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167 Top Criminology Dissertation Ideas

Are you taking criminology in college, and it is time to work on your dissertation, but it appears challenging? Many university students get stuck even before starting, but there is no need to worry because we are here to hold your hand. The first, and we must emphasize, most crucial step, is picking the title of your dissertation. So, how do you select the right criminology dissertation topic?

The best title should be unique, interesting, and have ample resources to help you craft a paper that will impress your professor and the assessment committee. To make selecting the best easier, we have picked the hottest 167 criminology dissertation ideas for you. Keep reading to identify the preferred option and use it as it is or tweak a little to fit your preference.

Criminology Dissertation Ideas on Terrorism

• Religious ideologies: Can they be a source of terrorism?
• Analyzing the relationship between media and terrorism.
• Political tensions: Are they to blame for the ever-growing number of militias on the globe?
• Comparing the trends of terror in the 19 th and 20 th centuries: A literature review.
• What are the leading causes and motivations of terrorism?
• Analyzing literature on identity theft and social media.
• What motivates women to join ISIS?
• Comparing male and female serial killers: What are the main differences?
• How does the US respond to terror threats?
• The US efforts to combat terror after the 9/11 attack: Are they effective?
• Was the US justified in killing Osama Bin Laden instead of taking him to court?
• Comparing two known terror networks of your choice in different countries.
• Terrorism from the viewpoint of international law.
• Islamic charities: Are they the main sources of finance for terrorists?
• Are recent attacks by Hamas and Israel acts of terrorism?

Criminology Dissertation Ideas about Drugs

• Analyzing the relationship between people of various backgrounds and police.
• What are the most effective methods of preventing drug trafficking internationally?
• Analyzing the effectiveness of drug courts.
• Reversible and irreversible impacts of drug abuse.
• People incarcerated for drug abuse: What are the impacts on their children?
• Club culture: How does it enhance drug abuse in the society?
• Preventing drug abuse in society: Which is more effective between voluntary learning and mandatory examination?
• Reviewing the harm done to society by drugs.
• Comparing the impacts of cannabis and alcohol on a person’s behavior.
• The most abused drugs and their effects on societal behavior.
• Cannabis and deviant behavior among youths: What is the relationship?
• Cannabis legalization: Is it a good idea? What should we expect in the coming years?
• Drug use and youth arrests: A case study of Paris, France.
• Comparing drug court operations in the UK and USA.
• War on drugs in the US: Can it solve the problem of drug abuse and crime?
• Drug testing in school.
• The influence of drugs on sexual assaults.
• Prostitution: A study of the main risk groups in the UK.
• Drug traffic tracking strategies used in the UK.
• Drug abuse in prison cells: What are the causes and effects?

Criminal Law EPQ Questions

• Harassment in school and workplace: What are the main strategies adopted to address the problem in the UK?
• Homicides: A review of motivations that make people kill.
• Are the strategies adopted by your state enough to counter juvenile delinquency?
• What is the relationship between crime in Texas and people living with mental disorders?
• Domestic violence: What are the rights of victims?
• How can the marginalized get access to justice? A case study of the Netherlands.
• A study of the main types of robberies reported in the US in the 20 th century.
• Arson investigations: How do investigators determine whether the fire was deliberate or accidental?
• What is the relationship between substance abuse and poor schooling?
• What causes addiction among cannabis users?
• What is the effectiveness of witness programs in criminal justice? A closer look at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
• Robbery: What are the main risk groups, methods of prevention, and prosecution?
• What is the effectiveness of the International Criminal Court in achieving its mandate?
• Should employers check an all applicants’ criminal history during recruitment?
• The extradition law in the United States: Is it fair?
• Maximum-security prisons: Are they justified or simply cruel?
• A study of incarcerated parent’s responsibilities. How do they cope?

Masters Dissertation Ideas for Criminology

• Death penalty in the justice system: Is it effective in crime prevention.
• The rising rates of mass shootings in the US: What are the main causes?
• Studying the impact of genocidal acts on the cohesiveness of society.
• Police shootings: Comparing top three cases in the US and the UK.
• Sex offenses: Which are the main risk groups, prevalence, and prevention efforts?
• How corruption affects the social, political and economy of a country.
• Why are most crimes in the US and UK mainly committed by the youths?
• US vs. China’s criminal justice system: What are the main differences?
• Are the current US laws on criminology effective?
• A review of the British criminology curriculum: What needs to be improved?
• Analyzing the relationship between education levels and crime levels in a country of your choice.
• What is the relationship between ownership of guns and law violations?
• Law enforcement and criminology: What are the differences?
• Does racial abuse of international students and immigrants motivate them to join criminal gangs?
• Using culture to mold responsible citizens: A case study of communities in Georgia, Europe.

Forensic Psychology Dissertation Ideas

• A comprehensive analysis of competence to stand trial concept and its application in the UK.
• The age of criminal culpability: A review of the effectiveness of this idea in criminal justice.
• The ethics of death penalty: A review of the literature.
• Studying the mind of a criminal on death row: What goes in the mind of a person on a death row hours before execution?
• Should the death penalty be used on juveniles?
• What are the chances that a person on death row can change into a law-abiding citizen?
• How does memory impact eyewitness testimony?
• Analyzing the strategies used by the justice system to evaluate the reports of eyewitnesses.
• Methods used in the UK to protect eyewitnesses.

Criminology Dissertation Ideas Mental Health

• What role do guardians play in crime prevention in society?
• A review of criminological theory in the US justice system.
• A comprehensive analysis of how persons exposed to alcohol perform in different areas of their lives.
• Sexual violence use as a weapon of armed conflict: A literature review.
• Drug abuse and media: Should media that promote the use of hard drugs be controlled?
• How effective are the methods used in rehab to counter drug addiction?
• A review of delinquent cases among immigrant teenagers in the UK.
• Why do college students engage in cases of arson?
• Evaluating how prejudice motivates violence.
• Is it possible to remain neutral in mental criminal case trials?
• Is it possible to eliminate the problem of drug abuse and related crime?
• Solitary confinement for drug traffickers: What are the implications?

Criminology Dissertation Ideas UK

• How does the UK government respond to terror threats?
• Rehabilitation centers in the UK: What roles do they play in addressing crime?
• Racial stereotyping and crime in the UK: What is the relationship?
• A discourse evaluation: How has coronavirus shaped crime in the UK?
• Do urban settings in the UK act as breeding grounds for criminals?
• A critical review of the police force and crime in the UK.
• Interrogation by police officers: How does it work?
• A study of the main categories of crime in the UK.
• A review of the latest innovations in experimental criminology.
• Identify theft in the UK: What are the main consequences for perpetrators?
• Online child predators: How effective are the UK laws in protecting children?
• Is it possible to have a crime-free society?
• Which crime has a greater impact on society in the UK? Comparing street crimes and white-collar crimes.
• A review of the main principles applied in crime prevention in the UK justice system.

Controversial Criminology Dissertation Topics

• The less explored world of male rape in the society.
• Abortion: Should it be categorized as a crime?
• Parental separation: How does it result in future violence?
• Information sharing technology: How does it help fight the problem of terrorism?
• Back lives matter campaigns: Were they marred with violence instead of search for justice?
• Coronavirus has accelerated crime in the society more than any other time in the past.
• Do prisons help to correct bad behavior for the incarcerated?
• Facebook helps to encourage more negative behavior than promoting socialization.
• Domestic violence: Who suffers more between men and women?
• Human trafficking has one main role of sexual exploitation.
• On domestic violence, the law is subjective on males.
• The government should increase the age limit for citizens to acquire national IDs.
• Social media is the main source of moral panic in society.
• Music is a major contributor to crime in society.

Criminology Dissertation Ideas on Domestic Violence

• Theoretical perspectives on domestic violence.
• Applying the control balance theory in domestic violence.
• Popular culture and domestic violence: Are they related?
• The effects of homelessness on domestic violence: A case study of Texas.
• A review of cross-cultural perspectives on domestic violence.
• Comparing the rates of domestic violence in the US and India.
• Trends of domestic violence in Spain.
• Analyzing the main legal issues for women who are victims of domestic violence.
• A review of domestic violence within the military families.
• Analyzing police decision-making factors when dealing with domestic cases.
• Male victims of domestic violence: Why do most of them opt to keep quiet and stick with abusive partners?
• Mothers who kill: What are the motivating factors?
• Postpartum depression and domestic violence: How are they related?

Interesting Criminology Dissertation Titles

• Comparing the impacts of crime to those of natural disasters: A literature review.
• Is the education system in the globe failing in shaping good morals?
• A review of sexual aggression by women in ASIA.
• Acquainting rape perpetrators on bail terms: Is it acceptable? What does the law say?
• Regulating prostitution in the society: Is it enough to reduce crime?
• Corruption comes from limitations.
• A study of the connections between law violation and family status.
• Prostitution regulation: Can it stop crime?
• Use of expert testimony in domestic violence cases.
• Should we ban police from carrying guns in public?
• How does systemic bias impact criminal justice?
• Genetics: A comprehensive review of illegal researches and associated dangers.
• Assessing the effectiveness of street lighting in reducing crime.
• What role do psychometric assessments play in criminal justice?
• Is crime rate related to neighborhoods? A literature review.
• How has counterfeiting changed with the development of new technologies?

Criminology Dissertation Ideas about Prisons

• Forced labor among prisoners: Is it a good method of correction?
• Why is drug violence a problem in many US jails?
• A review of prison gangs in a prison of your choice.
• Training correctional officers in the UK: How effective is the training in enhancing the efficiency of correctional facilities?
• A review of the efforts used to address child molesters in prison.
• A review of study programs offered in prisons.
• Healthcare system in the UK prisons: Is it effective?
• A review of police corruption in prisons: Comparing the prisons in the 19 th and 20 th centuries.
• What are the main causes of high recidivism in the US?
• How do women end up in prisons? A review of common causes.
• Prisons through the UK history.
• How well are inmates prepared for re-entry into the society after serving jail terms?
• Racial profiling in the US prisons.
• Aggressive behavior: How is it related to criminal tendencies?
• Comparing human trafficking in the modern and classic worlds: What are the main differences?
• Comparing women’s recidivism rates in the US to those of Australia.

Knife Crime Dissertation Titles

• Knife crime in the US: Applying the criminology theory.
• Comparing knife crimes in Europe and Asia
• What are the motivating factors for knife criminals?
• Knife laws in the US: Analyzing the effectiveness of the pocket knife rules & laws.
• Comparing the knife rules of the United States to those of the UK.
• A review of knife crimes trends in the 21 st century.

Criminology Dissertation Help by Best Writers a Click Away

Now that we have looked at the best titles, from terrorism dissertation ideas to criminology topics on drugs, have you picked the preferred option? If “yes,” you are one step in the right direction. However, the next step of writing the dissertation is longer and requires a deep understanding of criminology. You also need excellent writing skills, time, and access to all the required resources. If you do not have the combination of all the above, which happens regularly to most students, you have a way out – seeking help from the best writers online. Our custom writing service stands taller than others because we have top-notch ENL writers who stop at nothing in ensuring clients get high grades. They have a lot of experience in the discipline and can work on any topic, from criminology and psychology dissertation ideas to terrorism-related topics. Again, they are fast and can easily beat even the toughest deadline. Our service is also cheap. Do not let the criminology dissertation stress you in any way – our expert can help you complete it professionally and fast too!

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Criminology Dissertation Topics: 20+ Examples for Inspiration

by  Antony W

May 9, 2023

Criminology is field that focuses on investigating crimes from a societal viewpoint, with an emphasis on offenders, their motivation, consequences, and prevention. Also, the subject examines human behavior in relation to crime.

Since criminologists investigate the societal foundations and consequences of crime, they also incorporate other subjects such as philosophy and anthropology.

When all of these fields of studies are used, a precise diagnosis of the underlying reason for criminal behavior is likely. Criminologists will then be able to develop effective and realistic strategies for averting criminal activities.

This post includes a list of the best criminology dissertation topics, which are ideas you can improve and investigate further in your assignment. Also, if you need help to work on this type of dissertation, especially if you’re already running out of time, you can get our dissertation writing help here.

Criminology Dissertation Topics Examples

The following is a list of some of the best criminology dissertation topics that you might consider exploring in your writing:

Criminology Dissertation Ideas Mental Health

• The effect of harmful mental health disorders on an individual’s behavior
• The role of a psychological examination in a criminal investigation
• How the media affects a person’s mental health when they commit a crime
• Utilizing community-based treatment centers to assist individuals with mental illnesses
• Is it possible for an unlawful to fabricate a mental illness in order to avoid punishment?
• Traumatic events that may serve as a catalyst for criminal activity
• Mental treatments are critical for offenders accused with murder.

Also Read: The Complete Guide for Dissertation Defense

Controversial Dissertation Topics in Criminology

• Was the Black Lives Matter movement tarnished by violence rather than by a desire for justice?
• How parental estrangement contributes to future violence
• Regulating prostitution will result in a decrease in crime.
• Coronavirus has encouraged criminal activity on a scale never seen before.
• When it comes to domestic abuse against people, the law is subjective.
• Should the government raise the minimum age for obtaining a national identification card?
• Is the media the primary catalyst for moral panics in society?
• Demystifying social media as a crime scene in the technology era
• Is it appropriate to inform rape perpetrators of their bail conditions?

