criminal justice systems.

The psychological effects of Incarceration on Inmates

The history of forensic science and its impact on modern criminal investigations

Expository Essays about Criminology 

Here is a top example of an expository essay about criminology. 

Title: The Role of Social Media in the Spread of Criminal Activity

The use of social media has exploded over the past decade, with billions of people using various platforms to connect with others, share information, and access news and entertainment. However, social media has also been identified as a tool that can be used to spread criminal activity. This essay will explore the role of social media in the spread of criminal activity and the implications of this phenomenon.

One way that social media can facilitate criminal activity is through the dissemination of false or misleading information. For example, social media has been used to spread rumors about potential targets of crime, such as stores that are believed to have valuable merchandise or individuals who are perceived to be vulnerable. This can lead to increased criminal activity, as individuals who believe these rumors may attempt to exploit the situation.

Another way that social media can contribute to criminal activity is by providing a platform for the planning and coordination of illegal activities. Criminal organizations and individuals may use social media to communicate with each other, share information about their activities, and plan criminal operations. This can make it more difficult for law enforcement agencies to monitor and disrupt criminal activity.

Social media can also be used to recruit individuals into criminal organizations or to radicalize them into committing violent acts. Extremist groups have been known to use social media to recruit members and spread their message, which can lead to the radicalization of vulnerable individuals. This can have serious implications for public safety, as radicalized individuals may be more likely to commit acts of terrorism or other violent crimes.

In conclusion, social media can play a significant role in the spread of criminal activity. While social media platforms have many positive aspects, it is important to recognize the potential for misuse and take steps to mitigate these risks. This may include increased regulation of social media platforms, greater public education on the risks of social media, and improved collaboration between law enforcement agencies and social media companies. By taking proactive measures, we can work to ensure that social media is used responsibly and safely.

The factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency

The Impact of community policing on crime prevention

Order Essay

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Persuasive Essays about Criminology 

Title: The Need for Criminal Justice Reform in the United States

Community policing is an effective approach to reducing crime rates and improving community safety. This approach to policing involves law enforcement officers working closely with community members to address local crime problems and develop solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of the community.

One of the most significant impacts of community policing is its ability to prevent crime. By working together, law enforcement officers and community members can identify potential crime hotspots, develop strategies to address them and create a sense of community ownership and responsibility for preventing crime. Community policing also encourages officers to be proactive and to engage with community members in a positive way, which can help to build trust and foster positive relationships between the police and the community.

In addition to preventing crime, community policing can also lead to more effective and efficient law enforcement. When law enforcement officers are working in partnership with the community, they can gather more accurate and timely information about crime trends and potential threats, which can help them to respond more quickly and effectively to crime. Community policing can also help to reduce the workload of law enforcement agencies, as community members are often willing to take on more responsibility for addressing local crime problems.

Despite these benefits, some critics argue that community policing is not a silver bullet for reducing crime. They point to the fact that community policing requires significant resources and investment, both in terms of personnel and training. Some also argue that community policing can be difficult to implement in certain communities, particularly those that have experienced historical tensions between law enforcement and community members.

However, these challenges should not deter us from embracing the potential benefits of community policing. By working together, law enforcement officers and community members can develop effective strategies for preventing crime and improving community safety. With the right investment and support, community policing has the potential to transform the way we think about crime prevention and law enforcement in our communities.

The ethical implications of using facial recognition technology in Law enforcement

The effectiveness of restorative justice programs in reducing recidivism

Compare and Contrast Essays about Criminology 

Looking for a compare-and-contrast essay example on criminology? Read the following. 

Title: A Comparison of the Criminal Justice Systems in the United States and Europe

The criminal justice systems of the United States and Europe have many differences that set them apart. In the United States, the criminal justice system is largely adversarial in nature, with prosecutors and defense attorneys battling it out in court. In contrast, the European system tends to be more inquisitorial, with judges taking a more active role in the proceedings. Additionally, the United States has a much higher incarceration rate than any European country.

One major difference between the two systems is the use of juries. In the United States, juries play a crucial role in deciding the outcome of criminal trials. However, in Europe, juries are not always used, and judges may be the sole decision-makers. This difference can impact the way cases are presented and argued, as well as the overall fairness of the trial.

Another significant difference is the treatment of defendants. In the United States, defendants are often seen as adversaries to the prosecution, and they may be subjected to harsher treatment as a result. In contrast, European criminal justice systems tend to place a greater emphasis on rehabilitation and reintegration, and defendants are often given more support and resources to help them turn their lives around.

One area where the United States and Europe do share some similarities is in the use of technology in criminal investigations. Both systems rely heavily on forensic evidence, DNA analysis, and other cutting-edge technologies to help solve crimes and bring perpetrators to justice.

Overall, while the criminal justice systems of the United States and Europe may have some similarities, there are also significant differences that reflect cultural, historical, and legal factors. By understanding these differences, we can gain a greater appreciation for the complexities of the criminal justice system and work towards creating a fairer and more just society.

A comparison of the theories of crime causation of Cesare Beccaria and Emile Durkheim

A comparison of the effectiveness of prison sentences versus probation in reducing recidivism rates

Tips for Writing a Criminology Essay

Writing a criminology essay requires careful attention to detail and a clear understanding of the subject matter. Here are some tips to help you write a successful criminology essay:

  • Conduct thorough research: Before writing your essay, make sure you have a solid understanding of the topic. This requires conducting thorough research using a variety of sources, including academic journals, books, and government reports.
  • Develop a clear and concise thesis statement : Your thesis statement should clearly state the purpose of your essay and your position on the topic. Make sure your thesis statement is concise and easy to understand.
  • Use relevant and credible sources: When researching your topic, make sure you use credible sources that are relevant to the subject matter. Avoid using sources that are biased or unreliable.
  • Follow a logical structure: Your essay should have a clear structure that follows a logical sequence. Use headings and subheadings to organize your essay and make it easy for readers to follow your arguments.
  • Edit and proofread carefully: After completing your essay, make sure you edit and proofread it carefully. Check for errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Make sure your essay is well-organized and flows smoothly.

In conclusion, criminology is a fascinating subject that requires in-depth research and analysis. Writing a criminology essay can be a challenging task, but it is an essential requirement for students studying in this field. 

By reviewing the examples of criminology essays provided in this blog, students can gain insights into the different approaches to writing a criminology essay and develop their skills in the subject.

However, if you are still struggling with your criminology essay or need help getting started, consider using our essay writing company . 

Our AI essay generator can help you craft a high-quality criminology essay that meets your requirements. 

Don't let the stress of writing a criminology essay overwhelm you - reach out to our criminology essay writing service today and take the first step toward academic success.

Cathy A. (Literature)

For more than five years now, Cathy has been one of our most hardworking authors on the platform. With a Masters degree in mass communication, she knows the ins and outs of professional writing. Clients often leave her glowing reviews for being an amazing writer who takes her work very seriously.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Get Help

Legal & Policies

  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Refunds & Cancellations
  • Our Writers
  • Success Stories
  • Our Guarantees
  • Affiliate Program
  • Referral Program
  • AI Essay Writer

Disclaimer: All client orders are completed by our team of highly qualified human writers. The essays and papers provided by us are not to be used for submission but rather as learning models only.

compare and contrast essay topics on criminal justice

Pitchgrade

Presentations made painless

  • Get Premium

104 Criminal Justice Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Criminal justice is a broad and complex field that encompasses various aspects of law enforcement, corrections, and the judicial system. If you are studying criminal justice or planning to pursue a career in this field, you will likely be required to write essays on various topics related to criminal justice. To help you get started, here are 104 criminal justice essay topic ideas and examples:

  • The evolution of criminal justice systems over the years.
  • The role of technology in modern law enforcement.
  • The impact of media on public perception of criminal justice.
  • The relationship between poverty and crime rates.
  • The effectiveness of community policing in reducing crime.
  • The ethical implications of using artificial intelligence in criminal justice.
  • The use of body cameras by police officers and its impact on accountability.
  • The role of forensic science in solving crimes.
  • The challenges of investigating and prosecuting white-collar crimes.
  • The impact of mandatory minimum sentencing on the criminal justice system.
  • The causes and consequences of wrongful convictions.
  • The role of rehabilitation in the criminal justice system.
  • The effectiveness of drug courts in reducing recidivism.
  • The relationship between mental illness and criminal behavior.
  • The ethical considerations of capital punishment.
  • The impact of racial profiling on minority communities.
  • The role of restorative justice in repairing harm caused by crime.
  • The challenges of addressing cybercrime in the digital age.
  • The impact of the war on drugs on criminal justice policies.
  • The role of victim services in the criminal justice system.
  • The effectiveness of probation and parole in reducing recidivism.
  • The relationship between poverty and overrepresentation in the criminal justice system.
  • The impact of the criminal justice system on marginalized communities.
  • The role of criminal profiling in solving serial crimes.
  • The challenges of addressing domestic violence within the criminal justice system.
  • The impact of the "war on terror" on civil liberties.
  • The role of eyewitness testimony in criminal trials.
  • The effectiveness of alternative dispute resolution methods in reducing court congestion.
  • The relationship between drug addiction and criminal behavior.
  • The impact of mandatory reporting laws on child abuse cases.
  • The role of private prisons in the criminal justice system.
  • The challenges of addressing human trafficking within the criminal justice system.
  • The impact of social media on criminal investigations.
  • The role of forensic psychology in criminal profiling.
  • The effectiveness of anti-gang initiatives in reducing gang-related crimes.
  • The relationship between gun control laws and crime rates.
  • The impact of the "three strikes" law on recidivism rates.
  • The role of community-based corrections programs in reducing incarceration rates.
  • The challenges of addressing police misconduct within the criminal justice system.
  • The impact of DNA evidence on criminal investigations and convictions.
  • The relationship between immigration policies and crime rates.
  • The effectiveness of sex offender registration laws in protecting communities.
  • The role of social programs in preventing juvenile delinquency.
  • The challenges of addressing hate crimes within the criminal justice system.
  • The impact of surveillance technologies on privacy rights.
  • The role of criminal justice policies in addressing the opioid crisis.
  • The effectiveness of rehabilitation programs for incarcerated individuals.
  • The relationship between mental health treatment and recidivism rates.
  • The impact of mandatory sentencing for drug offenses on minority communities.
  • The role of community-based organizations in reducing gang violence.
  • The challenges of addressing police brutality within the criminal justice system.
  • The impact of globalization on transnational crimes.
  • The role of forensic anthropology in identifying human remains.
  • The effectiveness of diversion programs for first-time offenders.
  • The relationship between poverty and juvenile delinquency.
  • The impact of the Fourth Amendment on law enforcement practices.
  • The role of victim impact statements in sentencing decisions.
  • The challenges of addressing elder abuse within the criminal justice system.
  • The impact of technology on the privacy rights of individuals.
  • The role of criminal justice policies in addressing human rights violations.
  • The effectiveness of drug education programs in preventing substance abuse.
  • The relationship between mental health courts and recidivism rates.
  • The impact of the "school-to-prison pipeline" on marginalized communities.
  • The role of forensic entomology in estimating time of death.
  • The challenges of addressing child exploitation within the criminal justice system.
  • The impact of mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients on poverty rates.
  • The role of community supervision in reducing recidivism.
  • The relationship between police presence and crime rates.
  • The effectiveness of victim-offender mediation in addressing the harm caused by crime.
  • The impact of the Fifth Amendment on interrogation practices.
  • The role of criminal justice policies in addressing human trafficking.
  • The challenges of addressing cyberbullying within the criminal justice system.
  • The impact of surveillance cameras on crime prevention.
  • The role of forensic linguistics in analyzing written evidence.
  • The effectiveness of gun buyback programs in reducing gun violence.
  • The relationship between mental health treatment and criminal behavior.
  • The impact of mandatory arrest policies on domestic violence cases.
  • The role of criminal justice policies in addressing environmental crimes.
  • The challenges of addressing police corruption within the criminal justice system.
  • The impact of eyewitness misidentification on wrongful convictions.
  • The relationship between substance abuse and child neglect.
  • The effectiveness of reentry programs for formerly incarcerated individuals.
  • The role of criminal justice policies in addressing hate crimes.
  • The impact of predictive policing on law enforcement practices.
  • The challenges of addressing human rights violations within the criminal justice system.
  • The role of forensic odontology in identifying human remains.
  • The effectiveness of community-based drug treatment programs.
  • The relationship between poverty and gang involvement.
  • The impact of the exclusionary rule on the criminal justice system.
  • The role of criminal justice policies in addressing environmental justice.
  • The challenges of addressing cyberstalking within the criminal justice system.
  • The impact of community surveillance programs on crime prevention.
  • The role of forensic accounting in investigating financial crimes.
  • The effectiveness of gun control policies in reducing gun-related crimes.
  • The relationship between substance abuse treatment and recidivism rates.
  • The impact of mandatory reporting laws on elder abuse cases.
  • The role of criminal justice policies in addressing animal cruelty.
  • The challenges of addressing corruption within the criminal justice system.
  • The impact of false confessions on wrongful convictions.
  • The relationship between substance abuse and intimate partner violence.
  • The effectiveness of diversion programs for mentally ill offenders.
  • The role of criminal justice policies in addressing cybercrime.
  • The impact of community-based restorative justice programs on crime reduction.
  • The challenges of addressing international crimes within the criminal justice system.

These essay topics provide a starting point for your research and analysis in the field of criminal justice. Remember to choose a topic that interests you and aligns with your academic goals and career aspirations. Good luck with your essays!

Want to research companies faster?

Instantly access industry insights

Let PitchGrade do this for me

Leverage powerful AI research capabilities

We will create your text and designs for you. Sit back and relax while we do the work.

Explore More Content

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

© 2024 Pitchgrade

304 Criminal Justice Essay Topics & Examples

🏆 best criminal justice topics & essay examples, 👍 good criminal justice topics for essays, 📑 interesting criminal law essay topics, 🔍 social justice topics to write about, 💡 criminal justice persuasive essay topics, ⭐ simple & easy criminology essay topics, ❓ criminal justice research topics for college students.

