literature review criminal justice topics

251+ Interesting Criminal Justice Research Topics For Students

Did you know that more than 65 million people have a criminal record in the US alone? Every 36 seconds, an American is put in jail. But are we creating fairness or just locking people up?

Understanding how serious these numbers are shows why it’s so important for students to study criminal justice topics. 

In today’s world, where issues about police, laws, and fairness are always changing, students need to learn about them. 

Research helps students learn to think carefully, understand tough issues, and improve things. 

In this blog, we’ll talk about many different criminal justice research topics that are good for students to study. From looking at the unfairness in the system to thinking about how laws affect people’s lives, we want to give you interesting things to think about and talk about. 

Join us as we explore these topics and try to understand how we can make the world fairer for everyone.

Can You Describe a Criminal Justice Research Topic?

Table of Contents

A research topic in criminal justice is a specific area of interest or inquiry within the field that students or researchers explore to gain a deeper understanding of various aspects of law enforcement, legal systems, and societal issues related to crime and justice. 

These topics can range from studying the effectiveness of policing strategies to analyzing the impact of criminal laws on different communities. 

Research topics in criminal justice aim to address pressing issues, identify trends, and contribute to the development of policies and practices that promote fairness, equity, and safety within the criminal justice system and society as a whole.

How to Choose the Right Research Topic for Criminal Justice?

Choosing the right research topic in criminal justice involves considering various factors to ensure relevance, feasibility, and interest. Here are some steps to help you select a suitable research topic:

1. Identify your interests

Reflect on what aspects of criminal justice intrigue you the most, such as law enforcement practices, legal procedures, or societal impacts of crime.

2. Consider relevance

Choose a topic that is timely and relevant to current issues or debates within the field of criminal justice.

3. Assess feasibility

Evaluate the availability of resources, data, and access to information necessary for researching your chosen topic.

4. Narrow down your focus

Refine your topic to a specific research question or area of inquiry that can be feasibly explored within the scope of your project.

5. Consult with experts

Seek guidance from professors, professionals, or peers in the field to gather insights and refine your research topic further.

6. Ensure significance

Ensure that your chosen topic addresses important gaps in knowledge or contributes to ongoing discussions within the field of criminal justice.

List of Good Criminal Justice Research Topics

Here’s a list of top criminal justice research topics for students:

Law Enforcement

• The impact of community policing on crime rates.
• Strategies for reducing police brutality and misconduct.
• The effectiveness of body-worn cameras in law enforcement.
• Racial disparities in police stops and arrests.
• The role of technology in modern policing.
• Mental health training for law enforcement officers.
• Police use of force policies and their implications.
• Investigating the rise of cybercrime and its challenges for law enforcement.
• The relationship between police militarization and public trust.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of crime prevention programs implemented by police departments.
• Addressing corruption within law enforcement agencies.
• The impact of drug legalization on policing strategies.
• Police response to domestic violence cases.
• The use of predictive policing algorithms and their ethical implications.
• Improving diversity and inclusion in law enforcement agencies.
• The role of police unions in shaping law enforcement policies.
• Analyzing the effectiveness of de-escalation training for police officers.
• The impact of social media on police-community relations.
• Exploring the challenges of policing in rural communities.
• The influence of media portrayals on public perceptions of law enforcement.

Criminal Law and Legal Systems

• The effectiveness of restorative justice programs in reducing recidivism.
• The impact of mandatory minimum sentencing laws on incarceration rates.
• Analyzing the role of defense attorneys in ensuring fair trials.
• Jury selection processes and racial bias in the criminal justice system.
• The use of plea bargaining and its implications for justice.
• Legal and ethical considerations in prosecuting white-collar crime.
• The impact of the war on drugs on criminal justice policies.
• Examining the role of forensic evidence in criminal trials.
• The effectiveness of diversion programs for juvenile offenders.
• The use of solitary confinement in prisons and its psychological effects.
• Investigating wrongful convictions and their causes.
• The influence of political ideologies on criminal justice policies.
• Reforming bail systems to address socioeconomic disparities.
• Legal challenges surrounding the use of new surveillance technologies.
• The intersection of immigration law and criminal justice.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of reentry programs for ex-offenders.
• Analyzing the role of prosecutors in the criminal justice system.
• Exploring the use of alternative dispute resolution methods in criminal cases.
• Legal and ethical issues in handling digital evidence.
• The impact of legalizing marijuana on criminal justice systems.

Corrections and Rehabilitation

• The effectiveness of rehabilitation programs in reducing recidivism.
• Mental health treatment in correctional facilities.
• Overcrowding in prisons and its consequences.
• Examining the role of private prisons in the criminal justice system.
• The use of alternative sentencing options, such as probation and parole.
• Addressing the healthcare needs of incarcerated individuals.
• The impact of solitary confinement on prisoner mental health.
• Gender-responsive approaches to correctional programming.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of drug treatment courts.
• Restorative justice practices in correctional settings.
• The role of education and vocational training in prisoner reintegration.
• Exploring the challenges of managing aging prison populations.
• The impact of reentry support services on post-release outcomes.
• Assessing the use of electronic monitoring as an alternative to incarceration.
• Gender disparities in the criminal justice system.
• The relationship between substance abuse and criminal behavior.
• Correctional officer training and professionalism.
• The effectiveness of faith-based initiatives in rehabilitation.
• Analyzing the impact of incarceration on families and communities.
• Strategies for reducing violence in prisons.

Juvenile Justice

• Exploring the causes of juvenile delinquency.
• The impact of parental involvement on juvenile rehabilitation.
• Assessing the use of restorative justice practices in juvenile courts.
• Examining the relationship between childhood trauma and delinquent behavior.
• Gender disparities in juvenile justice processing.
• The role of schools in preventing juvenile crime.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of mentoring programs for at-risk youth.
• Legal and ethical considerations in juvenile interrogation practices.
• Addressing racial disparities in juvenile justice outcomes.
• The impact of social media on juvenile offending.
• Alternatives to detention for juvenile offenders.
• Exploring the challenges of transferring juveniles to adult court.
• The role of technology in juvenile justice supervision.
• Assessing the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs for juvenile offenders.
• The relationship between substance abuse and juvenile delinquency.
• Gender-responsive approaches to juvenile justice programming.
• Preventing gang involvement among youth.
• The impact of family dynamics on juvenile delinquency.
• The use of evidence-based practices in juvenile justice interventions.

Victimology

• Understanding the psychological effects of victimization.
• The role of victim services in the criminal justice system.
• Exploring the experiences of marginalized victims.
• Addressing the needs of human trafficking survivors.
• The impact of technology-facilitated crimes on victims.
• Restitution and compensation for crime victims.
• The role of the media in shaping perceptions of victims.
• Assessing the effectiveness of victim impact statements in court.
• Exploring cultural factors in victimization.
• The intersectionality of victimization experiences.
• Restorative justice approaches to addressing harm and victimization.
• Legal and ethical issues in victim advocacy.
• The impact of victimization on vulnerable populations.
• Preventing revictimization in the criminal justice system.
• Understanding the experiences of hate crime victims.
• The role of community support networks for victims.
• Assessing barriers to reporting crimes and seeking help.
• Victim-offender mediation and its benefits.
• Exploring the long-term effects of trauma on victims.
• Supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Criminology and Criminal Behavior

• Theories of crime causation: exploring biological, psychological, and sociological perspectives.
• The relationship between poverty and crime.
• The impact of media violence on aggressive behavior.
• Gender differences in criminal behavior.
• The influence of peer groups on delinquency.
• Analyzing the root causes of gang involvement.
• The role of substance abuse in criminal behavior.
• Understanding the dynamics of white-collar crime.
• Exploring the connection between mental illness and criminality.
• Environmental criminology: assessing the role of neighborhoods in crime.
• The impact of family structure on juvenile delinquency.
• Cybercrime trends and motivations.
• The relationship between education level and criminal behavior.
• Investigating the role of genetics in criminal propensity.
• The influence of social media on criminal behavior.
• Cultural factors in crime and deviance.
• Exploring the motivations behind hate crimes.
• The impact of immigration on crime rates.
• The role of routine activities theory in understanding crime patterns.
• Assessing the effectiveness of crime prevention strategies.

Forensic Science

• Advances in DNA analysis techniques.
• The use of forensic entomology in criminal investigations.
• Exploring the reliability of fingerprint evidence.
• Digital forensics: examining electronic evidence in criminal cases.
• The role of forensic anthropology in identifying human remains.
• Investigating the accuracy of eyewitness testimony in court.
• Firearms examination and ballistics analysis.
• Forensic psychology: understanding criminal behavior through psychological profiling.
• The use of forensic odontology in identifying individuals.
• The reliability of forensic evidence in court proceedings.
• Advancements in forensic toxicology.
• Exploring the potential of forensic botany in criminal investigations.
• The challenges of forensic evidence preservation and storage.
• Forensic linguistics: analyzing language patterns in criminal cases.
• The use of forensic imaging technology in crime scene reconstruction.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of forensic science in cold case investigations.
• Forensic accounting: uncovering financial fraud and embezzlement.
• The role of forensic nursing in collecting evidence from victims of crime.
• Exploring the ethical implications of forensic research and practice.
• The impact of forensic evidence on wrongful convictions.
• Digital forensics challenges in the age of encryption.
• The use of forensic anthropology in mass disaster victim identification.
• Investigating the reliability of bite mark analysis in forensic investigations.
• The future of forensic science: emerging technologies and methodologies.
• The role of forensic entomology in estimating time since death.
• Analyzing the accuracy of voice recognition technology in forensic analysis.
• Forensic archaeology: excavating and analyzing crime scenes.
• The challenges of forensic evidence admissibility in court.
• The use of forensic geology in criminal investigations.
• The impact of forensic science on criminal justice policy and practice.
• The evolution of cybercrime: from hacking to ransomware.
• Exploring the dark web and its role in cybercrime.
• The challenges of prosecuting cybercriminals across international borders.
• Cybersecurity vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure.
• The impact of social engineering techniques on cybersecurity.
• Digital currency and its implications for cybercrime investigations.
• The role of artificial intelligence in cyber threat detection.
• Cyberterrorism: assessing the risk to national security.
• The psychological profile of cybercriminals.
• The use of blockchain technology in combating cybercrime.
• Analyzing the effectiveness of cybercrime laws and regulations.
• Cyberbullying: understanding the psychological effects on victims.
• The role of social media in facilitating cybercrime.
• Investigating the link between organized crime groups and cyber attacks.
• The challenges of securing Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
• Cyber espionage and its impact on corporate and government entities.
• The role of government agencies in cybercrime prevention and response.
• Exploring emerging trends in cybercrime, such as deepfakes and AI-driven attacks.
• The economic impact of cybercrime on businesses and individuals.
• Ethical hacking: assessing the role of white hat hackers in cybersecurity.

