70 Criminal Justice Essay Topics

Updated: May 18, 2023
8.5K

The growing interest and study in criminal justice can be attributed to the ever-rising enrolment in law careers. To set the record straight, the law is a complex system of practices whose interpretation and implementation depends solely on a particular jurisdiction. As a law student, you will be presented with various essay assignments on criminal justice. Without a good topic, you will get stuck in the most critical part of preparing the paper.

We have a long list of topic ideas in criminal justice, and finding one should not be difficult. The tricky part is picking a perfect subject that you can effectively analyze and provide insightful perspective as per the readers’ expectations. This guide is specially prepared to enlighten on how to explore unique criminal justice topics on your own. Additionally, we have a list of topic ideas and examples you can pick and cover in your essay.

Tips on How to Select the Best Criminal Justice Essay Topic? – Key Factors to Consider

A good topic should allow the writer to develop relevant, informative, and insightful ideas that will be valuable to the audience. To accomplish that, one has to weigh in several factors that come to play when evaluating essay topics. One of the challenges is landing on a topic that is commonly covered by other students. However, you can still delve on it as long as you tell the story from a unique angle that would give your piece a fresh outlook.

The first step to getting an essay topic on criminal justice is to brainstorm for ideas. Sit down and take note of the best topics relevant to your audience. Also, explore to find counter-arguments or case studies on a particular subject. To do this, you will have to research widely on several credible sources. While doing that, discard topic ideas that contain sketchy information or outdated data that is irrelevant.

Your topic choice should not be limited by the country you live in or the aspect of time. Just make sure it is interesting and not too complex to manage. With that, you can demonstrate authority to subject researched data to scrutiny and provide strong arguments that will impress the readers.

The key element to writing a perfect paper is going for a narrow or wide topic. Through this, you can avoid the common mistake of including many ideas that overwhelm the readers. If you find an act of law, precedence, or legislative act too wide to analyze, consider narrowing it down to a definite sub-topic.

Expert-Selected List of Criminal Justice Essay Topics

Criminal justice is very expansive, and many themes carry brilliant ideas worth exploring in an essay. Depending on your personal preference or instructions provided by your tutor, you can get a topic in categories like law enforcement, correctional facilities, discrimination, gender rights, drugs, forensic or international law. Here are some incredible criminal justice essay topics that will inspire you to get started writing your essay:

  • Gang-related crimes.
  • Racially motivated violence.
  • Insanity defense.
  • Preventing cybercrime.
  • Sharing terrorism Information.
  • Experimental criminology.
  • Police interrogation.
  • Handling juvenile cases.
  • Wrongful conviction.
  • Human trafficking.
  • Psychology in crime.
  • Theory of race and crime.
  • Revenge porn.
  • Violent crimes in Chicago.
  • Crime and mental disorders.
  • Crime mitigation.
  • International organized crime.
  • White-collar vs. corporate crime.
  • Serial offenders.
  • Moral panic.
  • The algorithm in nabbing serial killers.
  • Criminal justice statistics.
  • Witness protection.
  • Case of Harold Shipman.
  • Drunk driving.
  • Induced false confessions.
  • Interpol.
  • Jury verdicts.
  • Sexual offenses crimes.
  • Mass incarceration.

Criminal Justice Argumentative Essay Topics

  1. The effectiveness of rehabilitation programs in reducing recidivism rates.
  2. The role of mental health in the criminal justice system: Treatment versus punishment.
  3. The impact of mandatory minimum sentences on the criminal justice system.
  4. The use of technology in criminal investigations: Balancing privacy and security.
  5. The ethical implications of the death penalty in the modern criminal justice system.
  6. The racial disparities in the criminal justice system: Exploring the causes and potential solutions.
  7. The effectiveness of community policing in promoting trust and reducing crime rates.
  8. The role of restorative justice in addressing the needs of victims and offenders.
  9. The impact of juvenile justice policies on the rehabilitation and reintegration of young offenders.
  10. The role of eyewitness testimony in criminal trials: Reliability and potential biases.
  11. The use of body cameras by law enforcement: Balancing transparency and privacy concerns.
  12. The impact of technology on cybercrime: Challenges for law enforcement and legal frameworks.
  13. The criminalization of drug use versus a public health approach: Evaluating different approaches.
  14. The role of forensic evidence in criminal investigations: Reliability and limitations.
  15. The impact of bail reform on pretrial detention and the criminal justice system.
  16. The influence of media on public perception of crime and the criminal justice system.
  17. The effectiveness of gun control policies in reducing violent crime rates.
  18. The role of education and employment opportunities in preventing crime and reducing recidivism.
  19. The ethical implications of plea bargaining: Balancing efficiency and fairness in the justice system.
  20. The impact of mass incarceration on communities and society: Exploring alternatives to incarceration.

