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167 Top Criminology Dissertation Ideas

Are you taking criminology in college, and it is time to work on your dissertation, but it appears challenging? Many university students get stuck even before starting, but there is no need to worry because we are here to hold your hand. The first, and we must emphasize, most crucial step, is picking the title of your dissertation. So, how do you select the right criminology dissertation topic?

The best title should be unique, interesting, and have ample resources to help you craft a paper that will impress your professor and the assessment committee. To make selecting the best easier, we have picked the hottest 167 criminology dissertation ideas for you. Keep reading to identify the preferred option and use it as it is or tweak a little to fit your preference.

Criminology Dissertation Ideas on Terrorism

• Religious ideologies: Can they be a source of terrorism?
• Analyzing the relationship between media and terrorism.
• Political tensions: Are they to blame for the ever-growing number of militias on the globe?
• Comparing the trends of terror in the 19 th and 20 th centuries: A literature review.
• What are the leading causes and motivations of terrorism?
• Analyzing literature on identity theft and social media.
• What motivates women to join ISIS?
• Comparing male and female serial killers: What are the main differences?
• How does the US respond to terror threats?
• The US efforts to combat terror after the 9/11 attack: Are they effective?
• Was the US justified in killing Osama Bin Laden instead of taking him to court?
• Comparing two known terror networks of your choice in different countries.
• Terrorism from the viewpoint of international law.
• Islamic charities: Are they the main sources of finance for terrorists?
• Are recent attacks by Hamas and Israel acts of terrorism?

Criminology Dissertation Ideas about Drugs

• Analyzing the relationship between people of various backgrounds and police.
• What are the most effective methods of preventing drug trafficking internationally?
• Analyzing the effectiveness of drug courts.
• Reversible and irreversible impacts of drug abuse.
• People incarcerated for drug abuse: What are the impacts on their children?
• Club culture: How does it enhance drug abuse in the society?
• Preventing drug abuse in society: Which is more effective between voluntary learning and mandatory examination?
• Reviewing the harm done to society by drugs.
• Comparing the impacts of cannabis and alcohol on a person’s behavior.
• The most abused drugs and their effects on societal behavior.
• Cannabis and deviant behavior among youths: What is the relationship?
• Cannabis legalization: Is it a good idea? What should we expect in the coming years?
• Drug use and youth arrests: A case study of Paris, France.
• Comparing drug court operations in the UK and USA.
• War on drugs in the US: Can it solve the problem of drug abuse and crime?
• Drug testing in school.
• The influence of drugs on sexual assaults.
• Prostitution: A study of the main risk groups in the UK.
• Drug traffic tracking strategies used in the UK.
• Drug abuse in prison cells: What are the causes and effects?

Criminal Law EPQ Questions

• Harassment in school and workplace: What are the main strategies adopted to address the problem in the UK?
• Homicides: A review of motivations that make people kill.
• Are the strategies adopted by your state enough to counter juvenile delinquency?
• What is the relationship between crime in Texas and people living with mental disorders?
• Domestic violence: What are the rights of victims?
• How can the marginalized get access to justice? A case study of the Netherlands.
• A study of the main types of robberies reported in the US in the 20 th century.
• Arson investigations: How do investigators determine whether the fire was deliberate or accidental?
• What is the relationship between substance abuse and poor schooling?
• What causes addiction among cannabis users?
• What is the effectiveness of witness programs in criminal justice? A closer look at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
• Robbery: What are the main risk groups, methods of prevention, and prosecution?
• What is the effectiveness of the International Criminal Court in achieving its mandate?
• Should employers check an all applicants’ criminal history during recruitment?
• The extradition law in the United States: Is it fair?
• Maximum-security prisons: Are they justified or simply cruel?
• A study of incarcerated parent’s responsibilities. How do they cope?