Terrorism and Homeland Security

• The root causes of terrorism: ideological, political, and socioeconomic factors.
• The effectiveness of counterterrorism strategies in preventing attacks.
• The role of intelligence agencies in identifying and disrupting terrorist plots.
• Exploring the motivations behind lone wolf terrorist attacks.
• The impact of globalization on the spread of terrorist ideologies.
• Cyberterrorism threats and vulnerabilities.
• Assessing the risk of bioterrorism in the modern world.
• The role of border security in preventing terrorist infiltration.
• The use of drones in counterterrorism operations.
• The psychological effects of terrorism on society.
• Radicalization pathways: understanding the process of becoming a terrorist.
• The role of religious extremism in fueling terrorist violence.
• Exploring the nexus between organized crime and terrorism.
• The challenges of balancing civil liberties with national security measures.
• The impact of counterterrorism policies on immigrant communities.
• The role of social media in terrorist recruitment and propaganda.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of counter-radicalization programs.
• The use of financial intelligence in disrupting terrorist financing networks.
• The role of international cooperation in combating transnational terrorism.
• Homeland security preparedness and response to terrorist threats.

Social Justice and Human Rights

• The intersectionality of race, class, and gender in criminal justice outcomes.
• Addressing systemic racism in policing and the justice system.
• LGBTQ+ rights and discrimination in the criminal justice system.
• The impact of mass incarceration on communities of color.
• Indigenous rights and justice in colonial settler societies.
• Disability rights and access to justice for individuals with disabilities.
• The role of advocacy groups in promoting criminal justice reform.
• Environmental justice and its relationship to crime and punishment.
• The impact of socioeconomic inequality on access to legal representation.
• Human trafficking and modern-day slavery: prevention and intervention strategies.
• Refugee rights and access to asylum in the criminal justice system.
• Restorative justice approaches to addressing historical injustices.
• The rights of prisoners and the conditions of confinement.
• Disability justice: ensuring equitable treatment for individuals with disabilities in the justice system.
• The impact of colonial legacies on contemporary criminal justice systems.
• Gender equality and women’s rights in the justice system.
• The criminalization of poverty: exploring the cycle of poverty and incarceration.
• Intersectional feminism and its implications for criminal justice reform.
• The role of transitional justice mechanisms in post-conflict societies.
• The impact of globalization on human rights and justice.

Comparative Criminal Justice Systems

• Contrasting approaches to policing: community-oriented vs. militarized.
• Legal systems around the world: common law vs. civil law traditions.
• The role of religion in shaping criminal justice systems.
• The influence of cultural values on punishment and rehabilitation.
• Comparing juvenile justice systems: rehabilitative vs. punitive approaches.
• The impact of colonialism on indigenous justice systems.
• Restorative justice practices in different cultural contexts.
• Gender disparities in legal rights and protections globally.
• The role of international law in addressing transnational crime.
• Exploring variations in prison systems and correctional philosophies.

Policy Analysis and Reform

• Assessing the impact of mandatory minimum sentencing laws on incarceration rates.
• The effectiveness of drug decriminalization policies in reducing substance abuse.
• Bail reform: alternatives to cash bail and pretrial detention.
• The role of prosecutorial discretion in shaping criminal justice outcomes.
• Gun control policies and their implications for public safety.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of diversion programs in reducing recidivism.
• The impact of privatization on correctional facilities and rehabilitation programs.
• Sentencing disparities: addressing racial and socioeconomic inequalities.
• Immigration policies and their impact on immigrant communities in the criminal justice system.
• The role of evidence-based practices in shaping criminal justice policy.

Emerging Issues in Criminal Justice

• The legalization of marijuana: impacts on crime rates and law enforcement.
• Artificial intelligence in criminal justice: opportunities and ethical challenges.
• The future of policing: predictive analytics and algorithmic surveillance.
• Environmental crime and its consequences for global security.
• The impact of COVID-19 on criminal justice systems and practices.
• The rise of domestic terrorism: responding to threats from within.
• Mental health crisis intervention: diverting individuals from the criminal justice system
• Cyberbullying legislation and prevention strategies in the digital age.
• The role of big data in criminal justice decision-making.
• Online extremism and radicalization: countering digital propaganda.
• The implications of artificial intelligence in criminal sentencing.
• Police-community relations in the era of Black Lives Matter.
• Restorative justice in schools: promoting accountability and reconciliation.
• The impact of mass surveillance on civil liberties and privacy rights.
• Hate crime legislation and enforcement in multicultural societies.
• Policing protests: balancing public safety and First Amendment rights.
• The role of social media influencers in shaping perceptions of crime and justice.
• Corporate crime and regulatory enforcement: holding businesses accountable.
• The challenges of combating human trafficking in the digital age.
• The future of rehabilitation: integrating technology and evidence-based practices.
• The role of trauma-informed care in criminal justice settings.
• Smart justice initiatives: leveraging technology for offender reintegration.
• The impact of climate change on patterns of criminal activity.
• Exploring the link between mental health and homelessness in the justice system.
• Criminal justice responses to environmental disasters and emergencies.
• Ethical considerations in criminal justice research and experimentation.
• Police use of surveillance drones: balancing security and privacy concerns.
• The role of public defenders in ensuring access to justice for marginalized communities.
• The impact of globalization on transnational organized crime networks.
• Innovative approaches to reducing recidivism and promoting reentry success.

These diverse research topics offer a broad spectrum of areas for exploration and analysis within the criminal justice field, catering to the interests and concerns of students and researchers alike.

Ethics and Challenges in Criminal Justice Research

Ethics and challenges in criminal justice research are significant considerations that researchers must navigate to ensure their studies’ integrity, validity, and ethicality. Here are some key points regarding ethics and challenges in criminal justice research:

• Informed Consent: Ensuring participants understand the purpose, risks, and benefits of the research.
• Confidentiality: Safeguarding sensitive information and protecting the identities of participants.
• Avoiding Harm: Minimizing potential physical, emotional, or psychological harm to participants.
• Conflict of Interest: Maintaining objectivity and integrity in research design and analysis.
• Bias and Stereotyping: Addressing researcher biases and avoiding stereotypes that may influence findings.
• Access to Data: Navigating legal and ethical considerations regarding access to sensitive data.
• Balancing Transparency and Confidentiality: Striking a balance between transparency in research methods and confidentiality of participants.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Acknowledging and respecting diverse cultural perspectives and practices in research.

Bottom Line

The exploration of criminal justice research topics is paramount in understanding, addressing, and reforming the complexities within the justice system. 

By delving into diverse subjects such as law enforcement practices, legal systems, and societal impacts of crime, researchers contribute to advancing knowledge and promoting fairness and equity. 

Through rigorous inquiry and analysis, solutions to pressing issues such as racial disparities, wrongful convictions, and rehabilitation strategies emerge.

 As scholars and practitioners continue to engage with these topics, they play a vital role in shaping policies, practices, and perceptions, ultimately striving towards a more just and equitable society.

1. How can I find reliable sources for my criminal justice research?

Utilize academic databases, peer-reviewed journals, and reputable online resources recommended by your instructors or university library.

2. What are some current trends in criminal justice research?

Current trends include restorative justice approaches, the impact of technology on crime prevention, and the intersection of mental health and criminal justice.

3. How can students contribute to criminal justice research?

Students can contribute to criminal justice research by conducting literature reviews, designing and implementing studies, analyzing data, and disseminating findings through publications or presentations. They can also engage in internships or fieldwork to gain practical experience and collaborate with faculty or professionals.

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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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135+ Amazing Criminal Justice Research Topics In 2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

How To Choose A Good Research Topics

Table of Contents

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

Some research topics include the following:

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

What Is a Research Paper in Criminal Justice?

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

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

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

Let’s Discuss The Criminal Justice Research Topics-

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

Basic Criminology and Criminal Justice Research Topics

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

Court Cases Criminal Justice Research Topics

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

Controversial Criminal Justice Research Topics

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

Debate Criminal Justice Research Topics

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

Criminology Research Topics On Theories

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

Top 10 Hot Criminology Research Topics

• Crime is explained culturally.
• The media’s role in criminology.
• The advantages of convict criminology.
• The major issues in postmodern criminology.
• Is politics influencing criminal behavior?
• How does DAWN collect information?
• The shortcomings of crime mapping.
• Crime rates and community deterioration.
• Certain personality traits trigger criminal behavior.
• Does experimental criminology have an impact on social policy?