Cause and Effect Essay Topics Criminal Justice

  1. The causes and effects of the war on drugs in the criminal justice system.
  2. The causes and effects of racial disparities in sentencing and incarceration rates.
  3. The causes and effects of recidivism in the criminal justice system.
  4. The causes and effects of police brutality and its impact on public trust.
  5. The causes and effects of overcrowding in prisons and its implications for rehabilitation.
  6. The causes and effects of mandatory minimum sentences on the criminal justice system.
  7. The causes and effects of poverty and its correlation with crime rates.
  8. The causes and effects of mental health issues among incarcerated individuals.
  9. The causes and effects of the school-to-prison pipeline.
  10. The causes and effects of technological advancements on cybercrime rates.
  11. The causes and effects of public perception of crime and its influence on policy-making.
  12. The causes and effects of community policing on crime rates and community relationships.
  13. The causes and effects of the privatization of prisons on the criminal justice system.
  14. The causes and effects of domestic violence and its impact on victims and communities.
  15. The causes and effects of drug addiction and its relation to criminal behavior.
  16. The causes and effects of witness intimidation and its consequences for the criminal justice system.
  17. The causes and effects of white-collar crime on the economy and public trust.
  18. The causes and effects of gun violence and its impact on society.
  19. The causes and effects of corruption within the criminal justice system.
  20. The causes and effects of restorative justice practices in reducing recidivism rates.

Criminal Justice System Essay Topics You’d Love Working on

  1. What are the typical punishments for school shootings? Are they enough?
  2. Are there enough gun control laws in place?
  3. Analyze police brutality in different areas.
  4. How is the criminal justice system in the United States? Is it fair?
  5. Are there limits to freedom of speech? If so, do you agree with them?
  6. How has the criminal justice system evolved with technology?
  7. Do you believe that police are always correct?
  8. What kinds of checks and balances does the criminal justice system have?
  9. How can cyberbullying be punished? Should there be more laws?
  10. How does the criminal justice system prevent drug trafficking?

Great Criminal Justice Essay Questions to Kick-Start Writing Your Paper

Our team of experts has picked several criminal justice questions from our pool of topic possibilities. These questions can be tackled in the same form, or you can modify them to fit perfectly in a compelling paper:

  • What are the effects of criminal justice on the modern world?
  • Is public shooting being addressed appropriately?
  • How will technology assist in mitigating and investigating crimes?
  • Is legal action against drugs effective?
  • What are the factors encouraging identity theft fraud?
  • What are the limitations of enforcing deportation through immigration law?
  • Will gun control prevent mass shootings?
  • What are the consequences of cyberbullying?
  • Are the statics on domestic violence factual?
  • Why are police ethical standards important?

Unique Criminal Justice Essay Ideas for Smart Students

Have you run out of criminal justice ideas and desperately need to complete your essay? With our provided list of popular ideas, all you need to do is pick a favorite idea and analyze it effectively. From international law to law enforcement, these are the criminal justice essay prompts that you are free to explore:

  • Human rights violations.
  • International Criminal Court.
  • Land and settlement.
  • UN resolutions.
  • Labour laws on sexual harassment.

Do you still need assistance compiling your essay? Being one of the most reputable academic service solutions, we help students craft exceptional papers that attract the highest scores. Our unique writing technique involves carrying out in-depth research in developing engaging ideas and arguments focused on appealing to your examiner. Order now to get essay writer help!

George Lynch
George Lynch
Literature, Psychology, Religion
Experience: 3+ years
I’ve been enjoying academic writing since day one in college. Today, having a full-time job, I’m still looking forward to writing essays and research papers online for others.
Read more
You Might Also Like:
Back to blog
Show more