  • Importance of Math in the Field of Criminal Justice The work of police officers and other personnel in criminal justice requires proof and accuracy in determining the cause and effects of a crime.
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Criminal Justice If one is to discuss the issue with the senior management of the organization in which the crime occurred, there is a high chance that the issue will not be taken as seriously due to […]
  • “Ethical Dilemmas and Decisions in Criminal Justice” by Pollock If hunting is the primary means of survival of a particular society, the euthanasia of the elderly and the sick can be deemed acceptable.
  • Application of Probability and Statistics in Criminal Justice In criminal justice system, the assessment of the evidence adduced by witnesses determines the innocence or the guilt of the accused.
  • Theories Required to be Successful in Supervisory Practices in the Criminal Justice Field In the field of criminal justice, it is necessary to understand whether failure to satisfy the following needs may result to the criminal acts.
  • Criminal Justice Internship Report The primary goals of the course are to expose students to new contexts and environments, broaden and deepen knowledge of key concepts and theories relevant to the field, and improve an overall learning experience.
  • Financial Management in Criminal Justice Systems Criminal justice departments are touted to be one of the most inefficient and morally impaired sectors of the government. Therefore, discipline in law enforcement officers and other members of the criminal justice system is essential […]
  • The Instrumental Theory in Criminal Justice In criminal justice, the instrumental theory is based on the idea that criminal justice and criminology is one of the main tools which help to control the poor.
  • Comparative Criminal Justice System Advantages The central values of the US criminal justice system are to protect the rights of citizens and ensure the safety of a society in which everyone is equal before the law.
  • Community Corrections and Criminal Justice Community corrections are the topic that has been the easiest to understand because, unlike other aspects of criminal justice, this is the area of the administration of punishment that is the most familiar to me.
  • Ethics and Professional Behavior in Criminal Justice One of the most important components of the criminal justice system is a code of ethics, which governs the behavior and conduct of professionals working within the system.
  • Stereotyping Individuals in the Criminal Justice System Cultural Deviance theory is based upon two other theories, which are: Social Disorganization Theory Strain Theory Social disorganization theory focuses on the environment and places it as the main reason for crime.
  • Cybercrime Impact on Global Criminal Justice System Reports show that the crime is on the rise because more people have access to computers and the internet than ever before.
  • Psychologists’ Role in Criminal Justice In addition to research, the accumulation, and application of knowledge, psychologists can also participate in assessing the effectiveness of legislation. In this setting, basic scientists conduct theoretical research on the effectiveness of police and court […]
  • Pros and Cons of Using Discretion in System of Criminal Justice The initial stage in which discretion is applied in the system of criminal justice is where police officers make a decision on whether a suspect should be arrested for a particular offense or not., argues […]
  • The Discipline of Criminal Justice: The Use of Mathematics The knowledge applied here is purely scientific and therefore the police can hire the services of such experts to assist in the investigation of crime.
  • Effective Communication in Criminal Justice Settings The officer should also package information in a way that it is easy to decode and understand. Such communication enables police officers in charge of the inmates to access important information from them.
  • Report Writing for Criminal Justice Professionals The fifth one includes the targeted issues while the sixth indicates the decisions and actions. It is also appropriate to be aware of the speech mode of the individual being interviewed.
  • Criminal Justice Ethics of Traffic Police Officers The police officer had the choice to take the children to a juvenile center home and arrange for a person to take care of the baby and then take the woman to jail as she […]
  • Crime Scene Investigation in Criminal Justice In the process of controlling the crowd and maintaining order with the aid of the police officers, I took some photographs of the surrounding and then approached the main spot of event. I managed to […]
  • Criminal Justice as an Open System The same society and government also receive the output of the law enforcement organizations, meaning that the activity of the criminal justice system is never focused unto itself.
  • Criminal Justice: Punishment and Sentencing The representatives of the general public got used to the fact that one party is to be punished, and another one is to provide punishment.
  • Logical Fallacies in Criminal Justice The misrepresentation of the original argument is not taken into account, and the key objective of this fallacy is to confuse the opponent and form one’s opinion on the wrong argument.
  • Forensic Psychology in the Criminal Justice System To evaluate the competency of a defendant, the forensic psychologist is guided by the scientific principles espoused in the field of psychological science.
  • The Criminal Justice System On the other hand, the executive branch is mandated with the role of furnishing the criminal justice system with judges and heads of law-enforcing agencies.
  • Pretrial Procedures in Criminal Justice Therefore, studying the processes that take place before the trial is important for understanding the overall delivery of criminal justice. Before the trial begins, the defense attorney and the prosecutor must prepare for it.
  • Norwegian Versus Texan Criminal Justice Systems Despite accounting for a small population of the world, the US has the highest number of prisoners globally. As a result, the number of prisoners under solitary confinement is higher than in other states.
  • Key Elements of Criminal Justice System It is the combination of all the administrative, operational, and technical divisions that are part of the law enforcement agencies. This essay will describe the key elements of law enforcement agencies, the key elements of […]
  • Domestic Violence Ethical Dilemmas in Criminal Justice Various ethical issues such as the code of silence, the mental status of the offender, and limited evidence play a vital role in challenging the discretion of police officers in arresting the DV perpetrators.
  • Discretion in Decision Making in Criminal Justice The role of discretion is to provide the capacity to make official judgments based on logic and judgment in the criminal justice system.
  • Criminal Justice Ethics Definition Criminal justice ethics involves all the codes as well as standards that apply to all the concerned parties in the criminal justice system for example attorneys, prosecutors, and the other entire professionals in the criminal […]
  • Cosa Nostra and Transnational Criminal Justice As a result of the criminal allure it exudes, the Cosa Nostra maintains connections with all of the major criminal groups, both in Italy and across the world.
  • Ethical Behavior in Criminal Justice In the CJS, judges are the determinants of the sentencing and verdict of a criminal. Wilson that considers the health of the defendant and the safety of the community.
  • Stress Among Criminal Justice Workers The criminal justice system is aware of the seriousness of the current problem and is trying to adapt to the emerging trend.
  • Professional vs. Personal Life Dilemma in Criminal Justice As a member of a police force, Badpenny belongs to the soldier class in Plato’s classification, making courage her virtue. Overall, Badpenny’s decision to hide her boyfriend’s identity can only be morally justified from the […]
  • Virtue and Stoic Ethics in Criminal Justice The lack of ethical grounds for the behavior of criminal justice officials makes the application of the law unreliable. As an employee of a juvenile correctional colony, I will be guided by the principles of […]
  • Police Culture: Criminal Justice Ethics The set of values and standards in police culture shapes the perceptions of law enforcement officers about policing and the delivery of services. Therefore, police culture is similar to other customs and habits that guides […]
  • The Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program The policy reflects social control, ensuring that members of society are compliant and follow the rules to ensure community safety and sustainability.
  • Technology and Learning in Criminal Justice It is a two-way avenue that includes both the student and the educator and leads to knowledge and capacity growth. A third and somewhat uncommon motivating method is the inclusion of a genuine chance for […]
  • Domestic Violence: Criminal Justice In addition, the usage of illegal substances such as bhang, cocaine, and other drugs contributes to the increasing DV in society.
  • Ethical Dilemma Analysis: Criminal Justice Case The publicity of the case added another layer of complexity to the decision, as either verdict would alienate a part of the population.
  • Solving Problems of Criminal Justice For example, the theory can be applied to better understand the problem of social inequality problem described in the cited documentary.
  • The Criminal Justice System Practitioner The practitioner relied on the presented professional values, worldview, and philosophy to identify, handle, and support the rights of the identified clients.
  • Contemporary Criminal Justice Issues When it comes to the dependent variable, it means the effect, and that means the reduction of infectious diseases will be the effect that the independent variable will determine.
  • Negligence in the Criminal Justice System The last category of negligence is the most dangerous, and essentially stems to injury or death caused by the actions or lack thereof by the employees of the criminal justice system.
  • The Youth Criminal Justice Act in Teresa Robinson’s Case 1 of the YCJA is relevant to the article since the offender’s name is still unreported despite the evidence of his involvement in the homicide.
  • Ethical Obligations in Criminal Justice These criteria also include those that promote the values of honesty and compassion and the rights to life, bodily integrity, and privacy, all of which are defined as ethical standards. Empathy for others is the […]
  • Research in Criminal Justice: Crime Solvability Factors In the sphere of criminal justice, inquiry can doubtlessly assist in the formulation of improved and more progressive laws and institutions.
  • Criminal Justice in Relation to the Number of Criminals The main goal of my work is to build evidence that the number of criminals is not proportional to the severity of the crime and that despite a large number of crimes, not all of […]
  • “The Role of Virtual Reality in Criminal Justice Pedagogy” by Smith The journal is titled “The role of virtual reality in criminal justice pedagogy: An examination of mental illness occurring in corrections”.
  • Crime Problems and Criminal Justice Notably, except for the last one, all listed procedures can be applied to crime issues discussed above and seem practical in preventing law violations.
  • COVID-19 and Juvenile, Criminal Justice Legislation The measures may help to reduce overcrowding in prisons, prevent the spread of the disease, and decrease federal and state expenses on COVID-19 preventive measures and protective equipment in correctional facilities.
  • Criminal Justice Intervention in Case of Elderly However, the government has not been able to respond effectively to the abuse of older adults, with little information and statistics available to show the vulnerability of the elderly to abuse.
  • Police-Minority Relations: Criminal Justice Occasionally, charges of police misbehavior, such as the tragic killings of Black individuals at the hands of police in Baltimore, Maryland, and Ferguson, Missouri, spark public unrest.
  • Alexander & Ferzan’s Arguments on Criminal Justice The penal code has evolved in such a way that it only allows the system to blame offenders based on the nature of the eventual result or outcome.
  • Criminal Justice: Burglary, Theft, and Criminal Trespass According to Section 2C:15-1, robbery is a first-degree crime if, in the course of committing the theft, the actor attempts to kill anyone or purposefully attempts to inflict serious bodily injury.
  • Code of Criminal Justice: False Imprisonment However, the New Jersey Code interprets it specifically as an unlawful restraint with the risk of serious bodily injury or a goal of holding a victim in involuntary servitude.
  • Leadership in the Criminal Justice System For example, the criminal justice system uses goals to task the police, correctional agencies, and the court with the strategy to execute, including deterrence, rehabilitation, retribution, restoration, and incapacitation.
  • The Criminal Justice Core Competency Nowadays, the situation is different, and more women and minorities are encouraged to join law enforcement professions to reduce the impact of bureaucracy and other biases.
  • Criminology and Its Significance in Criminal Justice Fields Criminologists’ activities include collecting and analyzing data of committed crimes to study the nature of crimes and criminals and identify factors that influence criminals’ motives.
  • Criminal Justice System Development The sweeping changes impacted all elements of civil litigation and gave criminal justice professionals a stimulus to be more assertive in their cases.
  • California’s Criminal Justice Realignment The existing experience of reducing the number of prisons in California is of some interest to researchers. The articles attempt to study a number of humanitarian problems of the detention of citizens of California.
  • Criminal Justice System Deterring Illicit Drug Use The authors describe the history of the appearance of synthetic drugs in the illegal market and mention the difficulties that forensic chemists have faced in identifying the compounds of illicit substances. M, Stogner, J.
  • The Influence of Wealth and History of the Criminal Justice System The history of the U.S.criminal justice system spans approximately four hundred years, with early beginnings that prioritized the protection of citizens, punishment of criminals, and maintenance of social order. Perhaps the earliest form of criminal […]
  • Criminal Justice & Security: Measuring Crime Statistics NIBRS is a part of UCR; it has been in place since 1989, and its aim is to ensure the collection of detailed crime reports from law enforcement agencies.
  • Hypothesis Testing in Criminal Justice and Criminology Two populations that are linked via a dependent variable must be assessed on the subject of dependency to determine a proper test to ensure the validity of the results.
  • The Modern Criminal Justice System: Discriminatory Practices It is stated that “the experiences of poor and minority defendants within the criminal justice system often differ substantially from that model due to several factors, each of which contributes to the overrepresentation of such […]
  • Statistics in Criminal Justice and Criminology The author’s primary argument refers to the importance of averages and data distribution types for criminology researchers and practitioners. To conclude, the information provided in the chapter is essential for understanding the measures of central […]
  • Statistics for Criminology and Criminal Justice The first part of the chapter introduces the three univariate data distribution displays that are frequently used in statistics, such as frequencies, proportions, and percentages.
  • Deterrence: Reflections on the Economics of Criminal Justice Therefore, deterrence is meant to ensure that punishments are so harsh that members of the public will fear committing a crime that will lead them to the same punishment.
  • Media and Gender Stereotypes Against Females in Professional Roles Within the Criminal Justice The first and a half of the second episode were chosen as the pilot episode often reflects the essence of the entire show.
  • Impacts of the Overlaps Between Communication and Criminal Justice for Police-Suspect Interactions The underlying concern raised by the interaction between Floyd and Chauvin as well as the other three police officers is that a breakdown of communication before and during the arrest led to the escalation.
  • Criminal Justice Inequality in Conflict Theory Other examples of inequality in terms of criminal justice are international corporations’ frauds and embezzlements on a grand scale by politicians that remain even unnoticeable while ordinary people are sentenced to imprisonment for less serious […]
  • Management of Criminal Justice Agencies Conflict of interests is bound to arise every time the needs of a healthy worker collide with the properties of a formal organization.
  • The Federal Grand Jury in the Criminal Justice System For instance, the President of the United States of America may not directly request for the formation of a grand jury but can do so by directing the Attorney General to constitute a grand jury.
  • Criminal Justice Agency Accountability and Liability The Act has set the “minimum pay for employees and the overtime pay has to be between 22 to 25% of the standard pay”.
  • US Criminal Justice System Analysis It might be assumed, therefore, that the prison had minimum security; however, the guards were heavily armored and conducted regular raids to control the contraband, which is a characteristic of a high-security prison.
  • Ethical Issues in Criminology and Criminal Justice Research Investigation officers be committed to obligation of ensuring that the bodily, social and mental health of a person participating in an investigation is not harmful distressed.
  • Criminal Justice: The Ban-the-Box Law This essay discusses the criminal justice laws of the United States on the hiring of ex-convicts and whether felons should exercise their civil rights of voting or not.
  • Criminal Justice Career An individual who wants to work in the criminal justice sphere should be ready to overcome different challenges and contribute to the increased efficiency of the legal system.
  • The Effects of the Criminal Justice System Wilson and Kelling say, “Social psychologists and police officers tend to agree that if a window in a building is broken and is left unrepaired, all the rest of the windows will soon be broken”.
  • Criminal Justice System: Child Abuse During the consideration of cases as part of a grand jury, citizens perform some functions of the preliminary investigation bodies.
  • Criminal Justice Standards for the Defense Function In court, defenders can find evidence through discovery, speak with witnesses of the crime, and file pretrial motions.
  • Criminal Justice & Criminology Research Methods In most cases, operationalizing study variables ensures that a sample representing the entire population is chosen and an appropriate unit of analysis is applied.
  • Building a Career in Criminal Justice The duty of a correctional officer is to oversee and keep watch of the arrested criminals during their terms in jail.
  • The Impact of Performance Appraisals on Job Satisfaction of Criminal Justice Personnel Of greater attention in the paper is the exploration of the levels of performance management in criminal justice departments and the impact on the levels of job satisfaction among employees working in these departments.
  • The Pitfalls of Criminal Justice Budget Cuts: An Administrator’s Perspective Today, in the United States, the diminishing crime rates have created an erroneous perception among state legislatures, key public policy figures, and mainstream commentators that crime and the administration of the criminal justice system are […]
  • Policing Duties: Criminal Justice Similarly, the police officers are required to evaluate the crime scene based on the evidence received from the witnesses, victims, and the offenders.
  • Criminal Justice Research: Homicide It also gains capacity with the regulations and reaction of crime from the society and the government. In homicide research, the characteristics and methods of qualitative research are evident.
  • Communication Within the Criminal Justice System: Probation Organisation An important thing to note here is that the sender and the recipient must be sharing the meaning of the symbols used in communicating; otherwise the meaning of the message will be lost on the […]
  • Criminal Justice: Racial Prejudice and Racial Discrimination Souryal takes the reader through the racial prejudice and racial discrimination issues ranging from the temperament of racism, the fundamental premise of unfairness, the racial biasness and the causes of racial unfairness to ethical practices […]
  • Criminal Justice Ethics: Kant’s and Bentham’s Views The following is an essay on criminal justice based on the case of Lieutenant Lotem that has presented moral as well as ethical dilemma on the issue of administrative justice.
  • “Ethics in Criminal Justice: In Search of the Truth” by Souryal The principle of leading a simple life to achieve mental happiness is in line with the stoicism school of thought which stressed that pleasure and pain are not relevant in attaining the happiness of an […]
  • New Technology & Criminal Justice From an information perspective, it is clear that new technologies, such as the use of iris recognition solutions, can assist in the effective and efficient management of correctional systems since these facilities are predominantly information-centric […]
  • Significant Issues in Criminal Justice The society established ways of dealing with these groups of people through the implementation of the rule of law to ensure they account for all their actions.
  • Criminology: Modern Criminal Justice The criminal justice system is the institution or the criterion that is used to keep all people that are subject to the law in check.
  • Criminal Justice Professionals: What They Should Know Considering the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, it is possible to state the information about the adoption history of the documents the criminal justice professionals should know.
  • Neuroscience and Criminal Justice The viewpoint of several neuroscientists is that expressive biology of behavior will be accessible in the future and is probably to integrate both neuroscientific and genetic understanding.
  • Criminal Justice: Prosecution & Judicial Proceedings To corroborate scientific, circumstantial and witness evidences, the prosecution needs to examine financial transactions of Roberts to prove that he was truly trafficking dangerous drugs according to the third count of charges.
  • Criminal Justice: Cases of Offenders in Trafficking Secondly, if in the opinion of the court, a defendant is seen to endanger the lives of others or will interfere with the evidence if granted bail, then the court will not grant bail.
  • Essentials of Criminal Justice It is imperative to mention that the prominence of wrongful convictions in a topic that is frequently discussed by scholars and has led to many disagreements.
  • Ethical Observations of Criminal Justice System As the police officer pays for the picked items, the shopkeeper gives the officer a package of free items and a shopping voucher worth $100 as a present for his family and an appreciation note […]
  • Criminal Justice Ethics: Ethical Observations There are three parties involved in the situation: the victim, the offender, and the company. At the same time, the involvement of Police Officers to the case and the necessity to carry out their daily […]
  • Criminal Justice Policies and Theories Given the fact that PRPs and DPs are the variants of rehabilitation programs, their correlation is understandable, but their targets determine their differences.
  • Response Paper on Book “Criminal Justice Management” They believe that the negative implications of the criminal world, on the whole, are transmitted to the activity of criminal justice workers that creates an unfavorable association of the latter in the mind of the […]
  • Bribery as a Critical Criminal Justice Violation In the overviewed case, the abuse of criminal justice is evident since it is prohibited for the public officials, who are engaged in the investigation, to peer in the confidential affairs of the clients as […]
  • An Ethical System in Criminal Justice To my firm belief, utilitarian ethical system is more advantageous than the systems proposed by libertarianism and determinism since it accepts human nature and puts the general safety above the individual good.
  • Need for Policy Reform in the Criminal Justice System They also exposed the deficiencies and shortfalls of the criminal justice system, which has long been a source of disagreement between the Democrats and the Republicans, making any changes to the policy unlikely.
  • Criminal Law: Media and Its Influence on Criminal Justice Policy Seeing that the opinion of public affects the way, in which the criminal justice policy evolves, it can be assumed that media, which affect people’s viewpoints to a considerable degree, shaping it in accordance with […]
  • Public Opinion and Criminal Justice Policy Despite the fact that the criminal justice policy is shaped by the bills passed by the Congress, the significance of public opinion on the subject matter is very high.
  • Jury System in Different Criminal Justice Contexts The first argument to support the idea that the jury system should be spread widely in the world countries is that the jury system is the key to the unbiased and effective court decision-making that […]
  • An Application of the Criminal Justice System When police have reasonable grounds to believe that William Bloutt and Bertha Bloutt committed the robbery, they have the power, not the obligation, to put them under arrest.
  • Criminal Justice: Over Institutional Organization This is further worsened by the fact that the number of offenders to be monitored after being released is often higher than the number of officers tasked with the responsibility of following up on them.
  • Learning Theory Implications on Criminal Justice Practices This will be helpful to them because the civilians have different styles of learning and implementing the rule of law. Understanding the crime learning theories is very important and their impacts determine the destiny of […]
  • Criminal Justice Workplace Observation Leadership rests in the top management of the prisons who are the decision-makers and lead the prison to attain its objectives.
  • Deterrence in Criminal Justice Practices The concept of deterrence is the foundation of criminal justice systems in a majority of democratic nations. In my opinion, law enforcement is the second area where the implications of deterrence have more impacts.
  • Administration of Criminal Justice – Elements of Planned Change Administrators According to Merino, the effects of the implementation of change or change initiating in the criminal justice system extend far beyond the desired change.
  • Research Process and Terminology: Criminal Justice In addition, it is necessary to edit the research question/hypothesis after reviewing the literature and determining variables; select the research method; sampling methods and control of variables should be thoroughly explained as well; description of […]
  • Suicide in People With a Criminal Justice History The main questions raised in the study included suicide risk for the Danish population over the past three decades and possible relation of the results with the social and health problems of the suicides.
  • Criminal Justice System: “Lucky” by Alice Sebold The book “Lucky” by Alice Sebold unfolds the rape ordeal that the author went through at the age of 18 years as well as the aftermath of the heinous act on her personal life.
  • Positive and Negative of Evidence-Based Criminal Justice Policymaking Evidence-based practice in the criminal justice sector has concentrated on policies that deal with the administration of these sectors based on the correctional process of the incarcerated persons.
  • Achieving Real Justice: Funding Criminal Justice Reform The article sums up the problems that have enhanced the tribulations of the state’s criminal justice department and point out strategies that have been adapted to solve these challenges. The citizens of California have not […]
  • The Criminal Justice System in the US The statutes of Texas require the criminal justice system to carry out an inquest into the causes of deaths that occur mysteriously to ascertain the cause of death.
  • Impact of Diversity on Criminal Justice Police on the other hand think the high crime rates of Blacks and Hispanics only reflects the differences in the crime rates and not the biased justice system.
  • Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice According to legal ethics, lawyer has ethical duty of ensuring that client’s information is confidential and thus should always advocate for the interests of the client.
  • A Criminal Justice Approach to Suppressing Terrorism The threat of terrorism substituted communism as the rationale which was used for justifying the state of emergency in America prior to 1990s.
  • Web Research in Criminal Justice For those desiring a career that upholds the current social system in preventing crime, ensuring that the rule of law prevails and provides a system of rehabilitation for those who have broken the law, the […]
  • Expected Changes in the Criminal Justice Field Over the Next 50 Years A comfortable conjecture towards development in the criminal justice field will be the use of these social networking sites as an interaction tool with the communities served, for sharing critical information and collecting tips.
  • Cultural and Racial Prejudices in the Criminal Justice System Simultaneously, whiteness continues to play one of the key roles in the development of cultural and racial prejudices in the criminal justice system.
  • Criminal Justice Leadership: Strategies and Practice They have to execute good leadership and management in order to provide reforms and change and to affect the kind of justice that the community needs.
  • Technical Communication Methods and Practices of Criminal Justice It also examines the use of technology in the communication process and further looks at the potential technological advancement that will be used in the communication process in the future.
  • Leadership Issue in the Criminal Justice Field The main concerns about the issue of violations are: whether they are common phenomena in the criminal justice field, the reason that propagates them, and the possibility of their prevention with consideration whether they might […]
  • Changes Introduced to the Inquisitorial Criminal Justice in Italy The inquisitorial system was pioneered by the Roman Catholic Church in the medieval era, where the church used this system in its religious courts for prosecution of offenders and to reform the former system which […]
  • Impact of Globalization and Neoliberalism on Crime and Criminal Justice Globalization entails the conception of principles, perpetuated by both governments and organizations that have altered the way nations perceive the obligation for a criminal justice system and the ability of the governments to control crime […]
  • Contemporary Criminology and Criminal Justice Theory The model of a political society in which law restrains and guides the implementation of power by rulers dates from the early stages of systematic thought in the Western world.
  • Criminal Justice and DNA: “Genetic Fingerprinting” DNA is one of the popular methods used by criminologists today, DNA technique is also known as “genetic fingerprinting”.the name given the procedure by Cellmark Diagnostics, a Maryland company that certified the technique used in […]
  • Racial Discrimination in the US Criminal Justice System This report argues that when one studies the proportion of blacks in the Cincinnati community and the number of times that they have been stopped for traffic violations, one finds that there is a large […]
  • Searches in the Criminal Justice System The reasoning behind this lies in the mobility of vehicles which can enable the owners of the vehicles to tamper with the probable evidence should a warrant be necessary to conduct a search of the […]
  • The Criminal Justice Funnel and Globalization There are several cases in the initial stages of the criminal process which are then eliminated as the process continues to the top.
  • The History and Transformation of Criminal Justice System The State Police seeks the help of the local police divisions for the search of the criminals and arrest of them to announce sentence according to the Code of |Criminal Procedure applied and observed by […]
  • How Is the Criminal Justice System Portrayed in the News? In the case it is underrepresented, it means that the news has not been depicted in full and in a truthful manner and in accordance with the wishes of the American people.
  • Criminal Justice Reform in the Black Community A progressive change of the United States’ drug policy is a fundamental step in the restoration of the criminal justice system.
  • Key Social Issues Affecting Criminal Justice Professionals The absence of a decline in this percentage suggests that the criminal justice system has not been effective in addressing this issue. The criminal justice system has failed to decrease crime rates due to the […]
  • California’s Criminal Justice System, Problems and Solutions The attention is focused on the fact that even though the system is designed to lower the recidivism rate and help inmates in the future, rehabilitate, it is still ineffective.
  • Communication Databases and Criminal Justice System It will also expound on the positive and negative contributions of the databases due to the advancement in technology. Advancement in technology also poses immense challenges to members of the society.
  • Budget Reduction in Criminal Justice Administrations The mission of the police is to maintain law and order among the citizens. The main positive effect of this training is the ability of some members to provide security to the rest of the […]
  • Criminal Justice System in the United States Evolution The emergence of English common law in the period of the reign of Henry II had the biggest impact on the development of the criminal justice system in the United States.
  • Leadership and Management as Applied to Criminal Justice Organizations The differences between them are significant and crucial to understanding for executives to be able to reach the goals of a company.
  • Integrity and Its Place in Criminal Justice System It is plausible to say that Integrity is truthfulness; the truthfulness of one’s character. The integrity of a professional is not something that is personally his.
  • Criminal Justice Centralization and Decentralization This assignment briefly examines the issue of centralization and decentralization, overviewing the negative consequences of the attorney’s office funded by the state, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the commission’s recommendations.
  • The Effects of Poverty Within Criminal Justice The approach used in this study is deductive since the reasoning in the study proceeds from the general principle regarding the fact that poverty has a role to play in the administering of fairness in […]
  • Ethics Theories in the Criminal Justice Field The gratuity that the public extend to officers and doormen within the criminal justice system has the capacity to spiral and develop a culture of exchange.
  • Criminal Justice System: Crime Scene Investigation A gas store employee, who was present in the time of the event, nodded to be the witness of the crime.
  • Criminal Justice Agency Records, Content & Secondary Data Analysis In this case, there is the need to ensure that the specifics of the statistics are very clear from the start.
  • Criminal Justice Experimentation: Threats to Validity Therefore it is becoming more and more evident that the threats to validity play a major role in the research and experimental designs.
  • Criminal Justice System: Halloween Party Accident But from the general point of view of the criminal justice system the main culprits were Tom Randell and Kelly Greene and it is obvious that they should be charged and prosecuted in the eyes […]
  • Criminal Justice System in Australia There have been fears that the criminal justice system in Australia is not as strong as it should be considering there have been lapses when dealing with gender, social class, and even racial matters.
  • Management in Criminal Justice and Related Areas One way of overcoming this is that the leaders need to properly hear out and understand the staff members and also listen to them.
  • The Criminal Justice Ethics Principles It is the goal of the present paper to review such areas of ethical issues within the field of criminal justice as: pretexting during investigation and police misconduct, and their influence on the investigated case.
  • Problem Analysis in the Criminal Justice System
  • Criminal Justice for Physically Injured Crime Victims
  • Washington County Court Services
  • Effects of Technology in Criminal Justice Systems
  • Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology
  • Criminal Justice: Race, Age, and Gender Factors
  • Criminal Justice Agency Organizational Behavior
  • Determination of Professionalism in Criminal Justice Organizations
  • Forensic Science in the Criminal Justice System
  • Ethics in Criminal Justice
  • Criminal Justice System Representation in Media
  • Applied Research in Criminal Justice Profession
  • Criminal Justice Policy Development and Implementation
  • Diversity Training for Criminal Justice Employees
  • Criminal Justice Employees’ Rights and Laws
  • Administration of Criminal Justice Agencies
  • Policy and Criminal Justice
  • Criminal Justice Administration and Police Functions
  • Crime and Criminal Justice News
  • Women Working in the Criminal Justice System
  • Criminal Justice System and Inequilty in America
  • Criminal Justice Systems: Saudi Arabia, Germany and the US
  • Restorative Justice in the Criminal Justice Process
  • Gang Violence: Criminal Justice Research
  • Criminal Justice: Balancing in Philosophy and Practice
  • Women and Minorities Recruits in Criminal Justice
  • Criminal Justice Careers in the Modern Society
  • Criminal Justice Process in the US
  • Military Trials: The Criminal Justice Procedures Violations
  • Criminal Justice Administration Issues
  • Johnnie Cochran’s Leadership in the Criminal Justice
  • Criminal Justice System: Racial Policy Change
  • Leadership Issues in the Criminal Justice System
  • Criminal Justice System Enforcement Issues
  • Key Criminal Justice Issues
  • Criminal Justice From the Historical Perspective
  • US Criminal Justice System, Theories and Methods
  • Criminal Justice in the Film “Gideon’s Trumpet”
  • Criminal Justice Policy in Action
  • Ethics in Criminal Justice: Moral Aspects
  • Ethics, Media and Criminal Justice
  • Psychology in Criminal Justice
  • Domestic Violence in International Criminal Justice
  • Criminal Justice Systems in the US, the UK, Norway
  • Stanford Prison Experiment and Criminal Justice
  • Media Influence on Criminal Justice and Community
  • Criminal Justice Process and Investigation Changes
  • Psychologist’s Roles in Criminal Justice System
  • Criminal Justice: Discipline, Liability and Labor Relations
  • Criminal Justice Policy Formulation Participants
  • Criminal Justice in Fisher vs. University of Texas
  • Bureaucracy and Criminal Justice Policies
  • Illicit Drugs Policy and Criminal Justice
  • International Criminal Justice and Atrocity
  • Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Trends
  • Criminal Justice From a Global Perspective
  • Antiterrorism Response Unit in Criminal Justice
  • Criminal Justice Administration
  • US Criminal Justice Information System
  • Technologies in Canadian Criminal Justice System
  • The Criminal Justice System Network
  • The Criminal Justice System Effective Communication
  • Criminal Justice in Canada
  • Criminal Justice Workplace Management
  • Organizational Behavior Concepts in the Criminal Justice
  • Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation
  • Mental Health Issues in the Criminal Justice System
  • Criminal Justice System. Deterrence and Incarceration
  • Forensic Psychology Guidelines for Criminal Justice
  • Death Penalty Role in the Criminal Justice System
  • Criminal Justice System Role in Curbing Crime Rates
  • People With Disabilities and Abuse of People With Disabilities and Criminal Justice
  • Politicization of Criminal Justice & its Influence on Penal Policy: A Critical Discussion
  • The Death Penalty in the US Criminal Justice System
  • Social and Criminal Justice Responses to Sex Work
  • Foster Care in the Criminal Justice System
  • Death Penalty: Every For and Against
  • Racism in U.S. Criminal Justice System
  • The Many Faces of Criminal Justice: What Concerns Students Face Most Often
  • Techniques for Influencing Criminal Justice System Change
  • Criminal Justice Department
  • Young Offenders and the Criminal Justice System
  • Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement
  • A Short Guide to the Criminal Justice System
  • Delphi Survey Method in the Criminal Justice System
  • Criminal Justice
  • What Does the Future Hold for the Criminal Justice System?
  • How Does the Criminal Justice System Respond to White Collar and Corporate Crime?
  • What Makes the Criminal Justice System So Slow?
  • Does the Criminal Justice System Work?
  • How Are Computers Essential in Criminal Justice Field?
  • Are Individual Mental Health Issues Treated Fairly by the Criminal Justice System?
  • What Should the Criminal Justice System Do With Drug Abusers?
  • How Might Crime Data Be Used as either Predictor for Crime or Used by Criminal Justice Professionals?
  • Does the Criminal Justice System Depend on the Disparities of the People That It Serves?
  • How Does Criminal Justice System Work and How Does It Have Problems?
  • Are Males and Females Treated Differently in the Criminal Justice System?
  • How Did the Current Criminal Justice System in the US Evolve?
  • Does the Criminal Justice System Extend More Rights to Criminal Defendants?
  • How Does Society Shape the Experiences of the Criminal Justice?
  • Are Youth Offenders Responsive to Changing Sanctions?
  • How Does the Australian Criminal Justice System Respond to Domestic Violence?
  • Does the Criminal Justice System Have a Gendered Response Towards Filicide When It Comes to Punishing the Offender?
  • How Does the Criminal Justice System Respond to Illicit Drugs?
  • Should the Criminal Justice System Be the Primary Solution to Drug Problems in Australia?
  • How Does Our Criminal Justice System Reflect the U.S. Constitution?
  • Should the Death Penalty Be Used in the Criminal Justice System?
  • How Does Television Depict the Criminal Justice System?
  • Should the Texas Criminal Justice System Be Legal?
  • How Does the Criminal Justice System Deals With Sex Offenders?
  • What Are Effective Writing Principles for Criminal Justice Professionals in Their Respective Communications?
  • How Does the Criminal Justice System Respond to Organized Crime Within Our Society?
  • What Are the Major Components of the Criminal Justice System?
  • How Can the Past Assist the Modern Criminal Justice System?
  • What Are the Three Most Challenging Issues of Criminal Justice?
  • Why Are Confidentiality and Ethics Important in Investigating the Legal Concerns of the Criminal Justice and Criminology?
  • Domestic Violence Paper Topics
  • Computer Forensics Essay Topics
  • Drug Trafficking Research Topics
  • Crime Prevention Research Topics
  • Forensic Psychology Research Topics
  • Criminal Procedure Titles
  • Human Rights Essay Ideas
  • Mass Incarceration Essay Topics
  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 26). 304 Criminal Justice Essay Topics & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/criminal-justice-essay-topics/