Argumentative Dissertation Topics in Criminology

• Is someone responsible for the growth of teenage gangs in a certain society?
• Is it possible that political tensions are to blame for internal militia uprisings?
• Are religious beliefs capable of becoming the source of terrorism?
• Is gun regulation in the United States the first step toward increased crime rates?
• Is racial abuse directed at international students a contributing factor to crime and violence?
• Is crime more dangerous than natural catastrophes or infectious diseases?
• Is parental monitoring effective in lowering teen crime?
• Is education falling short in its job of instilling sound principles and character?
• Is the boundary between law enforcement and criminology a fine one?
• Is domestic violence directed only at women, or do males also suffer?

You May Also Like: Tips for Dissertation Reference

Masters and PhD. Criminology Dissertation Topic Ideas

• Analyzing how marginalization and discrimination on the basis of religion contribute to crime
• An examination of cybercrime laws and their role in preserving law and order
• A critical examination of the United States government’s response to terrorism threats
• Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and crime: An examination of their role or influence
• Corruption’s impact on a country’s political, social, economic, and security systems
• A discourse study of the coronavirus’s influence on criminal behavior
• Is it true that metropolitan environments foster more crime than rural regions?

General Dissertation Topic Ideas in Criminology

• Age in criminology research in the context of capital punishment
• Examining the consequences of police empowerment in high-crime neighborhoods of developing countries
• An assessment of the major features of police personnel deployed in crime hotspots in the United Kingdom.
• A study of how the season and topography of a location effect crime.
• How residential architecture and community structures aid in crime prevention and management
• How significant is the sociocultural background of a residential community in terms of the volume and quality of crime in the area?
• An Analysis of Research on the financial and societal costs of crime deterrence in the United Kingdom
• An assessment of the ramifications of political backing for criminal activity and its influence on the community
• A phenomenological examination of students’ exposure to drugs and the criminal lifestyle in the United Kingdom
• A review of pertinent literature on how gender affects crime in the United Kingdom
• What can quantitative data tell us about the link between crime and unemployment?

Also Check: Custom Dissertation Writing Service

Criminology Dissertation Topics On Prison and Society

Prisons and convicts have long been a source of contention in British society. When selecting dissertation on social criminal offenders, condense your ideas to a single social element.

Here are some topic ideas to get you started: 

• Should pupils be required to visit jail as part of their curriculum?
• Is the imposition of jail sentences for economic or political offenses justified?
• Eliminating negative stigma associated with ex-prisoners and social service.

Criminology Dissertation Topics On Crime and Justice

When someone commits a crime, people frequently consider the current criminal justice system, which has a variety of defects and benefits depending on who analyzes it.

Choosing a justice dissertation subject is not a simple effort, which is why you should explore the following topics:

• The death penalty’s meaning in History video game violence and serial murderer cases
• Control and reporting methods for gang activity: proof vs. official accounts
• Alternative punishment methods: International System Comparisons

Criminology Dissertation Topics On Ethnicity and Race

Many of us are aware that certain crimes committed in the United Kingdom have racial or ethnic overtones. While these offenses have diminished in recent years, they continue to be widely publicized to educate people on how to prevent them and resolve any issues that arise.

Several ethnicity and race dissertation topics include the following:

• How the media contribute to the emergence of racial hatred
• Sports and legal ramifications of racial tensions
• Laws that Could Help Reduce Crimes Against Ethnic Minorities Murders Across English Cities on the Basis of Race & Ethnic Minority
• Inequality between races in the United Kingdom and South Africa

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

256 Research Topics on Criminal Justice & Criminology

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

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

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

🔥 Hot Criminology Research Topics

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

🔬 120 Criminology Research Topics & Ideas

Here are 100 criminology research topics ideas organized by themes.

Just in 1 hour! We will write you a plagiarism-free paper in hardly more than 1 hour

General Criminology Research Paper Topics

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

Criminal Psychology Research Topics

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

Criminology Research Topics: Theories

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

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

Criminology Topics on Victimization

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

Criminology Research and Measurement Topics

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

Criminology Topics on Types of Crime

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

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

Criminology Topics on Racism and Discrimination

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

Other Criminology Research Topics

• Corporate crime : the ruling class criminals.
• Genetics: illegal research and its dangers.
• Hate crime : the implications in criminal justice.
• Serial killers : risk groups, ways of detection and prevention.
• Serial killers: portrayal in media.
• Organized crime : how does it affect criminal justice?
• Crime prevention programs.
• Street lighting: does it reduce crime?
• Terrorism prevention technology.
• Identity theft : risk groups, ways of deception, prevention policies.
• Due process model: procedural and substantive aspects.
• Crime control in criminal justice administration.
• Types of drugs: how do they affect the users?
• Smart handheld devices: their function for security personnel.
• Social media : its impact on crime rate.
• Public health: how does criminal justice affect it?
• Psychometric examinations: what is their role in criminal justice?
• National defense in the US.
• National defense in the UK.
• Sexual harassment : the role of activism, ways of responding, prevention and prosecution.
• Substance abuse : military.
• Criminology and criminal justice jobs: a full list.

🌶️ Hot Criminal Justice Topics

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

💂 116 Criminal Justice Research Topics & Questions

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

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

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

Controversial Topics in Criminal Justice

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Criminology: Research Areas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

📈 Criminal Justice: Research Areas

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

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

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

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

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

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

🤔 Criminal Justice Research FAQs

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

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

There are six interrelated areas of criminology research:

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

There are seven research methods in criminology:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Criminology and Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

The Risk of Protection: Examining the Contextual Effects of Child Protective Services on Child Maltreatment Fatalities in the U.S. , Cosette Morgan McCullough

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Too Feminine for Execution?: Gender Stereotypes and the Media’s Portrayal of Women Sentenced to Death , Kelsey M. Collins

Juveniles, Transferred Juveniles, and the Impact of a Criminal Record on Employment Prospects in Adulthood: An Experimental Study , Joanna Daou

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Why So Long? Examining the Nexus Between Case Complexity and Delay in Florida’s Death Penalty System , Corey Daniel Burton

The Criminalization of HIV and HIV Stigma , Deanna Cann

Views of Substance Use During Pregnancy: Social Responses to the Issue , Taylor Ruddy

The Spatial Variability of Crime: A Review of Methodological Choice, Proposed Models, and Methods for Illustrating the Phenomenon , Matthew D. Spencer

Community Corrections Officer Decision-Making: An Intersectional Analysis , Amber Leigh Williams Wilson

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

The Utility of Using Virtue Locales to Explain Criminogenic Environments , Hunter Max Boehme

Fostering Resilience in Correctional Officers , Jon Thomas Arthur Gist

The Impact of Race/Ethnicity on Sentencing: A Matching Approach , Travis Jones

Unraveling the Temporal Aspects of Victimization: The Reciprocal, Additive, and Cumulative Effects of Direct/Vicarious Victimization on Crime , Yeoju Park

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Media Influence on College Students' Perceptions of the Police , Matilda Foster

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Ohio's Certificate of Relief , Peter Leasure

Trends in the Prevalence of Arrest for Intimate Partner Violence Using the National Crime Victimization Survey , Tara E. Martin

Reading Between the Lines: An Intersectional Media Analysis of Female Sex Offenders in Florida Newspapers , Toniqua C. Mikell

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

The Short-Term Self-Control Stability of College Students , Nicholas James Blasco

Developmental Patterns of Religiosity in Relation to Criminal Trajectories among Serious Offenders across Adolescence and Young Adulthood , Siying Guo

Local Incarceration As Social Control: A National Analysis Of Social, Economic, And Political Determinants Of Jail Use In The United States , Heather M. Ouellette

Association Between Perception Of Police Prejudice Against Minorities And Juvenile Delinquency , Kwang Hyun Ra

A Quasi-Experimental Analysis Of School-Based Situational Crime Prevention Measures , Gary Zhang

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Sex Offender Policies that Spin the Revolving Door: An Exploration of the Relationships Between Residence Restrictions, Homelessness, and Recidivism , Deanna Cann

Untangling the Interconnected Relationships between Alcohol Use, Employment, and Offending , Margaret M. Chrusciel

Inmate Time Utilization And Well-Being , Mateja Vuk

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

The Socio-Legal Construction Of Adolescent Criminality: Examining Race, Community, And Contextual Factors Through The Lens Of Focal Concerns , Patrick Glen Lowery

The Impact Of Deinstitutionalization On Murders Of Law Enforcement Officers , Xueyi Xing

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Relationships Between Law Enforcement Officer-Involved Vehicle Collisions And Other Police Behaviors , John Andrew Hansen

In the Eye of the Beholder: Exploring the Dialogic Approach to Police Legitimacy , Justin Nix

Criminology on Crimes Against Humanity: A North Korean Case Study , Megan Alyssa Novak

General Strain Theory and Bullying Victimization: Do Parental Support and Control Alleviate the Negative Effects of Bullying , Jonathon Thompson

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Adultification in Juvenile Corrections: A Comparison of Juvenile and Adult Officers , Riane Miller Bolin

Perception of Police in Public Housing Communities , Taylor Brickley

Neighborhood Disorganization and Police Decision-Making in the New York City Police Department , Allison Carter

The Impact of Race on Strickland Claims in Federal Courts in the South , Wyatt Gibson

Lead Exposure and Crime , Tara Elaine Martin

GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER: HAZING, HEGEMONIC MASCULINITY, AND VICTIMIZATION , TONIQUA CHAREE MIKELL

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Policing Alcohol and Related Crimes On Campus , Andrea Nicole Allen

Gender and Programming: A Comparison of Program Availability and Participation in U.S. Prisons for Men and Women , Courtney A. Crittenden

Assessing the Impact of the Court Response to Domestic Violence in Two Neighboring Counties , Gillian Mira Pinchevsky

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Criminal Sentencing In the Court Communities of South Carolina: An Examination of offender, Judge, and County Characteristics , Rhys Hester

Examining the Effects of Religiosity and Religious Environments On Inmate Misconduct , Benjamin Dane Meade

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Criminologists' Opinions On Correctional Rehabilitation , Heather M. Ouellette

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

A Qualitative Analysis of the Etiology, Manifestation, and Institutional Responses to Self-Injurious Behaviors in Prison , Steven Doty

Theses/Dissertations from 2002 2002

The Effects of Administrative Factors on Police Officer Job Performance , Irick Anthony Geary Jr.

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Digital Commons @ USF > College of Behavioral and Community Sciences > Criminology > Theses and Dissertations

Criminology Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Efficacy of Online Social Movements for Sparking Change: The Case of the Missing Murdered and Indigenous Women Movement (#MMIW) , Kacy A. Bleeker

An Examination of Racial Disparities in Arrest Across Florida Counties, 1998-2018: A Test of the Racial Threat and Political Representation Hypotheses , Xavier D. Burch

The Invisible Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Boys and Their Barriers to Access to Services , Amanda L. Connella

Damned & Damned: Examining Vexatious Litigation and the Vexatious Litigant Statute in Florida Courts , Sarah L. Harper

The Contributions of Mental Health Issues, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Adverse Childhood Experiences to Recidivism Among Rural Jail Incarcerees , Lauren N. Miley

Assessing the Relationship Between True Crime Documentary and Podcast Consumption, Fear of Crime, and Protective Behaviors , Lauren A. Tremblay

Police Officers’ Perceptions of Gunshot Detection Technology , Courtney L. Weber

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

A Macro Social Examination of the Relationship Between Disabilities and Crime Using Neighborhood and County Level Data , Natasha A. Baloch

Racial Differences in Perceptions of Sanction Severity , Sarah L. Franklin

Juvenile Homicide Offenders: A Life-Course Perspective , Norair Khachatryan

Exploring the Effectiveness of a Life-Skills Program in a Florida Prison Through a Social Bond and General Strain Theory Perspective , Danielle M. Thomas

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Clean Water for All: Examining Safe Drinking Water Act Violations of Water Systems and Community Characteristics , Junghwan Bae

Morality and Offender Decision-Making: Testing the Empirical Relationship and Examining Methodological Implications , Jacquelyn Burckley

The Ring of Gyges 2.0: How Anonymity Providing Behaviors Affect Willingness to Participate in Online Deviance , Cassandra E. Dodge

A Macro Analysis of Illegal Hunting and Fishing Across Texas Counties: Using an Economic Structural Approach , Leo J. Genco Jr.