Masters Dissertation Ideas for Criminology

• Death penalty in the justice system: Is it effective in crime prevention.
• The rising rates of mass shootings in the US: What are the main causes?
• Studying the impact of genocidal acts on the cohesiveness of society.
• Police shootings: Comparing top three cases in the US and the UK.
• Sex offenses: Which are the main risk groups, prevalence, and prevention efforts?
• How corruption affects the social, political and economy of a country.
• Why are most crimes in the US and UK mainly committed by the youths?
• US vs. China’s criminal justice system: What are the main differences?
• Are the current US laws on criminology effective?
• A review of the British criminology curriculum: What needs to be improved?
• Analyzing the relationship between education levels and crime levels in a country of your choice.
• What is the relationship between ownership of guns and law violations?
• Law enforcement and criminology: What are the differences?
• Does racial abuse of international students and immigrants motivate them to join criminal gangs?
• Using culture to mold responsible citizens: A case study of communities in Georgia, Europe.

Forensic Psychology Dissertation Ideas

• A comprehensive analysis of competence to stand trial concept and its application in the UK.
• The age of criminal culpability: A review of the effectiveness of this idea in criminal justice.
• The ethics of death penalty: A review of the literature.
• Studying the mind of a criminal on death row: What goes in the mind of a person on a death row hours before execution?
• Should the death penalty be used on juveniles?
• What are the chances that a person on death row can change into a law-abiding citizen?
• How does memory impact eyewitness testimony?
• Analyzing the strategies used by the justice system to evaluate the reports of eyewitnesses.
• Methods used in the UK to protect eyewitnesses.

Criminology Dissertation Ideas Mental Health

• What role do guardians play in crime prevention in society?
• A review of criminological theory in the US justice system.
• A comprehensive analysis of how persons exposed to alcohol perform in different areas of their lives.
• Sexual violence use as a weapon of armed conflict: A literature review.
• Drug abuse and media: Should media that promote the use of hard drugs be controlled?
• How effective are the methods used in rehab to counter drug addiction?
• A review of delinquent cases among immigrant teenagers in the UK.
• Why do college students engage in cases of arson?
• Evaluating how prejudice motivates violence.
• Is it possible to remain neutral in mental criminal case trials?
• Is it possible to eliminate the problem of drug abuse and related crime?
• Solitary confinement for drug traffickers: What are the implications?

Criminology Dissertation Ideas UK

• How does the UK government respond to terror threats?
• Rehabilitation centers in the UK: What roles do they play in addressing crime?
• Racial stereotyping and crime in the UK: What is the relationship?
• A discourse evaluation: How has coronavirus shaped crime in the UK?
• Do urban settings in the UK act as breeding grounds for criminals?
• A critical review of the police force and crime in the UK.
• Interrogation by police officers: How does it work?
• A study of the main categories of crime in the UK.
• A review of the latest innovations in experimental criminology.
• Identify theft in the UK: What are the main consequences for perpetrators?
• Online child predators: How effective are the UK laws in protecting children?
• Is it possible to have a crime-free society?
• Which crime has a greater impact on society in the UK? Comparing street crimes and white-collar crimes.
• A review of the main principles applied in crime prevention in the UK justice system.

Controversial Criminology Dissertation Topics

• The less explored world of male rape in the society.
• Abortion: Should it be categorized as a crime?
• Parental separation: How does it result in future violence?
• Information sharing technology: How does it help fight the problem of terrorism?
• Back lives matter campaigns: Were they marred with violence instead of search for justice?
• Coronavirus has accelerated crime in the society more than any other time in the past.
• Do prisons help to correct bad behavior for the incarcerated?
• Facebook helps to encourage more negative behavior than promoting socialization.
• Domestic violence: Who suffers more between men and women?
• Human trafficking has one main role of sexual exploitation.
• On domestic violence, the law is subjective on males.
• The government should increase the age limit for citizens to acquire national IDs.
• Social media is the main source of moral panic in society.
• Music is a major contributor to crime in society.

Criminology Dissertation Ideas on Domestic Violence

• Theoretical perspectives on domestic violence.
• Applying the control balance theory in domestic violence.
• Popular culture and domestic violence: Are they related?
• The effects of homelessness on domestic violence: A case study of Texas.
• A review of cross-cultural perspectives on domestic violence.
• Comparing the rates of domestic violence in the US and India.
• Trends of domestic violence in Spain.
• Analyzing the main legal issues for women who are victims of domestic violence.
• A review of domestic violence within the military families.
• Analyzing police decision-making factors when dealing with domestic cases.
• Male victims of domestic violence: Why do most of them opt to keep quiet and stick with abusive partners?
• Mothers who kill: What are the motivating factors?
• Postpartum depression and domestic violence: How are they related?