Criminal Justice Research Topics Based On Crime and Communities

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

Criminal Justice Research Topics On Racism and Discrimination

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

General Criminal Justice Research Topics

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

Types of Criminal Justice Research Topics  

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

International Criminal Law Topics

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

Criminal Justice Research Topics For College Students

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

Criminology Research Topics

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

Career With The Criminology Major

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

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

Tips On How To Write Criminal Justice Research Topics

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

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

Importance of Criminal Justice Research Papers In 2023

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

1. Informed Policy-Making

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

2. Evidence-Based Practices

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

3. Transparency and Accountability

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

4. Improved Decision-Making

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

5. Advancing Knowledge

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

6. Addressing Disparities

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

7. Enhancing Public Awareness

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

Get More Criminal Justice Research Topics At Statanalytica.com

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

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1.what are some criminal justice research topics.

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

Q2. How do I choose a research topic?

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

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Criminal Justice Sciences

• Recommended Databases
• Recommended Journals
• Recommended Books
• Reference Resources
• Open and Accessible Materials
• Faculty Resources
• Statistical Sources
• Law Enforcement Exam Practice Materials
• Use Criminal Justice Abstracts
• Use Nexis Uni
• Use HeinOnline
• Navigate Westlaw
• Evaluate Articles
• Source Management Tools
• Annotated Bibliography
• Literature Review
• Useful Links

What's on this Page

This page is meant to help you create a literature review for academic projects and publications. Each tab outlines a different aspect of what a literature review is and how to build one. If you need help finding sources for your literature reviews, check out How To pages.

How to Build a Literature Review

• What is a Lit Review?
• Why Write a Lit Review?
• Building a Lit Review
• Prepping for a Lit Review
• Basic Example
• Other Resources/Examples

What is a Literature Review?

A literature review is a comprehensive summary and analysis of previously published research on a particular topic. Literature reviews should give the reader an overview of the important theories and themes that have previously been discussed on the topic, as well as any important researchers who have contributed to the discourse. This review should connect the established conclusions to the hypothesis being presented in the rest of the paper.

What a Literature Review Is Not:

• Annotated Bibliography: An annotated bibliography summarizes and assesses each resource individually and separately. A literature review explores the connections between different articles to illustrate important themes/theories/research trends within a larger research area. 
• Timeline: While a literature review can be organized chronologically, they are not simple timelines of previous events. They should not be a list of any kind. Individual examples or events should be combined to illustrate larger ideas or concepts.
• Argumentative Paper: Literature reviews are not meant to be making an argument. They are explorations of a concept to give the audience an understanding of what has already been written and researched about an idea. As many perspectives as possible should be included in a literature review in order to give the reader as comprehensive understanding of a topic as possible.

Why Write a Literature Review?

After reading the literature review, the reader should have a basic understanding of the topic. A reader should be able to come into your paper without really knowing anything about an idea, and after reading the literature, feel more confident about the important points.

A literature review should also help the reader understand the focus the rest of the paper will take within the larger topic. If the reader knows what has already been studied, they will be better prepared for the novel argument that is about to be made.

A literature review should help the reader understand the important history, themes, events, and ideas about a particular topic. Connections between ideas/themes should also explored. Part of the importance of a literature review is to prove to experts who do read your paper that you are knowledgeable enough to contribute to the academic discussion. You have to have done your homework.

A literature review should also identify the gaps in research to show the reader what hasn't yet been explored. Your thesis should ideally address one of the gaps identified in the research. Scholarly articles are meant to push academic conversations forward with new ideas and arguments. Before knowing where the gaps are in a topic, you need to have read what others have written.

What does a literature review look like?

As mentioned in other tabs, literature reviews should discuss the big ideas that make up a topic. Each literature review should be broken up into different subtopics. Each subtopic should use groups of articles as evidence to support the ideas. There are several different ways of organizing a literature review. It will depend on the patterns one sees in the groups of articles as to which strategy should be used. Here are a few examples of how to organize your review:

Chronological

If there are clear trends that change over time, a chronological approach could be used to organize a literature review. For example, one might argue that in the 1970s, the predominant theories and themes argued something. However, in the 1980s, the theories evolved to something else. Then, in the 1990s, theories evolved further. Each decade is a subtopic, and articles should be used as examples. 

Themes/Theories

There may also be clear distinctions between schools of thought within a topic, a theoretical breakdown may be most appropriate. Each theory could be a subtopic, and articles supporting the theme should be included as evidence for each one. 

If researchers mainly differ in the way they went about conducting research, literature reviews can be organized by methodology. Each type of method could be a subtopic,  and articles using the method should be included as evidence for each one.

Preliminary Steps for Literature Review

• Define your research question
• Compile a list of initial keywords to use for searching based on question
• Search for literature that discusses the topics surrounding your research question
• Assess and organize your literature into logical groups
• Identify gaps in research and conduct secondary searches (if necessary)
• Reassess and reorganize literature again (if necessary)
• Write review

Here is an example of a literature review, taken from the beginning of a research article. You can find other examples within most scholarly research articles. The majority of published scholarship includes a literature review section, and you can use those to become more familiar with these reviews.

Source:  Perceptions of the Police by LGBT Communities

• ISU Writing Assistance The Julia N. Visor Academic Center provides one-on-one writing assistance for any course or need. By focusing on the writing process instead of merely on grammar and editing, we are committed to making you a better writer.
• University of Toronto: The Literature Review Written by Dena Taylor, Health Sciences Writing Centre
• Purdue OWL - Writing a Lit Review Goes over the basic steps
• UW Madison Writing Center - Review of Literature A description of what each piece of a literature review should entail.
• USC Libraries - Literature Reviews Offers detailed guidance on how to develop, organize, and write a college-level research paper in the social and behavioral sciences.
• Creating the literature review: integrating research questions and arguments Blog post with very helpful overview for how to organize and build/integrate arguments in a literature review
• Understanding, Selecting, and Integrating a Theoretical Framework in Dissertation Research: Creating the Blueprint for Your “House” Article focusing on constructing a literature review for a dissertation. Still very relevant for literature reviews in other types of content.

A note that many of these examples will be far longer and in-depth than what's required for your assignment. However, they will give you an idea of the general structure and components of a literature review. Additionally, most scholarly articles will include a literature review section. Looking over the articles you have been assigned in classes will also help you.

• Sample Literature Review (Univ. of Florida) This guide will provide research and writing tips to help students complete a literature review assignment.
• Sociology Literature Review (Univ. of Hawaii) Written in ASA citation style - don't follow this format.
• Sample Lit Review - Univ. of Vermont Includes an example with tips in the footnotes.
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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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• Last Updated: Nov 30, 2023 2:38 PM
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Criminology Careers Today

Learn All About Criminology Education and Jobs

• 15 Interesting Criminal Justice Research Topics To Inspire You

Selecting an inspiring topic for your criminal justice research paper is probably one of the hardest decisions you’ve had to make in a while. According to statistics, you are only second to a law student in terms of having challenging assignments. Like nursing and healthcare, your law assignments require writing with definite accuracy and appropriate sources to support your arguments and ideas.

To get started, you must first find some criminological or criminal justice research topics that are reliable and have a suitable scope. This is challenging in itself because most such topics either have a very broad or very narrow scope.

What is a criminal justice research paper?

As implied by the name, a criminal justice research paper analyzes crime and justice. Criminal justice is a science that explores how to study, analyze and prevent the occurrence of criminal activity. While you may have certain limitations regarding your area of study, your choice of research topic, and academic barriers, you can still consider ethical or social aspects that are relevant to your criminal justice.   

The objective of criminal justice is to maintain the peaceful existence of the citizens within a society. While reviewing criminal law topics , it is important to remember that legislation varies from one state to the next, and from one country to another. If you select an international case study, it is important to back up the conflicts with dependable sources.  

What do college criminal justice assignments require? 

Most college assignments that are assigned to law students require them to write article reviews or analyze case studies in which they review an existing challenge and propose the best and most effective problem solution. 

Whether you are writing your criminal justice research paper, your thesis statement, or a case study review, your college professors expect a 50/50 proportion of your personal contribution and scientific information that exists already. 

Due to this reason, every argumentative paragraph has to be supported with a suitable amount of references or citations so that you can avoid plagiarism. Even if you choose to carry out personal research or investigation, your analysis must be supported by published academic articles from academic journals that discuss a similar topic, analysis, or finding.    

How to choose a good research topic?

Whether your assignment is writing a literature review or giving critique on a law officer’s action, always focus on the concrete concern. If your ideas are random or your logic weak, your thesis statement will not have clarity. 

Criminology topics can be both limited or flexible, because they are expected to present hypotheses based on well-known legislative case studies or acts. As the author, you must appear confident. That is why it is important that you choose a topic or subject that you are confident about so that you can defend your subject with a strong presentation project or verbal arguments. If your content sounds credible, your audience will surely continue reading. 

How to identify good ideas for your thesis?

While reflecting on your criminal justice thesis ideas , ask these questions:

• Is this criminal justice research topic relevant?
• Is this topic important for me personally?
• Does this research topic have global significance?
• Can I turn this assignment into a speech?
• Is the right approach for the topic a review, comparison essay, argumentative writing, or an analysis?
• What popular alternate opinions are there?
• Has this topic been researched previously?  
• Will this research topic fulfil the criteria of the grading rubric?
• What additional information do I need?

When you have identified a few relevant and interesting c riminal investigation research paper topics , you can narrow them down and choose your final topic. The next step is to be absolutely sure that you follow the required formatting rules. Some of them require additional information such as notes and appendix additions for law memo reviews and court case studies.   

