A research paper in a criminal justice course requires you to identify an issue or a topic and then to research what has been written about the topic or to explore the data that have been compiled about the topic (called secondary sources). You might also be expected to use primary sources—interviews or surveys that you conduct.
In most cases, you’ll be expected to find your own angle on the topic and to make an argument about it. You might also be required to apply a theory you’ve studied to your research findings.
In a policing course, you might investigate whether police officers from different racial and ethnic backgrounds make decisions differently. To obtain information, you might conduct interviews and read published studies.
In a social inequality and justice class, you might investigate whether the focus of racial profiling shifted from African Americans to Muslims after September 11, 2001, and what scholars are saying about possible trends.
In a course on corrections, you might examine the punitive practice of solitary confinement and consider what this prison practice indicates about US law and society.
Related topics:
Analytical papers
Argument or position papers
Investigative and administrative reports
Policy memos
Case briefs and legal briefs
Case plans (or case notes)