Self-Protection in Cyberspace: Assessing the Processual Relationship Between Thoughtfully Reflective Decision Making, Protection Motivation Theory, Cyber Hygiene, and Victimization , C. Jordan Howell

Racial Threat Theory: A Test of the Economic Threat Hypothesis , Carl L. Reeds

Online Perceptions of Panamanian Prisons and Incarcerated persons: An analysis of YouTube user comments , Mahaleth J. Sotelo

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Toxic Colonialism and Green Victimization of Native Americans: An Examination of the Genocidal Impacts of Uranium Mining , Averi R. Fegadel

Cross-National Incarceration Rates as Behavior of Law , Christopher J. Marier

The Effects of Perceived Motivations and Mental Distress on the Likelihood of Reporting and Engaging in Self-Protective Measures Among Victims of Stalking , Daniela Oramas Mora

Mental Health and In-Prison Experiences: Examining Socioeconomic and Sex Differences in the Effect of Mental Illness on Institutional Misconduct and Disciplinary Segregation , Rachel E. Severson

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Dating Application Facilitated Victimization: An Examination of Lifestyle-Routine Activities, Self-Control, and Self-Efficacy , Vanessa Centelles

Social Constructionism and Cultivation Theory in Development of the Juvenile “Super-Predator” , Elizabeth R. Jackson-Cruz

Bystander Intervention, Victimization, and Routine Activities Theory: An Examination of Feminist Routine Activities Theory in Cyber Space , Jennifer A. Leili

Sexual Assault and Robbery Disclosure: An Examination of Black’s Theory of the Behavior of Law , Caitlyn N. Muniz

Mass Shootings and Gun Sales: A Study on the Influence of Red and Blue Power , Maria Jose Rozo Osuna

A Multi-dimensional Macrolevel Study of Drug Enforcement Strategies, Heroin Prices, and Heroin Consumption Rates , Alexander G. Toth

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

The Impact of a Religious/Spiritual Turning Point on Desistance: A Lifecourse Assessment of Racial/Ethnic Differences , Rhissa Briones Robinson

Political Decisions on Police Expenditures: Examining the Potential Relationship Between Political Structure, Police Expenditures and the Volume of Crime Across US States , Xavier D. Burch

Identifying the Personal and Perceived Organizational Characteristics Associated with Job Satisfaction Among Juvenile Probation Staff , Julie M. Krupa

The Role of Organizational Justice in Predicting Attitudes Toward Body-Worn Cameras in Police Officers , Nathaniel L. Lawshe

Yet Another Ferguson Effect: An Exploratory Content Analysis of News Stories on Police Brutality and Deadly Force Before and After the Killing of Michael Brown , Carl Root

The Role of Race/Ethnicity and Risk Assessment on Juvenile Case Outcomes , Tayler N. Shreve

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Intimate Partner Violence and the Capacity and Desire for Self-Control , Krista Taralynne Brewer

School Shootings in the United States from 1997 to 2012: A Content Analysis of Media Coverage , Victoria N. Iannuzzi

Chronic Runaway Youth: A Gender-Based Analysis , Michelle N. Jeanis

A Test of Wikström’s Situational Action Theory Using Self-Report Data on Intimate Partner Violence , Lauren Nicole Miley

An Exploratory Study of Macro-Social Correlates of Online Property Crime , Hyojong Song

Female Incarceration and Prison Social Order: An Examination of Gender Differences in Prison Misconduct and In-Prison Punishments , Elisa L. Toman

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Their Role as Mitigators for Youthful and Non-Youthful Offenders in Capital Sentencing Cases , Jessica R. Trapassi

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Disinhibition, Violence Exposure, and Delinquency: A Test of How Self-Control Affects the Impact of Exposure to Violence , Wyatt Brown

The Guilty But Mentally Ill Verdict: Assessing the Impact of Informing Jurors of Verdict Consequences , Erin Elizabeth Cotrone

The Relationship between Psychopathic Personality Traits and Lying , Jason A. Dobrow

Delving into the Heart of Victimization Risk: Examining the Interactive Relationship between Demographic Factors and Context , Amy Sheena Eggers

A Power Conflict Approach to Animal Cruelty: Examining How Economic Power Influences the Creation of Animal Cruelty Laws , Leonard J. Genco

The Role of Gender in Self-Control and Intimate Partner Violence , Laura Marie Gulledge

The Restrictive Deterrent Effect of Warning Banners in a Compromised Computer System , Christian Jordan-Michael Howell

Tactics of Sexual Control and Negative Health Outcomes , Anna Elizabeth Kleppe

The Applicability of Criminology to Terrorism Studies: An Exploratory Study of ISIS Supporters in the United States , Amanda Marie Sharp Parker

The Path to Violent Behavior: The Harmful Aftermath of Childhood Trauma , Nicholas Michael Perez

The Effects of Racial Bias on Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence Scenarios , Batya Yisraela Rubenstein

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Reel or Reality? The Portrayal of Prostitution in Major Motion Pictures , Raleigh Blasdell

Psychopathy and Perception of Vulnerability , Barbara Joyce Dinkins

Effect of Empathy on Death Penalty Support in Relation to the Racial Divide and Gender Gap , Brian Godcharles

Exploring the Interactive Effects of Social Learning Theory and Psychopathy on Serious Juvenile Delinquency , Brandy Barenna Henderson

Tampa Electric Company's Big Bend Utility Plant in Hillsborough County, Florida: A Case Study , Lynne M. Hodalski-Champagne

Thirty Year Follow-Up of Juvenile Homicide Offenders , Norair Khachatryan

Organized Crime in Insurance Fraud: An Empirical Analysis of Staged Automobile Accident Rings , Chris Longino

The Role of Social Support in the Disclosure and Recovery Process of Rape Victims , Jessica Nicole Mitchell

Evaluating the Social Control of Banking Crimes: An Examination of Anti-Money Laundering Deficiencies and Industry Success , Erin M. Mulligan

Elite Deviance, Organized Crime, and Homicide: A Cross-National Quantitative Analysis , Carol L.s. Trent

An Evaluation of the Utah First District Mental Health Court: Gauging the Efficacy of Diverting Offenders Suffering With Serious Mental Illness , Stephen Guy VanGeem

Rape, Race, and Capital Punishment in North Carolina: A Qualitative Approach to Examining an Enduring Cultural Legacy , Douglas Wholl

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

The Tattoo: A Mark of Subversion, Deviance, or Mainstream Self-Expression? , Jocelyn Camacho

Juvenile and Adult Involvement in Double Parricide and Familicide in the U.S.: An Empirical Analysis of 20 Years of Data , Averi Rebekah Fegadel

Predicting Successful Drug Court Graduation: Exploring Demographic and Psychosocial Factors among Medication-Assisted Drug Court Treatment Clients , Autumn Michelle Frei

Experimentally Evaluating Statistical Patterns of Offending Typology For Burglary: A Replication Study , Lance Edwin Gilmore

Developmental Trajectories of Physical Aggression and Nonaggressive Rule-Breaking among At-risk Males and Females during Late Childhood and Early Adolescence , Eugena Givens

Predicting Fear of Crime using a Multilevel and Multi-Model Approach: A Study in Hillsborough County , Jonathan Maskaly

Public Knowledge and Sentiments about Elite Deviance , Cedric Michel

The Influence of Community Context on Social Control: A Multi-Level Examination of the Relationship between Race/Ethnicity, Drug Offending, and Juvenile Court Outcomes , Jennifer Peck

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Assessing the Relationship Between Hotspots of Lead and Hotspots of Crime , Kimberly L. Barrett

A Life-Course Approach to Sexual Offending: Examining the Continuity of Juvenile Sexual Offending into Adulthood and Subsequent Patterns of Recidivism , Maude Beaudry-Cyr

Examining the link between self-control and misconduct in a multi-agency sample of police supervisors: A test of two theories , Christopher Matthew Donner

The Impact of Hyperfemininity on Explicit and Implicit Blame Assignment and Police Reporting of Alcohol Facilitated Rape in a Sample of College Women , Sarah Ehlke

Rurality and Intimate Partner Homicide: Exploring the Relationship between Place, Social Structure, and Femicide in North Carolina , Amelia Kirkland

Self-Control, Attitudinal Beliefs, and White-Collar Crime Intentions , Melissa Anne Lugo

Zero Tolerance for Marginal Populations: Examining Neoliberal Social Controls in American Schools , Brian Gregory Sellers

State-Corporate Crime in the Democratic Republic of Congo , Veronica Jane Winters

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

The Walls Are Closing In: Comparing Property Crime Victimization Risk In Gated And Non-Gated Communities , Nicholas Branic

What Propels Sexual Homicide Offenders? Testing an Integrated Theory of Social Learning and Routine Activities Theories , Heng Choon Chan

A Deadly Way of Doing Business: A Case Study of Corporate Crime in the Coal Mining Industry , Charles Nickolas Stickeler

Deconstructing the "Power and Control Motive": Developing and Assessing the Measurability of Internal Power , Shelly Marie Wagers

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Assessing racial differences in offending trajectories: A life-course view of the race-crime relationship , Michael S. Caudy

Mental Health Courts Effectiveness in Reducing Recidivism and Improving Clinical Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis , Brittany Cross

General Strain Theory and Juvenile Delinquency: A Cross-Cultural Study , Wen-Hsu Lin

General Strain Theory, Race, and Delinquency , Jennifer Peck

Developmental Trajectories of Self-Control: Assessing the Stability Hypothesis , James Vance Ray

Explaining the "Female Victim Effect" in Capital Sentencing Decisions: A Case for Sex-Specific Models of Capital Sentencing Research , Tara N. Richards

A Multilevel Model of Police Corruption: Anomie, Decoupling, and Moral Disengagement , Ruth Zschoche

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

The Emotional Guardianship of Foreign-Born and Native-Born Hispanic Youth and Its Effect on Violent Victimization , Amy Sheena Eggers

The Influence of Narcissism and Self-Control on Reactive Aggression , Melissa L. Harrison

Is There an "Innocent Female Victim" Effect in Capital Punishment Sentencing? , Amelia Lane Kirkland

An Analysis of the Influence of Sampling Methods on Estimation of Drug Use Prevalence and Patterns Among Arrestees in the United States: Implications for Research and Policy , Janine Kremling

A Pathway to Child Sex Trafficking in Prostitution: The Impact of Strain and Risk-Inflating Responses , Joan A. Reid

Victimization Among Individuals With Low Self-Control: Effects on Fear Versus Perceived Risk of Crime , Casey Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Domestic Violence Within Law Enforcement Families: The Link Between Traditional Police Subculture and Domestic Violence Among Police , Lindsey Blumenstein

Rape Attitudes and Beliefs: A Replication Study , Rhissa Emily Briones

Reel Images: Representations of Adult Male Prisons by the Film Industry , Melissa E. Fenwick

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Criminal Justice Guide for Graduate Students: Write a Thesis

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• Sage Research Methods SAGE Research Methods is a research methods tool created to help researchers, faculty and students with their research projects. SAGE Research Methods links over 175,000 pages of SAGE’s renowned book, journal and reference content. Researchers can explore methods concepts to help them design research projects, understand particular methods or identify a new method, conduct their research, and write up their findings. Since SAGE Research Methods focuses on methodology rather than disciplines, it can be used across the social sciences, health sciences, and more. Subject coverage includes sociology, health, criminology, education, anthropology, psychology, business, political science, history, economics, among others.

Research Methods Books for Criminal Justice

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The UNT College of Education, Office of Research Consulting supports faculty and graduate students' research and statistical needs. The office serves faculty, doctoral and master students in support of advanced coursework and independent research such as theses and dissertations and preparation for professional publication. You can submit a request for assistance on their website:  https://coe.unt.edu/research/research-consulting 

UNT Writing Center Graduate Tutoring

The UNT Writing Center offers services just for graduate students. Graduate students needing help with course papers, publications, a thesis, or a dissertation may contact graduate tutors at  [email protected]  to set up an appointment. Graduate tutors do more than merely proofread; they teach strategies and techniques to improve writing for the long term. 

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Essex theses, uk & north american theses, open access digitised dissertations.

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Theses (or dissertations as they are sometimes called) are the product of extended independent research by students. They may be produced at undergraduate level (e.g. 3rd year Capstone projects), and are nearly always a feature of postgraduate research from Master's through to Ph.D. level.

Books offering guidance on  how to write  a thesis can be found at LB 2369 on floor 5 of the Albert Sloman Library.

Students often need to consult theses for various reasons, including:

• checking the style and presentation of good past dissertations from their department
• making sure that they are not repeating research already undertaken
• using theses on a similar topic to gain useful information and/or references

University of Essex Research Repository  - contains digitised versions of theses submitted after 30 September 2016.