If your university requires you to use the Chicago format style of referencing, you have to include complete information. It is essential that you find out if this information is available and if you can access it. 

Disciplines of Criminology

There is a diverse range of disciplines of criminology, including illegal acts such as kidnapping, Scientific plagiarism, Internet fraud, and many more. Each of these disciplines can lead you to further hot topics in criminal justice that can be of interest to you. 

Once you have selected your final discipline and topic, the next step is to choose the right format for your legal essay. For example, if you choose healthcare, it is advisable that you discuss ethical issues. Similarly, with cyberstalking, you should choose a comparison analysis and compare classic stalking practices. 

Another important factor you must understand is the difference between criminal research and theoretical studies. Theoretical assignments may incorporate legislation but should not include historical references or practical cases. Whereas, criminal research is based on court hearings or case studies and has to focus on specific events. 

Criminal justice research proposal ideas

Criminal justice is a continually evolving area with several very interesting topics to explore. You can explore a criminal justice research proposal example to find out if your research can make an impact on changes in the legal system or advise decision makers.   

Here are fifteen interesting criminal justice research proposal ideas that may inspire you:

• The impact of capital punishment
• The police and its relationship with people of color
• Effectiveness of drug trafficking prevention strategies
• Ethics of criminal justice
• Strategies for crime prevention
• Gender issues in criminal justice
• The ethical aspects of international interventions
• Impact of mandatory sentencing
• The lives of children with incarcerated parents
• Jury selection criteria
• The reliability of witness testimonies
• Crimes conducted during emergencies
• Implications of solitary confinement
• Drug courts and their impact
• Workplace harassment

The world needs experts in criminal justice who are highly knowledgeable and trained professionals with a passion to make this world a better place. While writing a criminal justice research paper is a challenging task, it is important that you choose your research topic and get started. With your dedicated efforts, you will soon have a well-researched, structured assignment.  

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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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CRJU U361 - Criminal Justice Research Methods: Literature Review

• Brainstorming
• Literature Review
• Reference Sources
• Criminal Justice Journals
• Articles & Databases
• Internet Searching
• APA 7th Style Examples
• More about APA 7th Ed.

What is a Literature Review?

A Literature Review is a systematic and comprehensive analysis of books, scholarly articles, and other sources relevant to a specific topic providing a base of knowledge on a topic. Literature reviews are designed to identify and critique the existing literature on a topic to justify your research by exposing gaps in current research. This investigation should provide a description, summary, and critical evaluation of works related to the research problem and should also add to the overall knowledge of the topic as well as demonstrating how your research will fit within a larger field of study. A literature review should offer a critical analysis of the current research on a topic and that analysis should direct your research objective. This should not be confused with a book review or an annotated bibliography both research tools but very different in purpose and scope. A Literature Review can be a stand-alone element or part of a larger end product, know your assignment. The key to a good Literature Review is to document your process.

Literature Review LibGuide

To see the Full Literature Review Guide click here

There is SO much more information on the full LibGuide for Literature Reviews Please make sure to click over to that LibGuide for more examples, explanations, and hints.

Elements in a Literature Review

• Elements in a Literature Review txt of infographic

Critical Evaluation

Process of a literature review.

The process of writing a literature review is not necessarily a linear process, you will often have to loop back and refine your topic, try new searches and altar your plans. The info graphic above illustrates this process.  It also reminds you to continually keep track of your research by citing sources and creating a bibliography.

• Know what the review is for; each assignment will offer the purpose for the review.  For example, is it for “background”, or a “pro and con discussion”, "integration", “summarizing”, etc.
• Create a “search plan”, decide where you will search for information, what type of information you will need.
• Research   - Preform Searches; choose sources and collect information to use in your paper.  Make sure you cite the sources used.
• Think  - Analyze information in a systematic manner and begin your literature review (e.g., summarize, synthesize, etc.). Make sure you cite the sources used.
• Complete  - Write your paper, proof & revise and create your finished bibliography.

Literature Review Places to Look

Help from other universities.

Help and tips in writing a Review of Literature ​

• Learn How to Write a Review of Literature - University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center Learn How to Write a Review of Literature - From the University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center.
• Literature Reviews - UNC Chapel Hill Writing Center
• The Literature Review: A Few Tips on Conducting It
• Writing a Literature Review by Temple University
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Interesting 201 Criminal Justice Research Topics

Writing a good criminal justice research paper depends on your ability to target relevant, original, and feasible criminal justice research topics.

For example, you may start thinking along the lines of criminal ethics, organized crimes, crime prevention initiatives, or prison labor ethics as the direction you want your criminal justice research paper to take.

However, coming up with topics and ideas for your research paper is not always easy. It requires taking the time to consider your passions, curiosities, and areas of expertise, as well as conducting a literature review or gathering external opinions before making a decision.

In this blog post, we provide a guide on selecting and developing compelling research topics in criminal justice and explain how we can help through our professional  essay writing services . We hope our input will help you write the best criminal justice research papers in the field of criminology.

What Makes a Strong Criminal Justice Research Topic?

The best criminal justice topics should be:

• Significant

We cover these below and in detail.

Relevance and Significance

The significance of a criminal justice topic lies in its ability to offer invaluable insight into the complex dynamics that drive criminal behavior and shape law enforcement practices.

By exploring these contemporary issues, researchers can discover hidden gaps in existing knowledge, providing opportunities to develop innovative strategies and policies for mitigating crime. Such findings have far-reaching implications on policy-making, rehabilitation programs, victims' rights movements, and more – ultimately helping to create a safer society for all.

Criminology research can also empower communities by offering ways to better understand current challenges related to the criminal justice system while advocating for change through meaningful discourse.

Originality and Uniqueness

Researchers must seek original and unique perspectives in order to better understand criminal behavior and its consequences for society.

Originality in criminology research involves exploring untested paths that offer novel perspectives on existing theories, thus providing fresh insights to further develop or disprove them. It also means challenging accepted notions about specific issues related to law enforcement practices or justice systems.

Uniqueness is achieved by identifying gaps in current literature while introducing questions with unorthodox angles in your criminal justice paper. This broadens people's knowledge by revealing hidden nuances within criminal behavior dynamics.

Feasibility and Scope

In criminology research, broad topics bring complexity and resource constraints, while narrow topics often lack applicable data or generalizability.

This means that striking a balance is essential: researchers must evaluate the availability of data sources and resources for their chosen topic to maximize potential impact.

Defining an appropriate scope allows researchers to hone in on specific areas for investigation, enabling them to explore depth without sacrificing breadth. This ensures that criminology studies can be executed effectively with available resources while yielding meaningful data.

How to Choose Good Research Topics

The ability to select appropriate research subjects is a vital skill for students. It can make you craft a strong paper and ensure a seamless research process, especially when you encounter difficulties.

In the following sections, we explore the four main approaches to selecting criminology research paper topics for your project.

Self-Reflection and Interest

Considering your passions, curiosities, and areas of expertise can significantly inform what you decide to explore in your study. When you choose a topic that aligns with these interests, it not only boosts engagement but also yields more comprehensive results.

The catch here is that passionate researchers are more likely to stay dedicated even when faced with obstacles throughout their work. Personal interest also increases the chances of uncovering practical implications within the field, thus providing valuable insights into real-world applications of criminology theories and practices.

Literature Review

A literature review involves delving into existing sources to identify trends, developments, and prevailing theories within the field. Analyzing recent publications reveals gaps in current knowledge, thereby providing potential avenues for exploration.

The process is critical when selecting meaningful research topics and criminal justice research questions as it ensures they align with ongoing discussions and emerging issues within criminology.

It also allows researchers to build upon or challenge existing theories and findings, synthesizing information from various sources to uncover contradictions or unanswered questions that warrant further investigation.

Brainstorming and Idea Generation

Brainstorming and idea generation are potent tools for selecting criminology research topics and inspiring originality and innovation.

Organizing brainstorming sessions alone or with colleagues encourages researchers to think from a broader perspective. Through open conversations where thoughts are shared, participants can employ their collective knowledge and unique points of view that may have gone unnoticed. 

Idea generation techniques such as mind mapping give an organized structure for conceptualization. This visual technique allows scholars to recognize the relation between concepts, which could lead them toward unexplored areas within criminology.

Exploring related fields while using idea generation also helps spotlight certain criminalistic subjects that interconnect other disciplines, offering more possibilities for study.

Consultation and Feedback

Lastly, gathering external opinions can help refine ideas to ensure their practicality and relevancy. Connecting with peers, mentors, and professors provides an opportunity to get different perspectives that may unlock valuable insights.

Experienced professionals such as mentors and teachers bring essential knowledge of current trends within the field so researchers can choose topics relevant to them personally yet still valued by those in academia or the criminology industry.

Feedback improves your research proposal's quality, allowing you to identify strengths and weaknesses. This input serves as a reality checker, ensuring that projects have realistic goals according to your ability.