"304 Criminal Justice Essay Topics & Examples." IvyPanda , 26 Feb. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/criminal-justice-essay-topics/.

IvyPanda . (2024) '304 Criminal Justice Essay Topics & Examples'. 26 February.

IvyPanda . 2024. "304 Criminal Justice Essay Topics & Examples." February 26, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/criminal-justice-essay-topics/.

1. IvyPanda . "304 Criminal Justice Essay Topics & Examples." February 26, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/criminal-justice-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "304 Criminal Justice Essay Topics & Examples." February 26, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/criminal-justice-essay-topics/.

My Premium Essay Logo

Topics in Criminal Justice for Argumentative Essays

Published : January 23, 2024

By | MyPremiumEssay 10 mins read

The criminal justice system, a complex web of law enforcement, courts, and corrections, operates to uphold law and order. It's vital for ensuring justice and societal harmony. Engaging critically with this system enhances understanding and sparks meaningful debate.

The category "Argumentative Essay Topics in Criminal Justice" refers to a range of subjects suitable for debate and discussion within the field of criminal justice. It's not about stating facts. It's about diving deep, analyzing moral dilemmas, and presenting solid solutions. You need to dig into the depths of legal studies, bringing forth evidence and judicial rulings that support your stance.

This Image depicts Topics in Criminal Justice for Argumentative Essays

Here, you'll find a collection of thought-provoking essay topics on criminal justice. Simple, clear, and engaging - these topics aim to spark your curiosity and invite you to explore deeper. Ready to challenge your views? Let's dive in.

  • Understanding the Criminal Justice System

Current Challenges in Criminal Justice: Seeking Reform

Defining features of criminal justice debate topics.

  • Argumentative Criminal Justice Essay Topics

Compelling Criminal Justice Argumentative Essay Topics

Understanding the criminal justice system : key components and their roles in law enforcement.

At its core, the criminal justice system is a three-part network:

law enforcement,

the judiciary, and

corrections.

Law enforcement officers, like police, are the front-liners. They keep peace and catch lawbreakers. Next, the judiciary steps in. Judges and courts decide guilt and pass sentences, ensuring justice prevails. Finally, the corrections system, including prisons, rehabilitates and punishes offenders. These parts work together like cogs in a machine, maintaining law and order. Their interconnectivity is crucial - each part supports and influences the others, creating a balanced approach to justice. Understanding this system is key to grasping how we handle crime and punishment.

Today's criminal justice system faces tough challenges. Racial profiling remains a hot issue. It questions fairness in law enforcement. Then there's the tech revolution. Digital advances aid crime solving, but they also raise big privacy concerns. Overcrowded prisons are another headache. They strain resources and complicate rehabilitation. These challenges demand fresh thinking and balanced solutions. Understanding them is key to shaping a fairer, more effective system. Let's tackle these issues head-on, seeking justice and equality for all.

Key characteristics of these topics include:

compare and contrast essay topics on criminal justice

Debatable Nature: Each topic presents multiple viewpoints, allowing for extensive argumentation and discussion. They are not straightforward facts but rather issues open to interpretation and debate.

Relevance to Criminal Justice: Topics are directly related to aspects of criminal justice, such as crime prevention, law enforcement, legal ethics, criminal trials, corrections, and rehabilitation.

Societal Impact: They often touch upon how criminal justice systems affect society at large, including issues of social justice, human rights, equality, and public safety.

Legal and Ethical Considerations: Many topics involve discussions on the legality and morality of certain practices within the criminal justice system, such as capital punishment, juvenile sentencing, or police accountability.

Research-Oriented: These topics require in-depth research, understanding of legal principles, and familiarity with current events and historical cases.

Scope for Persuasion and Argumentation: They provide ample opportunity for writers to develop persuasive arguments, backed by evidence, to support their stance on complex issues.

Read More: How To Write An Argumentative Essay?

Argumentative Criminal Justice Essay Topics: Current Issues

1 Decriminalizing Minor Offenses: Are they necessary for justice?

2 Mandatory Sentencing Laws: Fairness versus judicial freedom.

3 Solitary Confinement Ethics: Discipline or inhumanity?

4 Parole Effectiveness: Rehabilitation or risk?

CTA ICON

Need help with your criminal justice argumentative essay?

Our skilled team is ready to help you produce essays that impress. Contact us for expert guidance in your academic writing journey.

5 Racial Bias in Sentencing: How to ensure fairness?

6 Alternatives to Juvenile Detention: Punishment or rehabilitation?

7 Police Training & Community: Enhancing relationships.

8 Mental Health in Justice System: Addressing the challenges.

9 Drug Courts' Role: Effective in reducing recidivism?

10 Privacy vs. Security Surveillance: Balancing rights and safety.

1 Bail System Reform: Fairness in Question

2 The Death Penalty: Deterrence or Inhumanity?

3 Legalizing Drugs: A Crime Solution?

4 Police Body Cameras: Safety or Invasion?

5 Juvenile Justice: Kids or Criminals?

6 Restorative Justice: Healing Over Punishment

7 Private Prisons: Efficiency or Profit Over People?

8 Racial Profiling: Necessary Tactic or Unjust Practice?

9 Gun Rights vs. Public Safety: Finding Balance

10 Cybercrime Laws: Keeping Up with Tech?

11 The Effectiveness of the Death Penalty in Deterring Crime

12 The Impact of Racial Profiling on Community Policing

13 Rehabilitation vs. Punishment: What Works Better for Offenders?

14 The Role of Technology in Modern Policing

15 Juvenile Justice: Should Juveniles Be Tried as Adults?

These compelling topics for criminal justice essays not only challenge conventional thinking but also invite a deeper exploration into the intricacies of law, ethics, and societal impact. By choosing to write on these subjects, you're not just crafting an essay ; you're contributing to an important discourse that shapes our understanding of justice and fairness in society. Remember, your voice and analysis can be a powerful tool in highlighting issues, proposing solutions, and sparking meaningful change in the world of criminal justice.

For students, understanding the criminal justice related issues is not just an academic exercise; it's a step towards becoming more informed and engaged citizens.If you're looking to delve deeper, consider buying an argumentative essay online from MyPremiumEssay. Our team of expert writers is well-versed in the intricacies of criminal justice and can provide you with a high-quality, insightful essay tailored to your specific needs.

Don't Forget to Share:

MyPremiumEssay Logo

MyPremiumEssay

MyPremiumEssay is a comprehensive platform designed to assist students in their academic journey. Additionally, it features a collection of informative blogs, providing tips and advice on academic writing and research, all penned by highly qualified and experienced writers, serving as a helpful guide to enhancing students' skills and knowledge.

Social Media:

Related Blogs

This Image Is About Writing An Argumentative Essay

  • September 23, 2023

How To Write An Argumentative Essay

Blog Image

  • November 06, 2023

How to Conclude College Essay

Blog Image

  • November 07, 2023

How To Write A Convincing Speech

Subscribe To Our NewsLetter

Banner

CRJU-Criminal Justice: Find Pro vs Con -- Compare and Contrast Sources

  • Find Articles
  • Find Pro vs Con -- Compare and Contrast Sources
  • Internet Resources
  • Citing and Writing

C Q Researcher

  • << Previous: Find Articles
  • Next: Internet Resources >>
  • Last Updated: Aug 29, 2024 4:31 PM
  • URL: https://libguides.mcc.edu/crju

As an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution, the College encourages diversity and provides equal opportunity in education, employment, all of its programs, and the use of its facilities. The College does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, gender, gender expression, gender identity, national origin, veteran’s status, age, disability unrelated to an individual’s ability to perform adequately, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Title IX Coordinator Contact Information: 1401 E. Court St., Prahl College Center –Student Success Services Center (PCC-2280E), Flint, MI 48503, (810) 762-0024.

Title II, ADA, Coordinator Contact Information: 1401 E. Court St., Curtice-Mott Complex (CM-1117, Flint, MI 48503 (810) 762-0373.

Section 504 Coordinator Contact Information: 1401 E. Court St., Prahl College Center (PCC-2280A), Flint, MI 48503 (810) 232-2557.

Mott Community College | 1401 E. Court Street | Flint, Michigan 48503 | (810) 762-0200

Words at Ease

35 Criminal Justice Research Topic Ideas

In the complex and ever-evolving field of criminal justice, selecting a topic for research is like navigating a labyrinth of legal, ethical, and societal issues. Each topic holds the potential to not only enhance our understanding of the legal system but also to shed light on the broader implications of crime and justice in our society.

In this article, we’ll explore 35 criminal justice research topic ideas, each offering a unique perspective on the intricacies of law enforcement, legal theory, and societal impact. These topics are not just academic inquiries; they are profound questions that probe the depths of fairness, equity, and human rights.

criminal justice research topic ideas

Criminal Justice Research Topic Ideas

Whether you are a student, a legal professional, or an avid researcher, these ideas will guide you to a topic that resonates with your interests and contributes to the vital discourse on justice and legality.

1. The Effectiveness of Rehabilitation in Prisons

Appropriate for : Studying correctional strategies. Examine how rehabilitation programs in prisons impact recidivism rates. Ideal for research focused on improving the correctional system.

2. Racial Disparities in Sentencing

Appropriate for : Exploring racial bias. Investigate the presence and impact of racial disparities in the sentencing process. Crucial for studies aiming to uncover and address biases in the legal system.

3. The Role of Forensic Science in Solving Crimes

Appropriate for : Analyzing scientific methods. Study the impact and accuracy of forensic science in criminal investigations. Suitable for research at the intersection of science and criminal justice.

4. The Ethics of Capital Punishment

Appropriate for : Debating moral implications. Explore the ethical considerations and effectiveness of the death penalty. Essential for discussions on human rights and legal ethics.

5. Cybercrime and Digital Forensics

Appropriate for : Understanding modern crimes. Examine the rise of cybercrime and the role of digital forensics in responding to these challenges. Ideal for research in contemporary criminal issues.

6. Police Brutality and Accountability

Appropriate for : Addressing law enforcement conduct. Investigate instances of police brutality and the systems in place for accountability. Critical for research focused on law enforcement ethics and reform.

7. Juvenile Delinquency and the Justice System

Appropriate for : Studying youth in crime. Analyze the factors contributing to juvenile delinquency and the effectiveness of juvenile justice systems. Important for research on youth crime and rehabilitation.

8. The Impact of Drug Legalization on Crime Rates

Appropriate for : Exploring drug policy effects. Research the implications of drug legalization on crime rates and public health. Suitable for studies in policy impact and societal change.

9. Human Trafficking: Causes and Prevention

Appropriate for : Tackling global crime. Examine the causes of human trafficking and effective measures for its prevention. Essential for research on international crime and human rights.

10. Mental Health and Criminal Behavior

Appropriate for : Understanding psychological aspects. Study the relationship between mental health issues and criminal behavior. Important for research aimed at integrating mental health considerations into the justice system.

11. The Influence of Socioeconomic Status on Crime

Appropriate for : Analyzing societal factors. Investigate how socioeconomic status influences criminal behavior and justice outcomes. Crucial for studies on social inequality and crime.

12. White-Collar Crime and Legal Responses

Appropriate for : Exploring corporate crime. Examine the nature of white-collar crime and the effectiveness of legal responses. Ideal for research on economic crimes and legal accountability.

13. Domestic Violence: Legal and Social Perspectives

Appropriate for : Addressing intimate partner crime. Research the legal handling of domestic violence cases and their societal implications. Vital for studies on family law and social welfare.

14. The Role of Community Policing

Appropriate for : Improving police-community relations. Analyze the effectiveness of community policing strategies in reducing crime and building trust. Suitable for research on law enforcement practices and community relations.

15. Media Influence on Public Perception of Crime

Appropriate for : Studying media impact. Examine how media coverage affects public perceptions and attitudes towards crime. Important for understanding the interplay between media and criminal justice perceptions.

16. Prison Overcrowding and its Consequences

Appropriate for : Addressing correctional challenges. Investigate the causes and impacts of prison overcrowding. Crucial for research aimed at improving prison conditions and management.

17. The Accuracy of Eyewitness Testimony

Appropriate for : Analyzing testimonial reliability. Study the reliability and factors affecting the accuracy of eyewitness testimonies. Essential for research on evidence and trial processes.

18. Legal Representation and Justice Outcomes

Appropriate for : Exploring legal fairness. Examine the impact of legal representation quality on justice outcomes. Vital for discussions on legal equity and access to justice.

19. The Role of DNA Evidence in Criminal Trials

Appropriate for : Evaluating scientific evidence. Research the use and impact of DNA evidence in criminal trials. Suitable for studies on forensic science and legal proceedings.

20. Crime Prevention Strategies in Urban Areas

Appropriate for : Enhancing public safety. Analyze effective crime prevention strategies in urban settings. Important for urban studies and public safety research.

21. The Effectiveness of Parole Systems

Appropriate for : Studying post-incarceration. Examine the role and effectiveness of parole in the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders. Crucial for research on post-incarceration strategies.

22. The History and Evolution of Criminal Law

Appropriate for : Tracing legal development. Investigate the historical development of criminal law and its impact on modern legal systems. Ideal for studies in legal history and theory.

23. The Intersection of Immigration and Criminal Justice

Appropriate for : Exploring immigration issues. Research the impact of immigration policies on criminal justice practices. Essential for studies on immigration law and criminal justice intersections.

24. Victimology and Victim Rights

Appropriate for : Focusing on crime victims. Examine the study of victimology and the rights afforded to crime victims. Vital for research on victim support and legal rights.

25. The Psychology of Criminal Behavior

Appropriate for : Understanding criminal minds. Study the psychological factors that contribute to criminal behavior. Important for research in criminal psychology and behavior analysis.

26. Gender and Crime

Appropriate for : Exploring gender dynamics. Investigate the role of gender in both criminal behavior and justice system experiences. Crucial for research on gender issues in criminal justice.

27. The Effect of Social Media on Criminal Investigations

Appropriate for : Analyzing digital influences. Research how social media impacts criminal investigations and legal proceedings. Suitable for contemporary studies on technology and crime.

28. Environmental Crimes and Legal Responses

Appropriate for : Tackling ecological offenses. Examine the nature of environmental crimes and the effectiveness of legal responses. Essential for studies on environmental law and policy.

29. Comparative Criminal Justice Systems

Appropriate for : Analyzing global perspectives. Study and compare criminal justice systems across different countries. Vital for research on international law and comparative justice.

30. The Role of Sentencing Guidelines in Justice Outcomes

Appropriate for : Understanding sentencing processes. Investigate the impact of sentencing guidelines on justice outcomes and disparities. Important for studies on legal fairness and sentencing practices.