Interesting Criminology Dissertation Titles

• Comparing the impacts of crime to those of natural disasters: A literature review.
• Is the education system in the globe failing in shaping good morals?
• A review of sexual aggression by women in ASIA.
• Acquainting rape perpetrators on bail terms: Is it acceptable? What does the law say?
• Regulating prostitution in the society: Is it enough to reduce crime?
• Corruption comes from limitations.
• A study of the connections between law violation and family status.
• Prostitution regulation: Can it stop crime?
• Use of expert testimony in domestic violence cases.
• Should we ban police from carrying guns in public?
• How does systemic bias impact criminal justice?
• Genetics: A comprehensive review of illegal researches and associated dangers.
• Assessing the effectiveness of street lighting in reducing crime.
• What role do psychometric assessments play in criminal justice?
• Is crime rate related to neighborhoods? A literature review.
• How has counterfeiting changed with the development of new technologies?

Criminology Dissertation Ideas about Prisons

• Forced labor among prisoners: Is it a good method of correction?
• Why is drug violence a problem in many US jails?
• A review of prison gangs in a prison of your choice.
• Training correctional officers in the UK: How effective is the training in enhancing the efficiency of correctional facilities?
• A review of the efforts used to address child molesters in prison.
• A review of study programs offered in prisons.
• Healthcare system in the UK prisons: Is it effective?
• A review of police corruption in prisons: Comparing the prisons in the 19 th and 20 th centuries.
• What are the main causes of high recidivism in the US?
• How do women end up in prisons? A review of common causes.
• Prisons through the UK history.
• How well are inmates prepared for re-entry into the society after serving jail terms?
• Racial profiling in the US prisons.
• Aggressive behavior: How is it related to criminal tendencies?
• Comparing human trafficking in the modern and classic worlds: What are the main differences?
• Comparing women’s recidivism rates in the US to those of Australia.

Knife Crime Dissertation Titles

• Knife crime in the US: Applying the criminology theory.
• Comparing knife crimes in Europe and Asia
• What are the motivating factors for knife criminals?
• Knife laws in the US: Analyzing the effectiveness of the pocket knife rules & laws.
• Comparing the knife rules of the United States to those of the UK.
• A review of knife crimes trends in the 21 st century.

Criminology Dissertation Help by Best Writers a Click Away

Now that we have looked at the best titles, from terrorism dissertation ideas to criminology topics on drugs, have you picked the preferred option? If “yes,” you are one step in the right direction. However, the next step of writing the dissertation is longer and requires a deep understanding of criminology. You also need excellent writing skills, time, and access to all the required resources. If you do not have the combination of all the above, which happens regularly to most students, you have a way out – seeking help from the best writers online. Our custom writing service stands taller than others because we have top-notch ENL writers who stop at nothing in ensuring clients get high grades. They have a lot of experience in the discipline and can work on any topic, from criminology and psychology dissertation ideas to terrorism-related topics. Again, they are fast and can easily beat even the toughest deadline. Our service is also cheap. Do not let the criminology dissertation stress you in any way – our expert can help you complete it professionally and fast too!

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Criminology Dissertation Topics: 20+ Examples for Inspiration

by  Antony W

May 9, 2023

Criminology is field that focuses on investigating crimes from a societal viewpoint, with an emphasis on offenders, their motivation, consequences, and prevention. Also, the subject examines human behavior in relation to crime.

Since criminologists investigate the societal foundations and consequences of crime, they also incorporate other subjects such as philosophy and anthropology.

When all of these fields of studies are used, a precise diagnosis of the underlying reason for criminal behavior is likely. Criminologists will then be able to develop effective and realistic strategies for averting criminal activities.

This post includes a list of the best criminology dissertation topics, which are ideas you can improve and investigate further in your assignment. Also, if you need help to work on this type of dissertation, especially if you’re already running out of time, you can get our dissertation writing help here.