Essex Criminology theses  can be found in the following locations:

Sociology Study Centre - print copies of dissertations submitted up to 2018 are available in the Sociology Study Centre (5A.307). These are all undergraduate (2.1 and 1st) and Master's dissertations. Submissions from 2018 onwards are available to access digitally, with a request to the Department's Study Support Manager. Please go to the Study Centre Moodle page, where there is further information on the Dissertation Library . For help and advice on finding suitable examples, please email: [email protected]  

Albert Sloman Library - the University Library at Colchester holds print copies of all Essex Criminology M.Phil. and Ph.D. dissertations up to 30 September 2016. They are listed in the catalogue, and must be consulted in the Library. To search by department type the keywords: essex thesis sociology

University of Essex Research Repository  - contains digitised versions of theses submitted after 30 September 2016. These are also listed in the library catalogue

To search for dissertations from  other universities in the UK and beyond , there are a couple of very useful databases:  

EThOS  offers access to digitised UK doctoral theses

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses  lists North American & UK theses (with some coverage of other countries):

• EThOS EThOS aims to provide a 'single point of access' where researchers the world over can access all theses produced by UK Higher Education. The database can be searched by anyone, but individual users need to register to get access to the full text of theses. Many theses are free to download instantly, whilst others will only be available once digitisation has been requested. The hub automatically harvests e-theses from Institutional Repositories and digitises paper theses from participating institutions to offer the single point of access. Many UK institutions support Open Access to their theses, so download of their digital and digitised theses is free to the researcher. A small number of participating institutions may not be able to offer Open Access and in this case the researcher may have to pay for the digitisation. Where a thesis must be digitised before supply, you can expect a short delay. However, you will be informed when the thesis is ready for collection and you can then log on to the system and download it.
• ProQuest dissertations and theses ProQuest Dissertations and Theses: Global (PQDTGlobal) is the world's most comprehensive collection of full-text dissertations and theses. As the official digital dissertations archive for the Library of Congress and as the database of record for graduate research, PQDTGlobal includes millions of searchable citations to dissertations and theses from 1861 to the present day together with over a million full-text dissertations that are available for download in PDF format. Over 2.1 million titles are available for purchase as printed copies. The database offers full text for most of the dissertations added since 1997 and strong retrospective full-text coverage for older graduate works. It also includes PQDT UK & Ireland content. More than 70,000 new full-text dissertations and theses are added to the database each year through dissertations publishing partnerships with 700 leading academic institutions worldwide, and collaborative retrospective digitization of dissertations. Full-text dissertations are archived as submitted by the degree-granting institution. Some will be native PDF, some PDF image. Each dissertation published since July, 1980 includes a 350-word abstract written by the author. Master's theses published since 1988 include 150-word abstracts. Simple bibliographic citations are available for dissertations dating from 1637. Where available, PQDTGlobal provides 24-page previews of dissertations and theses. Note: Full text for certain publications is subject to market availability more... less... Shibboleth login

There are also many portals to  open access dissertations . NDLTD maintains a pretty comprehensive & up to date list of national portals around the world:

• NDLTD Digital Theses Portals Useful listing of national e-theses portals

Global search engines for digital theses include the following:

• CRL Dissertations details of over 800 000 non-US dissertations held by the CRL from mid-19th century onwards
• Ebsco Open Dissertations over 800 000 open access dissertations worldwide
• Networked Digital Library of Theses & Dissertations
• Open Access Theses & DIssertations

Many  regions and countries  also have portals to electronic theses. Examples include:

Africa  -  Database of African Theses and Dissertations (DATAD)

Australia  -  Trove

Brazil  -  Biblioteca Digital Brasileira de Teses e Dissertacoes (BDTD)

Canada  -  Theses Canada Portal

Europe  -  DART-Europe

TEL Theses-en-ligne (PhD)

DUMAS (Masters)  

Germany  -  Dissonline

Greece  -  National Archive of PhD Theses

Hong Kong  -  Hong Kong University Theses Online

India  -  Shodhganga

Japan  -  National Diet Library doctoral dissertations

Netherlands  -  NARCIS  

Russia & CIS  -  Dissertation CIS

Scandinavia  -  DiVA  (the Academic Archive Online)

South Africa  -  National ETD Portal

Spain  -  TDX (Tesis Doctorales en Xarva)

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Your master's thesis.

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Nadine Anderson, Behavioral Sciences and Women's & Gender Studies Librarian

Thesis writing can seem like a very daunting task but your Criminology & Criminal Justice librarian, Nadine Anderson, is here to help. Contact me at [email protected] with your questions about identifying research gaps, finding sources for your literature review, and putting together your thesis proposal.

1.  Identify a research gap : your thesis should address a research gap which you identify in the literature, a research question or problem which has not been addressed in your area of interest.

2.  Build and defend your thesis proposal : a written document that outlines what you're going to study and why it's important, as well as the methods you will use to study your thesis topic.

3. To graduate after successfully defending your Master's thesis:

The Graduate Studies Office requires you to have your thesis submitted to  Deep Blue (the University of Michigan's institutional repository) in order to release your final grade. You and your advisor can choose from either of the following process options below to have your thesis submitted to Deep Blue

The deadlines for submission for either option  are:

• Fall 2023: December 4, 2023
• Winter 2024: April 14, 2024

Option 1: Submit your Master's Thesis for a format check before you have it submitted to Deep Blue

• Your thesis needs to be finalized and approved by your Thesis Chair before you submit it for a format check
• Use the Master's Thesis Formatting Checklist below to make sure that your thesis meets the Graduate Studies Office formatting requirements for Masters theses. 
• Library staff will check your thesis once using the Master's Thesis Formatting Checklist (see below) against the Graduate Studies Office formatting requirements for Masters theses.
• Library staff will send you an email that includes the formatting revisions needed as well as a link to the Deep Blue Submission form 
• You will also add information about your thesis needed for Deep Blue submission
• You will then submit your Master's Thesis as a pdf file with embedded fonts for Deep Blue

Option 2: Waive a format check and just submit your thesis to Deep Blue

• Fill out the Thesis/Dissertation Waiver Statement  and have your committee chair sign it
• This statement must be  signed by your committee chair before you submit it
• Library staff will send you an email that includes the link to the Deep Blue Submission form 

To help you format your Word document correctly , use:

• UM's online  Microsoft Word for Dissertations (and Theses) guide : look for the Scholar Space Word Template for Dissertation (and thesis) , which has many of the formatting guidelines built in.
• Word for Windows Training Page  or Word for Mac Help Page
• Master's Thesis Formatting Checklist

Thesis Research, Statistical Analysis, and Writing

Thesis Writing & Research

• Conducting Your Literature Review (2020)
• Dissertations & Theses from Start to Finish (2020)
• How to Write a Thesis [ebook] (2011)
• Succeeding With Your Master's Dissertation: A Step-By-Step Handbook [ebook]  (2015)
• Writing the Winning Thesis or Dissertation: A Step-by-Step Guide (2013)

Statistics & Data Management

• From Numbers to Words: Reporting Statistical Results for the Social Sciences [ ebook] (2017)
• Managing Your Research Data & Documentation (2018)
• SPSS Statistics for Dummies [ebook] (2015)
• Introductory Statistics Using SPSS (2017)
• Intermediate Statistics Using SPSS   (2018)
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Criminology and Criminal Justice Dissertations Collection

http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20233343

Affording a meaningful opportunity of release: legal representation of juvenile lifers.

Assessing deterrence in the FBI's Safe Streets gang initiative: a social network approach.

Autistic and at-risk: the public and personal safety of children with autism spectrum disorders.

Background justice: the political context of adolescent legal socialization.

Bureaucracy and law: a study of Chinese criminal courts and social media.

Clearances, cameras, and community violence: police outcomes in an organizational and community context.

College students and the illicit use of prescription drugs: a test of general strain theory.

A comparison of the individual-, county-, and state-level correlates of homicide and mass murder

Contextualizing the political economy of juvenile court decision-making

Crime, place, and networks in the age of the internet: the case of online-promoted illicit massage businesses.

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The Top 10 Most Interesting Criminal Justice Research Topics

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

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

Find your bootcamp match

What makes a strong criminal justice research topic.

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

Tips for Choosing a Criminal Justice Research Topic

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

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

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

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

How to Create Strong Criminal Justice Research Questions

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

Top 10 Criminal Justice Research Paper Topics

1. bad living conditions and access to justice.

In the criminal justice system, sometimes where you live may have an impact on your access to justice. In 2011, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the City of Chicago alleging that the Chicago police department had slower response times in areas of the city with poor living conditions. The case was settled in 2021 with a plan to improve.

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

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

3. False Accusation, False Confessions, and Plea Bargaining

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

4. Restorative Justice Efforts on Youthful Offenders

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

5. Criminal Justice Reform in Hate Crimes

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

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

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

7. Criminal Justice Agencies and International Crime Investigation Efforts

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

8. Impacts of Wildlife Crime and Environmental Crime

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

9. Relationship Between Crime and Eyewitness Testimony

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

10. Relationship Between Law Enforcement and Racial Profiling

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

Other Examples of Criminal Justice Research Topics & Questions

Criminal justice research topics.

• Jury nullification
• Online predators
• Drunk drivers
• Gun control
• Campus crime

Criminal Justice Research Questions

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

Choosing the Right Criminal Justice Research Topic

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

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

Criminal Justice Research Topics FAQ

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

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

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

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

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• Completed PhD Theses

Our PhD alumni study crime, order and security from a variety of disciplinary perspectives and theoretical approaches. Use the list below to expore the range of areas our doctoral students have explored over the years, and learn more about PhD candidates and recent graduates currently on the job market here. [link coming soon]

Where available, theses are linked to TSpace , the University of Toronto's research repository, or else to the  UofT Libraries  Catalogue.

Giancarlo Fiorella, 2023 (Supv. Professor Beatrice Jauregui):  Spectralities at the Protest Chronotope: Venezuela’s Colectivos and the Opposition Social Imaginary

Serdar San, 2023 (Supv. Professor Matthew Light):  Policing and Police Reform in Turkey since 1980: Regime Transitions and Policing Transformations

Fernando Ramon Avila, 2023 (Supv. Professor Kelly Hannah-Moffat): "The Scars Remain." Power, Solidarity, and Punishment in an Atypical Latin American Prison

Grant John Valentine, 2023 (Supv. Professor Paula Maurutto):  The Canadian Punitive Paradox: The Evolution of Conservative Political Marketing Practices and the Late Onset of Penal Populism in Canadian Federal Politics

Jihyun Kwon, 2023 (Supv. Professor Audrey Macklin, Professor Kelly Hannah-Moffat):  Misconduct Mismanagement: Independent Oversight, Accountability, and the Rule of Law

Erick Laming, 2022 (Supv. Professor Scot Wortley): Police Use of Force: Understanding its Impact on Indigenous and Black Community Members in Ontario

Dikla Yogev, 2022 (Supv. Professor Matthew Light): Religion and Police Legitimacy: the Case of Israel’s Haredi Community

Luis Valentin Pereda Aguado, 2021 (Supv. Professor Matthew Light):  Processes of Violence in Mexico’s Organized Crime Groups: A Study of Los Zetas

Julius Haag, 2021 (Supv. Professor Scot Wortley):  A Qualitative Examination of the Impacts of Police Practices on Racialized and Marginalized Young People in Toronto

Jacquie Briggs, 2021, (Supv. Professor Emerita Mariana Valverde): Networks of Colonial Governance: Department of Indian Affairs Legal Aid in Canada, 1870 to 1970

Grace Tran, 2021 (Supv. Professor Audrey Macklin, Professor Emerita Mariana Valverde): Laws of Love: Negotiations of Intimacy and Legitimacy At and Beyond State Borders Through Vietnamese “Marriage Fraud” Arrangements

Zachary Levinsky, 2020:  'Don't Under Reach': The Limits of Compassion and Risk Management in Toronto School Safety from 1999-2007

Adam Ellis, 2020: Reconceptualizing Urban Warfare In Canada: Exploring the Relationship Between Trauma, Post-traumatic Stress, and Violence Among Male Combat Soldiers and 'Street Soldiers'

Brenna Keatinge, 2018: Growing Land, Growing Law: Race, Urban Politics, and the Governance of Vacant Land in Boston from 1950

Katharina Maier, 2018: Half Way to Freedom: The Role of Halfway Houses in Canada's Penal Landscape

Lysandra Marshall, 2017: Racial Disparities in Police Stops in Kingston, Ontario: Democratic Racism and Canadian Racial Profiling in Theoretical Perspective

Maria Jung, 2017: The Relationship between Immigration and Crime in Canada: 1976-2011

Meghana Rao, 2017: Troubling Suicide: Law, Medicine and Hijr Suicides in India

Holly Pelvin, 2017: Doing Uncertain Time: Understanding the Experiences of Punishment in Pre-trial Custody

Vanessa Iafolla, 2015: Anti-money Laundering and Counter-terrorist Financing Policy in Canada: Origins, Implementation and Enforcement

Alexandra Lysova, 2015: Dynamics of Violence between Intimate Partners in the Narratives of Incarcerated Women in Canada: A Violent Events Perspective

Natasha Madon, 2015: Intersections of Youths'Perceptions: Youths' Perceptions of Their Treatment by the Criminal Justice System and Other Social Institutions

Tara Marie Watson, 2014: Risks Inside and Beyond Institutional Walls: Organisational Responses to Substance Use in Canadian Federal Prisons

Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, 2014: Black Males' Perceptions of and Experiences with the Police in Toronto

Nicole Myers, 2013: Creating Criminality: The Intensification of Institutional Risk Aversion Strategies and the Decline of the Bail Process

Rashmee Singh, 2012: Grassroots Governance: Domestic Violence and Criminal Justice Partnerships in an Immigrant City

Olena Kobzar, 2012: Networking on the Margins: The Regulation of Payday Lending in Canada

Sarah Turnbull, 2012: Reconfiguring Canadian Penality: Gender, Diversity and Parole

Allyson Lunny, 2011:  Victimhood and Socio-legal Narratives of Hate Crime against Queer Communities in Canada, 1985-2003

Carolyn Greene, 2011: Creating Consensus: An Exploration of Two Pre-charge Diversion Programs in Canada

Anita Lam, 2011: Making Crime TV: Producing Fictional Representations of Crime for Canadian Television