31. The Ethics of Undercover Policing

Appropriate for : Debating covert operations. Examine the ethical considerations and effectiveness of undercover policing. Crucial for discussions on law enforcement methods and ethics.

32. Restorative Justice Practices

Appropriate for : Exploring alternative approaches. Research the principles and effectiveness of restorative justice practices. Suitable for studies on alternative justice models and conflict resolution.

33. The Impact of Drug Courts on Offender Rehabilitation

Appropriate for : Evaluating specialized courts. Study the role and effectiveness of drug courts in the rehabilitation of drug offenders. Important for research on judicial responses to drug-related crimes.

34. Terrorism and Counterterrorism Measures

Appropriate for : Addressing modern threats. Examine the nature of terrorism and the effectiveness of counterterrorism strategies. Essential for studies on national security and international law.

35. Legal and Ethical Aspects of Surveillance

Appropriate for : Scrutinizing privacy concerns. Research the legal and ethical implications of surveillance in criminal investigations. Vital for discussions on privacy rights and law enforcement tactics.

Selecting a research topic in criminal justice is a journey into the depths of legal, ethical, and societal issues. Each of these 35 topics offers a unique opportunity to explore the many facets of crime and justice, encouraging a deeper understanding of the principles that govern our legal system and the societal implications of law and order.

Whether delving into the intricacies of forensic science, examining the social roots of criminal behavior, or debating the moral questions surrounding punishment and rehabilitation, your research has the power to contribute significantly to the field of criminal justice.

Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Read our research on:

Full Topic List

Regions & Countries

  • Publications
  • Our Methods
  • Short Reads
  • Tools & Resources

Read Our Research On:

From police to parole, black and white Americans differ widely in their views of criminal justice system

compare and contrast essay topics on criminal justice

Black Americans are far more likely than whites to say the nation’s criminal justice system is racially biased and that its treatment of minorities is a serious national problem.

In a recent Pew Research Center survey , around nine-in-ten black adults (87%) said blacks are generally treated less fairly by the criminal justice system than whites, a view shared by a much smaller majority of white adults (61%). And in a survey shortly before last year’s midterm elections , 79% of blacks – compared with 32% of whites – said the way racial and ethnic minorities are treated by the criminal justice system is a very big problem in the United States today.

Racial differences in views of the criminal justice system are not limited to the perceived fairness of the system as a whole. Black and white adults also differ across a range of other criminal justice-related questions asked by the Center in recent years, on subjects ranging from crime and policing to the use of computer algorithms in parole decisions.

Here’s an overview of these racial differences:

Black adults in the U.S. consistently express more concern than white adults about crime.

Concerns about violent crime, gun violence are higher among blacks than whites

In last year’s preelection survey, three-quarters of blacks – compared with fewer than half of whites (46%) – said violent crime is a very big problem in the country today. And while 82% of blacks said gun violence is a very big problem in the U.S., just 47% of whites said the same.

Blacks are also more likely than whites to see crime as a serious problem locally . In an early 2018 survey , black adults were roughly twice as likely as whites to say crime is a major problem in their local community (38% vs. 17%).

That’s consistent with a survey conducted in early 2017 , when blacks were about twice as likely as whites to say their local community is not too or not at all safe from crime (34% vs. 15%). Black adults were also more likely than whites to say they worry a lot about having their home broken into (28% vs. 13%) or being the victim of a violent crime (20% vs. 8%). However, similar shares in both groups (22% of blacks and 18% of whites) said they actually had been the victim of a violent crime.

Some of the most pronounced differences between blacks and whites emerge on questions related to police officers and the work they do.

A survey conducted in mid-2017 asked Americans to rate police officers and other groups of people on a “feeling thermometer” from 0 to 100, where 0 represents the coldest, most negative rating and 100 represents the warmest and most positive. Black adults gave police officers a mean rating of 47; whites gave officers a mean rating of 72.

Blacks are also more likely than whites to have specific criticisms about the way officers do their jobs, particularly when it comes to police interactions with their community.

More than eight-in-ten black adults say blacks are treated less fairly than whites by police, criminal justice system

In the Center’s survey earlier this year , 84% of black adults said that, in dealing with police, blacks are generally treated less fairly than whites. A much smaller share of whites – though still a 63% majority – said the same. Blacks were also about five times as likely as whites to say they’d been unfairly stopped by police because of their race or ethnicity (44% vs. 9%), with black men especially likely to say this (59%).

Stark racial differences about key aspects of policing also emerged in a 2016 survey . Blacks were much less likely than whites to say that police in their community do an excellent or good job using the right amount of force in each situation (33% vs. 75%), treating racial and ethnic groups equally (35% vs. 75%) and holding officers accountable when misconduct occurs (31% vs. 70%). Blacks were also substantially less likely than whites to say their local police do an excellent or good job at protecting people from crime (48% vs. 78%).

Notably, black-white differences in views of policing exist among officers themselves. In a survey of nearly 8,000 sworn officers conducted in the fall of 2016, black officers were about twice as likely as white officers (57% vs. 27%) to say that high-profile deaths of black people during encounters with police were signs of a broader problem, not isolated incidents. And roughly seven-in-ten black officers (69%) – compared with around a quarter of white officers (27%) – said the protests that followed many of these incidents were motivated some or a great deal by a genuine desire to hold police accountable for their actions, rather than by long-standing bias against the police. (Several other questions in the survey also showed stark differences in the views of black and white officers.)

The death penalty

Most whites – but only around a third of blacks – support the death penalty

A narrow majority of Americans (54%) support the death penalty for people convicted of murder, according to a spring 2018 survey . But only around a third of blacks (36%) support capital punishment for this crime, compared with nearly six-in-ten whites (59%).

Racial divisions extend to other questions related to the use of capital punishment. In a 2015 survey , 77% of blacks said minorities are more likely than whites to be sentenced to death for committing similar crimes. Whites were divided on this question: 46% said minorities are disproportionately sentenced to death, while the same percentage saw no racial disparities.

Blacks were also more likely than whites to say capital punishment is not a crime deterrent (75% vs. 60%) and were less likely to say the death penalty is morally justified (46% vs. 69%). However, about seven-in-ten in both groups said they saw some risk in putting an innocent person to death (74% of blacks vs. 70% of whites).

Parole decisions

Certain aspects of the criminal justice system have changed in recent decades. One example: Some states now use criminal risk assessments to assist with parole decisions. These assessments involve collecting data about people who are up for parole, comparing that data with data about other people who have been convicted of crimes, and then assigning inmates a score to help decide whether they should be released from prison or not.

A 2018 survey asked Americans whether they felt the use of criminal risk assessments in parole decisions was an acceptable use of algorithmic decision-making. A 61% majority of black adults said using these assessments is unfair to people in parole hearings, compared with 49% of white adults.

Voting rights for ex-felons

Blacks more likely than whites to favor allowing people convicted of felonies to vote after serving their sentences

States differ widely when it comes to allowing people with past felony convictions to vote. In 12 states, people with certain felony convictions can lose the right to vote indefinitely unless other criteria – such as receiving a pardon from the governor – are met, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures . In Maine and Vermont, by contrast, those with felony convictions never lose the right to vote, even while they are incarcerated. Twenty-two states fall somewhere between these positions, rescinding voting rights only during incarceration and for a period afterward, such as when former inmates are on parole.

In a fall 2018 survey , 69% of Americans favored allowing people convicted of felonies to vote after serving their sentences. Black adults were much more likely than white adults to somewhat or strongly favor this approach (83% vs. 68%).

  • Black Americans
  • Discrimination & Prejudice
  • Race & Ethnicity
  • Race, Ethnicity & Politics
  • Racial Bias & Discrimination

Download John Gramlich's photo

John Gramlich is an associate director at Pew Research Center .

Race and LGBTQ Issues in K-12 Schools

Who are you the art and science of measuring identity, facts about the u.s. black population, 22 states have ever elected a black woman to congress, trust in america: do americans trust the police, most popular.

901 E St. NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20004 USA (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax (+1) 202-419-4372 |  Media Inquiries

Research Topics

  • Email Newsletters

ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER  Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of  The Pew Charitable Trusts .

© 2024 Pew Research Center

  • Search Menu

Sign in through your institution

  • Browse content in Arts and Humanities
  • Browse content in Archaeology
  • Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Archaeology
  • Archaeological Methodology and Techniques
  • Archaeology by Region
  • Archaeology of Religion
  • Archaeology of Trade and Exchange
  • Biblical Archaeology
  • Contemporary and Public Archaeology
  • Environmental Archaeology
  • Historical Archaeology
  • History and Theory of Archaeology
  • Industrial Archaeology
  • Landscape Archaeology
  • Mortuary Archaeology
  • Prehistoric Archaeology
  • Underwater Archaeology
  • Zooarchaeology
  • Browse content in Architecture
  • Architectural Structure and Design
  • History of Architecture
  • Residential and Domestic Buildings
  • Theory of Architecture
  • Browse content in Art
  • Art Subjects and Themes
  • History of Art
  • Industrial and Commercial Art
  • Theory of Art
  • Biographical Studies
  • Byzantine Studies
  • Browse content in Classical Studies
  • Classical History
  • Classical Philosophy
  • Classical Mythology
  • Classical Numismatics
  • Classical Literature
  • Classical Reception
  • Classical Art and Architecture
  • Classical Oratory and Rhetoric
  • Greek and Roman Epigraphy
  • Greek and Roman Law
  • Greek and Roman Papyrology
  • Greek and Roman Archaeology
  • Late Antiquity
  • Religion in the Ancient World
  • Social History
  • Digital Humanities
  • Browse content in History
  • Colonialism and Imperialism
  • Diplomatic History
  • Environmental History
  • Genealogy, Heraldry, Names, and Honours
  • Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing
  • Historical Geography
  • History by Period
  • History of Emotions
  • History of Agriculture
  • History of Education
  • History of Gender and Sexuality
  • Industrial History
  • Intellectual History
  • International History
  • Labour History
  • Legal and Constitutional History
  • Local and Family History
  • Maritime History
  • Military History
  • National Liberation and Post-Colonialism
  • Oral History
  • Political History
  • Public History
  • Regional and National History
  • Revolutions and Rebellions
  • Slavery and Abolition of Slavery
  • Social and Cultural History
  • Theory, Methods, and Historiography
  • Urban History
  • World History
  • Browse content in Language Teaching and Learning
  • Language Learning (Specific Skills)
  • Language Teaching Theory and Methods
  • Browse content in Linguistics
  • Applied Linguistics
  • Cognitive Linguistics
  • Computational Linguistics
  • Forensic Linguistics
  • Grammar, Syntax and Morphology
  • Historical and Diachronic Linguistics
  • History of English
  • Language Acquisition
  • Language Evolution
  • Language Reference
  • Language Variation
  • Language Families
  • Lexicography
  • Linguistic Anthropology
  • Linguistic Theories
  • Linguistic Typology
  • Phonetics and Phonology
  • Psycholinguistics
  • Sociolinguistics
  • Translation and Interpretation
  • Writing Systems
  • Browse content in Literature
  • Bibliography
  • Children's Literature Studies
  • Literary Studies (Asian)
  • Literary Studies (European)
  • Literary Studies (Eco-criticism)
  • Literary Studies (Romanticism)
  • Literary Studies (American)
  • Literary Studies (Modernism)
  • Literary Studies - World
  • Literary Studies (1500 to 1800)
  • Literary Studies (19th Century)
  • Literary Studies (20th Century onwards)
  • Literary Studies (African American Literature)
  • Literary Studies (British and Irish)
  • Literary Studies (Early and Medieval)
  • Literary Studies (Fiction, Novelists, and Prose Writers)
  • Literary Studies (Gender Studies)
  • Literary Studies (Graphic Novels)
  • Literary Studies (History of the Book)
  • Literary Studies (Plays and Playwrights)
  • Literary Studies (Poetry and Poets)
  • Literary Studies (Postcolonial Literature)
  • Literary Studies (Queer Studies)
  • Literary Studies (Science Fiction)
  • Literary Studies (Travel Literature)
  • Literary Studies (War Literature)
  • Literary Studies (Women's Writing)
  • Literary Theory and Cultural Studies
  • Mythology and Folklore
  • Shakespeare Studies and Criticism
  • Browse content in Media Studies
  • Browse content in Music
  • Applied Music
  • Dance and Music
  • Ethics in Music
  • Ethnomusicology
  • Gender and Sexuality in Music
  • Medicine and Music
  • Music Cultures
  • Music and Religion
  • Music and Media
  • Music and Culture
  • Music Education and Pedagogy
  • Music Theory and Analysis
  • Musical Scores, Lyrics, and Libretti
  • Musical Structures, Styles, and Techniques
  • Musicology and Music History
  • Performance Practice and Studies
  • Race and Ethnicity in Music
  • Sound Studies
  • Browse content in Performing Arts
  • Browse content in Philosophy
  • Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art
  • Epistemology
  • Feminist Philosophy
  • History of Western Philosophy
  • Metaphysics
  • Moral Philosophy
  • Non-Western Philosophy
  • Philosophy of Science
  • Philosophy of Language
  • Philosophy of Mind
  • Philosophy of Perception
  • Philosophy of Action
  • Philosophy of Law
  • Philosophy of Religion
  • Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic
  • Practical Ethics
  • Social and Political Philosophy
  • Browse content in Religion
  • Biblical Studies
  • Christianity
  • East Asian Religions
  • History of Religion
  • Judaism and Jewish Studies
  • Qumran Studies
  • Religion and Education
  • Religion and Health
  • Religion and Politics
  • Religion and Science
  • Religion and Law
  • Religion and Art, Literature, and Music
  • Religious Studies
  • Browse content in Society and Culture
  • Cookery, Food, and Drink
  • Cultural Studies
  • Customs and Traditions
  • Ethical Issues and Debates
  • Hobbies, Games, Arts and Crafts
  • Natural world, Country Life, and Pets
  • Popular Beliefs and Controversial Knowledge
  • Sports and Outdoor Recreation
  • Technology and Society
  • Travel and Holiday
  • Visual Culture
  • Browse content in Law
  • Arbitration
  • Browse content in Company and Commercial Law
  • Commercial Law
  • Company Law
  • Browse content in Comparative Law
  • Systems of Law
  • Competition Law
  • Browse content in Constitutional and Administrative Law
  • Government Powers
  • Judicial Review
  • Local Government Law
  • Military and Defence Law
  • Parliamentary and Legislative Practice
  • Construction Law
  • Contract Law
  • Browse content in Criminal Law
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Criminal Evidence Law
  • Sentencing and Punishment
  • Employment and Labour Law
  • Environment and Energy Law
  • Browse content in Financial Law
  • Banking Law
  • Insolvency Law
  • History of Law
  • Human Rights and Immigration
  • Intellectual Property Law
  • Browse content in International Law
  • Private International Law and Conflict of Laws
  • Public International Law
  • IT and Communications Law
  • Jurisprudence and Philosophy of Law
  • Law and Politics
  • Law and Society
  • Browse content in Legal System and Practice
  • Courts and Procedure
  • Legal Skills and Practice
  • Legal System - Costs and Funding
  • Primary Sources of Law
  • Regulation of Legal Profession
  • Medical and Healthcare Law
  • Browse content in Policing
  • Criminal Investigation and Detection
  • Police and Security Services
  • Police Procedure and Law
  • Police Regional Planning
  • Browse content in Property Law
  • Personal Property Law
  • Restitution
  • Study and Revision
  • Terrorism and National Security Law
  • Browse content in Trusts Law
  • Wills and Probate or Succession
  • Browse content in Medicine and Health
  • Browse content in Allied Health Professions
  • Arts Therapies
  • Clinical Science
  • Dietetics and Nutrition
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Operating Department Practice
  • Physiotherapy
  • Radiography
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Browse content in Anaesthetics
  • General Anaesthesia
  • Browse content in Clinical Medicine
  • Acute Medicine
  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Clinical Genetics
  • Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
  • Dermatology
  • Endocrinology and Diabetes
  • Gastroenterology
  • Genito-urinary Medicine
  • Geriatric Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Medical Toxicology
  • Medical Oncology
  • Pain Medicine
  • Palliative Medicine
  • Rehabilitation Medicine
  • Respiratory Medicine and Pulmonology
  • Rheumatology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Sports and Exercise Medicine
  • Clinical Neuroscience
  • Community Medical Services
  • Critical Care
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Forensic Medicine
  • Haematology
  • History of Medicine
  • Browse content in Medical Dentistry
  • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Paediatric Dentistry
  • Restorative Dentistry and Orthodontics
  • Surgical Dentistry
  • Browse content in Medical Skills
  • Clinical Skills
  • Communication Skills
  • Nursing Skills
  • Surgical Skills
  • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Statistics and Methodology
  • Browse content in Neurology
  • Clinical Neurophysiology
  • Neuropathology
  • Nursing Studies
  • Browse content in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
  • Gynaecology
  • Occupational Medicine
  • Ophthalmology
  • Otolaryngology (ENT)
  • Browse content in Paediatrics
  • Neonatology
  • Browse content in Pathology
  • Chemical Pathology
  • Clinical Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics
  • Histopathology
  • Medical Microbiology and Virology
  • Patient Education and Information
  • Browse content in Pharmacology
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Browse content in Popular Health
  • Caring for Others
  • Complementary and Alternative Medicine
  • Self-help and Personal Development
  • Browse content in Preclinical Medicine
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology and Genetics
  • Reproduction, Growth and Development
  • Primary Care
  • Professional Development in Medicine
  • Browse content in Psychiatry
  • Addiction Medicine
  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Forensic Psychiatry
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Old Age Psychiatry
  • Psychotherapy
  • Browse content in Public Health and Epidemiology
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health
  • Browse content in Radiology
  • Clinical Radiology
  • Interventional Radiology
  • Nuclear Medicine
  • Radiation Oncology
  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Browse content in Surgery
  • Cardiothoracic Surgery
  • Gastro-intestinal and Colorectal Surgery
  • General Surgery
  • Neurosurgery
  • Paediatric Surgery
  • Peri-operative Care
  • Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
  • Surgical Oncology
  • Transplant Surgery
  • Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Browse content in Science and Mathematics
  • Browse content in Biological Sciences
  • Aquatic Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Ecology and Conservation
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genetics and Genomics
  • Microbiology
  • Molecular and Cell Biology
  • Natural History
  • Plant Sciences and Forestry
  • Research Methods in Life Sciences
  • Structural Biology
  • Systems Biology
  • Zoology and Animal Sciences
  • Browse content in Chemistry
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Computational Chemistry
  • Crystallography
  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Industrial Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry
  • Materials Chemistry
  • Medicinal Chemistry
  • Mineralogy and Gems
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Physical Chemistry
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Study and Communication Skills in Chemistry
  • Theoretical Chemistry
  • Browse content in Computer Science
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Computer Architecture and Logic Design
  • Game Studies
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Mathematical Theory of Computation
  • Programming Languages
  • Software Engineering
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • Virtual Reality
  • Browse content in Computing
  • Business Applications
  • Computer Security
  • Computer Games
  • Computer Networking and Communications
  • Digital Lifestyle
  • Graphical and Digital Media Applications
  • Operating Systems
  • Browse content in Earth Sciences and Geography
  • Atmospheric Sciences
  • Environmental Geography
  • Geology and the Lithosphere
  • Maps and Map-making
  • Meteorology and Climatology
  • Oceanography and Hydrology
  • Palaeontology
  • Physical Geography and Topography
  • Regional Geography
  • Soil Science
  • Urban Geography
  • Browse content in Engineering and Technology
  • Agriculture and Farming
  • Biological Engineering
  • Civil Engineering, Surveying, and Building
  • Electronics and Communications Engineering
  • Energy Technology
  • Engineering (General)
  • Environmental Science, Engineering, and Technology
  • History of Engineering and Technology
  • Mechanical Engineering and Materials
  • Technology of Industrial Chemistry
  • Transport Technology and Trades
  • Browse content in Environmental Science
  • Applied Ecology (Environmental Science)
  • Conservation of the Environment (Environmental Science)
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Environmentalist Thought and Ideology (Environmental Science)
  • Management of Land and Natural Resources (Environmental Science)
  • Natural Disasters (Environmental Science)
  • Nuclear Issues (Environmental Science)
  • Pollution and Threats to the Environment (Environmental Science)
  • Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Environmental Science)
  • History of Science and Technology
  • Browse content in Materials Science
  • Ceramics and Glasses
  • Composite Materials
  • Metals, Alloying, and Corrosion
  • Nanotechnology
  • Browse content in Mathematics
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Biomathematics and Statistics
  • History of Mathematics
  • Mathematical Education
  • Mathematical Finance
  • Mathematical Analysis
  • Numerical and Computational Mathematics
  • Probability and Statistics
  • Pure Mathematics
  • Browse content in Neuroscience
  • Cognition and Behavioural Neuroscience
  • Development of the Nervous System
  • Disorders of the Nervous System
  • History of Neuroscience
  • Invertebrate Neurobiology
  • Molecular and Cellular Systems
  • Neuroendocrinology and Autonomic Nervous System
  • Neuroscientific Techniques
  • Sensory and Motor Systems
  • Browse content in Physics
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
  • Biological and Medical Physics
  • Classical Mechanics
  • Computational Physics
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Electromagnetism, Optics, and Acoustics
  • History of Physics
  • Mathematical and Statistical Physics
  • Measurement Science
  • Nuclear Physics
  • Particles and Fields
  • Plasma Physics
  • Quantum Physics
  • Relativity and Gravitation
  • Semiconductor and Mesoscopic Physics
  • Browse content in Psychology
  • Affective Sciences
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Criminal and Forensic Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Educational Psychology
  • Evolutionary Psychology
  • Health Psychology
  • History and Systems in Psychology
  • Music Psychology
  • Neuropsychology
  • Organizational Psychology
  • Psychological Assessment and Testing
  • Psychology of Human-Technology Interaction
  • Psychology Professional Development and Training
  • Research Methods in Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Browse content in Social Sciences
  • Browse content in Anthropology
  • Anthropology of Religion
  • Human Evolution
  • Medical Anthropology
  • Physical Anthropology
  • Regional Anthropology
  • Social and Cultural Anthropology
  • Theory and Practice of Anthropology
  • Browse content in Business and Management
  • Business Strategy
  • Business Ethics
  • Business History
  • Business and Government
  • Business and Technology
  • Business and the Environment
  • Comparative Management
  • Corporate Governance
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Health Management
  • Human Resource Management
  • Industrial and Employment Relations
  • Industry Studies
  • Information and Communication Technologies
  • International Business
  • Knowledge Management
  • Management and Management Techniques
  • Operations Management
  • Organizational Theory and Behaviour
  • Pensions and Pension Management
  • Public and Nonprofit Management
  • Social Issues in Business and Management
  • Strategic Management
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Browse content in Criminology and Criminal Justice
  • Criminal Justice
  • Criminology
  • Forms of Crime
  • International and Comparative Criminology
  • Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice
  • Development Studies
  • Browse content in Economics
  • Agricultural, Environmental, and Natural Resource Economics
  • Asian Economics
  • Behavioural Finance
  • Behavioural Economics and Neuroeconomics
  • Econometrics and Mathematical Economics
  • Economic Systems
  • Economic History
  • Economic Methodology
  • Economic Development and Growth
  • Financial Markets
  • Financial Institutions and Services
  • General Economics and Teaching
  • Health, Education, and Welfare
  • History of Economic Thought
  • International Economics
  • Labour and Demographic Economics
  • Law and Economics
  • Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics
  • Microeconomics
  • Public Economics
  • Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics
  • Welfare Economics
  • Browse content in Education
  • Adult Education and Continuous Learning
  • Care and Counselling of Students
  • Early Childhood and Elementary Education
  • Educational Equipment and Technology
  • Educational Strategies and Policy
  • Higher and Further Education
  • Organization and Management of Education
  • Philosophy and Theory of Education
  • Schools Studies
  • Secondary Education
  • Teaching of a Specific Subject
  • Teaching of Specific Groups and Special Educational Needs
  • Teaching Skills and Techniques
  • Browse content in Environment
  • Applied Ecology (Social Science)
  • Climate Change
  • Conservation of the Environment (Social Science)
  • Environmentalist Thought and Ideology (Social Science)
  • Management of Land and Natural Resources (Social Science)
  • Natural Disasters (Environment)
  • Pollution and Threats to the Environment (Social Science)
  • Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Social Science)
  • Sustainability
  • Browse content in Human Geography
  • Cultural Geography
  • Economic Geography
  • Political Geography
  • Browse content in Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Communication Studies
  • Museums, Libraries, and Information Sciences
  • Browse content in Politics
  • African Politics
  • Asian Politics
  • Chinese Politics
  • Comparative Politics
  • Conflict Politics
  • Elections and Electoral Studies
  • Environmental Politics
  • Ethnic Politics
  • European Union
  • Foreign Policy
  • Gender and Politics
  • Human Rights and Politics
  • Indian Politics
  • International Relations
  • International Organization (Politics)
  • Irish Politics
  • Latin American Politics
  • Middle Eastern Politics
  • Political Methodology
  • Political Communication
  • Political Philosophy
  • Political Sociology
  • Political Behaviour
  • Political Economy
  • Political Institutions
  • Political Theory
  • Politics and Law
  • Politics of Development
  • Public Administration
  • Public Policy
  • Qualitative Political Methodology
  • Quantitative Political Methodology
  • Regional Political Studies
  • Russian Politics
  • Security Studies
  • State and Local Government
  • UK Politics
  • US Politics
  • Browse content in Regional and Area Studies
  • African Studies
  • Asian Studies
  • East Asian Studies
  • Japanese Studies
  • Latin American Studies
  • Middle Eastern Studies
  • Native American Studies
  • Scottish Studies
  • Browse content in Research and Information
  • Research Methods
  • Browse content in Social Work
  • Addictions and Substance Misuse
  • Adoption and Fostering
  • Care of the Elderly
  • Child and Adolescent Social Work
  • Couple and Family Social Work
  • Direct Practice and Clinical Social Work
  • Emergency Services
  • Human Behaviour and the Social Environment
  • International and Global Issues in Social Work
  • Mental and Behavioural Health
  • Social Justice and Human Rights
  • Social Policy and Advocacy
  • Social Work and Crime and Justice
  • Social Work Macro Practice
  • Social Work Practice Settings
  • Social Work Research and Evidence-based Practice
  • Welfare and Benefit Systems
  • Browse content in Sociology
  • Childhood Studies
  • Community Development
  • Comparative and Historical Sociology
  • Disability Studies
  • Economic Sociology
  • Gender and Sexuality
  • Gerontology and Ageing
  • Health, Illness, and Medicine
  • Marriage and the Family
  • Migration Studies
  • Occupations, Professions, and Work
  • Organizations
  • Population and Demography
  • Race and Ethnicity
  • Social Theory
  • Social Movements and Social Change
  • Social Research and Statistics
  • Social Stratification, Inequality, and Mobility
  • Sociology of Religion
  • Sociology of Education
  • Sport and Leisure
  • Urban and Rural Studies
  • Browse content in Warfare and Defence
  • Defence Strategy, Planning, and Research
  • Land Forces and Warfare
  • Military Administration
  • Military Life and Institutions
  • Naval Forces and Warfare
  • Other Warfare and Defence Issues
  • Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
  • Weapons and Equipment