Criminology Dissertation Topics Examples

The following is a list of some of the best criminology dissertation topics that you might consider exploring in your writing:

Criminology Dissertation Ideas Mental Health

• The effect of harmful mental health disorders on an individual’s behavior
• The role of a psychological examination in a criminal investigation
• How the media affects a person’s mental health when they commit a crime
• Utilizing community-based treatment centers to assist individuals with mental illnesses
• Is it possible for an unlawful to fabricate a mental illness in order to avoid punishment?
• Traumatic events that may serve as a catalyst for criminal activity
• Mental treatments are critical for offenders accused with murder.

Also Read: The Complete Guide for Dissertation Defense

Controversial Dissertation Topics in Criminology

• Was the Black Lives Matter movement tarnished by violence rather than by a desire for justice?
• How parental estrangement contributes to future violence
• Regulating prostitution will result in a decrease in crime.
• Coronavirus has encouraged criminal activity on a scale never seen before.
• When it comes to domestic abuse against people, the law is subjective.
• Should the government raise the minimum age for obtaining a national identification card?
• Is the media the primary catalyst for moral panics in society?
• Demystifying social media as a crime scene in the technology era
• Is it appropriate to inform rape perpetrators of their bail conditions?

Argumentative Dissertation Topics in Criminology

• Is someone responsible for the growth of teenage gangs in a certain society?
• Is it possible that political tensions are to blame for internal militia uprisings?
• Are religious beliefs capable of becoming the source of terrorism?
• Is gun regulation in the United States the first step toward increased crime rates?
• Is racial abuse directed at international students a contributing factor to crime and violence?
• Is crime more dangerous than natural catastrophes or infectious diseases?
• Is parental monitoring effective in lowering teen crime?
• Is education falling short in its job of instilling sound principles and character?
• Is the boundary between law enforcement and criminology a fine one?
• Is domestic violence directed only at women, or do males also suffer?

You May Also Like: Tips for Dissertation Reference

Masters and PhD. Criminology Dissertation Topic Ideas

• Analyzing how marginalization and discrimination on the basis of religion contribute to crime
• An examination of cybercrime laws and their role in preserving law and order
• A critical examination of the United States government’s response to terrorism threats
• Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and crime: An examination of their role or influence
• Corruption’s impact on a country’s political, social, economic, and security systems
• A discourse study of the coronavirus’s influence on criminal behavior
• Is it true that metropolitan environments foster more crime than rural regions?

General Dissertation Topic Ideas in Criminology

• Age in criminology research in the context of capital punishment
• Examining the consequences of police empowerment in high-crime neighborhoods of developing countries
• An assessment of the major features of police personnel deployed in crime hotspots in the United Kingdom.
• A study of how the season and topography of a location effect crime.
• How residential architecture and community structures aid in crime prevention and management
• How significant is the sociocultural background of a residential community in terms of the volume and quality of crime in the area?
• An Analysis of Research on the financial and societal costs of crime deterrence in the United Kingdom
• An assessment of the ramifications of political backing for criminal activity and its influence on the community
• A phenomenological examination of students’ exposure to drugs and the criminal lifestyle in the United Kingdom
• A review of pertinent literature on how gender affects crime in the United Kingdom
• What can quantitative data tell us about the link between crime and unemployment?

Also Check: Custom Dissertation Writing Service

Criminology Dissertation Topics On Prison and Society

Prisons and convicts have long been a source of contention in British society. When selecting dissertation on social criminal offenders, condense your ideas to a single social element.

Here are some topic ideas to get you started: 

• Should pupils be required to visit jail as part of their curriculum?
• Is the imposition of jail sentences for economic or political offenses justified?
• Eliminating negative stigma associated with ex-prisoners and social service.

Criminology Dissertation Topics On Crime and Justice

When someone commits a crime, people frequently consider the current criminal justice system, which has a variety of defects and benefits depending on who analyzes it.

