205 Best Criminal Justice Research Topics To Investigate and Write About

Home » 205 Best Criminal Justice Research Topics To Investigate and Write About

Criminal Justice is a broad field of study that focuses on the courts and legal processes associated with crime. This discipline mainly concentrates on protecting the innocent, convicting criminals, and providing fair justice in order to maintain law and order across the country. If you are a law student, then for your research projects or assignments, you can very well work on any criminal justice research topics. Similar to criminology, criminal justice is also an interesting field filled with several research areas and research topics. But while writing a criminal justice research paper, you should make sure to pick the right topic and explain it in detail with proper evidence, case study, or example.

Right now, would you have to submit a criminal justice research paper? Are you looking for the top criminal justice research topics? Don’t worry! For your convenience, here we have recommended a list of unique criminal justice research topics in several research areas. Also, we have explained how to choose a good criminal justice research topic and prepare a brilliant criminal justice research paper.

Continue reading this blog post and get a complete overview of criminal justice research paper writing along with an exclusive list of research topic ideas on criminal justice.

How to Write a Criminal Justice Research Paper?

Criminal Justice Research Paper is an academic paper that covers the topics related to justice and crime. Its main aim is to unleash important tendencies, methods and causes to understand the current situation in society. Besides that, the criminal justice research paper also helps to minimize the crime levels and improve the punishment system.

If you are doing a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice or pursuing a degree in Law, then for your thesis work, you can perform deep research on any criminal justice topics and craft a well-structured academic paper. Writing a criminal justice research paper is not an easy task. It will be challenging and exciting to handle.

In case, you have no idea how to write a criminal justice paper, simply execute the following steps.

Firstly, identify a good criminal justice research topic suitable to your interest.
Secondly, plan how to research and write the criminal justice research paper.
Thirdly, perform in-depth research on the topic you have selected.
Fourthly, organize all the data and findings you have gathered during the research process.
Next, draft a detailed criminal justice research paper by bringing together your research findings with your critical analysis. If you want to present your points clearly to your readers, depending upon the nature of the study, structure your paper into sections such as introduction, literature review, findings, discussion, conclusion, and recommendations.
Finally, after you have completed writing the academic paper, make sure to proofread and edit the paper.

Executing all the above-mentioned steps sequentially would help you to prepare a great criminal justice paper. But in order to score an A+ grade, while writing your academic paper, remember to stick to the research paper writing instructions and formatting guidelines shared by your professors.

How to Choose an Ideal Criminal Justice Research Topic?

When it comes to writing a criminal justice research paper, topic selection is the first step you should concentrate on. Usually, for research paper writing assignments, your professors will either suggest some research questions or may ask you to come up with a unique topic from the research area of your interest. As criminal justice is a vast field of study, you can gather a lot of research topic ideas in it. However, when you have many ideas, picking one perfect topic from it may become tough for you. So, to help you in identifying a good criminal justice research topic, below we have suggested some important steps for you to follow.

Firstly, read your professor’s instructions and get to know what they want.
Secondly, create a list of probable research topic ideas matching your professor’s instructions.
Thirdly, brainstorm the ideas in the list and eliminate the topic without or minimum research scope.
Finally, after an in-depth analysis, select one good topic that is convenient for you to craft a top-notch criminal justice research paper.

By following all these steps you can end up choosing a criminal justice research topic. But if you want an ideal criminal justice topic for your research paper, then make sure to consider the following tips during topic selection.

Choose a topic from the research area that you are passionate about.
Pick a topic that is interesting for you and your target readers.
Never select a topic that is too wide or too specific for discussion.
Give importance to a topic only if it has huge information, believable sources, and valid evidence for performing research and analysis.
Instead of going with a frequently discussed topic, prefer any latest research topic or a topic from an unexplored area.

List of Best Criminal Justice Research Topics

In our society, a lot of crimes and investigations have already happened, and are happening daily. So, for writing a criminal justice research paper, you can choose a topic based on the court cases from the past or a topic related to the current happenings in the field of crime and justice.

If you are running short of ideas or looking for any criminal justice research topics, then have a look at the list presented below. The list will give you 185 criminal justice research topic ideas on various themes such as criminal law, criminology, court laws, international crimes, and so on.