Myles Leslie, 2011: Speaking for the Dead: Coroners, Institutional Structures and Risk Management

Prashan Ranasinghe, 2009: The Refashioning of Vagrancy and the (Re)Ordering of Public Space

Michael Mopas, 2009: Imagining the Internet and Making it Governable: Canadian Law and Regulation

Sara Thompson, 2009: The Social Ecology and Spatial Distribution of Lethal Violence in Toronto, 1988-2003

Randy Seepersad, 2009: Mediators and Moderators in the Relative Deprivation - Crime/Counter-normative Actions Relationship

Annmarie Barnes, 2007: Transnational Dislocations: The Use of Deportation as Crime Control

Dawn Moore, 2005: To Cure the Offender: Drugs, Users and the Canadian Criminal Justice System

Mary Lynn Young, 2005: Crime Content and Media Economics: Gendered Practices and Sensational Stories, 1950-2000

Carla Cesaroni, 2005: The Stress and Adjustment of Youth in Custody

Bryan Hogeveen, 2003: Can't You Be a Man? Rebuilding Wayward Masculinities and Regulating Juvenile Deviance in Ontario 1860-1930

Cheryl Webster, 2003: Working for 'Good Order and Discipline': The Impact of Mandatory Convict Labour on the Maintenance of Orderly Prison Life in Contemporary Portugal

John Deukmedjian, 2002: The Evolution and Alignment of RCMP Conflict Management and Organizational Surveillance

Phil Mun, 2002: Calculated Risk-taking: The Governance of Casino Gambling in Ontario

Renisa Mawani, 2001: The "Savage Indian" and the "Foreign Plague": Mapping Racial Categories and Legal Geographies of Race in British Columbia, 1871-1925

Kimberly-Jo White, 2001: Negotiating Responsibility: Representations of Criminality and Mind-State in Canadian Law, Medicine and Society, 1920-1950

Jennifer Wood, 2000: Reinventing Governance : A Study of Transformations in the Ontario Provincial Police

Kirsten Kramar, 2000: Unwilling Mothers and Unwanted Babies: 'Infanticide' and Medico-Legal Responsibility in 20th Century Canadian Legal Discourse

Kim Varma, 2000: Exploring Age and Maturity in Youth Justice

Stephane Leman-Langlois, 2000: Constructing Post-Conflict Justice: The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission as an Ongoing Invention of Reconciliation and Truth

Anna Pratt, 2000: A Political Anatomy of Detention and Deportation in Canada

Voula Marinos, 2000: The Multiple Dimensions of Punishment: 'Intermediate' Sanctions and Interchangeability with Imprisonment

Jane Sprott 1999: Views of the Punishment of Youth: The Dimensions of Punitiveness

Benedikt Fischer, 1998: "Community policing" : a study of local policing, order and control

Kelly Hannah-Moffat, 1997: From Christian maternalism to risk technologies, penal powers and women's knowledges in the governance of female prisons

Willem De Lint, 1997: Shaping the subject of policing, autonomy, regulation and the police constable

Tammy Landau, 1994: Policing and security in four remote aboriginal communities: a challenge to coercive models of police work

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15 Examples of Potential Thesis Topics in Criminology

Criminology in and of itself deals with the study of prevention, causes, control, and management of criminal behavior both on individual and larger social levels. When doing research on various topics to use for your criminology thesis, it can be a bit difficult to find exactly the right one to use for your project. Here is a list of 15 examples of potential thesis topics you can use for inspiration:

• The Lawlessness of Businesses
• Types of White Collar Crime
• The Relationship between Social Workers and Inmates
• Race and the Death Penalty: Is it a factor?
• Gun Ownership and Control in America
• Criminals: Are there more men or women?
• Politics and Prisoners: Should prisoners have the right to vote?
• Victimless Crime: Does it exist?
• Sexual Harassment: Are women the only victims?
• Arson Committed by Juveniles: The why and the how
• Does free will truly exist?
• The Myths and Realities of Capital Punishment
• Why Does Child Abuse Take Place?
• Marijuana: Should it be legal?
• The Reintegration of Prisoners into Society

The topics listed above provide you with a range of options to help you find what you want to write about. Whether you should choose to use one of these or find another topic, it is important to note that the more factual and grounded your research is, and the more informed you are on the subject, the better your paper will be. After you successfully pick a topic, you’ll need to proceed with writing your paper. Be sure to write your paper in such a way that it will reach your readers and draw them in to hear what you have to say. By making sure that your topic is something that you are passionate about, you can combine your own personal enthusiasm along with the scientific knowledge that you will find and put together these factors will make for the best presentation overall.

In summary, choosing a topic for a criminology paper can be frustrating at times. Visit us at thesishelpers.com if you’re looking for amazing thesis writing. Knowing the purpose for your paper and the type of audience you want to reach are factors that will help you in making that final decision. Furthermore, with such a vast array of options available both in books and online, you’ll be sure to find the perfect topic for you and for your potential audience.

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158 Criminology Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on criminology, ✍️ criminology essay topics for college, 👍 good criminology research topics & essay examples, 🌶️ hot criminology ideas to write about, 🎓 most interesting criminology research titles, 💡 simple criminology essay ideas, ❓ criminology research questions.

