Criminal Justice Essay Writing Guide
From crime prevention to law enforcement to the justice system, a criminal justice essay could cover any number of a myriad of topics. There will be a lot of writing of essays in the criminal justice program, so you might as well get practice and become a good writer. Even on the job, there are always lots of reports to write.
What are the components of an academic essay?
- The thesis. This is the essay’s main question. It must be a question or statement that is arguable. The reader can agree or disagree with it.
- The problem. This is born out of the thesis. There could be a current misunderstanding, or the research evidence is obscured, or perhaps it was never brought to light properly.
- Evidence. It is your responsibility to discover supporting or refuting evidence to the thesis or problem. This is where the research can really get in-depth.
- The Analysis and the Reflection. The writer will analyze all evidence gathered and reflect on the significance of the findings.
- The Structure. This is the foundation for the construction of the essay. It is how the parts of the essay are welded together in an organized fashion that flows smoothly from one idea to the next.
Choosing the topic that’s right for your essay
Unless your instructor has assigned a particular topic, you can select from a vast array of criminal justice essay topics to write on. There might be some issue that has already come to light in your past or current studies that interests you. Something you are passionate about is great topic material for your essay on criminal justice system. Possible topics include:
- Sentencing: What are the alternatives to incarceration?
- Tribal courts of the American Indians – do they need reform?
- Protective equipment: is body armor up to par with current technology?
- Child abuse and exploitation – is child protection doing an adequate job?
- Crime prevention within community policing – do the policies need to be updated?
- Conflict resolution at the community level – are sufficient programs in place?
- Prevention and education in schools for drug abuse – something needs to change?
- Plea bargaining in appropriate circumstances – who decides how much to offer?
- The corrections system: do we have adequate control over prison gangs?
- The outdated prison system: what is the extent of revitalization that needs to occur to keep up with the demand?
Constructing the perfect academic essay
Your criminal justice essays should follow standards in format and style. You can use criminal justice essay examples available on the internet as a pattern when writing your own essay.
The references that you gather in your research should go in a proper reference page located at the end of your essay. The style of citing those references is dictated by your program. For the criminal justice program, the APA style is used. To be sure, ask your instructor which style is required.
The final touch on the perfect essay is a thorough proofreading and editing. When possible, get someone else to proofread your essay. They may catch errors you didn’t see.