Choosing a justice dissertation subject is not a simple effort, which is why you should explore the following topics:

• The death penalty’s meaning in History video game violence and serial murderer cases
• Control and reporting methods for gang activity: proof vs. official accounts
• Alternative punishment methods: International System Comparisons

Criminology Dissertation Topics On Ethnicity and Race

Many of us are aware that certain crimes committed in the United Kingdom have racial or ethnic overtones. While these offenses have diminished in recent years, they continue to be widely publicized to educate people on how to prevent them and resolve any issues that arise.

Several ethnicity and race dissertation topics include the following:

• How the media contribute to the emergence of racial hatred
• Sports and legal ramifications of racial tensions
• Laws that Could Help Reduce Crimes Against Ethnic Minorities Murders Across English Cities on the Basis of Race & Ethnic Minority
• Inequality between races in the United Kingdom and South Africa

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

428 Criminology Research Topics & Questions for Students

As you might already know, criminology is the study of crime. To be more precise, criminology studies crime as a social trend, including its origin, various manifestations, and its impact on society.

Criminology research influences how the police work, how society treats criminals, and how the community maintains law and order. In this article, you’ll find top criminology research topics for your inspiration. We’ll also look into the main criminology theories and research methods and explain the difference between criminology and criminal justice.

🔝 Top-10 Criminology Research Topics

🔤 what is criminology.

• 🔎 Criminology Research Methods
• 📝 Research Topics for Assignments

🦹‍♂️ Crime Research Topics

• 🚔 Topics in Law Enforcement
• 🕵️ Criminal Investigation Topics

⚖️ Criminal Law Research Topics

• 🔒 Topics to Research in Crime Prevention

🧑‍⚖️ Criminal Justice Research Topics

• 🆚 Criminology Vs Criminal Justice

❓ Criminology Topics: FAQ

🔗 references.

• Criminology as a science: criminology theories.
• The importance of eyewitness evidence.
• The issue of racial bias in the investigation.
• Crime propaganda on social media.
• The leading causes of college violence.
• The benefits of private prisons.
• The debate around gun control.
• The analysis of power abuse among police officers.
• Drunk driving and how to prevent it.
• The importance of forensic psychology in the investigation.

Criminology is the study of crime and criminal behavior, supported by the principles of sociology and other sciences, including economics, statistics, and psychology.

Criminologists study a variety of related areas, including:

• Characteristics of people who commit crimes.
• Reasons behind committing different crimes.
• Impact of crime on individuals and communities.
• Measures for preventing crimes.

Criminology Theories

Criminology theories have appeared as an attempt to answer the question, “What is criminal behavior, and what causes it?” The answer to this question affects how society responds to and prevents crime. Proposing new theories and testing existing ones is essential for criminologists to continue working toward understanding the causes of criminal behavior.

Let’s consider the most relevant criminology theories.

🔎 Research Methods Used in Criminology

There are many research methods used within criminology. Usually, they are divided into two groups: primary and secondary research methods.

Primary Research Methods in Criminology

Primary research in criminology is any type of research that you collect yourself rather than based on secondary sources, such as articles or books. Examples of primary research methods in criminology include the following:

• Surveys and questionnaires. Survey research collects information from individuals through their responses to questions. It is considered one of the most widely used research tools in criminology.
• Experiments. For experiments , researchers take large samples of people who might become or have already been involved in crimes as victims or offenders. Then, they divide these samples into two groups, each receiving a different treatment.
• Interviews. An interview requires participants to answer a set of open-ended questions, often on sensitive topics, such as victimization or criminal behaviors. This method allows criminologists to gain more valuable insights into the research topic.
• Focus groups. A focus group is a small number of demographically similar people gathered to discuss a particular crime-related topic. This method allows criminologists to analyze people’s views, attitudes, and perceptions concerning crime.
• Observations. Observations involve a researcher studying groups or individuals in their natural setting without interfering. It is a common research method within the social learning theory.

Secondary Criminology Research Methods

Secondary research methods use information that was collected by someone else so that you can analyze it and identify the trends. Here are the two leading types of secondary research in criminology:

• Secondary analysis of data. A secondary analysis occurs when a researcher uses data collected by other researchers. You can obtain secondary data from surveys, official crime statistics, or official records.
• Literature review. A literature review involves reading, analyzing, evaluating, and summarizing literature about a specific criminology topic. It helps scholars identify research gaps and problems that need to be addressed.