Now let us look at criminology research paper topics related to:

• Criminal behavior analysis
• Juvenile justice system evaluation
• Cybercrime and digital forensics
• Restorative justice implementation
• Policing strategies and community relations
• Incarceration and rehabilitation programs
• International law

Criminal Behavior Analysis Research Topics

• Criminal deterrence through modern justice system innovation
• Organized crime impact on international criminal justice organizations
• Hate crimes: Challenges for criminal justice practitioners and agencies
• Forensic science advancements in criminal investigation techniques
• Capital punishment: Ethics in the criminal justice system debate
• Household conflict intervention within criminal justice reform efforts
• Substance abuse treatment in criminal justice administration
• Policing hate crimes: Law enforcement officers' role and practices
• Criminal justice ethics in addressing international crimes
• Community policing's impact on crime rates and prevention initiatives
• Juvenile justice reforms and youth offender rehabilitation
• Wrongful convictions: Improving victim services and legal processes
• Enhancing civil rights protection in criminal justice management
• Identity theft challenges within the modern criminal justice field
• Mental health considerations in criminal conduct analysis
• College students' involvement in recovery justice programs and justice interventions
• Distributive justice approaches to organized crime prosecutions
• Child abuse prevention strategies and criminal justice collaboration
• Racial profiling impact on law enforcement practices and society
• Criminal justice agencies' response to international human rights violations
• Advancements in crime mapping for effective law enforcement strategies
• Ethical concerns in prison labor practices and criminal justice systems
• Serial killers: Psychological profiling and criminal behavior analysis
• Role of educational institutions in experimental criminology research
• Addressing civil crimes: Legal perspectives and criminal justice actions
• International criminal tribunals' influence on justice system development
• Mental illness impact on criminal behavior and justice system response
• Felony disenfranchisement laws: Societal pressure and citizens' rights
• Art fraud cooperation between criminal justice agencies and experts
• Modern criminal codes: Aligning with evolving societal values
• Enhancing victim services in cases of sexual violence
• Law violation patterns and criminal justice field adaptations
• Organized crime's influence on modern justice system reform
• The suitability of the ICC as a crime prevention initiative
• Contemporary perspectives on dominant crime theories and analysis

Juvenile Justice System Evaluation

• Juvenile justice system reform: Evaluating criminal deterrence initiatives
• Analyzing criminal behavior patterns in youth within justice systems
• Effectiveness of recovery justice programs for juvenile offenders' rehabilitation
• Impact of organized crime on juvenile justice practices and outcomes
• Bigotry-related incidents among youth: Juvenile justice response and prevention
• Modernizing forensic science for accurate juvenile crime investigation
• Ethical considerations in capital punishment for young offenders
• Household conflict interventions in juvenile justice system evaluation
• International criminal tribunals' influence on youth justice approaches
• Substance abuse programs' role in juvenile justice reform effectiveness
• Legal rights and criminal conduct of youth offenders in courts
• Police officers' interaction with juveniles in justice system evaluation
• Role of criminal justice agencies in managing youth offenders' cases
• Crime mapping techniques for enhancing juvenile justice administration
• Youth crime rates: Analysis and implications for justice interventions
• Balancing criminal law enforcement with juvenile justice ethics
• Criminal justice practitioners' impact on youth rehabilitation and reform
• Evaluating community policing strategies for juvenile crime prevention
• Distributive justice in cases involving youth offenders and victims
• Addressing child abuse within the context of juvenile justice systems
• Evaluating the influence of college environments on youth crime
• Human rights violations and their relevance in juvenile justice evaluation
• Enhancing victim services for young survivors of sexual violence
• Identity theft challenges within the juvenile justice context
• Ethics of involving youth in prison labor programs: Analysis and reform
• Dominant crime theories' applicability to understanding juvenile offenses
• Role of educational institutions in juvenile crime prevention efforts
• Juvenile justice response to civil crimes and societal pressures
• Examining racial profiling in the treatment of youth within justice systems
• Mental health considerations in juvenile criminal conduct analysis
• Evaluating the impact of experimental criminology on youth justice
• Wrongful convictions and their consequences in the youth justice system
• Juvenile justice's role in preventing and addressing youth mental illness
• Effectiveness of restorative justice programs for youth offenders
• Youth involvement in organized crime: Juvenile justice system challenges

Cybercrime, Digital Forensics, and Crime Prevention Criminal Justice Research Paper Topics

• Youth offenders and cybercrime: Rehabilitation and legal consequences
• Capital punishment for cybercrimes: Legal and ethical perspectives
• College students' involvement in cybercrime: Prevention and education
• Criminal behavior in the realm of cybercrime: Profiling and analysis
• Criminal liability and justice system response to hacking and data breaches
• Ethical considerations in digital forensic science and criminal justice
• Racial profiling in cybercrime investigations: Implications and safeguards
• Digital forensics in modern criminal justice: Investigative techniques and challenges
• Cybercrime prevention: Role of criminal justice agencies and organizations
• Household conflict and harassment in the digital age: Legal responses
• Emerging technologies in cybercrime and their legal challenges
• Legal aspects of surveillance technologies in cybercrime investigation
• Impact of cybercrimes on mental health and society's well-being
• Evaluating the role of AI in enhancing digital forensic investigations
• Online child abuse: Legal frameworks and international cooperation
• Hate-motivated acts in online spaces: Legal implications and enforcement strategies
• Data privacy and civil rights in digital forensic practices
• Analyzing digital footprints: Crime mapping and tracking cyber offenders
• Cybersecurity breaches: Legal responsibilities of organizations and individuals
• Digital evidence admissibility and standards in criminal courts
• Dark web investigations and law enforcement strategies
• Community policing strategies for online safety and cybercrime prevention
• Addressing international cybercrimes: Role of justice system and tribunals
• Cybersecurity and crime prevention initiatives within criminal justice systems
• Ethical concerns in the use of artificial intelligence for digital forensics
• Cyberbullying and online harassment: Criminal justice interventions
• Legal frameworks for combating cybercrime and digital fraud internationally
• Impact of organized cybercrime networks: Law enforcement practices
• Digital identity theft: Legal measures and victim services
• Cybercrime legislation reform and modernizing criminal codes
• International legal frameworks for combating cybercrime and digital fraud
• Forensic analysis of digital evidence in criminal court cases
• Digital forensics in cases of human rights violations and war crimes
• Blockchain technology and its role in digital forensics and crime prevention
• Evaluating the effectiveness of international cybercrime laws and treaties

Restorative Justice Implementation Criminal Justice Research Paper Topics

• College students' involvement in restorative justice initiatives and awareness
• Evaluating the role of restorative justice in society's pressure on citizens
• Restorative justice in cases of mental illness: Compassion and rehabilitation
• Substance abuse rehabilitation within restorative justice frameworks
• Restorative justice's potential in combating human rights violations and reconciliation
• Ethical considerations in restorative justice within criminal justice agencies
• Integrating restorative justice in the modern justice system: Challenges and benefits
• Restorative justice's influence on wrongful convictions and exoneration efforts
• Civil and criminal case resolution through restorative justice practices
• Restorative justice in organized crime cases: Collective responsibility and reparation
• Crime prevention through restorative justice programs and strategies
• Restorative justice and distributive justice models for equitable resolutions
• Restorative justice as an alternative to felony disenfranchisement laws
• Restorative justice in the criminal justice system: Principles and implementation
• International criminal tribunals and their alignment with restorative justice principles
• Art fraud cooperation and restitution within restorative justice frameworks
• Restorative justice in cases of sexual violence: Empowerment and healing
• Addressing criminal behavior through victim-offender mediation in restorative justice
• Community policing and restorative justice: Collaborative crime prevention strategies
• Evaluating the effectiveness of restorative justice in reducing recidivism rates
• Restorative justice's role in addressing identity theft and cybercrimes
• Death penalty and restorative justice: Alternatives and ethical perspectives
• Victim services enhancement through restorative justice initiatives
• Restorative justice's contribution to addressing child abuse and trauma
• Modern legal framework reform: Integrating restorative justice practices
• Restorative justice's role in educational institutions and youth engagement
• Restorative justice in juvenile justice: Positive outcomes and challenges
• Drug courts and restorative justice: Collaborative rehabilitation approaches
• Restorative justice implementation in cases of hate crimes and social reconciliation
• Restorative justice and law enforcement practices for community healing
• Restorative justice in combating hate-motivated acts and social reconciliation
• Household conflict cases: Restorative justice approaches for resolution

Policing Strategies and Community Relations Criminal Justice Research Paper Topics

• Policing strategies for hate crimes prevention and inclusive community relations
• Restorative justice's impact on wrongful convictions and police practices
• Enhancing modern legal frameworks through community-oriented law enforcement
• Collaborative crime prevention initiatives between police agencies and communities
• Cultural competence in law enforcement: Reducing international hate-motivated acts
• Restorative justice in police efforts to combat identity theft and fraud
• Building trust in law enforcement through transparency and accountability measures
• Ethical considerations in police officers' use of force: Training and accountability
• Policing targeted violence: Building trust and addressing bias incidents
• Restorative justice approaches to building relationships between police and youth
• Effective community policing in cases of sexual violence: Empowering survivors
• Policing strategies and forensic techniques in international criminal courts
• Community policing for crime prevention: Strategies and effectiveness
• Enhancing law enforcement ethics and distributive justice through community engagement
• Policing strategies for addressing mental health challenges in modern society
• Addressing substance abuse: Police officers as community advocates and resources
• Civil rights protection in law enforcement practices: Balancing security and liberties
• Policing strategies to address mental health crises: Training and interventions
• Restorative justice and community relations in cases of domestic violence
• Cybercrime investigations and law enforcement's role in digital forensics
• Policing strategies for juvenile offenders: Rehabilitation and prevention
• Crime prevention in educational institutions: Role of police officers and educators
• Policing strategies to address mental health challenges in modern society
• Restorative justice's role in building trust and reforming police agencies
• Ethical considerations in law enforcement's involvement in civil and criminal cases
• Community policing's influence on criminal behavior and recidivism rates
• Evaluating the impact of community policing on crime rates and perceptions
• Domestic violence prevention strategies: Police-community collaboration and support
• Organized crime's impact on local policing strategies and responses

Incarceration and Rehabilitation Programs Criminal Justice Research Paper Topics

• Evaluating the impact of rehabilitation on recidivism rates.
• Enhancing victim services within criminal justice organizations and incarceration.
• Incorporating modern criminal justice ethics in rehabilitation programs.
• Identity theft prevention education within inmate rehabilitation initiatives.
• Restorative justice's role in domestic violence offender rehabilitation.
• Addressing mental health in prison: Rehabilitation and crime prevention.
• Rehabilitation programs for hate crime offenders: Challenges and outcomes.
• Promoting civil rights and social reintegration through incarceration programs.
• Integrating distributive justice principles into rehabilitation and incarceration.
• Innovative technological solutions for prisoner education and rehabilitation.
• Community policing's influence on youth offender rehabilitation programs.
• Effectiveness of drug courts in rehabilitation and crime prevention.
• Exploring the ethics of prison labor within criminal justice reform.