What is Criminology?

  • < Previous chapter
  • Next chapter >

What is Criminology?

26 Why Compare Criminal Justice?

  • Published: January 2011
  • Cite Icon Cite
  • Permissions Icon Permissions

Comparative studies of criminal justice seek to describe, explain, interpret, and evaluate differences in the way offensive conduct is defined and sanctioned. We may, for example, be interested in differences in what is and is not forbidden, in the justifications of punishment or regulation, in measures used to deal with deviant conduct, in who is involved in the process (e.g,, lay people or private business), or in how crime and criminal justice are reported by the media. It is easy enough to find striking examples of contrasts in criminal justice. The United States is still sending people to their death in the electric chair but, in 2008, a fairground owner in Italy was convicted of a crime against public decency for exhibiting a pretend electric chair. But what is less clear is how these could contribute to make up a coherent subject-matter. What is the comparative analysis of criminal justice (good) for? This chapter first describes some of the theoretical and policy goals of this subject and then goes on to discuss how far this sort of work can overcome the risks of ethnocentrism and relativism.

Personal account

  • Sign in with email/username & password
  • Get email alerts
  • Save searches
  • Purchase content
  • Activate your purchase/trial code
  • Add your ORCID iD

Institutional access

Sign in with a library card.

  • Sign in with username/password
  • Recommend to your librarian
  • Institutional account management
  • Get help with access

Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:

IP based access

Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.

Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.

  • Click Sign in through your institution.
  • Select your institution from the list provided, which will take you to your institution's website to sign in.
  • When on the institution site, please use the credentials provided by your institution. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.
  • Following successful sign in, you will be returned to Oxford Academic.

If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.

Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.

Society Members

Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:

Sign in through society site

Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:

  • Click Sign in through society site.
  • When on the society site, please use the credentials provided by that society. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.

If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.

Sign in using a personal account

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.

A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.

Viewing your signed in accounts

Click the account icon in the top right to:

  • View your signed in personal account and access account management features.
  • View the institutional accounts that are providing access.

Signed in but can't access content

Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.

For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.

Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.

Month: Total Views:
October 2022 7
November 2022 49
December 2022 17
January 2023 8
February 2023 31
March 2023 41
April 2023 18
May 2023 12
June 2023 8
July 2023 9
August 2023 30
September 2023 25
October 2023 9
November 2023 15
December 2023 3
January 2024 8
February 2024 25
March 2024 29
April 2024 8
May 2024 25
June 2024 1
July 2024 4
August 2024 2
  • About Oxford Academic
  • Publish journals with us
  • University press partners
  • What we publish
  • New features  
  • Open access
  • Rights and permissions
  • Accessibility
  • Advertising
  • Media enquiries
  • Oxford University Press
  • Oxford Languages
  • University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

  • Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
  • Cookie settings
  • Cookie policy
  • Privacy policy
  • Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

Writing Universe - logo

  • Environment
  • Information Science
  • Social Issues
  • Argumentative
  • Cause and Effect
  • Classification
  • Compare and Contrast
  • Descriptive
  • Exemplification
  • Informative
  • Controversial
  • Exploratory
  • What Is an Essay
  • Length of an Essay
  • Generate Ideas
  • Types of Essays
  • Structuring an Essay
  • Outline For Essay
  • Essay Introduction
  • Thesis Statement
  • Body of an Essay
  • Writing a Conclusion
  • Essay Writing Tips
  • Drafting an Essay
  • Revision Process
  • Fix a Broken Essay
  • Format of an Essay
  • Essay Examples
  • Essay Checklist
  • Essay Writing Service
  • Pay for Research Paper
  • Write My Research Paper
  • Write My Essay
  • Custom Essay Writing Service
  • Admission Essay Writing Service
  • Pay for Essay
  • Academic Ghostwriting
  • Write My Book Report
  • Case Study Writing Service
  • Dissertation Writing Service
  • Coursework Writing Service
  • Lab Report Writing Service
  • Do My Assignment
  • Buy College Papers
  • Capstone Project Writing Service
  • Buy Research Paper
  • Custom Essays for Sale

Can’t find a perfect paper?

  • Free Essay Samples
  • Criminal Justice

Essays on Criminal Justice

Your criminal justice essay may define criminal justice as the system that ensures that committed crime is followed by punishment. Said justice is delivered by the criminal justice system, which includes: legislative organs, courts, police, prison, prosecution, defense, etc. Many samples of criminal justice essays describe different bodies and steps within the criminal justice process. Authors of essays on criminal justice often state that criminal justice is concerned not only with providing suitable punishment for crimes but also with following rehabilitation of criminals and crime prevention. Criminal justice follows a set number of stages before punishment – starting with crime investigation, offender's arrest, preparation for trial, trial, sentencing, correction in a facility, following by rehabilitation. View criminal justice essay samples here so that your essay would be informative.

Impact of the Criminal Justice System on Economically Marginalized Youth Young men from economically marginalized neighborhoods cannot think of conviction of a crime without the thought of jail. Crossing paths with the criminal justice system can alter one’s life by limiting opportunities that come with having no criminal record. One such...

Criminal justice involves the study of matters revolving around the police, criminal courts, and other correctional institutions. Criminal justice is different from both criminology and from criminal law. The study of criminal justice was started in the United States back in the 20th century. The gap between the actual work...

Words: 1467

The Impact of Significant Events on the US Criminal Justice System The present term paper provided a timeline of five significant events that impacted the US criminal justice system. Besides, the influence that each event had on the justice system and the association between the different events was elucidated. The events...

Words: 1637

Human sexuality is the act of expressing intimacy and sexual sensation amongst human beings. A persons consent is based on acquiescence or compliance between the two parties. There are three types of consent; affirmative consent refers to a person’s express of word indicating agreement, free consent that is a person...

Witness identification is both the most common source of evidence in criminal cases and the highest cause of innocent convictions. Witness identification is an important source of evidence. The justice system has relied on it over the years as its primary source of evidence. Throughout its history, rules on witness...

Words: 1675

For many years, women have associated with various fields of criminal justice. While some jobs can be more challenging than others in this system, ladies can be similarly competent to carry out all jobs in the framework as any other individual (Martin " Jurik, 2006). Therefore, for to ladies to be...

Words: 1427

Found a perfect essay sample but want a unique one?

Request writing help from expert writer in you feed!

The Effects of Living in a Disadvantaged Neighborhood on Youth The youth growing up in a poor neighborhood often have a significantly reduced chance of proper development in life. The essence of this is associated with hardships experienced due to the negative impacts such as increased rate of crime, and poor...

Words: 1224

Introduction Victimology is the study of victims of crime and the relationships between offenders and the existing criminal justice system. The study of crime victims involves an analysis of crime and criminal behavior by taking different forms. The mainstream of victimology, however, solely focuses on crime victims with an emphasis on...

Words: 1779

Over the years, there has been a significant focus on the racial disparities among individuals that are confined to jails. According to research outcomes, there are indications of increasing number of Black Americans being taken to prison for committing various types of offences (Gramlich 2018). In some instances, the high...

Words: 1749

Ethics in Criminal Justice Ethics in criminal justice simply deals with the study of adherence of law enforcement agencies to the ethical behavior while executing their duties. The adherence to an ethical conduct is a very important aspect when it comes to law enforcement. This is because the agencies that enforce...

Words: 2432

Age is a critical issue and it influences whether a child is capable of standing a trial process and it determines possible punishments for specified ages of children. The age of criminal responsibility abbreviated as ACR denotes the lowest age a child must have to be prosecuted or penalized by...

Words: 3775

I gave birth to my son, Malik when I was sixteen. As confused as I was, I was determined not to let him grow up in a neighborhood where I had seen the extreme of violence both from the locals and the police. However, by the time he was getting...

Related topic to Criminal Justice

You might also like.

  • Subject List
  • Take a Tour
  • For Authors
  • Subscriber Services
  • Publications
  • African American Studies
  • African Studies
  • American Literature
  • Anthropology
  • Architecture Planning and Preservation
  • Art History
  • Atlantic History
  • Biblical Studies
  • British and Irish Literature
  • Childhood Studies
  • Chinese Studies
  • Cinema and Media Studies
  • Communication

Criminology

  • Environmental Science
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • International Law
  • International Relations
  • Islamic Studies
  • Jewish Studies
  • Latin American Studies
  • Latino Studies
  • Linguistics
  • Literary and Critical Theory
  • Medieval Studies
  • Military History
  • Political Science
  • Public Health
  • Renaissance and Reformation
  • Social Work
  • Urban Studies
  • Victorian Literature
  • Browse All Subjects

How to Subscribe

  • Free Trials

In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section Comparative Criminal Justice Systems

Introduction, general overviews.

  • Data Sources
  • Encyclopedias
  • Comparing Legal Traditions
  • Latin America
  • North America
  • Criminal Procedure Models
  • Adjudication
  • Juvenile Justice
  • Regional and International Cooperation

Related Articles Expand or collapse the "related articles" section about

About related articles close popup.

Lorem Ipsum Sit Dolor Amet

Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Aliquam ligula odio, euismod ut aliquam et, vestibulum nec risus. Nulla viverra, arcu et iaculis consequat, justo diam ornare tellus, semper ultrices tellus nunc eu tellus.

  • Crime and Justice in South Africa
  • Cross-National Crime
  • Therapeutic Jurisprudence
  • Transnational Crime

Other Subject Areas

Forthcoming articles expand or collapse the "forthcoming articles" section.

  • Education Programs in Prison
  • Juvenile Justice Professionals' Perceptions of Youth
  • Find more forthcoming articles...
  • Export Citations
  • Share This Facebook LinkedIn Twitter

Comparative Criminal Justice Systems by Philip Reichel LAST REVIEWED: 27 July 2016 LAST MODIFIED: 27 July 2016 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780195396607-0075

Research on comparative criminal justice systems focuses on the various ways political units attempt to maintain social order and accomplish justice. It is distinguished from comparative criminology, which focuses on crime patterns in two or more cultures and on testing—at the international level—theories about crime. It is also distinguished from comparative law, which includes private law and administrative law, as well as criminal law. When the focus is on the policies, practices, institutions, agencies, and people responsible for identifying, prosecuting, adjudicating, and punishing criminal law violators, criminal justice systems research is being done. It is comparative criminal justice systems research when two or more countries or legal systems are compared and contrasted. It is also common to consider the study of the legal system of a country other than one’s home country as being comparative criminal justice systems research. This guide to sources includes contributions helpful to research endeavors regarding the legal tradition into which particular legal systems might fall (see Comparing Legal Traditions ), research that compares features among specific countries or regions (see Comparing Countries ), or studies of specific procedures used in various countries (see Comparing Justice Procedures ).

Interest in comparative criminal justice studies has increased during the last several decades, and one result is the publishing of general texts that provide overviews of the field. Newman 1999 provides broad coverage of both comparative criminology and comparative criminal justice, whereas Dammer and Albanese 2014 and Terrill 2013 are textbooks designed to give both undergraduate and graduate students information about all aspects of the legal system in select countries. Rather than comparing specific countries, Reichel 2013 compares the key aspects of criminal justice systems (e.g., law, police, courts, corrections) by showing how each aspect operates in various countries. Internet sources are increasing popular in this area, and the Hauser Global Law School Program website is an especially good example of easy access to relevant sources with links to specific items. The increased availability of Internet sources devoted, at least in part, to comparative criminal justice is reflected in their appearance throughout this article.

Dammer, Harry R., and Jay S. Albanese. 2014. Comparative criminal justice systems . 5th ed. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

The revision of this best-selling book presents a comprehensive analysis of how various criminal justice systems throughout the world compare. Harry Dammer has extensively revised the text to reflect the latest trends and most up-to-date information on international juvenile justice, policing, and terrorism. By using a topical approach (examining various aspects of each system, such as policing, drugs, sentencing, and juvenile justice) rather than a country-by-country approach, the book gives students a more realistic understanding of the similarities and differences of each system. The authors use six “model” countries (China, England, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and France) to provide specific examples and explore historical, political, economic, social, and cultural influences on each system.

Hauser Global Law School Program .

From this index page, find options for “Comparative Law Research” (then select “comparative criminal procedure”) and “Foreign Law Research” (with links to legal and justice system information on more than 130 countries). Other links to “International Law Research” and “Tools for Building Foreign, Comparative and International Law Collections” are also helpful.

Newman, Graeme R., ed. 1999. Global report on crime and justice . New York: Oxford Univ. Press.

This report offers a history of the collection of criminal statistics at an international level. Crime trends and the operation of criminal justice systems are provided on a comparative basis, and emerging developments in crime and justice around the world are considered.

Reichel, Philip L. 2013. Comparative criminal justice systems: A topical approach . 6th ed. Boston: Pearson.

This book examines systems of law, police, courts, and corrections by using more than thirty different countries to show the diversity in legal systems around the world. This edition features more complete coverage of the Islamic legal tradition and information on reform in Japan and makes greater use of primary sources.

Terrill, Richard J. 2013. World criminal justice systems: A survey . 8th ed. Waltham, MA: Anderson.

Provides detailed information on the government, police, judiciary, law, corrections, and juvenile justice in six of the world’s most industrialized countries: England, France, Sweden, Russia, China, and Japan. Includes a chapter on Islamic law that uses Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkey as main examples.

back to top

Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content on this page. Please subscribe or login .

Oxford Bibliographies Online is available by subscription and perpetual access to institutions. For more information or to contact an Oxford Sales Representative click here .