• Criminology Discipline and Theories
• Use of Statistics in Criminal Justice and Criminology
• How the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights Were Influenced by the Classical School of Criminology?
• Robert Merton’s Strain Theory in Criminology
• Forensic Science: Killing of JonBenet Ramsey
• Criminology and Impact of Automation Technology
• Juvenile Forensic Psychology: Contemporary Concern
• Labeling Theory and Critical Criminology: Sociological Research Sociologists are researching offense and deviance to gain more knowledge about the motivations and attitudes of people involved applying theories of criminology based on sociology.
• Criminology as a Science: Cause and Effect Criminology is a study of the nature and degree of the problem of crime in society. For years criminologists have been trying to unravel criminal behavior.
• Feminist Perspectives’ Contribution to Criminology The principles of gender inclusivity, equality, and cultural implications bear fundamental roles in the development of criminology perspectives.
• Theories of Crime in Forensic Psychology Forensic psychology as a discipline has become closely correlated with the broad theories of crime that aim at defining the reasons behind the offender’s decision to act.
• Hernando Washington Case. Criminology The history of humanity has seen multiple cases of extreme violence, and such instances can hardly ever be justified by any factors.
• Correlational Design in Forensic Psychology Correlational designs are actively used in forensic psychology research in order to determine the meaningful relations between different types of variables.
• Contemporary Theories in Criminology This paper discusses three methods of measuring crimes, Classical School of criminology and its impacts on the US criminology, and the causes of crime – individuality and society.
• Criminological Theories on Community-Based Rehabilitation This research study seeks to enhance the collection of integral analysis of human behavior and legal framework that boosts the quality of information for rehabilitation.
• Chapter 8 of “Criminology Today” by F. Schmalleger According to social process theories, criminal behavior that an individual acquires remains lifelong because it is strengthened by the same social issues that have caused it.
• Forensic Psychology and Criminal Profiling The paper seeks to explore insight into the nature of criminal investigative psychology and a comprehensive evaluation of the practice in solving crime.
• Variance Analysis in Criminal Justice and Criminology The paper states that there are several limitations associated with the ANOVA technique. It may be not suitable against a specific hypothesis.
• Criminology: Femininity and the Upsurge of Ladettes In recent years, women in highly industrialized countries are drinking more and behaving more badly than men. These women are called ladettes.
• Chapter 9 of “Criminology Today” by Schmalleger According to the conflict perspective, conflicts can never be resolved since they are essential in social life. Social order rests on law, which is controlled by the powerful.
• Stabbing Cases in London in Relation to Durkheim’s Criminological Theory The two main questions about criminal and deviant acts are what constitutes such an act and whether it should be punished.
• Experimental Psychology and Forensic Psychology Psychology is a powerful field of study aimed at addressing a wide range of human problems. The field can be divided into two specialties. These include experimental and forensic psychology.
• Ethical Issues in Forensic Psychology Psychologists face many moral dilemmas in law due to the field’s nature because they are responsible for deciding people’s fates, which puts pressure on them.
• Feminism and Criminology in the Modern Justice System Feminist research is a promising method for studying the psychography of crime, motivation, and the introduction of women’s experience in the field of forensic science.
• Criminological Theory: Crime Theories and Criminal Behavior Criminal behavior is a type of behavior of a person who commits a crime. It is interesting to know what drives people to commit crimes and how to control these intentions.
• Classical and Positivist Schools of Criminology General and specific deterrence use the threat of negative consequences for illegal acts to reduce crime rates.
• Full-Service Crime Laboratory: Forensic Science Forensic scientists study and analyze evidence from crime scenes and other locations to produce objective results that can aid in the investigation and prosecution of criminals.
• Integrity as a Key Value: Criminology and War Integrity is included in the list of the LEADERSHIP values, which exist to direct military servicemembers toward appropriate conduct.
• Three Case Briefs in Criminology This paper gives three case briefs in criminology. Cases are “Macomber v. Dillman Case”, “Isbell v. Brighton Area Schools Case”, and “Wilen v. Falkenstein Case”.
• Chapter 7 of Statistics for Criminology and Criminal Justice Chapter 7 of Statistics for Criminology and Criminal Justice analyzes populations, sampling distributions, and the sample related to criminal-justice statistics and criminology.
• Criminology: The Peace-Making Model The purpose of this article is to consider the peacekeeping model in criminology as an alternative to the criminal justice system to solve the problem of a growing crime rate.
• Analysis of Forensic Psychology Practice The important feature of the whole sphere of forensic psychology practice is the ability to testify in court, reformulating psychological findings into the legal language, etc
• Postmodern Criminology: The Violence of the Language According to Arrigo (2019), postmodern criminology recognizes the specific value of language as a non-neutral, politically charged instrument of communication.
• Criminology and Victimology: Victim Stereotypes in Criminal Justice The paper shall look at this matter in relation to female perpetrated violence as well as male experiences of sexual violence and racial minority victims.
• Forensic Psychology and Its Essential Feature in the Modern World The essay defines the origins of forensic psychology, analyzes its role in various fields and spheres, and identifies its essential feature in the modern world.
• Forensic Psychology: Subspecialties and Roles Of my specific interests have been basically two subspecialties of forensic psychology. These include correctional psychology as well as police psychology.
• “Criminological Theory: Context and Consequences” the Book by Lilly, J., Cullen, F., & Ball, R. Criminological Theory addresses not only the evolving and expanding topic of trends in criminological thought but also tries to achieve a level of explanation.
• Sexual Assault: Criminology This paper discusses an act of sexual assault. The paper gives the definition of rape, social, personal, and psychosocial factors.
• The Rise of Criminological Conflict Theory Three key factors that explain the emergence of conflict theory are the influence of the Vietnam War, the rise of the counterculture, and anti-discrimination movements.
• Forensic Psychology: Graham v. Florida and Sullivan v. Florida The question in the two cases Graham v. Florida and Sullivan v. Florida was juvenile sentencing. The offenders claimed their life prison sentences for rape and robbery.
• Statistical Significance and Effect Size in Forensic Psychology Nee and Farman evaluated the effectiveness of using dialectical behavior therapy for treating borderline personality disorder in the UK female prisons.
• Criminology Today by Frank Schmalleger This paper discusses the first chapter from the book Criminology Today by Schmalleger that tells about the basic topics and defines the basic term.
• Researching Environmental Criminology Environmental criminology is the study of crime and criminality in connection with specific places and with how individuals and organizations form their activities in space.
• The Use of Statistics in Criminal Justice and Criminology This paper discusses small-sample confidence intervals for means and confidence intervals with proportions and percentages in criminal justice and criminology.
• Overview of the Theories of Criminology Criminology refers to a body that focuses on crime as a social phenomenon. Criminologists adopt several behavioral and social sciences and methods of understanding crime.
• Marxist Criminological Paradigm The essence of the Marxist criminological paradigm consists of overthrowing the bourgeoisie, as a ruling class, and establishing the so-called dictatorship of the proletariat.
• Theories That Explain Criminal Activities and Criminology Academicians have come up with theories that explain why people engage in crime. The theories are classified which may be psychological, biological, or sociological.
• Criminology: The Social Control Theory For criminologists, the social control theory means that an effective approach to reducing crime might be to change not individuals but their social contexts.
• Chapter 10 of “Criminological Theory” by Lilly et al. This paper elaborates on the problem of feminism and criminology. The paper addresses chapter 10 of the book “Criminological Theory” by Lilly et al. as the source material.
• Incorporating Criminological Theories Into Policymaking Criminological theories, primarily behavioral and social learning, are pivotal to the policymaking process. They provide insights into certain situations.
• Researching of Emerging Technologies in Criminology This paper reviews the advantages and disadvantages of computer technology for crime investigation and law enforcement and concludes that the former outweighs the latter.
• Criminology: Legal Rights Afforded to the Accused The essay discusses the police actions of arrest and the main features of the arrangement process. The case of John Doe shows criminal procedure specifics.
• Statistics for Criminology and Criminal Justice Dispersion is important as it is not enough to merely know the measures of central tendency to make assumptions about a distribution.
• “Introduction to Criminology” Book by Hagan In “Introduction to criminology”, Hagan explains survey research and uses it to investigate essential questions that the criminal justice system faces.
• Broken Window Theory In Criminology In criminology, the broken window theory is often used to describe how bringing order into society can help to reduce crime.
• Criminology: The Aboriginal Crisis The aboriginal people have been living under confinement, in the reserves for a long time. These laws are still under a lot of legal constraints.
• Are Marxist Criminologists Right to See Crime Control as Class Control? Marxist criminology is comparable to functionalist theories, which lay emphasis on the production of continuity and stability in any society.
• Extinction Rebellion: A Criminological Assessment The paper aims at exploring whether Extinction Rebellion protestors are criminals using the narrative criminology framework, transgression theory, and green criminology theory.
• Forensic Science: Psychological Analysis Human behavior can be evaluated by studying the functioning of the human mind. This is important information in crime profiling among other operations in forensic psychology.
• Criminology: USA Patriot Act Overview The Act strengthens and gives more authority to the federal agencies over individual privacy and secrecy of information.
• Criminology: About Corporate Fraud This article focuses on fraud: professional fraud and its types, accounting fraud, and conflicts of interest are considered.
• The Due Process: Criminology The due process clause has been a very essential clause to the ordinary citizens since it is a means of assurance that every freeman has the freedom to enjoy his rights.
• Green Criminology: Environmental Harm in the Niger Delta This essay analyzes environmental harm in the Niger Delta, Nigeria using the Green Criminological analysis of victimization and offenders.
• Criminological Conflict Theory by Sykes Sykes identified three important elements, which he used to elucidate the criminological conflict theory. Sykes highlighted the existence of profound skepticism towards any theory.
• Criminology: Four Types of Evidence There are basically four types of evidence. Every piece of evidence should be analyzed several times throughout the actual investigation by following all the required steps.
• Forensic Psychology Practice Standards for Inmates It is vital for the inmates to have frequent access to psychological assessments because the majority of the inmates end up with psychological problems.
• The Role of Forensic Psychology in the Investigation Confidentiality is an essential feature of a therapeutic bond. Forensic psychologists are bound by a code of ethics to safeguard clients’ information.
• Violence Potential Assessment in Forensic Psychiatric Institutions This paper aims to discuss the ways of predicting violence in forensic psychiatric institutions while focusing on the review of the recent research in the field.
• Legal Insanity in Criminology In America, defendants are said to be legally insane if they suffer from cognitive disorder or lack the capabilities to abstain from criminal behaviors.
• Forensic Psychology in the Correctional Subspecialty Psychological professionals have the role of ensuring that the released convicts have gathered enough knowledge and understanding for them to fit in the society.
• Criminological Theories Assessment and Personal Criminological Theory This essay aims to briefly cover the various criminological theories in vogue and offer the author’s own assessment as to which theory deserves greater credibility.
• Criminological Theory: Context and Consequences. The Notion of Criminality and Crime The exploration of the notion of criminality and crime is essential for the prevention and management thereof.
• Criminological Theory: Context and Consequences The theory of social control seems logical and valid despite controversies and the diversity of theoretical approaches to the reasons of crime.
• “Criminological Theory: Context and Consequences”: Evaluation The criminal law system works in such a way that all offenses are stopped, and corresponding penalties provided by the law are implemented.
• Linguistics and Law: Forensic Letters This paper review articles The Multi-Genre Analysis of Barrister’s Opinion by Hafner and Professional Citation Practices in Child Maltreatment Forensic Letters by Schryer et al.
• Frank Hagan’s Textbook “Introduction to Criminology” Throughout the chapters, Frank Hagan deliberately made reference to positivism criminological theory as such, which was largely discredited.
• Forensic Psychology: Important Issues Forensic psychologists consider that task of determining insanity extremely difficult. There is a difference between insanity as a psychological condition and a legal concept.
• The American Psychological Association: Forensic Field Forensic psychologists are commonly invited to provide expert consultation and share their observations that might be useful to the judicial system.
• Transnational Crime and Global Criminology: Definitional, Typological, and Contextual Conundrums
• Rational Choice, Deterrence, and Social Learning Theory in Criminology
• Comparing Cultures and Crime: Challenges, Prospects, and Problems for a Global Criminology
• The Distinction Between Conflict and Radical Criminology
• How the Study of Political Extremism Has Reshaped Criminology
• Contribution of Positivist Criminology to the Understanding of the Causes of Crime
• Overcoming the Neglect of Social Process in Cross‐National and Comparative Criminology
• The Development of Criminology: From Traditional to Contemporary Views on Crime and Its Causation
• Racism, Ethnicity, and Criminology: Developing Minority Perspectives
• Activist Criminology: Criminologists’ Responsibility to Advocate for Social and Legal Justice
• The Challenges of Doing Criminology in the Big Data Era: Towards a Digital and Data-Driven Approach
• Radical Criminology and Marxism: A Fallible Relationship
• Ontological Shift in Classical Criminology: Engagement With the New Sciences
• Hot Spots of Predatory Crime: Routine Activities and the Criminology of Place
• The Criminology of Genocide: The Death and Rape of Darfur
• Future Applications of Big Data in Environmental Criminology
• Overcoming the Crisis in Critical Criminology: Toward a Grounded Labeling Theory
• Toward an Analytical Criminology: The Micro-Macro Problem, Causal Mechanisms, and Public Policy
• The Utility of the Deviant Case in the Development of Criminological Theory
• In Search of a Critical Mass: Do Black Lives Matter in Criminology?
• Crime and Criminology in the Eye of the Novelist: Trends in the 19th Century Literature
• Income Inequality and Homicide Rates: Cross-National Data and Criminological Theories
• Women & Crime: The Failure of Traditional Theories and the Rise of Feminist Criminology
• Criminology Studies: How Fear of Crime Affects Punitive Attitudes
• Recent Developments in Criminological Theory: Toward Disciplinary Diversity and Theoretical Integration
• Critical Criminology: The Critique of Domination, Inequality, and Injustice
• Anti-racism in Criminology: An Oxymoron?
• Heredity or Milieu: The Foundations of Modern European Criminological Theory
• Classical and Contemporary Criminological Theory in Understanding Young People’s Drug Use
• Theories of Action in Criminology: Learning Theory and Rational Choice Approaches
• Criminalization or Instrumentalism: New Trends in the Field of Border Criminology
• Eco-Justice and the Moral Fissures of Green Criminology
• The Impact of Criminological Theory on Community Corrections Practice
• Feminism and Critical Criminology: Confronting Genealogies
• Learning From Criminals: Active Offender Research for Criminology
• Offending Patterns in Developmental and Life-Course Criminology
• Big Data and Criminology From an AI Perspective
• Psychological and Criminological Factors Associated With Desistance From Violence
• Connecting Criminology and Sociology of Health & Illness
• Assessment of the Current Status and Future Directions in Criminology
• Using Basic Neurobiological Measures in Criminological Research
• Green Criminology: Capitalism, Green Crime & Justice, and Environmental Destruction
• The Foundation and Re‐Emergence of Classical Thought in Criminological Theory
• Conservation Criminology, Environmental Crime, and Risk: An Application to Climate Change
• Feminist and Queer Criminology: A Vital Place for Theorizing LGBTQ Youth
• Criminological Fiction: What Is It Good For?
• Investigating the Applicability of Macro-Level Criminology Theory to Terrorism
• Criminological Theory in Understanding of Cybercrime Offending and Victimization
• The Nurture Versus Biosocial Debate in Criminology
• Developmental Theories and Criminometric Methods in Modern Criminology
• How Does Criminology Cooperate With Other Disciplines to Solve Crimes?
• Is Criminology a Social or Behavioral Science?
• How Does the Study of Criminology Relate to the Detection or Deterrence of Fraud?
• What Are the Types of Norms in Criminology?
• How Do Criminology Schools Differ?
• What Is Criminological Research?
• How Important Is the Role of Punishment in Neoclassical Criminology?
• What Is the Life Course Theory of Criminology?
• Who Is the Father of Modern Criminology?
• What Did Early Criminology Focus On?
• What Is the Difference Between Classical and Positivist Schools of Criminology?
• Why Is Personal Identification Necessary for Criminology?
• What Is the Difference Between Criminology and Applied Criminology?
• What Is Evidence-Based Criminology?
• Are Criminology and Criminal Justice the Same?
• Who Rejected the Doctrine of Free Will in Criminology?
• What Are the Fundamental Propositions of Feminist Criminology?
• Is There a Difference Between Criminology and Victimology?
• What Is the Bell Curve in Criminology?
• Why Do People Commit Crimes, According to Criminology?
• What Is the Difference Between Criminology and Criminal Psychology?
• What Is Contemporary Criminology?
• How Do Criminological Theories Relate to White Collar Crime?
• What Are the Main Features and Concepts of Classical Criminology?
• What Is the Positivist School of Criminology?
• Who Are the Forerunners of Classical Thought in Criminology?
• What Role Does Attachment Theory Play in Criminology?
• Why Do Sociological Criminology Theories Help With Our Understanding of Crimes?
• How Is Victimization Used in Criminology?
• What Is Albert Cohen’s Theory of Subculture Formation in Criminology?

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StudyCorgi. (2023, May 7). 158 Criminology Essay Topics. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/criminology-essay-topics/

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StudyCorgi . "158 Criminology Essay Topics." May 7, 2023. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/criminology-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . 2023. "158 Criminology Essay Topics." May 7, 2023. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/criminology-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Criminology were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on December 27, 2023 .

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Crafting a winning undergraduate dissertation in criminology.

Producing a decent dissertation takes a good amount of planning, organization, extensive research and good presentation. Students of criminology have an extra task of completing their assignments by working on topics such as prisoners’ rights and duties, domestic violence, arsons, serial killers and brutality which be often emotionally and mentally demanding on them. Taking the help of the few simple tips, such students would be able to complete their work in time in good shape and form.

• Choose current topics for your dissertation

Choose a topic the world is currently facing, such as terrorism and internal uprisings in countries the world. Give details on the cause and consequences of these organizations and how they could be prevented in future. Note down important points, taking help from the Internet, television or the newspaper.

• Touch on people’s lives directly

While writing your dissertation, it is important to include statements of those victim who have faced the attack. You might be able to see the thin line between law enforcement and criminology, and see the effects of the enactment of certain laws. If you prepare a project on those who are aggrieved by these attacks, make it people-centered so that they feel inspired.

• Check your library

Go through your library and ask your librarian if needed about any books available on criminology or similar theses. Search for past genuine research papers on the topics you want to use and avoid textbook examples. Begin your work with the most recent paper as that is more relevant to today’s world than a paper ten years old.

• Explore university websites

Your university website may have several assisting material for criminology students, sometimes including a sample proposal and electronic versions of dissertations. Have a look at your Research Cell as well, as it might have projects from the past years for future help. You can also search up online for dissertation ideas if you are in need of a topic. Refine your search by using (site: .edu or site: .gov) so that only creditable and reliable examples are offered to you.

• Take help from a senior student

Keep a friendly relationship with your seniors beforehand, and ask them to have a look at their dissertation. Explain that you are not going to plagiarize and keep a note of what is needed to be done. This is a fast and simple way to see what is actually expected of you in your dissertation.

By keeping these simple tips in mind, it will be very easy for you to create a proper dissertation in almost no time. Start working on your dissertation beforehand to avoid any stress and give as many examples as you can to keep your assignment original and informative.

Easy Tutorials

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Criminology: Crime & Victimisation MA: Dissertation

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Welcome to your Dissertation reading list!  Here you will find the resources to support you throughout your module.

Essential reading.

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What is a Literature Review?

The scholarly conversation.

A literature review provides an overview of previous research on a topic that critically evaluates, classifies, and compares what has already been published on a particular topic. It allows the author to synthesize and place into context the research and scholarly literature relevant to the topic. It helps map the different approaches to a given question and reveals patterns. It forms the foundation for the author’s subsequent research and justifies the significance of the new investigation.

A literature review can be a short introductory section of a research article or a report or policy paper that focuses on recent research. Or, in the case of dissertations, theses, and review articles, it can be an extensive review of all relevant research.

• The format is usually a bibliographic essay; sources are briefly cited within the body of the essay, with full bibliographic citations at the end.
• The introduction should define the topic and set the context for the literature review. It will include the author's perspective or point of view on the topic, how they have defined the scope of the topic (including what's not included), and how the review will be organized. It can point out overall trends, conflicts in methodology or conclusions, and gaps in the research.
• In the body of the review, the author should organize the research into major topics and subtopics. These groupings may be by subject, (e.g., globalization of clothing manufacturing), type of research (e.g., case studies), methodology (e.g., qualitative), genre, chronology, or other common characteristics. Within these groups, the author can then discuss the merits of each article and analyze and compare the importance of each article to similar ones.
• The conclusion will summarize the main findings, make clear how this review of the literature supports (or not) the research to follow, and may point the direction for further research.
• The list of references will include full citations for all of the items mentioned in the literature review.