Criminal Justice System Assignment Topics Related to International Law

• Comparative study of community policing models in global law enforcement.
• Transnational implications of juvenile justice practices and international law.
• Examining the status of the death penalty in modern international criminal law.
• International perspectives on restorative justice for sexual violence cases.
• Addressing mental health in international criminal justice and prisoner rights.
• Role of international criminal tribunals in addressing organized crime.
• International legal frameworks for addressing identity theft and fraud.
• Restorative justice's application in cases of domestic violence across cultures.
• Human rights violations and international criminal justice system responses.
• Forensic science collaboration in cross-border criminal investigations.
• Cultural considerations in drug courts and international criminal justice.
• Comparative analysis of hate crime laws across different countries.
• Role of an international criminal tribunal in combating genocide.
• The role of the International Criminal Court in ending impunity.

We Can Help You Write Your Criminal Justice Research Paper

Although we have provided these criminal justice research paper topics for your perusal, we understand that coming up with an idea and writing actual criminal justice research papers are two different things.

At  My Custom Essays , we pride ourselves on being the go-to platform for those seeking help with their criminal justice research papers. We can help you brainstorm criminal justice topics,  create outlines , undertake criminal law research, and write research papers (including  MBA Essays ).

Contact us today to receive a customized quotation, or check out our  team of writers .

What are the trending topics in criminal justice?

Recent challenges to target for a criminal justice research paper include but are not limited to racism, social justice reform, matters related to sexuality, gender equality concerns, and instances of LGBTQ+ violence.

What is a good research question in criminal justice?

A good criminal justice research topic should be relevant, original, and feasible in relation to the criminal justice system.

What are the most controversial topics in criminal justice?

Examples of contentious issues in the American criminal justice system include contradictions within its prison system, disparities in justice related to race and ethnicity, opposing viewpoints on justice, and a series of conflicting perspectives. These are all ideal viewpoints from where to develop a criminal justice research topic.

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CRJ 400 - Criminal Justice Research Methods

What is a literature review, visualizing a literature review.

• Becoming Familiar with Research about Your Topic
• Finding Books about Criminal Justice Topics
• Criminal Justice Databases for Scholarly Articles
• Databases in Related Fields
• Interlibrary Loan
• Making an APA-Formatted Bibliography in EndNote: Essentials
• Librarian Assistance

• Many thanks to library colleagues at Upland University in South Carolina.
•  CRJU U361 - Criminal Justice Research Methods
• Next: Becoming Familiar with Research about Your Topic >>
• Last Updated: Sep 22, 2023 10:24 AM
• URL: https://libguides.salemstate.edu/CRJ400

CRJU374: Criminal Justice Research Methods: What is a Literature Review?

• What is a Scholarly Journal?
• What is an Empirical Article?
• What is a Literature Review?
• Statistics & Websites
• APA Citation Style
• Interlibrary Loan & SUNY Resource Sharing
• Ask-A-Librarian

What is a Literature Review or Review Article?

• Fink, A. (1998). Conducting Research Literature Reviews . London: Sage Publications.

According to Arlene Fink,   a literature review is a "systematic, explicit, and reproducible method for identifying, evaluating, and interpreting the existing body of recorded work produced by researchers scholars and practicioners."

• Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1997). Writing narrative literature reviews. Review Of General Psychology , 1(3), 311-320. doi:10.1037/1089-2680.1.3.311

Baumeister and Leary state that, "Literature reviews serve a scientific field by providing a  much-needed bridge between the vast and scattered assortment of articles on a topic and the reader who does not have time or resources to track them down." 

Literature Review Resources

• Literature Reviews from Palgrave Key Concepts: Key Concepts in Business and Management Research Methods Contains: an overview of Literature Reviews and their purpose and methods for creating a Literature Review. This source comes from the perspective of Business and Management research, but contains advice which can be applied broadly.
• Writing a Literature Review from Purdue OWL

Types of Literature Review Articles

Narrative Review - assessment and summary of research completed on a specific topic

Systematic Review-  assesses and summarizes research on a specifc topic using a standardized methodology to gather and evaluate the research studies

Meta-Synthesis-  a qualitative review of research studies which synthesizes information from multiple studies on a specific topic

Meta-Analysis- a quantitative review of research studies which gathers together and analyzes data from multiple studies on a specifc topic

View These Example Articles

• Knowles, S. E., Toms, G., Sanders, C., Bee, P., Lovell, K., Rennick-Egglestone, S., & ... Bower, P. (2014). Qualitative meta-synthesis of user experience of computerised therapy for depression and anxiety. Plos ONE , 9(1), doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0
• Kuss, D. J. (2013). Internet gaming addiction: Current perspectives. Psychology Research & Behavior Management , 6125-137. doi:10.2147/PRBM.S39476
• Sadri, G. (2012). Emotional intelligence and leadership development. Public Personnel Management , 41(3), 535-548. doi:10.1177/009102601204100308
• Scott, K. A., Roberts, J. A., & Glennen, S. (2011). How well do children who are internationally adopted acquire language? A meta-analysis. Journal Of Speech, Language, And Hearing Research , 54(4), 1153-1169. doi:10.1044/1092-4388(2010/10-0075)
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• Last Updated: Jan 19, 2024 1:44 PM
• URL: https://libguides.marist.edu/cjresearchmethods

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Conducting Literature Reviews

The APA definition of a literature review (from http://www.apa.org/databases/training/method-values.html ):

 Survey of previously published literature on a particular topic to define and clarify a particular problem; summarize previous investigations; and to identify relations, contradictions, gaps, and inconsistencies in the literature, and suggest the next step in solving the problem.

 Literature Reviews should:

• Key concepts that are being researched
• The areas that are ripe for more research—where the gaps and inconsistencies in the literature are
• A critical analysis of research that has been previously conducted
• Will include primary and secondary research
• Be selective—you’ll review many sources, so pick the most important parts of the articles/books.
• Introduction: Provides an overview of your topic, including the major problems and issues that have been studied.
• Discussion of Methodologies:   If there are different types of studies conducted, identifying what types of studies have been conducted is often provided.
• Identification and Discussion of Studies: Provide overview of major studies conducted, and if there have been follow-up studies, identify whether this has supported or disproved results from prior studies.
• Identification of Themes in Literature: If there has been different themes in the literature, these are also discussed in literature reviews.   For example, if you were writing a review of treatment of OCD, cognitive-behavioral therapy and drug therapy would be themes to discuss.
• Conclusion/Discussion—Summarize what you’ve found in your review of literature, and identify areas in need of further research or gaps in the literature.

Finding Literature Reviews in Psycinfo

Because literature reviews are a major part of research in psychology, Psycinfo allows you to easily limit to literature reviews.  In the advanced search screen, you can select "literature review" as the methodology.

Now all you'll need to do is enter your search terms, and your results should show you many literature reviews conducted by professionals on your topic.

When you find an literature review article that is relevant to your topic, you should look at who the authors cite and who is citing the author, so that you can begin to use their research to help you locate sources and conduct your own literature review.  The best way to do that is to use the "Cited References" and "Times Cited" links in Psycinfo, which is pictured below.

This article on procrastination has 423 references, and 48 other articles in psycinfo are citing this literature review.  And, the citations are either available in full text or to request through ILL.  Check out  the article "The Nature of Procrastination" to see how these features work.

By searching for existing literature reviews, and then using the references of those literature reviews to begin your own literature search, you can efficiently gather the best research on a topic.  You'll want to keep in mind that you'll need to summarize and analyze the articles you read, and won't be able to use every single article you choose.

You can use the search box below to get started.

More Help on Conducting Literature Reviews

Adelphi Library's tutorial, Conducting a Literature Review in Education and the Behavioral Sciences covers how to gather sources from library databases for your literature review.

The University of Toronto also provides "A Few Tips on Conducting a Literature Review" that offers some good advice and questions to ask when conducting a literature review.

Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) has several resources that discuss literature reviews: 

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/666/01/

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/994/04/   (for grad students, but is still offers some good tips and advice for anyone writing a literature review)

Journal articles (covers more than 1,700 periodicals), chapters, books, dissertations and reports on psychology and related fields.

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CRJU 3020: Research Methods In Criminal Justice

Research assignment, writing in criminal justice, research method.

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Which show more accurately portrays using research and scientific/physical evidence to close cases?

Create an abridged literature review for a research proposal

• Identify a single research question or a set of research questions
• Find scholarly articles
• Summarize research

Why a literature review? You are trying to determine what evidence exists on your research idea.

A literature review is a component of the research process in which the author summarizes or synthesizes the ideas and arguments made by scholars. In the social sciences a literature review can be organized in a number of ways including by topic, chronological, or by methodology. The more focused your research topic the more straightforward the literature review will be.