  • About Criminology »
  • Meet the Editorial Board »
  • Active Offender Research
  • Adler, Freda
  • Adversarial System of Justice
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences
  • Aging Prison Population, The
  • Airport and Airline Security
  • Alcohol and Drug Prohibition
  • Alcohol Use, Policy and Crime
  • Alt-Right Gangs and White Power Youth Groups
  • Animals, Crimes Against
  • Back-End Sentencing and Parole Revocation
  • Bail and Pretrial Detention
  • Batterer Intervention Programs
  • Bentham, Jeremy
  • Big Data and Communities and Crime
  • Biosocial Criminology
  • Black's Theory of Law and Social Control
  • Blumstein, Alfred
  • Boot Camps and Shock Incarceration Programs
  • Burglary, Residential
  • Bystander Intervention
  • Capital Punishment
  • Chambliss, William
  • Chicago School of Criminology, The
  • Child Maltreatment
  • Chinese Triad Society
  • Civil Protection Orders
  • Collateral Consequences of Felony Conviction and Imprisonm...
  • Collective Efficacy
  • Commercial and Bank Robbery
  • Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children
  • Communicating Scientific Findings in the Courtroom
  • Community Change and Crime
  • Community Corrections
  • Community Disadvantage and Crime
  • Community-Based Justice Systems
  • Community-Based Substance Use Prevention
  • Comparative Criminal Justice Systems
  • CompStat Models of Police Performance Management
  • Confessions, False and Coerced
  • Conservation Criminology
  • Consumer Fraud
  • Contextual Analysis of Crime
  • Control Balance Theory
  • Convict Criminology
  • Co-Offending and the Role of Accomplices
  • Corporate Crime
  • Costs of Crime and Justice
  • Courts, Drug
  • Courts, Juvenile
  • Courts, Mental Health
  • Courts, Problem-Solving
  • Crime and Justice in Latin America
  • Crime, Campus
  • Crime Control Policy
  • Crime Control, Politics of
  • Crime, (In)Security, and Islam
  • Crime Prevention, Delinquency and
  • Crime Prevention, Situational
  • Crime Prevention, Voluntary Organizations and
  • Crime Trends
  • Crime Victims' Rights Movement
  • Criminal Career Research
  • Criminal Decision Making, Emotions in
  • Criminal Justice Data Sources
  • Criminal Justice Ethics
  • Criminal Justice Fines and Fees
  • Criminal Justice Reform, Politics of
  • Criminal Justice System, Discretion in the
  • Criminal Records
  • Criminal Retaliation
  • Criminal Talk
  • Criminology and Political Science
  • Criminology of Genocide, The
  • Critical Criminology
  • Cross-Sectional Research Designs in Criminology and Crimin...
  • Cultural Criminology
  • Cultural Theories
  • Cybercrime Investigations and Prosecutions
  • Cycle of Violence
  • Deadly Force
  • Defense Counsel
  • Defining "Success" in Corrections and Reentry
  • Developmental and Life-Course Criminology
  • Digital Piracy
  • Driving and Traffic Offenses
  • Drug Control
  • Drug Trafficking, International
  • Drugs and Crime
  • Elder Abuse
  • Electronically Monitored Home Confinement
  • Employee Theft
  • Environmental Crime and Justice
  • Experimental Criminology
  • Family Violence
  • Fear of Crime and Perceived Risk
  • Felon Disenfranchisement
  • Feminist Theories
  • Feminist Victimization Theories
  • Fencing and Stolen Goods Markets
  • Firearms and Violence
  • Forensic Science
  • For-Profit Private Prisons and the Criminal Justice–Indust...
  • Gangs, Peers, and Co-offending
  • Gender and Crime
  • Gendered Crime Pathways
  • General Opportunity Victimization Theories
  • Genetics, Environment, and Crime
  • Green Criminology
  • Halfway Houses
  • Harm Reduction and Risky Behaviors
  • Hate Crime Legislation
  • Healthcare Fraud
  • Hirschi, Travis
  • History of Crime in the United Kingdom
  • History of Criminology
  • Homelessness and Crime
  • Homicide Victimization
  • Honor Cultures and Violence
  • Hot Spots Policing
  • Human Rights
  • Human Trafficking
  • Identity Theft
  • Immigration, Crime, and Justice
  • Incarceration, Mass
  • Incarceration, Public Health Effects of
  • Income Tax Evasion
  • Indigenous Criminology
  • Institutional Anomie Theory
  • Integrated Theory
  • Intermediate Sanctions
  • Interpersonal Violence, Historical Patterns of
  • Interrogation
  • Intimate Partner Violence, Criminological Perspectives on
  • Intimate Partner Violence, Police Responses to
  • Investigation, Criminal
  • Juvenile Delinquency
  • Juvenile Justice System, The
  • Juvenile Waivers
  • Kornhauser, Ruth Rosner
  • Labeling Theory
  • Labor Markets and Crime
  • Land Use and Crime
  • Lead and Crime
  • LGBTQ Intimate Partner Violence
  • LGBTQ People in Prison
  • Life Without Parole Sentencing
  • Local Institutions and Neighborhood Crime
  • Lombroso, Cesare
  • Longitudinal Research in Criminology
  • Mandatory Minimum Sentencing
  • Mapping and Spatial Analysis of Crime, The
  • Mass Media, Crime, and Justice
  • Measuring Crime
  • Mediation and Dispute Resolution Programs
  • Mental Health and Crime
  • Merton, Robert K.
  • Meta-analysis in Criminology
  • Middle-Class Crime and Criminality
  • Migrant Detention and Incarceration
  • Mixed Methods Research in Criminology
  • Money Laundering
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
  • Multi-Level Marketing Scams
  • Murder, Serial
  • Narrative Criminology
  • National Deviancy Symposia, The
  • Nature Versus Nurture
  • Neighborhood Disorder
  • Neutralization Theory
  • New Penology, The
  • Offender Decision-Making and Motivation
  • Offense Specialization/Expertise
  • Organized Crime
  • Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs
  • Panel Methods in Criminology
  • Peacemaking Criminology
  • Peer Networks and Delinquency
  • Performance Measurement and Accountability Systems
  • Personality and Trait Theories of Crime
  • Persons with a Mental Illness, Police Encounters with
  • Phenomenological Theories of Crime
  • Plea Bargaining
  • Police Administration
  • Police Cooperation, International
  • Police Discretion
  • Police Effectiveness
  • Police History
  • Police Militarization
  • Police Misconduct
  • Police, Race and the
  • Police Use of Force
  • Police, Violence against the
  • Policing and Law Enforcement
  • Policing, Body-Worn Cameras and
  • Policing, Broken Windows
  • Policing, Community and Problem-Oriented
  • Policing Cybercrime
  • Policing, Evidence-Based
  • Policing, Intelligence-Led
  • Policing, Privatization of
  • Policing, Proactive
  • Policing, School
  • Policing, Stop-and-Frisk
  • Policing, Third Party
  • Polyvictimization
  • Positivist Criminology
  • Pretrial Detention, Alternatives to
  • Pretrial Diversion
  • Prison Administration
  • Prison Classification
  • Prison, Disciplinary Segregation in
  • Prison Education Exchange Programs
  • Prison Gangs and Subculture
  • Prison History
  • Prison Labor
  • Prison Visitation
  • Prisoner Reentry
  • Prisons and Jails
  • Prisons, HIV in
  • Private Security
  • Probation Revocation
  • Procedural Justice
  • Property Crime
  • Prosecution and Courts
  • Prostitution
  • Psychiatry, Psychology, and Crime: Historical and Current ...
  • Psychology and Crime
  • Public Criminology
  • Public Opinion, Crime and Justice
  • Public Order Crimes
  • Public Social Control and Neighborhood Crime
  • Punishment Justification and Goals
  • Qualitative Methods in Criminology
  • Queer Criminology
  • Race and Sentencing Research Advancements
  • Race, Ethnicity, Crime, and Justice
  • Racial Threat Hypothesis
  • Racial Profiling
  • Rape and Sexual Assault
  • Rape, Fear of
  • Rational Choice Theories
  • Rehabilitation
  • Religion and Crime
  • Restorative Justice
  • Risk Assessment
  • Routine Activity Theories
  • School Bullying
  • School Crime and Violence
  • School Safety, Security, and Discipline
  • Search Warrants
  • Seasonality and Crime
  • Self-Control, The General Theory:
  • Self-Report Crime Surveys
  • Sentencing Enhancements
  • Sentencing, Evidence-Based
  • Sentencing Guidelines
  • Sentencing Policy
  • Sex Offender Policies and Legislation
  • Sex Trafficking
  • Sexual Revictimization
  • Situational Action Theory
  • Snitching and Use of Criminal Informants
  • Social and Intellectual Context of Criminology, The
  • Social Construction of Crime, The
  • Social Control of Tobacco Use
  • Social Control Theory
  • Social Disorganization
  • Social Ecology of Crime
  • Social Learning Theory
  • Social Networks
  • Social Threat and Social Control
  • Solitary Confinement
  • South Africa, Crime and Justice in
  • Sport Mega-Events Security
  • Stalking and Harassment
  • State Crime
  • State Dependence and Population Heterogeneity in Theories ...
  • Strain Theories
  • Street Code
  • Street Robbery
  • Substance Use and Abuse
  • Surveillance, Public and Private
  • Sutherland, Edwin H.
  • Technology and the Criminal Justice System
  • Technology, Criminal Use of
  • Terrorism and Hate Crime
  • Terrorism, Criminological Explanations for
  • Testimony, Eyewitness
  • Trajectory Methods in Criminology
  • Truth-In-Sentencing
  • Urban Politics and Crime
  • US War on Terrorism, Legal Perspectives on the
  • Victim Impact Statements
  • Victimization, Adolescent
  • Victimization, Biosocial Theories of
  • Victimization Patterns and Trends
  • Victimization, Repeat
  • Victimization, Vicarious and Related Forms of Secondary Tr...
  • Victimless Crime
  • Victim-Offender Overlap, The
  • Violence Against Women
  • Violence, Youth
  • Violent Crime
  • White-Collar Crime
  • White-Collar Crime, The Global Financial Crisis and
  • White-Collar Crime, Women and
  • Wilson, James Q.
  • Wolfgang, Marvin
  • Women, Girls, and Reentry
  • Wrongful Conviction
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Legal Notice
  • Accessibility

Powered by:

  • [185.66.15.189]
  • 185.66.15.189

Criminal Justice - Essay Samples And Topic Ideas For Free

Essay topics on criminal justice are not easy. It requires much research and knowledge of the justice system of a particular country and the law rights of residents. This topic combines much information, but you should focus on one to reveal it well in your essay. For example, you can write about the United States criminal justice system: its foundation, laws, and punishments. Along with this, you can mention certain problems that touch on criminal law or how the government should react to a range of crimes. Also, you can explain the consequences of breaking the law.

To start such an essay is always difficult. There should be precise thesis statements that will be a focus throughout the entire research paper. It is essential to highlight it in the introduction so you will hook the reader and keep them interested until the end of the essay, its conclusion. If you don’t know what to start with, we recommend you get familiar with research paper examples about criminal justice. They will surely guide you in coming up with your own thoughts and assumptions of what problem to raise. Remember to get started with an outline that is a good predecessor for your successful essay. By doing so and studying essay examples on criminal justice, you will improve your writing skills.

Corruption of the Criminal Justice System

There is a long history report of police violence against civilians in the United States which has resulted in creating laws by the government so that citizens may find a way to find a possible solution when their rights are violated. Section 242 of the constitution allows police officers to be fined or even imprisoned for any law enforcer who deprives a person of their rights on the basis of their colour or race (Kevin). The corruption investigations done by […]

Three Problems of the Criminal Justice System and how to Fix them

The criminal justice system has an important role in society to maintain order and to ensure that law is equal and fair; no matter age, ethnicity, race, sex, or social economical status. Unfortunately, this is not true within the current judicial system. Racial discrimination, youth incarceration, and health related infirmities result from incarceration (Simonson, 2017). Three Problems of the Criminal Justice System and How to Fix Them There are many problems that plague our current criminal justice system. The problems […]

Gender Equality and Crime

The court and the Judiciary, in general, are guided by the basic principles of justice to all. Judges usually give rulings based on the rule of law with the intention of protecting the public, deterring crime, rehabilitating law offenders, punishing offenders and offering reparation to the victim. The principles of justice mean fairness, protecting the rights of all regardless of gender, race or religion. However, gender equality has been a significant issue for many years, and there has been a […]

We will write an essay sample crafted to your needs.

Dispute Resolution in Criminal Justice

In my class of Sociology of Criminal Justice, we are learning what happened socially in the United States to cause the criminal justice policy to change so dramatically into a punishment policy, where we deliver harsher punishment to individuals to incapacitate and deter them from committing punishment. The class also explores what the aspects are of this punishment policy and what the consequences have been for the past decades from this policy. One particular topic that has stuck with in […]

The Current Trends and Issues of Social Media and its Effects on the Criminal Justice System

Technology keeps changing and getting more and more in everybody's face we can't avoid it. With that being said the more it advances and what if has become from say 50 years ago takes a big effect on the criminal justice system in many ways. Now there are good and bad ways it affects it. A good way would be someone could record and officer doing something that is actually wrong and he gets in trouble for it or a […]

Gender and Crime

Gender has been attributed as one of the key factors that act a significant role in the crime patterns and the criminal justice systems. For a very long time, it has become a fact that women and men differ in their rates of committing crimes as well as their victimization pattern experience. However, from this report, we find that the victimization risk of violence among the male adults almost equal to that of female adults. My perception, however, is different […]

Presenting Juveniles as Adults in the Criminal Justice System

The word most frequently used to describe the growth in the rate of violent crime among children 17 years old and younger is epidemic. The alarming rate at which children are committing crimes has increased the amount of questions on what should be done with these juveniles. The National Center for Juvenile Justice states how “Every state but Hawaii now allows juveniles to be tried as adults for certain crimes,” so why are people struggling with laws allowing young offenders […]

How the Media Portray Crime and the Criminal Justice System?

Crime has become one of the most consumed topics in America media. Since the U.S citizens greatly believe, rely, and get fooled on whichever the media spit out to them mostly with anything regarding crime, therefore, they do not take a moment to find, think, and analyze what they have heard, watched, or read from the media to compare with statistical facts. Rather, they digest any news that is being released from the media as true and credible. In fact, […]

Juvenile Correctional Counselor

Introduction In the criminal justice system there are numerous available career opportunities one can choose. By definition, criminal justice is “the system of law enforcement, involving police, lawyers, courts, and corrections, used for all stages of criminal proceedings and punishment” (D. 2018). Any career one may choose will follow the three-tiered system found within criminal justice: law enforcement, the court system, or the correctional aspect of criminal justice. For this paper, I have chosen to discuss what entails the career […]

Latinos in Criminal Justice

Latinos have a large presence in America, and have for a long time. This large Latino presence is due to the freedoms that are afforded by the United States government since the founding of our nation. Latinos may come to The United States for many reasons, one reason that Latinos may have the desire to come to the states is due to the corruption and violence in Latin America and their home countries. Countries in Latin America may not be […]

Racial Profiling Within the Criminal Justice System

Abstract There are many different reasons for people to engage in criminal activities. Unfortunately, there is no way to pin point the source of crime. The purpose of this research paper is to reveal the influences that race has on the Criminal Justice System. More specifically, the researcher (Danielle Clarke) will be discussing the ethical issue of Racial Profiling within the criminal justice system.? Introduction Sampson and Wilson (1995) stated that, “The discussion of Race and Crime is mired in […]

Constitution of the United States and the Fourth Amendment

The method by which law enforcement should treat people is based on the Bill of Rights section of the Constitution of the United States. The Fourth Amendment protects individuals from unreasonable search by law enforcement. Police must show evidence, that a threat to public safety exists, and probable cause that a crime is, or will be, committed for courts to issue a search warrant. The details of the what, where, when and whom they are searching must be provided. Items […]

Women Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System

Veronica Sutton COUN 603 Prof. Clarisse Domingo October 20, 2018 Foundations of Mental Health Counseling Based on some estimates, as much as 50% of the U.S. prison population suffers from some form of mental illness. As a consequence, each year thousands of mentally ill men and women are sent to prisons because of limited community resources. Which, has lead to mass incarceration within correctional institutions that are poorly equipped to treat the mental ill as they are subjected to punishments […]

Spain Criminal Justice

Spain, one of the oldest and most successful countries in the world. One of the biggest countries in all of Europe, and one of the biggest tourist attractions in the world. The history of Spain can be traced back hundreds of years when monarchs ruled the country. Of course, over time many things have changed. The economy, politics, tourism, etc. But, one thing that obviously changed over time is there criminal justice system. How it has developed from the past […]

Careers in Criminal Justice

Education and Professional Law Enforcement The American police officer execrate a promise to defend and aid the people they embody. They are presented by the administration to implement the law by detaining offenders and sensing and averting misconducts. Germann (1967) commences by stating that “there was a time when the American policeman would be inclined to define his job and role in a very narrow fashion” (p. 603). However, he continues that policing obligations are no longer simple responsibilities necessitating […]

Supervision in the Criminal Justice Field

Abstract Law enforcement agencies understand the importance of a true partnership with the community. Positive relationships with some segments of the community are easier to come by than others. Most communities in America are rich with many different cultures. However, it is because of this diversity that many organizations struggle to build trust and secure relationships that lead to success. Law enforcement agencies have an obligation to make proactive efforts to bridge the divide between the officers and community. Existing […]

The Constitution of America and Laws

The constitution of America established fundamental laws and guaranteed certain rights for its citizens. It was written in 1787 that replaced the Articles Of Confederation which had been governing character of the United States. The law of the United States was predominantly gotten from the precedent based law arrangement of English Law. Nonetheless, U.S. law was drawn significantly from its English ancestors both as far as substance and method. It has fused various common law developments. It had proven a […]

Why is it Necessary to Teach Ethics in Criminal Justice Law Business and Medical

Babies are born into the world with no knowledge or understanding of what is “good” or “bad”. You learn from the world around you and the people within it, what constitutes “good” or “bad”. Ethics plays a major role in one’s daily routines, judgements, and decision making. Why do we study ethics? From previous lectures, there are so many people in the world that truly believe they are ethical, and live in moderation. Ethics is understanding the difference between good […]

Alaska Natives Criminal Justice System

In 1993 the Alaska Native Commissioned Report revealed that 32 percent of the state's incarcerated population is Alaska Native, even though Alaska Natives represent only 16 percent of the overall population. More recent reports have found that these number have not drastically changed (The Alaska State Offender Profile, 2015). In this paper I will briefly outline and address what some scholars, researchers, and reports have cited to explain why Alaska Natives are disproportionately represented in Alaska’s prison system, as well […]

U.S. Criminal Justice System Overview

Mr. President, I would like to thank you and your front office for taking the time to read about my concerns during such a busy sports season. I know you’ve grown particularly fond of basketball and football games since your presidency. I recently tried to reach out to you in my recent letter, but I have assumed it never arrived. As I have previously stated, I represent the many Americans who would like to discuss with you the current state […]

Is the Criminal Justice System Prejudicial?

At first, I thought that it is not. But after doing some research, I was convinced to believe the opposite. Prejudice can be defined as the preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience. Bias is the prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair. To introduce why I have come to believe that the criminal justice system is prejudicial, I want to […]

Source of Information about Crime

Violent wrongdoings (otherwise called violations against people) rule the vast majority's contemplations of wrongdoing and wellbeing. Regardless of criminal justice experts explanations that an individual's probability of being victimized little depends on him avoiding certain places, for instance, street gangs and drug peddler spots (Koper, Taylor, & Woods, 2013). This accumulation characterizes brutal violations as murder, persuasive assault, burglary, and irritated assault. Property violations are wrongdoings that are arranged as offenses against property. This incorporates robbery, theft, thievery, pyromania, misappropriation, […]

The Virtual Criminal Justice Alliance

The operational director for the visual security force Mr. James Dunbar has a very distinct job responsibility; some those responsibilities include dealing with prison reconstruction and decongesting those prison at large to minimize the high over population of those prison. Based on this, Mr. Dunbar has also partner with other entities to mitigate the risk of overcrowding of prison by advocating for other avenues such as private prisons and the community-based correction programs. This however, has enabled him to be […]

Criminal Justice System

Criminal justice is known to be the system exercises, and institutions of government mandated to sustain social control, discourage and lessen crime or sanction those violating the law through rehabilitation and subjecting them to criminal penalties. People who are accused of crime also have constitutional protections from abuse of prosecution and investigatory powers (Abdolsalehi, 2013). Law has the purpose of providing a set of rules which govern the conduct and order in society. The law provides the rights of the […]

Racism in Criminal Justice System

Scott Woods once said, The problem is that white people see racism as conscious hate, when racism is bigger than that. Racism is a complex system of social and political levers and pulleys set up generations ago to continue working on the behalf of whites at other people's expense, whether whites know/like it or not. Racism is an insidious cultural disease. It is so insidious that it doesn't care if you are a white person who likes black people; it's […]

“Just Mercy” is Bryan Stevenson’s Perspective on the American Criminal Justice System

Stevenson argues that the society should be aware rather than punishment. His personal stories share a representation of the criminal justice system. Stevenson is responsible for reducing the amount of wrongly accused victims. Throughout the story Just Mercy, the author, Bryan Stevenson, uses an optimistic tone. During cases, he would notice that things weren't going the way he expected. However, he still had hope in those situations. Bryan Stevenson uses real life experiences to bring awareness to incarceration. He uses […]

Care of the Mentally Ill in Prisons

A common problem facing the mentally ill inmates today is whether or not the use of restraints is safe and effective, or a deadly abuse of power. There are a plethora of articles that support either side, but in order to form an unbiased opinion, one must hear both arguments. There are several positive aspects of restraints. For example, when restraints are used inmates no longer have the ability to inflict damage upon oneself or others, additionally inmates are stabilized […]

Social Issues and Criminal Justice

The first key social issue is justice in the media. The subject of justice has become a hot topic in America this year, finding itself not only in the Criminal Justice field, but also addressed as in Social Justice, Racial Justice, and Economic Justice. In fact, Merriam Webster has chosen “justice” as its 2018 Word of the Year. It was chosen because it was searched 74% more times in 2018 than in 2017, and was the top-searched word this year […]

Racism and the U.S. Criminal Justice System

Introduction The primary purpose of this report is to explore racism issues in the United States justice system and addressing the solutions to the problem affecting the judicial society. Racism entails social practices that give merits explicitly solely to members of certain racial groups. Racism is attributed to three main aspects such as; personal predisposition, ideologies, and cultural racism, which promotes policies and practices that deepen racial discrimination. Institutional racism is also rife in the US justice system. This entails […]

Core Components of Criminal Justice System

When one looks at the criminal justice system core components, and their functions one can develop an understanding of how our country is able to balance justice if each core is applied properly. There are three cores of the American Criminal Justice system; police, courts, and corrections (Schmalleger, 2016). While many people may claim to know how each core component functions, many are like most that watch football games; they do know the role of each component on the field. […]

Related topic

Additional example essays.