Key Questions for a Literature Review

A literature review should try to answer questions such as

• Who are the key researchers on this topic?
• What has been the focus of the research efforts so far and what is the current status?
• How have certain studies built on prior studies? Where are the connections? Are there new interpretations of the research?
• Have there been any controversies or debate about the research? Is there consensus? Are there any contradictions?
• Which areas have been identified as needing further research? Have any pathways been suggested?
• How will your topic uniquely contribute to this body of knowledge?
• Which methodologies have researchers used and which appear to be the most productive?
• What sources of information or data were identified that might be useful to you?
• How does your particular topic fit into the larger context of what has already been done?
• How has the research that has already been done help frame your current investigation ?

Examples of Literature Reviews

Example of a literature review at the beginning of an article: Forbes, C. C., Blanchard, C. M., Mummery, W. K., & Courneya, K. S. (2015, March). Prevalence and correlates of strength exercise among breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors . Oncology Nursing Forum, 42(2), 118+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.sonoma.idm.oclc.org/ps/i.do?p=HRCA&sw=w&u=sonomacsu&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA422059606&asid=27e45873fddc413ac1bebbc129f7649c Example of a comprehensive review of the literature: Wilson, J. L. (2016). An exploration of bullying behaviours in nursing: a review of the literature.   British Journal Of Nursing ,  25 (6), 303-306. For additional examples, see:

Galvan, J., Galvan, M., & ProQuest. (2017). Writing literature reviews: A guide for students of the social and behavioral sciences (Seventh ed.). [Electronic book]

Pan, M., & Lopez, M. (2008). Preparing literature reviews: Qualitative and quantitative approaches (3rd ed.). Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Pub. [ Q180.55.E9 P36 2008]

Useful Links

• Write a Literature Review (UCSC)
• Literature Reviews (Purdue)
• Literature Reviews: overview (UNC)
• Review of Literature (UW-Madison)

Evidence Matrix for Literature Reviews

The  Evidence Matrix  can help you  organize your research  before writing your lit review.  Use it to  identify patterns  and commonalities in the articles you have found--similar methodologies ?  common  theoretical frameworks ? It helps you make sure that all your major concepts covered. It also helps you see how your research fits into the context  of the overall topic.

• Evidence Matrix Special thanks to Dr. Cindy Stearns, SSU Sociology Dept, for permission to use this Matrix as an example.
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Home > STUDENT-WORKS > PROGRAM-ETD > CJ-ETD

Criminal Justice and Criminology Theses

If you are a graduate student submitting your thesis or dissertation, please click here to access the submission form.

Theses/Dissertations from 2024 2024

Exploring Knowledge and Perceptions of Nursing Students: A Quantitative Study on Sexual Assault and Sex Trafficking Awareness , Isabella Marino

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

The Impact of ACEs on College Students and Their Major Choice , Britten Harrison

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Public Perceptions on Domestic Sex Trafficking and Domestic Sex Trafficking Victims: A Quantitative Analysis , Faith Browder

Evaluating the Influences of Domestic Violence Training on the Attitudes and Perceptions of Police Recruits at the East Tennessee Regional Law Enforcement Academy , Jeffrey T. Gazzo Mr.

The American and Swedish Criminal Justice System: A Comparative Study , Josefin Hedstrom

Perceived Stress Among Police and Correctional Officers , Travis D. Hill

Political Competition and Predictors of Hate Crime: A County-level Analysis , Eaven Holder

Examining the Relationship between Offending Behaviors of Adult Male Offenders and the Social Bonds of Attachment and Commitment , Josie Klepper

Police Perceptions on False Accusations of Sexual Assault , Danielle Ostrander

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Do Juvenile Offenders Hold to the Child Saving Mentality? The Results from a Survey of Juvenile Offenders Placed on Court Mandated Juvenile Probation , Katelynn R. Adams

Law Enforcement Officers’ Perceptions in Regard to Sex Offenders, SORN, and Residency Restrictions Laws , Maria Aparcero-Suero

Exploring the Social Trend of Household Computer Ownership in Affecting the United States 1990's Crime Drop , Alison Kimberley Bogar

Environmental Factors and School Disorder: The Role of Urbanicty , Brandon S. Coffey

Is Prison Why I’m sick? Examining Health Conditions Among Minority Males Within Correctional Facilities , Mary Hannah Hughes

The Effects of Employment on Recidivism Among Delinquent Juveniles , Leigh Kassem

A Content Analysis of Media Accounts of Death Penalty and Life Without Parole Cases , Lisa R. Kirk

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Policing Postsecondary Education: University Police Legitimacy and Fear of Crime on Campus , Christina N. Barker

Testing Specific Deterrence In The National Basketball Association: An Application Of Beccaria's Theory Of Deterrence , Michael McCutcheon

The Forgotten Signature: An Observational Study on Policy of Securing Identity in Prevention of Identity Theft and Credit/Debit Card Fraud at Retail Store POS Terminals , Belinda R. Wilson

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Social Disorganization, Extra-Curricular Activities, and Delinquency , Robyn G. Dougherty Ms.

The Effects of Gender, Race, and Age on Judicial Sentencing Decisions , April Miller

Assessing Victim Blame: Intersections of Rape Victim Race, Gender, and Ethnicity , Kirsten A. Piatak

Youth Bullying: From Traditional Bullying Perpetration to Cyberbullying Perpetration and the Role of Gender , Erica D. Sizemore

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Police Attitudes about Citizens with Handgun Carry Permits , Bonson F. Cook Jr.

Heavy Drinking Behaviors and Parental Influence Among Greek Affiliated College Students , Melodie Harris

When Women Kill , Giovanna C. Lima

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Race, Social Disorganization and Delinquency , Alina Bazyler

To Conform or Not to Conform: An Examination of the Effects of Mock Jury Deliberation on Individual Jurors , Ashley S. Bowser

Examining Juvenile Delinquency Contributors through Life-Course and Strain Theory , Caitlin E. Burns

Media Influences and Student Attitudes Toward Law Enforcement Figures Within Northeast Tennessee , George T. Ford IV

A Study of Surveillance and Privacy Rights , Jesse T. Kittle Mr.

How Psychology’s Empirical Results Can Benefit the Criminal Justice System: Expert Testimony , Ford C. McCurry

The Effects of Family Structure on Juvenile Delinquency , Alisha B. Parks

Police Militarization: Attitudes Towards the Militarization of the American Police , Phillip T. Wyrick

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Reflex of Avoidance in Spatial Restrictions for Signatures and Handwritten Entries , Linde Christine Rush Burkey

Public Perceptions Regarding Sex Offenders and Sex Offender Management , Jessica Duncan

An Analysis of Restorative Justice in Vermont: Assessing the Relationships Between the Attitudes of Citizens and the Practices of the Department of Corrections , Dustin Robert Melbardis

Childhood Factors Affecting Aggressive Behaviors , Nicole Danielle Waddell

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Race and Anomie: A Comparison of Crime Among Rural Whites and Urban Blacks Based on Social Structural Conditions. , Mical Dominique Carter

Substance Abuse and Mental Disorders Among State and Federal Prison Inmates. , John Richard Haggerty

An Analysis of The Handwriting of Elderly Chinese Subjects. , Dongfang Liu

Identifying Interventions That Work in Juvenile Justice: An Analysis of the Moral Kombat Program. , Thelma Deneen McGowan

Psychopathy and Gender of Serial Killers: A Comparison Using the PCL-R. , Chasity Shalon Norris

The Effects of Domestic Violence: The Male Victims Perspective. , RaMon B. Younger

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Examination of the Death Penalty: Public Opinion of a Northeast Tennessee University Student Sample. , Kyle Aaron Burgason

Wrongful Convictions as a Result of Public Defender Representation. , Annie Elizabeth Ross

An Analysis of Monitoring the Future: A Look at the Relationship between Juvenile Delinquency and Involvement in School. , Thomas Theodore Zawisza

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Examining Orders of Protection: An Analysis of the Court System in a Rural Tennessee County. , Jaclyn Anderson

An Exploratory Analysis of the Psychological Dimensions of Airline Security and Correlates of Perceived Terrorism Threats: A Study of Active American Airlines Pilots. , Paul Martin Borowsky

An Examination of Patterns and Trends of Prescription Drug Abuse Among Adolescents. , Maggie Marie Orender

A Social Control Based Analysis of the Effect of Community Context upon Self Reported Delinquency Rates. , Jacqueline Marie Parlier

The Formation of "Outsider" Through Labeling and Sentence Lengths for Immigrants of Hispanic Descent. , Jeremy Jason Smith

Eyewitness Recall of Noncriminal Events: An Examination of Demographic Characteristics with a Selected Population. , Jessica R. VanEaton

Predicting Views of Sex Offenders and Sex Offender Policies Through Life Experiences. , Vanessa Hatch Woodward

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

College Student Vulnerability to Harmful Religious Groups Based on Perceptions. , Kevin Clark Dreher

Forensic Gunshot Residue Distance Determination Testing Using Identical Make and Model Handguns and Different Ammunitions. , Stanley Keith Hodges

Police Stress: An Examination of the Effects of Stress and Coping Strategies. , Derrick Kenwright

Local Law Enforcement's Counter Terrorism Capabilities. , J. Ryan Presnell

Predicting Behavior from Psychopathic and Antisocial Personality Traits in a Student Sample. , Maryann Stone

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

Adolescents and Marijuana Use: The Affects of Peer and Parent Relationships and Substance Abuse Education. , Samuel Joseph Cosimano

Media: Effects on Attitudes toward Police and Fear of Criminal Victimization. , Bradley Edwards

Juveniles Adjudicated in Adult Court: The Effects of Age, Gender, Race, Previous Convictions, and Severity of Crime on Sentencing Decisions. , Ashley Michelle Holbrook

Examining Significant Differences of Gunshot Residue Patterns Using Same Make and Model of Firearms in Forensic Distance Determination Tests. , Heather Lewey

Racial Profiling and Policing in North Carolina: Reality or Rhetoric? , Randal J. Sluss

Analysis of Selected Correlates of Spouse Abuse and the Policy Implications for the Criminal Justice System. , Marlys Kay Tester

Cinema, Race, and Justice: A Qualitative Analysis of Selected Themes. , Katherine Clay Thompson

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

An Examination of the Prison Environment: An Analysis of Inmate Concerns across Eight Environmental Dimensions. , Andrew Ryan Bradford

Improving Parent and Teen Conflict Resolution Skills: Evaluating the Effectiveness of the "Family Reunion" Crisis Intervention Program. , Carrie Davis Marchant

Bullying Behavior in Middle School: The Effects of Gender, Grade Level, Family Relationships, and Vicarious Victimization on Self-Esteem and Attitudes of Bullying. , Jennifer Mongold

The Relationship between Tobacco, Alcohol, and Marijuana Use among Teenagers. , John Donald Rose

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

A Qualitative Study: Gendered Perceptions of Bullying among Adolescents at a Boys and Girls Club. , Beverly Small Chandley

Intimate Violence: The Effects of Family, Threatened Egotism, and Reciprocity. , Jessica Lynne Holt

Satisfaction with Police Services among Residents of Washington County, Tennessee: A Survey of Citizens' Attitudes and Opinions. , Russell Jamerson

The Effect of Early Childhood Attachment on Delinquency and Behavior and the Continuance into Adulthood. , Cyndi Sheree Nichols

Juvenile Commitment Rate: The Effects of Gender, Race, Parents, and School. , Mitchell Andrew Thompson

Theses/Dissertations from 2004 2004

Justice for All?: Victim Satisfaction with Restorative Justice Conferences. , Sarah Anne Behtz

Juveniles' Attitudes toward the Police as Affected by Prior Victimization. , Joshua A. Hardin

Marijuana Use by Juveniles: The Effects of Peers, Parents Race, & Drug Abuse Resistance Education. , Daniel J. Moeser

Theses/Dissertations from 2003 2003

Oleoresin Capsicum: an Analysis of the Implementation of Pepper Spray into the Law Enforcement Use of Force Continuum in a Selected Police Department. , Lydia Denise Adkins

The Combined Effects of Criminal Justice Intervention on Domestic Violence: A Re-Analysis of the Minneapolis Intervention Project. , Nadia A. Bebawy

Using the Survey of Inmates of State and Federal Correctional Facilities to Compare Female and Male Inmate Characteristics. , Jacqueline Anita Black

Police Officers' Perception of the Validity of the General Theory of Crime. , William Jaison Giesler

The Effect of Prior Consensual Sex between the Victim and the Offender on the Prosecutor's Decision to File Charges in Sexual Assault Cases. , Kimberly Brooke Hollifield

Satisfaction with Police Services among Residents of Elizabethton, Tennessee. , Kelly Brooke Mullins

Misguided Instructions: Do Jurors Accurately Understand the Law in Death Penalty Trials? , Chasity Anne Stoots-Fonberg

Theses/Dissertations from 2002 2002

Role of Police, Prosecutors and Defense Attorneys in Traffic Accident Investigation and Adjudication in Chattanooga, Tennessee. , Karen L. Beisel

Athletic Participation: A Test of Learning and Neutralization Theories. , Mario Bernard Hankerson

Theses/Dissertations from 2001 2001

An Examination of Juvenile Delinquency and Victimization Using an Integrated Model Approach. , Kimberly Dawn Dodson

Involvement in Sports and Engagement in Delinquency: An Examination of Hirschi's Social Bond Theory. , Randy Hass

Characteristics of Recidivism among Intensive and Regular Probationers. , Jennifer Joseph

The Effects of Higher Education on Police Officers' Attitudes toward Personnel Issues, Public Relations and Crime Fighting. , Steven Matthew O'Quinn

Parents, Peers, and Developmental Trajectories toward Crime. , Kimberly A. Verhegge

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Criminology - Research Guide: Sources for Lit Reviews

• Getting started
• Sources for Lit Reviews
• Gray literature collections
• Crime Rates
• Corrections
• Law Enforcement & Courts

Lit Review Sources

Journals featuring literature reviews.