Go through the whole list and pick one perfect topic that is comfortable for you to investigate and write about.

Basic Criminal Justice Research Topics

The following are some basic criminal justice research topics you can consider for preparing a captivating criminal justice research paper.

What crimes deserve capital punishment ?
Explain the benefits of private prisons.
What criminal offenses should be granted bail?
Discuss the history of criminal ethics.
How to prevent crimes in schools and college.
Compare war crimes and civil crimes.
Discuss the deterrence and rational option theory
How to curb police brutality.
Discuss the procedure of the criminal justice court.
Write about the war crimes committed by the US.
Discuss the laws involved in preventing forgery.
How do social media and mass media influence crimes?
Explain strain theory.
Discuss juvenile recidivism.
How effective are witness protection programs?
Criminal justice value: Theory and application.
Private prisons: Describe Cons and pros.
The cost of domestic violence: A random affair.
Drug Abuse & Children.
Proverbs of religion and Cultural Customs.

Controversial Criminal Justice Research Topics

Every field has some controversial topics. Likewise, the criminal justice field also contains certain topics that pave the way for controversies. Basically, the controversial topics help to generate more valuable arguments. So, for writing a research paper, you can very well take into account a controversial topic for discussion. Listed below are some controversial criminal justice research topics that will be helpful for you in preparing a law research paper.

Explain the causes of college violence.
Write about the sniffer dog practice.
How can one protect them from a false accusation?
Assess juveniles for psychopathy.
Discuss the controversy around the legalization of prostitution.
How effective is restorative justice for offenders?
Explain the pros and cons of marijuana decriminalization.
An explorative study of cases of concealed weapons and criminal codes in various states.
How is juvenile delinquency related to bad parenting?
How effective are youthful offenders’ boot camps?
Explain the connection between financial crimes and terrorism.
Why do white Americans support the death penalty?
How is crime linked to the social class of a person?
What should and should not be allowed for better gun control?
Medical marijuana: The conflict between scientific evidence and political ideology.
Ignoring human rights in criminal procedure.
Possibility of circumventing the law.
Mental Hospitals and deinstitutionalization.
Police Deprivations of Individual Rights.
Bias of skin tone for African Americans in the investigation.

Criminology Research Paper Topics

Criminology is an interesting field of study that focuses on the causes and consequences of the behavior of criminals at the societal and individual levels. Generally, it studies crimes and criminals in detail. Also, it will help you in understanding the crime theories better. For writing a criminal justice research paper, you can very well consider any of the following criminology research paper topic ideas.

Discuss the history and development of criminology.
How to reduce economic crimes.
Analyze the power abuse among police officers.
Discuss the effective human trafficking combat methods.
How to help witnesses avoid danger because of the depositions.
Explain cyber criminology correction methods.
How does race correspond with the type of crime?
Discuss the benefits of convict criminology.
What are the main issues of postmodern criminology?
How does ownership of firearms correspond with law violations?
Explore the relationship between unemployment and crime in the United States.
How does social class correlate with the crime rate?
A study on crimes against animals.
How society and government can help victims to come back to normal life?
Why do crimes in the army happen?
Explain the major trends in criminology.
What is the role of psychometric examinations in criminology?
Discuss the study of criminology as a social science.
How to identify planted evidence in a crime scene.
Analyze the various interrogation methods and their effectiveness.

Criminal Justice Research Topics on Discrimination and Racism

Till now, our society faces a lot of racism and discrimination issues. In order to protect people from such issues and to offer them fair justice, each country follows a set of laws. Here are some criminal justice research topics on racism and discrimination you can choose for preparing a criminal justice research paper.

How does system bias affect criminal justice?
Write about racial conflicts on college campuses.
Discuss the discrimination in negotiation processes.
How discriminatory is the UK Court System?
Explore and write about racial profiling.
How to deal with people who incite racial discrimination.
Explain how the discriminatory portrayal of minority groups in the media affects criminal justice.
Write about wrongful convictions and racism in law enforcement.
How does reverse racism impact courtroom decisions?
Write about racism and discrimination towards African-Americans.
Explain the impact of racism on criminal behavior.
What are the consequences of racial biases during criminal investigations?
Discuss how racial discrimination manifested during the Black Lives Matter protests.
How discriminatory is the US Court System?
Write about racial prejudice among prisoners.