📝 Criminology Research Topics for Assignments

To write an outstanding research paper on criminology, choose a topic that will spark your interest. Below you’ll find excellent criminology topic ideas for college students.

Criminology Research Paper Topics

• Criminology theory and its main elements.
• Criminology discipline and theories .
• American crime trends and criminological theories.
• The significance of criminological studies in the US.
• Criminology: legal rights afforded to the accused .
• The impact of violence and crime on the tourism industry.
• How did US crime rates change over the last 20 years?
• Classical and positivist schools of criminology .
• Should abortion be treated as a crime?
• Official and unofficial instruments within the criminal investigation.
• Criminology: femininity and the upsurge of ladettes .
• Criminal rehabilitation programs and their significance.
• Shoplifting and how to prevent it.
• Emerging technologies in criminology .
• The effects of illegal immigrants on crime rates.
• Drug trafficking by organized crime groups.
• Criminology and victimology: victim stereotypes in criminal justice .
• Can genetics lead to crime?
• The procedures of crime scene investigation.
• Labeling theory and critical criminology: sociological research .
• Hate crimes in modern society.
• The phenomenon of white-collar crime and its causes.
• How to prevent crimes in the workplace?
• Criminology: the social control theory .
• Stereotypes that surround serial killers and their crimes.
• The comparison of organized crime in New York and Chicago.
• Prevention strategies for small business crimes.
• Criminology: four types of evidence .
• Relations between crime, justice, and the media.

Criminology Research Proposal Topics

• How to prevent intellectual property crimes in cyberspace?
• Identity theft and cybercrime in modern society.
• Contemporary theories in criminology .
• The problem of racial profiling in the US.
• How has criminology contributed to the study of terrorism ?
• Possible solutions to the issue of street harassment .
• Postmodern criminology: the violence of the language .
• Gender bias in the investigation: pink-collar criminals.
• The phenomenon of digital terrorism and how to prevent it.
• How do immigration services help fight against terrorism?
• Green criminology: environmental harm in the Niger Delta .
• How has marijuana legalization influenced crime rates?
• Tools for collecting and analyzing crime evidence.
• How does international law manage war crimes ?
• The due process: criminology .
• What are victimless crimes ?
• The relation between crime rates and poverty.
• National system for missing and unidentified persons.
• Three case briefs in criminology .
• The impact of mental illness on criminal behavior.
• The effectiveness of rehabilitation programs in reducing crime rates.
• The use of AI technology in crime prevention and investigation.
• Sexual assault: criminology .
• The role of media coverage in public perception of crime.
• The impact of community policing on reducing crime rates.
• The impact of mass shootings on gun control laws.
• The impact of automation technology on criminology .

Criminology Thesis Topics

• The role of juvenile justice in preventing future criminal behavior.
• Feminism and criminology in the modern justice system .
• The effectiveness of mandatory minimum sentencing in the US.
• Drug laws : fighting crime or fueling it?
• Police brutality : a systemic problem in criminal justice.
• Criminology: USA Patriot Act overview .
• The impact of hate crimes on marginalized communities.
• How does organized crime affect the global economy?
• The significance of DNA evidence for criminal investigations.
• Use of statistics in criminal justice and criminology .
• The ethics of plea bargaining in criminal cases.
• Mental illness and criminal behavior: breaking the stigma.
• The impact of social media on cyberbullying and harassment.
• Robert Merton’s strain theory in criminology .
• Causes and consequences of police corruption .
• The role of restorative justice in repairing harm caused by crime.
• The effectiveness of treatment programs in reducing drug-related crimes.
• Hernando Washington case: criminology .
• The negative effects of human trafficking on global communities.
• The role of forensic science in crimes investigation.
• The effectiveness of community-based alternatives to imprisonment.
• Integrity as a key value: criminology and war .
• The relationship between poverty, education, and crime rates.
• Cybercrime : the dark side of the digital age.
• Hate crimes: motivations and impact on modern society.
• Feminist perspectives’ contribution to criminology .
• The impact of incarceration on families and communities.