  • Crime and the Why
  • Pros and Cons of Punishment vs. Rehabilitation in the American Criminal Justice System
  • The Murder of John Orner: Unveiling Justice Through Ballistic Forensics
  • Cons Police Discretion
  • Does the Death Penalty Effectively Deter Crime?
  • War On Drugs and Mass Incarceration
  • Leadership and the Army Profession
  • Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis
  • Compare And Contrast In WW1 And WW2
  • Why College Should Not Be Free
  • Shakespeare's Hamlet Character Analysis
  • A Raisin in the Sun Theme

How to Write an Essay About Criminal Justice

Understanding the criminal justice system.

Before writing an essay about criminal justice, it's important to understand the breadth and complexity of the criminal justice system. This system encompasses several institutions and processes established by governments to control crime and impose penalties on those who violate laws. Begin your essay by explaining the main components of the criminal justice system, typically including law enforcement, the judiciary, and corrections. Discuss the roles and functions of each component and how they work together to maintain law and order, protect citizens, and uphold justice. It's also important to consider various perspectives on the criminal justice system, including its effectiveness, fairness, and the challenges it faces.

Developing a Thesis Statement

A strong essay on criminal justice should be centered around a clear, concise thesis statement. This statement should present a specific viewpoint or argument about the criminal justice system. For instance, you might examine the impact of new technology on criminal investigations, analyze the challenges of prison overcrowding, or argue the need for reforms in the juvenile justice system. Your thesis will guide the direction of your essay and provide a structured approach to your topic.

Gathering Supporting Evidence

To support your thesis, gather evidence from a variety of sources, including academic research, government reports, and case studies. This might include statistical data on crime rates, research findings on criminal justice policies, or examples of criminal justice systems in different countries. Use this evidence to support your thesis and build a persuasive argument. Be sure to consider different perspectives and address potential counterarguments.

Analyzing Key Issues in Criminal Justice

Dedicate a section of your essay to analyzing key issues within the criminal justice system. Discuss current topics such as racial disparities in sentencing, the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs, or the impact of legal reforms. Consider both the theoretical aspects of these issues and their practical implications. Explore how these challenges affect not only the criminal justice system but also society as a whole.

Concluding the Essay

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points of your discussion and restating your thesis in light of the evidence provided. Your conclusion should tie together your analysis and emphasize the importance of continued study and reform in the field of criminal justice. You might also want to suggest areas for future research or action needed to address the challenges identified in your essay.

Reviewing and Refining Your Essay

After completing your essay, review and refine it for clarity and coherence. Ensure that your arguments are well-structured and supported by evidence. Check for grammatical accuracy and ensure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next. Consider seeking feedback from peers, educators, or criminal justice professionals to further improve your essay. A well-written essay on criminal justice will not only demonstrate your understanding of the system but also your ability to engage with complex legal and societal issues.

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

Criminal Justice Topics for Research Paper

Criminal Justice Topics for Research Paper: 300 Ideas to Get You Started

compare and contrast essay topics on criminal justice

Hey! My name is Phill, and as I entered the vast landscape of Criminal Justice Research Topics, the sheer diversity and complexity boggled my mind. I believe the feeling is similar to the one that you have right now! But don’t worry, I’m here to guide you and explain how you can ace an assignment on this subject matter effortlessly. 

In this post, I would like to present 300 hot topics in criminal justice for research papers that promise not just a scholarly endeavor but a thrilling expedition into the heart of contemporary legal discourse. Join me as we navigate the myriad facets of law, order, and societal dynamics in pursuit of knowledge that transcends the pages of academia. That’s why I decided to draw up a list of the best, in my humble opinion, topics across criminal justice for the readers of the EssayService blog. 

What is a Criminal Justice Research Paper

A criminal justice research paper is an academic document that studies various aspects of the legislative system, criminology, and related topics. These papers typically involve in-depth analysis, critical thinking, and the presentation of well-supported arguments or findings regarding research topics in criminal justice assigned to students in college. The scope of research papers can be broad, covering areas such as law enforcement, legal systems, corrections, juvenile justice, forensic science, criminal behavior, and societal responses to crime.

The purpose of a criminal justice research paper is to contribute new knowledge, insights, or perspectives to the field. Researchers may investigate specific issues, propose solutions to problems, analyze policies, or investigate the impact of laws and regulations. The format and requirements for such papers can vary depending on the academic level, institution, and specific assignment guidelines.

Overall, writing about good criminal justice research topics plays a crucial role in advancing our understanding of crime, justice systems, and related topics, and they are often an essential component of academic coursework in criminology and legislative studies.

compare and contrast essay topics on criminal justice

How to Choose a Criminology Topics For Your Research Paper

Whether tasked with conducting a literature review or critiquing the actions of law enforcement officers, it is essential to maintain a focused approach. A scattered presentation of ideas can obscure the thesis statement and dilute the overall message. The realm of criminology topics is both flexible and limited; it requires the formulation of hypotheses grounded in renowned legislative acts or case studies. To project confidence in criminal justice topics for research paper, choose a subject about which you feel sure, one that can be supported with articulate arguments or in a presentation project. A credible tone will captivate the audience's interest, ensuring continued engagement.

How to Choose a Criminology Topics

During the brainstorming phase, consider these questions to guide your selection of criminal justice research topics:

  • Is the chosen topic relevant enough in the context of research?
  • What personal significance does the research topic hold?
  • How does the idea contribute to global importance?
  • Can the written assignment be effectively translated into a speech?
  • Is it intended to be a comparison essay, a review, an analysis, or an argumentative paper?
  • What are the prevalent counter-opinions or perspectives?
  • Are there existing similar research works available for reference?
  • Does the chosen topic align with all the grading rubric points?
  • Is there a need for additional information or perspectives?

Once a suitable research topic is selected, it becomes crucial to adhere to formatting rules. This includes incorporating all necessary additional data, such as in court case studies and law memo reviews, which may require notes and appendix additions. For instance, if following the Chicago format style, it is imperative to ensure that full information is included. If you are encountering challenges in locating academic sources, feel free to reach out to our 24/7 essay writing service for assistance.

Criminal Justice Research Paper Outline

Let me provide you with a brief overview of an outline to guide you on the correct writing path when you decide on the criminal justice topics for research paper:

Introduction:

Following the identification of criminology research topics, the introduction takes the lead as the first section. It sets the stage by addressing the broader context of the issue, introducing the research question, outlining objectives, stating the study's aim, and presenting the thesis statement.

The body stands as the pivotal component of your paper, amalgamating critical examination and discussion on the chosen criminal justice research topics. Within the literature review section, you should succinctly summarize and elucidate the results of prior empirical research, showcasing how academic discourse surrounds and challenges the research problem. 

The methodology details the techniques employed for data collection and profiles of the participants in the research design. The findings section incorporates the results of your study, encompassing discoveries from both primary sources and the literature review. Finally, the discussion entails an analysis of the findings and examine their implications.

Conclusion:

Accompanying the conclusion, integrate a recommendation section that revisits the study problem and the thesis statement, emphasizing the key findings before proposing the next steps. If you ask me, I suggest you pay for research paper if you encounter any difficulties with an assignment. It will be faster this way!

Criminology Disciplines 

I think it's crucial to distinguish between the theoretical aspects and practical assignments in crime research. Theoretical discussions often revolve around legislation and should abstain from incorporating practical cases or historical references. On the other hand, the analysis of case studies or court hearings necessitates a focus on specific events. 

When a university professor highlights flaws and potential changes in the justice system, you can scrutinize both chronology and renowned legal cases, as exemplified in the ideas outlined below. The objective is to analyze what should be encompassed in a legislative government template and then draw comparisons with a specific case or event.

Disciplines within Law and Crime cover a spectrum of illegal acts, ranging from internet fraud to kidnapping and scientific plagiarism. As evident, a plethora of criminal justice research topics exists, contingent upon the type of focus. The challenge for many students lies in the varying formats of legal essay types. For instance, when delving into healthcare, it is advisable to address ethical concerns. Exploring cyberstalking should involve a comparative approach by juxtaposing it with traditional stalking practices.

To streamline the selection process of criminal justice research topics for college students, avoid amalgamating several topic ideas. Instead, I recommend opting for a focused argument that not only aligns with your discipline but also imparts originality and structure to your written assignment.

Types of Criminal Justice Research Methods

Criminal justice research employs various methods to investigate and analyze crime, law enforcement, legal systems, and other good research topics for criminal justice. Here are some common types of research methods:

criminal justice topic research

Surveys and Questionnaires:

  • Description: Researchers collect data through structured surveys or questionnaires distributed to individuals or groups.
  • Application: Used to gather information on public perceptions of crime, attitudes toward law enforcement, or experiences with the legislative system.

Interviews:

  • Description: In-depth conversations between researchers and participants, providing qualitative data.
  • Application: Useful for exploring personal experiences, opinions, and perspectives of individuals involved in the law system.

Observational Research:

  • Description: Directly observing and recording behaviors in a natural setting without interference.
  • Application: Often applied to study law enforcement activities, court proceedings, or the behavior of individuals within the legislative system.

Content Analysis:

  • Description: Systematic analysis of written, verbal, or visual communication to identify patterns or themes.
  • Application: Applied to examine media coverage of crime, legal documents, or courtroom proceedings.

Experimental Research:

  • Description: Controlled experiments to investigate cause-and-effect relationships.
  • Application: Less common in criminal justice due to ethical considerations, but can be used to study the impact of specific interventions or policies.

Case Studies:

  • Description: In-depth analysis of a specific case or situation.
  • Application: Useful for understanding the complexities of specific criminal incidents, legal cases, or law enforcement practices.

Meta-analysis:

  • Description: Systematic review and statistical analysis of existing research studies to draw overarching conclusions.
  • Application: Provides a comprehensive understanding of trends and patterns across multiple studies.

Longitudinal Studies:

  • Description: Data collected over an extended period to observe changes or trends.
  • Application: Applied to study the long-term effects of policies, interventions, or criminal behavior patterns.

Secondary Data Analysis:

  • Description: Utilizing existing datasets collected for other purposes.
  • Application: Cost-effective way to analyze pre-existing data, such as crime statistics or court records.

Action Research:

  • Description: Collaborative research involving practitioners to address real-world issues.
  • Application: Often employed to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of criminal justice programs or policies.

I advise aspiring researchers to choose a combination of these methods based on their research questions, available resources, and ethical considerations. Each method brings its own strengths and limitations to the field of legislative research.

Topics for Criminal Justice Paper

Get ready for cool and compelling criminal justice topics to write about that delve into the heart of law, crime, and the intricate workings of our justice system. From thought-provoking issues to intriguing case studies, we're about to embark on an intellectual journey that presents the fascinating complexities of the law landscape. So, buckle up because we're about to swoop into a world of captivating subjects that'll leave you eager to find out more. Let's get started!

List of Criminology Research Topics

  • The impact of social media on crime reporting and public perception.
  • Juvenile delinquency: Causes, trends, and intervention strategies.
  • Racial profiling in law enforcement: Examining patterns and solutions.
  • Cybercrime: Trends, challenges, and the role of technology in criminal activities.
  • The effectiveness of community policing in crime prevention.
  • Policies and their impact on recidivism rates.
  • The psychology of white-collar crime: Motivations and prevention.
  • Gender disparities in the criminal justice system: A comprehensive analysis.
  • The relationship between substance abuse and criminal behavior.
  • Restorative justice: Assessing its efficacy in modern legal systems.
  • Policing strategies in high-crime areas: Successes and challenges.
  • The role of mental health in criminal behavior and the justice system.
  • Human trafficking: Causes, trends, and countermeasures.
  • Firearms control policies: Impact on crime rates and public safety.
  • The connection between economic inequality and crime rates.
  • Hate crimes: Understanding motivations and combating prejudice.
  • The influence of media portrayals on public perceptions of crime.
  • Technology and crime: Analyzing the role of surveillance and privacy.
  • Environmental criminology: Exploring the link between space and crime.
  • Criminal profiling: Methods, controversies, and ethical considerations.

List of Controversial Topics in Criminal Justice System

  • Capital punishment: Examining the morality and effectiveness of the death penalty.
  • Mandatory minimum sentences: Critiques and alternatives.
  • Private prisons: Profit motives and ethical concerns.
  • Police militarization: Balancing public safety and civil liberties.
  • Stop and frisk: Racial profiling or necessary policing tool?
  • Three strikes laws: Deterrence or unjust punishment?
  • Firearms control and the Second Amendment: Striking a balance.
  • Civil forfeiture: Balancing law enforcement powers and property rights.
  • Juvenile life without parole: Sentencing for young offenders.
  • The war on illegal substances: Evaluating effectiveness and social impact.
  • Plea bargaining: Efficiency or erosion of justice?
  • Racial disparities in sentencing: Systemic issues and solutions.
  • Predictive policing: Balancing crime prevention and civil liberties.
  • Use of force by law enforcement: Accountability and reform.
  • Bail reform: Addressing socioeconomic disparities.
  • The insanity defense: Assessing legal and ethical dimensions.
  • Cybersecurity and digital privacy: Balancing crime prevention and civil liberties.
  • Zero tolerance policies in schools: Discipline or discrimination?
  • Immigration detention: Human rights concerns and reform.
  • Body cameras on police officers: Transparency and accountability.

List of Sociology Research Topics on Crime

  • The social construction of crime: Examining the influence of media and public perception.
  • Social disorganization theory: Understanding neighborhoods and crime rates.
  • Social stratification and crime: Exploring the link between poverty and criminal behavior.
  • Labeling theory: Analyzing the impact of stigmatization on offenders.
  • Social control and deviance: Assessing mechanisms to regulate behavior in society.
  • Gender inequality and crime: The intersection of social roles and criminal behavior.
  • Youth subcultures and delinquency: Exploring the influence of peer groups.
  • The impact of family structure on juvenile delinquency.
  • Community policing and social capital: Building trust in neighborhoods.
  • Social bond theory: Examining the role of relationships in preventing crime.
  • Cybercrime and society: Understanding the digital landscape of criminal behavior.
  • Environmental sociology of crime: Analyzing the impact of urban design.
  • White-collar crime and corporate deviance: Unraveling power structures.
  • Hate crimes: Exploring the social dynamics of prejudice and violence.
  • Immigration and crime: Debunking stereotypes and analyzing realities.
  • Social movements and reforms: The role of activism.
  • Political economy of crime: Investigating the links between economics and criminal behavior.
  • The sociology of prisons: Examining the impact of incarceration on individuals and communities.
  • Technology and crime prevention: Social implications of surveillance and security measures.
  • Environmental justice and crime: Analyzing disparities in environmental crimes.

List of Criminal Investigation Topics

  • Strategies for solving cold cases and investigating unsolved crimes.
  • The impact of DNA technology advancements on criminal investigations.
  • Balancing effectiveness and ethical considerations in undercover operations.
  • Utilizing forensic anthropology in the analysis of crime scenes.
  • Navigating challenges in cybercrime investigations within the digital landscape.
  • Ensuring the safety of key individuals through witness protection programs.
  • Comprehensive techniques for crime scene reconstruction and analysis.
  • Adhering to legal and ethical boundaries in the use of interrogation methods.
  • Identifying causes and patterns in arson investigations.
  • Understanding criminal motives through the analysis of behavioral profiling.
  • Tracing firearms and ammunition for investigative insights through ballistics analysis.
  • Extracting evidence from electronic devices in criminal cases through digital forensics.
  • Strategies for resolution and prevention in kidnapping and ransom investigations.
  • Unrooting and dismantling intricate structures in organized crime networks.
  • Motivations, impact, and strategies for prevention in hate crimes.
  • Navigating financial complexities in cases of white-collar crime investigations.
  • Identifying, exposing, and dismantling trafficking networks in human trafficking cases.
  • Profiling and analyzing in forensic psychology for criminal investigations.
  • Strategies for interdiction and prevention in illegal substance trafficking investigations.
  • Utilizing insects to determine the time of death in investigations through forensic entomology.

List of Police Topics Research Paper

  • The impact of community policing on crime prevention and community relations.
  • Racial profiling in law enforcement: Examining patterns, consequences, and solutions.
  • The use of body-worn cameras: Accountability and transparency in policing.
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of de-escalation training for police officers.
  • The relationship between police militarization and civil liberties.
  • Police use of force: Policies, accountability, and community implications.
  • The role of technology in modern policing: Opportunities and challenges.
  • Community-oriented policing: Building trust and collaboration with communities.
  • Police recruitment and diversity: Strategies for fostering an inclusive force.
  • The impact of stress and mental health on police officers: Support and intervention.
  • Policing in the age of social media: Challenges and opportunities.
  • The effectiveness of crime mapping in predictive policing.
  • The role of police unions in shaping law enforcement policies.
  • Examining the use of K-9 units in contemporary policing.
  • Police response to domestic violence: Policies and improvements.
  • The influence of public perceptions on police legitimacy.
  • The role of education in police training and professional development.
  • Police corruption: Causes, consequences, and preventive measures.
  • The implementation of restorative justice in policing.
  • The impact of firearms control policies on policing and public safety.

List of Gender and Crime Research Topics

  • Understanding the relationship between gender and juvenile delinquency.
  • The impact of gender bias in criminal sentencing.
  • Women in law enforcement: Challenges, opportunities, and experiences.
  • Gender-based violence: A critical analysis.
  • The intersectionality of race, gender, and crime.
  • The role of gender in criminal profiling and forensic psychology.
  • LGBTQ+ individuals: Challenges and disparities.
  • The portrayal of gender in crime media: Influences on public perceptions.
  • Gender-responsive approaches to rehabilitation in correctional settings.
  • The influence of gender on criminal behavior: Nature vs. nurture debate.
  • Human trafficking and gender: Examining the vulnerabilities and impact.
  • The role of masculinity in gang involvement and criminal activities.
  • The gendered nature of white-collar crime: Patterns and motivations.
  • Women and the death penalty: A comparative analysis of sentencing.
  • Gender disparities in illegal substance sentencing and rehabilitation outcomes.
  • The impact of gender on jury decision-making in criminal trials.
  • The experiences of transgender individuals.
  • Gender and cybercrime victimization: Patterns and prevention strategies.
  • The portrayal of female offenders.
  • The influence of gender on police use of force: Policies and implications.

List of Realistic Crime Research Topics

  • The impact of socioeconomic factors on street-level crime in urban environments.
  • Community-based crime prevention strategies: Evaluating effectiveness in diverse neighborhoods.
  • Patterns and trends in illegal substance trafficking within a specific geographic region.
  • The role of technology in facilitating and combating cybercrime in realistic scenarios.
  • White-collar crime in corporate settings: Analyzing motivations and consequences.
  • Human trafficking: Examining local and global dimensions and intervention strategies.
  • Police-community relations in economically disadvantaged areas: Challenges and solutions.
  • Restorative justice practices in realistic settings.
  • The effectiveness of rehabilitation programs for offenders reintegrating into society.
  • Factors influencing witness cooperation in realistic criminal investigations.
  • Criminal networks in organized crime: Structure, dynamics, and intervention.
  • Firearms violence in urban areas: Causes, consequences, and preventive measures.
  • The impact of legislative policies on recidivism rates.
  • Domestic violence intervention programs: Real-world outcomes and challenges.
  • The use of forensic evidence in solving real criminal cases.
  • Public perceptions of crime and safety in different neighborhoods.
  • The role of substance abuse in realistic criminal behavior.
  • Cybersecurity measures for small businesses: Realistic strategies and challenges.
  • Community policing in rural areas: Adapting to unique challenges and opportunities.
  • The relationship between mental health and criminality in practical contexts.

List of Criminal Justice Research Topics on Racism & Discrimination

  • Racial profiling in law enforcement: Examining its prevalence, consequences, and solutions.
  • Disparities in sentencing outcomes based on race and ethnicity within the legislative system.
  • The impact of systemic racism on access to legal representation and the quality of defense.
  • Discrimination against racial and ethnic minorities in the jury selection process.
  • The role of implicit bias in police interactions and its effects on minority communities.
  • The school-to-prison pipeline: Analyzing its disproportionate impact on minority youth.
  • Racial and ethnic disparities in pretrial detention and bail outcomes.
  • Discrimination in the application of death penalty sentences based on race.
  • The impact of racial and ethnic bias in plea bargaining negotiations.
  • Disproportionate use of force against racial and ethnic minorities by law enforcement.
  • The effects of racial and ethnic bias on eyewitness identification in criminal investigations.
  • Discrimination in the probation and parole system: Assessing its consequences.
  • Racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system: Causes and consequences.
  • The influence of media portrayal on public perceptions of racialized crime.
  • The role of institutional racism in shaping legislative policies and practices.
  • Discrimination against Indigenous peoples within the legislative system.
  • Hate crimes against racial and ethnic minorities: Patterns, motivations, and prevention.
  • The impact of racial and ethnic bias on criminal record expungement processes.
  • Discrimination in the use of solitary confinement in correctional facilities.
  • The role of restorative justice in addressing racism and discrimination.