• Annual Reviews Articles are lengthy literature reviews with BIG bibliographies. Useful for both the text summary and the citations for further reading. Includes Annual Review of Criminology , Annual Review of Law and Social Science and Annual Review of Sociology. HINT! Use the "Advanced Search" link in the upper right corner of the startup window. This permits searching in title, abstract, and keywords only and in specific journals.
• Crime & Justice. 1979- . A journal composed of literature review on criminal justice topics, published annually.
• Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science Penn's house journal since 1889, Ann AAPSS publishes single-topic issues six times per year. Recent issues on criminology and criminal justice have been: • Fatal police shootings : patterns, policy, and prevention . Ann AAPSS 687 (January 2020). • Regulating crime : the new criminology of crime control . Ann AAPSS 679 (September 2018). • Migrant smuggling as a collective strategy and insurance policy : views from the margins . Ann AAPSS 676 (March 2018). • The Middle East and regional transition, terrorism, and countering violent extremism : what the next President will face . Ann AAPSS 668 (November 2016). • Tough on crime, tough on families? Criminal justice and family life in America . Ann AAPSS 665 (May 2016). • The great experiment : realigning criminal justice in California and beyond . Ann AAPSS 664 (March 2016).
• Advances in Criminological Theory. 1989- . Print volumes, some e-books. Single-topic volumes.
• Criminal Justice History. 19 vols. 1980-2003. Print only, now ceased. Published by John Jay Press for the Crime and Justice History Group.
• Translational Criminology. 2009- . Published by the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy, George Mason University. More a report on current research projects in evidence-based crime policy than a journal of literature reviews.
• Sociology of Crime, Law, and Deviance An ebook series, each volume focused on a specific topic. Recent volumes include Methods of Criminology and Criminal Justice Research; Race, Ethnicity and Law; The Politics of Policing; and Punishment and Incarceration : a Global Perspective.

Best practices and systematic reviews databases

• The Campbell Collaboration See The Campbell Library for published systematic reviews of interventions in crime and justice, as well as social welfare, education, and international development. Campbell systematic reviews also appear in the open-access ejournal, Campbell Systematic Reviews .
• CrimeSolutions.gov / National Institute of Justice Web-based clearinghouse of more than 500 evaluated programs and practices.
• Model Programs Guide / Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Identifies evidence-based juvenile justice and youth prevention, intervention, and reentry programs. Provides a finely-detailed topics list.
• What Works in Reentry Clearinghouse / Council of State Governments Scores specific reentry programs and practices for beneficial harmful evidence.
• Evidence-based practice online resources / Justice Research and Statistics Association Link list of government, academic, and nonprofit programs.

Dissertations

Every dissertation should include a literature review, to demonstrate how the dissertation fits into the research landscape.

• ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Searches doctoral dissertations, an excellent source for lit reviews.
• NCJRS Abstracts / National Criminal Justice Reference Service. c.1970- . Describes 220,000+ research reports, journal articles, and government documents relating to crime, law enforcement, and the justice system. Many fulltext documents and US Dept of Justice gray literature. HINT! Use the Advanced Search page's "Source Type" filter option for "Literature review", "Best practice/state-of-the-art review", "Issue overview", "Guideline", "Overview text" and other lit review-like genres. HINT! Use the NCJRS Thesaurus to find subject terms.
• Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text. 1968- . Abstracts of the scholarly literature and applied literature on criminology and related disciplines. Many citations also include fulltext. Reflects materials received at the Gottfredson Library (formerly Criminal Justice/National Council on Crime and Delinquency Library), Rutgers University Library, Newark.
• Index to Legal Periodicals (Current & Retrospective). 1908- . An excellent tool for tackling the enormous law review, legal yearbook, bar association, and government legal publications literature from the U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. For foreign legal research, consider using Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals (1985- ).
• Sociological Abstracts. 1963- . From across the field of sociology, useful subject terms include "crime rates," "recidivism," "victim offender relations," and "family violence." . Recently absorbed Social Services Abstracts, adding coverage for social work and social services journals.
• Gray Literature Database. (Gottfredson Library of Criminal Justice, Rutgers Univ.) A supplement to Criminal Justice Abstracts , describing technical reports, working papers, government and agency reports, and conference proceedings - that is, information not commercially published - available online or at the Gottfredson Library. CrimDoc is a similar gray literature database from Univ of Toronto.
• HeinOnline Legal research database containing fulltext documents organized into collections. New collections include Gun Regulation & Legislation in America and History of Capital Punishment.
• PsycINFO. 1887- . Published by American Psychological Association. Comprehensive coverage of the psychological research literature. HINT! The Advanced Search page has a "Methodology" search option filter - select "Literature Review" , "Meta Analysis" , and "Systematic Review" .

Guides and Tips for Writing Literature Reviews

• "How to write a literature review" / Andrew S Denney & Richard Tewksbury Journal of Criminal Justice Education 24, 2 (2013): 218-324 (via HeinOnline).
• "Doing a literature review" / Jeffrey W Knopf PS: Political Science & Politics 39, 1 (January 2006): 127-132 (via Cambridge Journals Online).
• Systematic approaches to a successful literature review / Andrew Booth. (SAGE, 2012) Print only.
• The literature review: a step-by-step guide for students / Diana Ridley. (2nd ed. SAGE, 2012) Print only.
• Preparing Literature Reviews in the Social Sciences (Penn Libraries guide) Needs updating, but still useful for suggestions.

Reference works

Reference works make excellent starting points for research; they provide concise articles on key topics by scholars of the field, often accompanied by suggestions for further reading. The sources listed below are print volumes shelved in the Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks , on the first floor of Van Pelt, unless otherwise noted.

• Compendium of Research on violence against women, 1993-2016. (National Institute of Justice, 2017) Annually-updated reference work describing every NIJ-funded research project on violence against women since 1993.

• ASC Division on Corrections & Sentencing Handbook Series Ebook series sponsored by the American Society of Criminology.

• Elsevier's dictionary of criminal science, in eight languages : English/American, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, and German. Call Number: Available online Publication Date: Elsevier, 1960
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Whether you're aspiring to advance your existing career, plan your college major or find one of the highest-paying criminal justice jobs , it's essential to understand the degree requirements at every step of the way. This includes knowing what's expected from the moment you enroll in a bachelor's degree to the time you decide to undertake specialized studies in a master's program. 

In this article, we'll explain what type of degree you need to start and advance your career in criminal justice, along with a comprehensive look at the criminal justice degree requirements for both graduate and undergraduate programs. 

Our goal is to provide you with the insights needed to strategically navigate your educational journey, ensuring you're well-prepared for the competitive job market ahead.

Types of Criminal Justice Degrees

• Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice

Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice

Doctorate in criminal justice, criminal justice admission criteria, undergraduate prerequisites, graduate prerequisites, criminal justice major requirements.

• And What About Math  

The best degree for a career in criminal justice mostly depends on your career goals, the specific area you wish to focus on, and how quickly you want to enter the workforce. 

Here's a brief overview of different types of criminal justice degrees and their potential benefits for your career: 

Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice:

You should know there are two types of bachelor’s degrees: Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Criminal Justice . 

A B.S. tends to be more specialized and focuses on criminal justice's technical and practical aspects, diving into more scientific content, data analytics, forensics, or other technical areas in the field. It's perfect if you're aspiring for a job in law enforcement, forensic analysis, or any position where knowing criminal justice science is key. 

A B.A., on the other hand, is suitable for students interested in broader liberal arts education, covering a mix of topics like psychology, sociology, and humanities. This way, you get a fuller picture of the social and cultural sides of the criminal system. It's the way to go if you're thinking about careers in social work, criminal justice reforms, legal studies, or any area where a solid background in social sciences really comes in handy. 

Nowadays, there are online programs that you can complete without compromising your current lifestyle. These programs are designed with your convenience in mind, offering flexibility and accessibility so you can learn at your own pace, from anywhere in the world.

A master's degree in criminal justice is a program that goes beyond the basics, offering specialized knowledge and focusing on research, policy analysis and leadership over an additional two-year post-bachelor’s. This degree is the first step to influential roles, whether in leadership, academia, or high-level administration. 

A master’s degree is ideal for professionals looking to deepen their knowledge and advance their careers within the criminal justice system. It suits professionals currently working in law enforcement, corrections, or related fields seeking advancement, as well as recent graduates aspiring to enter these sectors. Some programs offer a curriculum grounded in criminological theory and practical application, preparing students for leadership roles and advanced research.

The doctorate is the highest-level of degree in criminal justice and takes around 3-5 years post-master’s, on average. This path is best for those passionate about research, teaching, and leading at the highest levels, and aiming to become a leader in the academic community, a consultant, or even an executive in criminal justice organizations.

The admission requirements for criminal justice programs can change based on the type of program you’re interested in. Let’s take a closer look at the general eligibility criteria for each.

To get started with your application to an undergraduate program, you'll need to meet a few admission requirements. Keep in mind they can vary by school. That said, there are some universal elements to look out for to get yourself ready for your studies. Here's a rundown to help you sort everything out: 

Complete the Admission Application: This is your first step. Make sure to fill out the institution’s application form thoroughly, as it's your initial introduction to the admissions committee. 

Submit Your Official High School Transcript(s): You'll need to have your high school send your transcript(s) directly to the institution. These documents should include important details like your diploma type, class rank, and GPA (Grade Point Averages). It's crucial because it gives the admissions team a comprehensive look at your academic history and achievements. 

Provide Your Official Test Scores: Next up, you'll need to submit your standardized test scores. This includes any combination of SAT, ACT, GED, and TAKS scores. These scores offer a standardized measure of your academic capabilities and readiness for college-level work. Make sure these are sent directly from the testing agency or are included in your official high school transcript. 

Just a heads up: there are often some extra requirements for applicants from abroad or the military. Make sure to look them over before you send in your application.

As we said before, the institution's guidelines might change, but we’ll provide you with a broad picture of what's typically needed for a grad school application. 

When applying for graduate studies, you usually need to have a B.A. or B.S. in criminal justice, criminology, or something similar from an accredited school. Additionally, your GPA should be at least 3.0 for your last 60 hours of upper-level undergrad classes. Don't forget to include a professional resume too, especially if you've got any relevant internships or work experience on your track record. 

Besides that, institutions often require a 3–4-page Statement of Purpose where you detail your background and what you want to achieve with your degree. This essential requirement demonstrates your academic history, interests and objectives to the admissions committee. Therefore, dedicate enough time to write it, explaining in detail why you are interested in pursuing graduate studies, what led you to this decision and how your past experiences have prepared you for it. 

Finally, you’ll need two letters from professionals or academics who can attest to your potential for success in graduate studies. If you are a non-native English speaker, a language proficiency certificate could also be requested.

Now that you know the types of criminal justice degrees and what you need for the admission, let’s look at the degree requirements: 

Usually, you must complete a minimum of 120 semester hours to get your bachelor’s degree, including at least 39 hours at the advanced level. 

For example, at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), the advanced-level courses in the B.A. in Criminal Justice program dive deep into specialized topics, research methods and contemporary issues within the field, getting you ready for professional careers or further academic study. These courses cover a wide range of subjects, from Applied Research Methods in Criminal Justice to Cyber Crime. 

You’ll also need to fulfill general education, block electives, foreign language core requirements, and minor or additional electives. 

To deepen your understanding of societal and behavioral factors influencing criminal justice, at UTEP we encourage students to take courses in Sociology and Psychology as well.

For master's degree programs, you are required to complete 36 credit hours. In some cases, such as at UTEP, you have the option to choose between two tracks: a professional/non-thesis track or a thesis track. 

In the first option, the curriculum includes 9 credits of courses focused on the practical aspects of criminal justice, such as organization and management, program evaluation, and evidence-based practices, culminating in a capstone project. Additionally, you must complete 18 credits of electives, 9 of which must be specifically designated to criminal justice topics. 

Alternatively, the thesis track requires students to engage more deeply with research, requiring 12 credits in track-specific courses and a smaller portion of electives, totaling 15 credits, with the same stipulation for criminal justice-specific courses.

And What About Math?

At this point, you’re probably asking what kind of math you need for criminal justice. 

Typically, for a criminal justice degree, you'll take math courses applied to social sciences. This approach helps you build a critical foundation to develop necessary quantitative skills. 

These math classes encompass college algebra and geometry, as well as key concepts such as set algebra, diverse types of functions (linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic), matrix algebra and addressing systems of equations and inequalities. They also provide a basis in probability and finance-related mathematics. 

If you are interested in delving deeper into the criminal justice curriculum and its requirements, visit the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Criminal Justice program's webpage, review the coursework details and reach out to one of our enrollment counselors for personalized guidance. 

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