Criminal Law Research Topics

Criminal Law is a body of law that is concerned with the punishment of individuals who commits crimes. If you are interested in criminal law, then for preparing your criminal justice research paper, you can pick any topic from the following list of criminal law research topic ideas.

What are the causes and consequences of false confessions?
How does police interrogation work?
Prepare a case study of Jailhouse informants.
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of an insanity defense.
How to manage cases of premeditated murder
Why tampering with evidence is facilitating the advancement of more criminal activities?
How technology is advancing the practice of criminal law?
What are some of the cultural impediments to the rule of criminal law?
How does cyber law contribute to the overall security of the state?
What is the implication of the presidential pardon on criminals?

Criminal Justice Research Topics on Society and Justice

Here is a list of unique criminal justice research topic ideas on society and justice that you can take into account for preparing a law dissertation.

Discuss the effects of childhood upbringing on the crime rate in society.
How do hate crimes affect the victims and society?
What are the causes of violence in society?
How do former prisoners integrate into society?
Explain how the structures within society pressure citizens to commit a crime.
Discuss the impact of mass violence on society.
Why is it challenging to manage crime in a society where the rule of law is obscure?
How to sensitize society on what constitutes criminal behavior.
Write about the programs that can help alleviate crime in any given society.
Discuss social learning methods that contribute to a crime-free society.
How does society view lawyers who defend murderers?
Explain how capital punishment affects the rate of crime in society.
How can offender reentry be made seamless to society?
Discuss the impact of the media in speaking out against crime in society.
How does examining criminal behavior reduce the occurrence of crimes in society?

International Criminal Law Research Topics

For your convenience, below we have suggested a list of some international criminal law research topic ideas.

What is the role of the International Criminal Court in the fight against crimes against humanity?
Discuss the international criminal laws from a feminist’s point of view.
Research various international criminal law treaties.
Give a case example of Plea bargaining in international criminal law.
Explain how domestic criminal law prosecutes international crimes.
How sexual violence issues are handled in the international criminal court?
Write about the current international offenders.
When is International Intervention Acceptable?
Discuss NATO Ethics in Iraq & Afghanistan.
Have a closer look at Human Rights Violations in Uganda.

Research Topics in Criminal Justice System

The criminal justice system is a system that is established by a government to control crimes and maintain law and order. Its main purpose is to deliver justice for all. In general, the criminal justice system aims to prevent crimes, protect the public, support victims of crimes, and hold perpetrators responsible for crimes committed. Mentioned below are some research topics related to the criminal justice system that you can choose for crafting a criminal justice research paper.

Discuss the history and development of the criminal justice system.
What is the role of private companies in the public criminal justice system?
How accurately do movies, television, and novels depict the criminal justice system?
What are the main components of the criminal justice system?
How to punish underage girls and boys.
What are the main particularities of white-collar crimes in the USA?
Discuss the influence of people in making public policy decisions on the criminal justice system.
How can the criminal justice system deal with frequent juvenile offenders?
Explain the role and functions of forensic science in the modern criminal justice system.
Discuss the various types of punishments in the criminal justice system.
How do child protective services help to prevent crimes?
What is the role of the president in the criminal justice system?
Write about the countries with the best criminal justice systems.
How to avoid power abuse in the modern justice system?
What are the main disadvantages of parole?
Discuss the challenges in the current criminal justice system.
What are the current issues plaguing American law enforcement?
Explain the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal justice system in your country.
Write about power abuse in the criminal justice system.
Explain interrogation process recording.

Criminal Justice Research Topics on Court Cases

For writing a criminal justice research paper, you can choose a criminal case tried in court and analyze it from all aspects. The following are some common criminal justice research topics on court cases that you can consider for your thesis work.

Explain the difference between civil and criminal cases.
How can sexual and domestic violence be prevented in prison?
Explain how serious are shoplifting cases?
Discuss court case notation rules.
Write about Los Angeles Riots.
Explain how Jurors and Judges are manipulated by the media.
Discuss the Trial of Al Capone.
Research and write about Lawrence Versus Texas and the Landmark Victory for LGBTQ+ Rights.
Discuss Susan Wright’s Trial.
Study Aaron Henandez Case.