Remember that the literature review (a.k.a. the lit. review) is, in essence, a paper in and of itself. It has an introduction; a body and a conclusion. It is NOT an annotated bibliography.

• The introduction informs the reader how you have organized your literature review.
• The body is the presentation of the resources you have reviewed.
• The conclusion is your statement about your review. What does the literature tell you? What perspective are you going to argue for?

Caution: Make sure that the choices you make in writing a literature review reflect the requirements of your assignment. Be sure to consult with your Professor.

The Scientific Method is not one single thing. It refers to the ideas, rules, techniques, and approaches that the scientific community uses.

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 Criminal Justice and Juvenile Justice

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• Topic Guides
• E-Books and Books
• Data Sources
• Writing a Literature Review
• Citing Sources
• Staying Current

Literature Review Tips

• Literature Review and APA Tips

Literature Review Examples

To give you some examples of writing a literature review and an article analysis matrix to keep track of the themes of your articles, I have created a partial literature review and corresponding analysis matrix to demonstrate. My topic is the special education early intervention program called First Step to Success (FSS).

• Synthetic Writing/Literature Example (First Steps to Success)
• Article Analysis Spreadsheet Example (First Step to Success)
• Article Analysis Spreadsheet Example (First Step to Success - PDF Version)

The Process of Writing a Literature Review

Mastering synthetic writing is key to a successful literature review. Use these resources to learn how to analyze the articles you want to use for your literature review, keep track of common themes using an article analysis matrix, and how to convert the notes in the analysis matrix into a piece of synthetic writing.

Think of working on your literature review as a multi-step process:

• Identify a topic.
• Find research articles on that topic.
• Read and analyze each article. (Use the Individual Article Analysis Worksheet )
• Compare all of the themes addressed in the articles. (Use the Article Analysis Matrix )
• Use your notes from the article analysis matrix to decide how to organize your literature review (make an outline).
• Write your literature review by discussing one theme at a time--how is this theme covered in the literature?
• Your literature review will also need an introduction and a conclusion. Some students like to start with the introduction, while others find it is easier to write the introduction after they have written the body of their literature review.
• Don't forget to include References at the end of your paper (and to cite them properly within the text)!
• Individual Article Analysis Worksheet Use this to analyze each of your articles. Focus on questions #4 - #6. These will help you identify the major themes/main ideas in each article you read.
• Article Analysis Matrix After completing the Individual Article Analysis Worksheet for each of your articles, use this Article Analysis Matrix to compile all of the information you have gathered. Use the Example Article Analysis Matrix below as a guide to get started.

Synthetic Writing

A literature review is not the same as a research paper. The point of a literature review is to synthesize the research of others without making a new argument or scholarly contribution. A literature review is also not an annotated bibliography. You should not write about each study you are reviewing in turn, but instead write synthetically to highlight the current state of the literature.

Key Points to Consider:

• The purpose of a literature review is to report the current state of the topic. Literature reviewed should be relatively recent, unless you are delving into the history of the topic.
• Discuss different themes within your literature review rather than individual articles. It will help if you pull information from 2-3 articles for each theme you discuss.
• All works cited should be both in the text of the literature review and the bibliography
• Avoid passive voice (ex: It was found that...); Use active voice ("Smith (2013) reported that...")
• Report what the literature says, not what you think

Writing Your Literature Review

The sites below offer a range of considerations and steps for writing the literature review.

• Learn How to Write a Review of Literature From the University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center.
• Literature Reviews From the UNC Chapel Hill Writing Center.
• Literature Review From the University of Houston-Victoria, Texas.
• The Literature Review: A Few Tips on Conducting It From the University of Toronto Health Sciences Writing Centre.
• Writing Literature Reviews From the Temple University Writing Center.
• Getting Started on Your Literature Review From the University of New South Wales Learning Centre.
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Crim 12: criminology.

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Gray Literature

Handbooks & encyclopedias, core scholarly journals (browse).

• Subject Databases
• News Sources
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Where do you get ideas for topics you want to explore?

Although I recognize that social media is one of the most popular source for stimulating topics of interest, it has some decided draw backs in developing reflective academic papers. I would like to suggest a few other ways to help you choose topics that will make your academic experience more efficient and focused.  

• CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window CQ Researcher is excellent resource for exploring social and political issues. more... less... The CQ Researcher is a collection of reports covering political and social issues, with regular reports on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the U.S. economy. Keywords: hot topics, current events, social issues, social trends, archive, English 15, CAS 100, background information, general interest, contemporary issues, overviews. CQ Global Researcher (formerly a stand alone DB) content was merged into CQ Researcher.
• CQ Global Researcher This link opens in a new window Provide insight on social and political issue from a global perspective. more... less... CQ Global Researcher articles are freely available to all CQ Researcher customers on the CQ Researcher site. CQ Global Researcher content provides students with definitive, in-depth coverage of global affairs from a number of international viewpoints.
• News Resources A library guides to news resources
• American Society for Criminology Another breakdown of the field of criminology by DIVISIONS of this professional organization.
• Bureau of Justice Statistics Statistics for: crime and victims, criminal offenders, law enforcement, prosecution, federal justice system, courts & sentencing, corrections, expenditure & employment, and criminal record systems.
• National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Topical Index that include: corrections, courts, crime prevention, drugs, juvenile justice, law enforcement, and victims
• The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Distinguishes general research areas (Corrections, for example) and describes more specific topics within each (community corrections, recidivism, offender reentry/release, inmate programs and treatment, for example).

Caution: many of the publications that you will find from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and the National Criminal Justice Reference Service(NCJRS) are not "scholarly articles".  However, they are an important type of literature known as Gray Literature that can enhance your introduction to your research. 

Defining gray literature

In general, gray literature publications are non-conventional, fugitive, and sometimes ephemeral publications. They may include, but are not limited to the following types of materials

 (Alberani, 1990). Alberani V, Pietrangeli PDC, Mazza AMR (1990). The use of grey literature in health sciences: a preliminary survey. Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 78(4): 358-363.

How do scholarly articles differ from "gray literature"? 

• Typically published much faster than scholarly articles
• Has no formal peer-reviewed process
• Doesn't usually have a comprehensive literature review
• Often the "official author" is an agency or organization rather than an individual

What are handbooks?

Often times a particular topic gains ongoing scholarly interest that attracts the interest of a publisher or research organization. Authors who are known in the particular field of study are often asked to contribute chapters or to provide editorial oversight for these types of publications. Handbooks can provide a useful overview of the topic and help you identify some of the "movers and shakers" in that particular area of research.

• Oxford Handbooks Online: Scholarly Research Reviews This link opens in a new window Handbook are typically organized broad themes with specific articles on important topics in the field. Once you have selected Oxford Handbooks Online click on link at the top of the page for criminology and criminal justice. There are 547 articles covering various topics. Refine further by clicking on refine by subject on the left side of the more... less... The complete texts of the Oxford Handbooks in multiple disciplines and subject areas. These Handbooks contain in-depth, high-level articles by scholars at the top of their field. Handbooks are an excellent source for reviews of literature around major themes. PSU subscribed subjects include Business & Management, Classical Studies, Criminology & Criminal Justice, Economics & Finance, History, Linguistics, Literature, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, and Religion.

Evaluating Encyclopedia's

The University Libraries provide access to many specialized encyclopedias in a variety of fields of study. However, you should also be prepared to evaluate each for their scholarly value. Below are some suggestions of what to look for:

• Who is the publisher?  Typically those published by university presses are considered scholarly (e.g. Oxford, Cambridge, etc...)

These commercial publishers typically publish academic content: Blackwell, De Gruyter, Elsevier, Gale, Macmillan, Peter Lang, Routledge, Sage, Springer Publishers, Thomson Reuters

• Who are the editors of the encyclopedia?  Usually found in the front cover.  
• What are the editors credentials?
• Who are the authors?   
• Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL) This link opens in a new window GVR is a collection of over 1000 scholarly and general reference resources. more... less... A collection of over 2000 reference resources.

What is scholarly literature?  

Typically when you hear people use the phrase "scholarly literature" they are talking about scholarly journal articles.  The problem with this idea is that scholarly literature is not published strictly in journal articles. In fact, there is considerable scholarly literature published in book format.  Consequently, many consider the use of the phrase "scholarly literature" to include publications in all formats.

Scholarly journal articles differ from other forms of literature in that they required some type of scholarly review process.  Scholarly articles also have a very distinct disciplinary format all of which include a review of literature.

Below is a list of SOME  of the key scholarly journals in Criminology and Criminal Justice.  Sometimes it helps to simply browse an appropriate titles to generate some ideas about a topic.

• British Journal of Criminology
• Criminology: an interdisciplinary journal Core journal of the American Society of Criminology
• Criminology and Public Policy Core journal of the American Society of Criminology
• Crime and Justice: A Review of Research
• Justice Quarterly
• Journal of Criminal Justice
• Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

Law Enforcement

• European Journal of Policing Studies Full-text not available on website. Abstracts available.
• International Journal of Police Science and Management
• Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology
• Police Practice and Research: An International Journal Full-text not available on website. Abstracts available. Some full-text in Academic Search Complete.
• Police Quarterly
• Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management Full-text not available on website. Abstracts available. Some full-text available through other library resources.
• Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice
• Policing & Society: An International Journal of Research and Policy Full-text not available on website. Abstracts available.