List of Criminal Law Research Topics

  • The evolving landscape of cybercrime laws: Challenges and advancements.
  • Mental incapacity as a defense in criminal law: Legal and ethical considerations.
  • The impact of forensic evidence on criminal law proceedings.
  • Criminal liability for corporate entities: Legal frameworks and challenges.
  • Plea bargaining in criminal law: Analyzing efficiency and ethical implications.
  • The role of international law in addressing transnational crimes.
  • Emerging issues in criminal law related to technology and surveillance.
  • The intersection of criminal law and mental health: Legal reforms and challenges.
  • Comparative analysis of criminal laws related to illegal substance offenses globally.
  • Restorative justice in criminal law: Implementation and effectiveness.
  • The legal implications of emerging technologies in criminal investigations.
  • Criminal law responses to human trafficking: Evaluating global approaches.
  • Legal perspectives on juvenile justice and criminal responsibility.
  • The impact of criminal law reforms on sentencing guidelines.
  • The legal treatment of hate crimes: A comparative analysis.
  • International cooperation in the prosecution of war crimes.
  • Criminal liability for environmental offenses: Legal frameworks and challenges.
  • The legal implications of artificial intelligence in criminal law enforcement.
  • Gender and criminal law: Examining legal responses to gender-based crimes.
  • Legal perspectives on the use of lethal force by law enforcement.

List of Basic Criminal Justice Topics

  • The role of law enforcement in maintaining public safety.
  • Criminal investigations: Techniques and procedures.
  • The functions of the legislative system: Courts, corrections, and law enforcement.
  • Understanding criminal behavior: Causes and theories.
  • Juvenile justice: Policies and interventions for youth offenders.
  • The impact of technology on modern policing.
  • Criminal profiling: Strategies and ethical considerations.
  • The process of arrest and the protection of individual rights.
  • The importance of evidence in criminal cases.
  • Correctional facilities and rehabilitation programs.
  • The role of forensic science in solving crimes.
  • Criminal law: Elements, statutes, and legal procedures.
  • Community policing: Building trust and collaboration.
  • The history and evolution of legislative systems.
  • Legislative ethics: Balancing justice and fairness.
  • Victimology: Understanding and supporting crime victims.
  • The impact of illegal substances and abuse on crime rates.
  • Police discretion: Powers and challenges in decision-making.
  • Domestic violence: Legal responses and prevention strategies.
  • The role of law professionals in upholding the rule of law.

List of Research in Criminal Justice System

  • Assessing the effectiveness of community policing in crime prevention.
  • Examining the impact of technology on criminal investigations within the justice system.
  • Analyzing racial and ethnic disparities in sentencing outcomes.
  • Evaluating the role of restorative justice in a legislative reform.
  • Investigating the use of body-worn cameras in law enforcement agencies.
  • Understanding the factors influencing witness cooperation in criminal cases.
  • Assessing the implementation and outcomes of substance courts in the justice system.
  • Exploring the relationship between mental health and criminal behavior.
  • Studying the effectiveness of diversion programs for juvenile offenders.
  • Examining the role of plea bargaining in case resolution and court efficiency.
  • Investigating the impact of bail reform on pretrial detention practices.
  • Analyzing the challenges and opportunities of reentry programs for ex-offenders.
  • Assessing the use of artificial intelligence in predictive policing.
  • Studying the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs for incarcerated individuals.
  • Evaluating the impact of mandatory minimum sentencing on justice outcomes.
  • Exploring the use of alternative dispute resolution methods in the legislative system.
  • Investigating the role of forensic evidence in court proceedings.
  • Assessing the implications of police militarization on community relations.
  • Studying the dynamics of human trafficking and countermeasures within the justice system.
  • Examining the impact of legal reforms on addressing systemic issues in the legislative system.

List of Criminal Justice Debate Topics

  • The effectiveness and ethics of using predictive policing algorithms.
  • Debating the merits of mandatory minimum sentencing for certain crimes.
  • The role of private prisons in the legislative system.
  • Balancing individual privacy rights with the use of surveillance technologies.
  • The efficacy of the death penalty as a deterrent to violent crime.
  • Community policing: Advantages, disadvantages, and potential reforms.
  • The impact of legalizing recreational substances on crime rates.
  • The ethical implications of plea bargaining in criminal cases.
  • Reforming the juvenile justice system: Rehabilitation vs. punitive measures.
  • Debating the use of solitary confinement in correctional facilities.
  • Firearms control policies: Striking a balance between public safety and Second Amendment rights.
  • The role of mental illness in criminal culpability and sentencing.
  • Immigration and the legislative system: Addressing challenges and biases.
  • The impact of three-strikes laws on justice outcomes and prison populations.
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of diversion programs for non-violent offenders.
  • The use of military equipment by law enforcement: Necessity or excess?
  • Restorative justice: Its merits and challenges in the criminal justice system.
  • Bail reform: Addressing socioeconomic disparities and promoting fairness.
  • The effectiveness of rehabilitation vs. punishment in reducing recidivism.
  • The role of technology in facilitating wrongful convictions and ensuring justice.

List of Criminal Justice Research Topics about Court Cases

  • Analyzing landmark Supreme Court decisions and their impact on criminal justice.
  • The role of expert witnesses in influencing court verdicts.
  • Examining the impact of televised trials on the justice system and public opinion.
  • The use of forensic evidence in high-profile court cases.
  • Assessing the effectiveness of alternative dispute resolution methods in court proceedings.
  • Investigating the impact of jury selection methods on trial outcomes.
  • The role of eyewitness testimony in court cases: Reliability and challenges.
  • Analyzing the use of technology in courtrooms and its effects on trial procedures.
  • The impact of pretrial publicity on fair trial rights.
  • Evaluating the use of plea bargaining in court case resolution.
  • Examining the influence of judges' personal characteristics on sentencing decisions.
  • Analyzing the role of prosecutorial discretion in shaping court cases.
  • The use of DNA evidence in exonerating wrongfully convicted individuals.
  • Examining the intersection of mental health and court case outcomes.
  • The impact of legal precedent on shaping future court decisions.
  • Analyzing the role of public defenders in ensuring access to justice.
  • The use of social media in court cases: Opportunities and challenges.
  • Investigating the role of judicial independence in ensuring a fair trial.
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of court-mandated rehabilitation programs.
  • The impact of court decisions on shaping legislative policies.

List of Criminal Justice Research Topics in Types of Crime

  • White-collar crime: Analyzing motivations, trends, and regulatory responses.
  • Cybercrime and digital forensics: Investigating emerging threats and investigative techniques.
  • Substance trafficking and organized crime: Examining global networks and countermeasures.
  • Hate crimes: Understanding motivations, reporting challenges, and prevention strategies.
  • Human trafficking: Analyzing patterns, vulnerabilities, and international responses.
  • Juvenile delinquency: Assessing risk factors, interventions, and prevention programs.
  • Domestic violence: Legal responses, victim support, and prevention initiatives.
  • Environmental crimes: Examining regulatory frameworks and enforcement challenges.
  • Terrorism and counterterrorism: Evaluating strategies, impacts, and civil liberties concerns.
  • Corruption and bribery: Analyzing the legal landscape and global initiatives.
  • Financial crimes: Investigating fraud, money laundering, and regulatory responses.
  • Passion crimes and assaults: Understanding prevalence, reporting, and victim support.
  • Gang-related violence: Assessing causes, intervention strategies, and community responses.
  • Public order offenses: Examining policies and practices in handling disorderly conduct.
  • Corporate crime: Analyzing unethical business practices and legal consequences.
  • Arson and property crimes: Investigating patterns, motivations, and prevention efforts.
  • Cybersecurity threats: Evaluating the impact on individuals and organizations.
  • Public corruption: Analyzing cases, prevention measures, and legal responses.
  • Identity theft: Understanding risks, preventive measures, and law enforcement challenges.
  • Environmental crimes: Assessing illegal activities impacting ecosystems and natural resources.

List of International Criminal Law Research Topics

  • The effectiveness of international tribunals in prosecuting war crimes and crimes against humanity.
  • Analyzing the concept of universal jurisdiction in international criminal law.
  • The role of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in addressing transnational crimes.
  • Investigating challenges in extraditing individuals for international criminal offenses.
  • The impact of the Rome Statute on the development of international criminal law.
  • The prosecution of genocide: Legal frameworks and case studies.
  • Evaluating the role of non-governmental organizations in promoting international justice.
  • State responsibility for international crimes: Legal implications and enforcement mechanisms.
  • The evolution of customary international law in the context of criminal accountability.
  • Assessing the effectiveness of truth and reconciliation commissions in post-conflict societies.
  • The prosecution of terrorism as an international crime: Legal challenges and strategies.
  • Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its influence on international criminal law.
  • Examining the legal frameworks for addressing piracy and maritime crimes.
  • The intersection of international humanitarian law and criminal law in armed conflicts.
  • Corporate liability for international crimes: Legal developments and challenges.
  • The impact of technology on international criminal investigations and prosecutions.
  • The role of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) in combating transnational crime.
  • The extradition of individuals for crimes against humanity: Legal and diplomatic considerations.
  • Investigating the prosecution of environmental crimes as international offenses.
  • The role of international law in preventing and prosecuting crimes of aggression.

Let’s Sum It Up

In conclusion, I have to admit that selecting criminal justice topics for research papers is paramount. A personally intriguing subject not only fosters genuine enthusiasm but also drives a more profound exploration. I believe that choosing a theme that resonates with your interests ensures a more engaging and fulfilling research journey. 

As students, we thrive when delving into topics that captivate us, sparking curiosity and dedication. This personal connection not only enhances the learning experience but also yields more meaningful insights. 

What Is a PhD in Criminal Justice?

A Ph.D. in Criminal Justice is a doctoral-level academic degree that focuses on advanced research and expertise in various aspects of legislation, including criminology, law enforcement, corrections, and law policies. It typically involves in-depth study, original research, and the completion of a dissertation on one of the interesting criminal justice research topics, contributing to the field's theoretical and practical knowledge. Graduates with a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice often pursue careers in academia, research institutions, policy analysis, or leadership roles in legislative agencies.

What Are the Most Important Issues in Criminal Justice?

The most important issues include systemic issues such as racial and socioeconomic disparities, police-community relations, criminal sentencing reform, prison overcrowding, rehabilitation and reentry programs, and the use of technology in law enforcement. Additionally, addressing mental health in the legislative system and ensuring equal access to justice are critical concerns. This article contains such reliable criminal justice research topics for your inspiration.

Frequently asked questions

She was flawless! first time using a website like this, I've ordered article review and i totally adored it! grammar punctuation, content - everything was on point

This writer is my go to, because whenever I need someone who I can trust my task to - I hire Joy. She wrote almost every paper for me for the last 2 years

Term paper done up to a highest standard, no revisions, perfect communication. 10s across the board!!!!!!!

I send him instructions and that's it. my paper was done 10 hours later, no stupid questions, he nailed it.

Sometimes I wonder if Michael is secretly a professor because he literally knows everything. HE DID SO WELL THAT MY PROF SHOWED MY PAPER AS AN EXAMPLE. unbelievable, many thanks

New posts to your inbox!

Stay in touch

Home — Essay Samples — Law, Crime & Punishment — Criminology — Criminology/Compare & Contrast

test_template

Criminology/compare & Contrast

  • Categories: Criminology

About this sample

close

Words: 609 |

Published: Jan 31, 2024

Words: 609 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Definition and explanation of criminology, comparison of classical criminology and positivist criminology, comparison of individual and sociological theories of crime, comparison of crime prevention strategies.

  • Beccaria, C. (1764). On Crimes and Punishments. Dover Publications.
  • Lombroso, C. (1876). Criminal Man. Duke University Press.
  • Merton, R. K. (1938). Social Structure and Anomie. American Sociological Review.
  • Sherman, L. W., et al. (1998). Evidence-Based Crime Prevention. Routledge.

Image of Dr. Oliver Johnson

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

  • 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
  • Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

author

Prof. Kifaru

Verified writer

  • Expert in: Law, Crime & Punishment

writer

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 777 words

1 pages / 500 words

1 pages / 435 words

8 pages / 4122 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Criminology

Siegel, L. (2015). Criminology: Theories, Patterns, and Typologies (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.Vulnerable Youth and the Transition to Adulthood. (2009). Retrieved from  

The use of virtual simulations in psychological research has become increasingly popular in recent years. One such simulation, known as "Sniffy The Virtual Rat," has been used to study a wide range of behavioral and learning [...]

Serial killers have long fascinated and terrified society, often depicted in media as enigmatic figures driven by dark, inscrutable urges. While popular culture sensationalizes these criminals, it is crucial to delve into the [...]

Shaunna Rangel's theoretical analysis is a groundbreaking work that has contributed significantly to the field of . Rangel's research has provided valuable insights into . This essay will critically analyze Rangel's theoretical [...]

What drives criminals to do what they do? Do environmental factors have a big impact? And are the police good enough at reporting it clearly for the rest of society to understand criminals and crime in their own communities [...]

Karmen, A. (2016). Crime Victims: An Introduction to Victimology. Cengage Learning.Mawby, R. I. (2007). Victimology: A Text/Reader. Sage Publications.Von Hentig, H. (1948). The Criminal and his Victim: Studies in the [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

  • Instructions Followed To The Letter
  • Deadlines Met At Every Stage
  • Unique And Plagiarism Free

compare and contrast essay topics on criminal justice

IMAGES

  1. 🔥 How do you start a compare and contrast paper. Compare and Contrast Essay. 2022-10-04

    compare and contrast essay topics on criminal justice

  2. How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay

    compare and contrast essay topics on criminal justice

  3. How to write a Compare and Contrast Essay?

    compare and contrast essay topics on criminal justice

  4. Essay Singkat

    compare and contrast essay topics on criminal justice

  5. 80 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

    compare and contrast essay topics on criminal justice

  6. 80 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

    compare and contrast essay topics on criminal justice

VIDEO

  1. Week 2: Compare OR Contrast Essay

  2. Compare Contrast Essay Insight

  3. Criminology Unit 2 AC 1.1 PowerPoint (WJEC)

  4. Checks and Balances: How to Write an Effective Essay

  5. I'm Not Guilty! Ted Bundy in Denial #truecrime #tedbundy #history

  6. Watch this if you always procrastinate studying

COMMENTS

  1. 155 Criminal Justice Essay Topics

    A compare and contrast essay will ask students to consider two or more topics within the criminal justice system and identify their similarities and differences. Compare and contrast essays often require students to have a strong understanding of both topics in order to make effective comparisons.

  2. Diverse Criminology Essay Topics: Criminal Justice and Beyond

    Step 1: Understand the Field of Criminology. Begin by gaining a broad understanding of the field of criminology. Explore various sub-disciplines, theories, and contemporary issues in criminology. This will help you identify areas of interest and potential research gaps. Step 2: Identify Your Interests.

  3. Top Criminology Essay Examples

    Our blog post offers 12+ diverse and unique criminology essay examples to help students expand their understanding. So let's dive into these examples. On This Page. 1. Descriptive Essays about Criminology. 2. Expository Essays about Criminology. 3. Persuasive Essays about Criminology.

  4. 104 Criminal Justice Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

    To help you get started, here are 104 criminal justice essay topic ideas and examples: The evolution of criminal justice systems over the years. The role of technology in modern law enforcement. The impact of media on public perception of criminal justice. The relationship between poverty and crime rates.

  5. Free Criminal Justice Essays and Research Papers on

    Criminal Justice Essay Topics and Outline Examples Essay Title 1: Reforming the Criminal Justice System: Challenges, Progress, and the Road Ahead Thesis Statement: This essay examines the challenges within the criminal justice system, the progress made in recent years, and the ongoing efforts required to reform and ensure a fair and equitable ...

  6. Compare and Contrast Essay in Criminal Justice: Full Guide for You

    Read this easy guide where we discuss all the essential aspects of writing a compare and contrast essay in criminal justice and provide you with 15 powerful essay topics. Tools; Writing guide; Samples; ... Choosing a Good Topic for a Compare and Contrast Essay in Criminal Justice. When selecting a topic, you should consider subjects that are ...

  7. 304 Criminal Justice Essay Topics & Examples

    Criminal Justice: Burglary, Theft, and Criminal Trespass. According to Section 2C:15-1, robbery is a first-degree crime if, in the course of committing the theft, the actor attempts to kill anyone or purposefully attempts to inflict serious bodily injury. Code of Criminal Justice: False Imprisonment.

  8. 100 Criminal Justice Essay Topics To Impress Your Professor

    Crime Prevention for Achieving Justice Topics. People who want to stop violence from happening aren't naïve or overly idealistic. If you study law, then you know how vital crime prevention topics for essays are. Take a chance to explore them to learn about useful methods. Role Police in the US Play in Justice & Preventing Crimes.

  9. Why I Chose Criminal Justice [Admission Essay Example]

    In conclusion, my decision to major in criminal justice stems from a genuine passion for understanding crime, the desire to effect positive change, and an appreciation for the interplay between various disciplines. It is a field that aligns with my personal values, aspirations, and commitment to making a tangible difference.

  10. Criminal Justice Argumentative Essay Topics: Debate Prompts

    Topics in Criminal Justice for Argumentative Essays. The criminal justice system, a complex web of law enforcement, courts, and corrections, operates to uphold law and order. It's vital for ensuring justice and societal harmony. Engaging critically with this system enhances understanding and sparks meaningful debate.

  11. Find Pro vs Con -- Compare and Contrast Sources

    CQ Researcher is a great source that librarians recommend when researchers are seeking original, comprehensive reporting and analysis on issues in the news. CQ Researcher is noted for its in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy.

  12. 35 Criminal Justice Research Topic Ideas

    5. Cybercrime and Digital Forensics. Appropriate for: Understanding modern crimes. Examine the rise of cybercrime and the role of digital forensics in responding to these challenges. Ideal for research in contemporary criminal issues. 6. Police Brutality and Accountability.

  13. How black, white Americans differ in views of criminal justice system

    In a recent Pew Research Center survey, around nine-in-ten black adults (87%) said blacks are generally treated less fairly by the criminal justice system than whites, a view shared by a much smaller majority of white adults (61%). And in a survey shortly before last year's midterm elections, 79% of blacks - compared with 32% of whites ...

  14. Why Compare Criminal Justice?

    Comparative studies of criminal justice seek to describe, explain, interpret, and evaluate differences in the way offensive conduct is defined and sanctioned. We may, for example, be interested in differences in what is and is not forbidden, in the justifications of punishment or regulation, in measures used to deal with deviant conduct, in who ...

  15. Comparative Criminal Justice Compare and Contrast

    Comparative Criminal Justice Compare and Contrast. In this assignment I will be analysing two different criminal justice systems. A criminal justice system is made up of three main components, which are a group or combination of interrelated, interdependent, or interacting elements forming a collective entity. These components are the Judiciary ...

  16. Compare And Contrast The Models Of The Criminal Justice System

    The criminal justice system is a group of institutions that work together to protect a society, prevent and control crime, and maintain justice; enforcing the laws regulated by society. As the years have gone by and society has evolved; so have the criminal justice system and its methods to accomplish its role in society.

  17. Compare And Contrast Criminal Justice System

    In Texas, we see a tough justice system that seeks to punish the guilty. On the other hand, Norway attempts to teach its prisoners to be good citizens by treating them with respect, like normal people. On this essay I plan to compare and contrast both criminal justice systems and discover which one is the best approach.

  18. How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay in Criminal Justice

    For example, you may analyze systems of criminal justice in different countries, two types of crime or different criminal justice theories and explain how they are similar and how they differ. Compare and contrast essays follow specific patterns. First, you should focus on comparison of certain concepts, ideas, methods, processes or theories ...

  19. Free Essays on Criminal Justice, Examples, Topics, Outlines

    Your criminal justice essay may define criminal justice as the system that ensures that committed crime is followed by punishment. Said justice is delivered by the criminal justice system, which includes: legislative organs, courts, police, prison, prosecution, defense, etc. Many samples of criminal justice essays describe different bodies and ...

  20. Comparative Criminal Justice Systems

    Dammer, Harry R., and Jay S. Albanese. 2014. Comparative criminal justice systems. 5th ed. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. The revision of this best-selling book presents a comprehensive analysis of how various criminal justice systems throughout the world compare. Harry Dammer has extensively revised the text to reflect the latest trends and ...

  21. Criminal Justice Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

    216 essay samples found. Essay topics on criminal justice are not easy. It requires much research and knowledge of the justice system of a particular country and the law rights of residents. This topic combines much information, but you should focus on one to reveal it well in your essay. For example, you can write about the United States ...

  22. 300 Criminal Justice Topics for Research Paper

    List of Sociology Research Topics on Crime. The social construction of crime: Examining the influence of media and public perception. Social disorganization theory: Understanding neighborhoods and crime rates. Social stratification and crime: Exploring the link between poverty and criminal behavior.

  23. Criminology/Compare & Contrast: [Essay Example], 609 words

    Criminology is the scientific study of crime, criminal behavior, and the criminal justice system. It plays a crucial role in law enforcement and criminal justice by providing insights into the nature of crime, its causes, and how to prevent it. The primary goals of criminology include understanding the etiology of crime, developing effective ...