Amazing Criminal Justice Research Topics

Below are some amazing criminal justice research topics that you can adapt for preparing your law assignments.

Discuss the legal and social perspectives of the Crime Commission.
Evaluate how people from different family statuses are likely to commit crimes.
Compare and contrast how different countries handle criminal cases.
Analyze how various crimes relate to certain ages.
Discuss the impact of the education level on the possibility of committing a crime.
Compare and contrast crime rates among men versus women.
How do the penalties correspond to the crime being charged?
Discuss the emergence and growth of online fraud and global banking systems.
Analyze the various theories of crime.
Discuss the impact of intelligence on crime rates.

Few Good Criminal Justice Research Topics

How to win the war on drugs in the border wall.
Discuss the effectiveness of crime mapping in curbing crime.
What happens when police collude with a civilian to commit a crime?
Discuss the impact of popular culture on crime rates in communities.
Why should the government impose stricter laws against abortion?
The rise of poaching crime rates and how to level them effectively.
What is the work of private prisons in correcting serious crime offenders?
Compare and contrast the level of crime during the quarantine times versus regular days.
Why do minerals such as gold and oil cause serious crimes?
How to resolve a child kidnapping case.
Explain how police forensically process a crime scene.
Why hooliganism is a catalyst for criminal behavior?
Discuss why communication and decision qualities are critical for any police officer.
How do fashion cultures intertwine with crimes?
Why torture as a means of interrogation violates human rights?

Outstanding Criminal Justice Research Topics

Listed below are a few outstanding criminal justice research topics that you can make use of for writing a brilliant criminal justice research paper.

Discuss the reliability of eyewitness testimony.
Study the impact of prison on children of incarcerated individuals.
Discuss the ethical and legal issues in international intervention.
Explain the efficacy of drug courts.
How does solitary confinement impact people in prisons?
Discuss the effective ways to prevent international drug trafficking.
How do emergency management professionals prevent crimes during emergencies?
Discuss the latest innovations in experimental criminology.
What are the pros and cons of the sex offender registry?
Research and write about gender disparity in the criminal justice system.
Discuss the link between organized crime and corruption.
How do perceptions of police impact public safety?
Discuss the problems in the prison system.
What are the key principles of crime prevention?
Write about the crime and justice in mass media.

Excellent Criminal Justice Research Topics

The following are a few more criminal justice research topics that will be helpful for you.

How is jury selection performed?
Explain the role and functions of forensic science in modern criminal justice.
How to prevent wildlife crimes.
What is the role of crime mapping in modern criminal justice?
Discuss the laws protecting domestic abuse victims.
How prosecution laws are applied in practice?
Explain how sentencing takes place.
What motivates people to commit hate crimes?
How to prevent elder abuse.
Discuss the effects of gun control measures in the US.
What are the causes and ways of preventing victimization?
How fieldwork is done in criminology?
When is unwanted arrest acceptable?
Explain how the drug courts work.
How does the criminal trial process go?

Latest Criminal Justice Research Topics

The interaction of police with persons of different races. Does the media accurately portray police violence against people of color?
Approaches to stop international drug trafficking. How should law enforcement authorities approach situations of human trafficking? What kind of penalties need to be applied to drug trafficking?
Discrepancy between men and women in the criminal justice system. How can equality between the sexes be achieved? How far can gender equality be practiced?
Discrepancy between men and women in the criminal justice system. How can equality between the sexes be achieved? How far can gender equality be practiced?
Can one classify pornography as sexual abuse? Can pop-up pornographic adverts and graphics on porn sites be brought to court?
Shot by police. What circumstances authorize the police to use deadly force? What happens when an innocent person is shot?
Concealing one’s weaponry. Should carrying a firearm result in punishment? What actions qualify as self-defense?
The effects of incarceration on incarcerated parents’ offspring. Who looks after the children of those who are behind bars? What effects do kinship and foster care have on these kids?
Driving while intoxicated is illegal. What should the consequence be for drunk driving? In the event of a tragic accident, should the drunk driver be charged with first-degree murder?
Does the threat of punishment stop people from committing crimes? Is there anything relevant to that that should be considered in a court of law?

The Bottom Line

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