Criminal Behavior

• Aggression and Violent Behavior
• Criminal Justice and Behavior
• Deviant Behavior
• Journal of Interpersonal Violence
• Violence and Victims

Corrections & Courts

• Punishment and Society
• Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency
• Crime and Delinquency
• Prison Journal
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120 Fresh and Thought-Provoking Topics for Literature Reviews in Different Disciplines

A literature review is an account of the scholarly works published on a topic. It is different from an annotated bibliography – and far more interesting at that. Instead of being just a list of summaries, a literature review synthesizes the information from all available sources in an overall relationship to your guiding concept. This may be the problem you are discussing, a statement you are arguing, a theory you are verifying, etc.

The goals of a literature review may vary:

• giving a historical overview of the research in the field
• summarizing the existing state of the topic
• finding a problem or a gap in the research field
• developing a new theory, etc.

That is why good literature review topics are often formulated as research questions. This type of paper is not an easy writing. You will need to parse immense volumes of information, synthesize and summarize coherently. You also need to devote plenty of time to reading.

This post contains a list of literature review topics suggested for various subjects. However, when choosing the most fitting one to dig into, ask yourself, what are the passions that you can apply to this research? This assignment will take a while, so you will need more than just a good study discipline to soldier on. A bit of enthusiasm and intrinsic motivation will get you much farther.

Literature Review Topics Examples on English and World Literature

Some of the suggestions in this post are linked to literature review examples in our free database. By clicking on a title, you get to a corresponding sample page, where you can read the entire text. If the topic you like isn't linked, but you would like to read an example, you can order it. We will arrange the most qualified paper writer to prepare it for you exclusively.

Ready? Let's start with topics for literature review papers on English and World Literature.

• Phoenix as a symbol for endurance in a worn path
• The novel Intuition by Allegra Goodman
• Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Birthmark through Girard's Lens
• Ender's Game by an Orson Scott Card
• Depiction of freedom and happiness in Brave New World
• Feminism and Post-Colonialism in Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake and Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games
• Rationality, logic, and mathematics in the novel The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time
• Victims of their time as a character type in the World literature
• The last days of Judas Iscariot : a play by Stephen Adly Guirgis
• The use of symbolism in Kafka's prose
• Naturalism in American literature
• Grotesque and Sublime in the prose of Edgar Allan Poe

Lit Review Topic Ideas on Science and Technology

Next are some literature review topic ideas on science and technology.

• Electronic library and effects of its implementation
• Benjamin Franklin: scientist and inventor
• Virtual Reality, science fiction, and society today
• Science, Technology, and Society as a field of knowledge
• Frederick Winslow Taylor and the principles of scientific management
• What is the future of work
• Concepts of science and technology
• The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis and influence of technological advancement on man and nature
• Types of machine learning
• Internet of Things and biometrics: implications, benefits, threats
• Emotional intelligence and natural language processing
• SmartCity projects that have already been implemented and their lessons

As the field is vast, we can barely scratch the surface with these suggestions. To help you with brainstorming, here are a few tips on how to choose good topics for a literature review yourself:

• Make sure the topic ties nicely with class requirements as well as your interests
• Do some preliminary research to see if there is enough literature on your topic
• Scale up if the information is scarce or down if there are too many sources to handle
• Use sources recommended for reading in the class materials
• Supplement the list with only trustworthy scholarly sources

Follow these guidelines, and you are on a path to some great ideas!

Psychology Literature Review Topics

When brainstorming topics on psychology, don't forget about the subdisciplines: biopsychology, social, educational, organizational, etc. If the suggestions below won't be enough, try looking for inspiration in Biology, Sociology, Education, or Business. The most exciting topics are often at the intersection of different areas of knowledge!

• Tricyclic antidepressants vs. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) in treatment of depression
• Stress, its causes, effects, and coping strategies
• The family system and psychology
• Tibetan compassion practices: working with terror, trauma, and transcendence
• Behaviorism psychology
• Culture and psychopathology
• Correlation between diet and cognitive functions in primary school students
• The evolutionary role of phobias and intrusive thoughts
• Popular psychology and its implications
• PTSD in mass disasters survivors: immediate relief and long-term assistance
• Cults and vulnerable populations
• False memories and gaslighting

Nursing Literature Review Topics

Nursing lit review topics are probably the most diverse in scale, as you can see from the examples below. They can describe a larger issue or a concrete solution applied to a narrowly defined problem. Following this principle, you can modify our lit review topics suggestions zooming out or in on the subject material.

• Legalization of medical marijuana and its effects on the youth
• Health effects of fiber: research findings
• Achieving higher levels of education and training for nurses
• Organic foods and cardiovascular disease
• The importance of Central Venous Line (CVL) and Central Venous Access Devices (CVAD)
• What effects do different types of music have on humans and their mental health?
• The use of laboratory-grown organs for transplantation
• The role of xylitol in alleviating dry mouth
• The detection of tar and nicotine content of cigarette smoke extract using HPLC
• Rheumatoid arthritis: etiology, diagnosis, vulnerable populations
• Mobility aids for the elderly and quality of life
• The role of play in the recuperation of hospitalized children

Education Literature Review Topics

To get more ideas from these literature review topic examples, try isolating an issue and put it in another educational context. For instance, student motivation in primary school vs. middle school or sleep deprivation in high school vs. college. This should give you plenty of material for brainstorming.

• Simulation education for crisis prevention program
• A critical consideration of the new pedagogy in its relation to modern science
• Lack of students interest in studying science
• Discovery-based learning and student-centered learning with a focus on mathematics at a high school level
• The adverse effects of sleep deprivation on academic performance: a college student's struggle
• Gender bias in special education programs
• Higher education for senior citizens: challenges and best practices
• Significant challenges of the teaching profession in the US
• Factors contributing to international student mobility
• Student motivation in private vs. state colleges
• Benefits and challenges of homeschooling for students and families
• Correlation between workload, stress levels, and self-esteem in middle-school students

Sociology Literature Review Topics

The best advice on finding current sociology topics is to look at the challenges your community faces. Become the first one to notice and address these issues!

• Are video games affecting our current and future students ?
• Ways to prevent social media bullying
• Spanking of children in the USA
• The relation of poverty and exposure to crime in adolescent men
• Transgender discrimination
• The link between science and Utopia in Utopia and the New Atlantis
• Effectiveness of group therapy in social work
• Peer pressure, depression, and causes of suicide in the adolescents
• Religious separatism social issues connected with it
• Causes and effects of domestic abuse
• Physical appearance and social status
• Race, nationality, ethnicity, and identity

Political Science Literature Review Topics

Political science is one of the more formal disciplines on this list. Being heavy with abstract concepts, it doesn't lend itself easily to casual brainstorming. Well, at least start with these:

• Electoral College, its functions, and role in public life
• Why American and the British IPE are so different
• Contingency planning
• Effects of political gerrymandering
• American political parties
• The present urban regimes in Canada
• International policies and domestic regulations: precedence and clashes
• Tolerance as a political virtue
• Grassroots activism and its impact on state and federal law
• National security and constitutional freedoms
• Historical analysis of anarchism
• The effect of social media on civic engagement

Criminal Justice Literature Review Topics

Criminal justice is a complex field. It's ripe with variance and challenges – which is good for topic ideas at least. And you have state, federal, and international levels to add more variables.

• Juvenile justice and the Missouri model
• Car-related crime in the USA
• An analysis of the impact of sexual harassment/sexual assault in the military
• The process of the arbitration without the involvement of national courts
• Serial killers and profiling
• Policing and criminal justice systems
• Psychological effects of cyberbullying on adolescents
• Sexual human trafficking from the Central America region
• Human sex-trafficking: the Canadian perspective
• Gender and racial bias in criminal investigations
• Possible ethical and legal dilemmas of using sniffer dogs
• Sting operations vs. entrapment: ethics and regulations

Chemistry and Biology Literature Review Topics

Biology is fascinating. It has something for everyone: from biochemistry and genetics to ecosystems and nature preservation. Here are some suggestions to guide your choice:

• Brain size correlation
• Haruko Obokata, ethics of stem cells research, and scientific misconduct
• Genomic and molecular genetics major and its perspectives for students
• DNA use in mass disasters
• DNA detection from dried blood spots
• Captive breeding of marine mammals: pros and cons
• The Dynamics of ER and mitochondria
• Biomarkers in gastric cancer treatment
• The chemistry behind gene splicing
• Carcinogens and hyper-processed foods
• Primates and monkeys as potential sources of novel zoonotic infections
• Natural gases, ecosystems, and the global warming

Business and Marketing Literature Review Topics

Finally, here are some business and marketing topics as well. These disciplines might be relatively new, but they are among the most dynamic and information-rich – which means great fun to explore.

• Effectiveness of neuromarketing in comparison to traditional marketing methods
• Green supply chain management
• Effectiveness of e-marketing to non-profit making organizations
• The value of information
• Shareholder engagement/activism and corporate performance
• The relationship between ethics, stress, and productivity in the workplace
• The role of integrity in business
• Client confidentiality and its role in a prosperous business
• Businesses, their impact on the community, and social responsibility
• Startup fundraising stages
• Innovative marketing in the age of instant feedback: risks and possibilities
• Strategies for staff motivation

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Annual Review of Criminal Justice Studies - Volume 2

• Annual Review of Criminal Justice Contributors

ARCJS is an open-access journal that publishes scholarly writings pertinent to the critical analyses of law, crime and justice systems and their entanglement with larger political economic processes. ARCJS contributors explore how ideas and systems of crime, law and justice shape broader issues of social justice, especially those related to the experience of race, class, gender, sexuality, and age inequality in the U.S.

Ranging from the conception to the implementation to the transformation of law, crime and justice systems and ideas, ARCJS includes ethically reasoned critical analyses intent on contributing to the assessment of alternative solutions to problems associated with the identification, control and prevention of crime and delinquency.

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