Criminology Research Questions for Dissertation

• Can criminal profiling accurately predict offender behavior?
• How do hate crimes affect individuals and communities?
• How were the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights influenced by the classical school of criminology ?
• What are the psychological effects of cyberbullying on victims?
• What factors contribute to domestic violence , and how can it be prevented?
• How have organized crime groups evolved over time?
• How is statistics used in criminology and criminal justice ?
• Is the death penalty an effective crime deterrent?
• What motivates individuals to engage in white-collar crime?
• What are the consequences of police corruption for society?
• What is variance analysis in criminal justice and criminology ?
• How does drug addiction contribute to criminal behavior?
• How does gender influence criminal behavior and justice outcomes?
• What drives individuals to commit mass shootings?
• What is the broken window theory in criminology ?
• What are the biggest challenges facing criminal justice reform efforts?
• How do urban gangs perpetuate violence and criminal activity?
• How do criminal law and procedures protect individual rights and liberties?
• What is the impact of corporate fraud ?
• What challenges do individuals with mental health issues face in the criminal justice system?
• How can society combat human trafficking and exploitation?
• What measures can be taken to enhance cybersecurity and protect against cybercrime?
• What is the aboriginal crisis from a criminology perspective ?
• How can victimology help us better understand the experience of crime victims?
• What are effective crime prevention strategies for different types of crime?
• What is legal insanity in criminology ?
• How does environmental crime impact communities and the environment?
• How is the peace-making model applied in criminology ?

A significant part of criminology research is dedicated to various types of crimes and their reasons. Consider our crime topic ideas that will spark instant interest in your readers:

• The psychological impact of kidnapping on victims and their families.
• The racialization of crime and cultural panic .
• The ethical considerations surrounding ransom payments in kidnapping cases.
• The effect of burglary on small businesses and their ability to recover.
• The impact of race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status on homicide rates and patterns.
• Shoplifting: a crime of convenience .
• The effectiveness of different types of anti-theft devices in preventing motor vehicle theft.
• The role of forensic science in investigating arson cases, including the use of accelerant detection dogs.
• The concept of natural legal crime .
• The psychological profiles of white-collar criminals and their motivations.
• The psychological effects of burglary on victims and their sense of security.
• The concept of juvenile crime .
• The role of social media in facilitating and preventing kidnappings.
• The use of forensic evidence in homicide investigations and the challenges of prosecuting homicide cases.
• Sex crime recidivism rates.
• Illegal immigrantion and its effects on crime .
• The effectiveness of international efforts to combat money laundering .
• The efficacy of community watch programs in reducing burglary rates.
• The role of corporate culture in facilitating or preventing white-collar crime.
• Crimes in America: the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks .
• Technology in motor vehicle theft: GPS tracking and remote disabling systems.
• Human trafficking and the exploitation of vulnerable populations.
• Crime and criminals: general characteristics .
• The ethical and moral implications of capital punishment as a response to homicide.
• The effectiveness of fire prevention and education programs in reducing instances of arson.
• US gun control measures and crime rates reduction .
• The use of cryptocurrency in money laundering and illegal activities.
• White-collar crime and the abuse of power in corporate and financial settings.
• Cargo crimes and threats: government accountability office .
• The rise of cyberstalking and its impact on victims’ mental health.
• The effects of pollution on communities and the legal response to environmental crimes.
• Cyber-bullying and cyber-stalking as crimes .
• The effects of society’s reaction to crime.
• The use of technology in financial fraud schemes .
• Crimes against property and their characteristics .
• The intersection of racism and hate crimes against Asian Americans.
• The impact of deforestation on indigenous communities and wildlife.
• Crime types and their harm to society .
• The prevalence of domestic violence and the legal response to it.
• The exploitation of child labor in the fashion industry .
• Race and crime among minorities in the US .
• The ethical implications of using artificial intelligence in law enforcement.
• The psychological effects of hate crimes on victims and their communities.
• How does local television news viewing relate to fear of crime ?
• The evolution of cybercrime and its most common types.
• Parental responsibility for children’s crimes.
• The sex crime: influence of childhood experiences .
• Prostitution : a victimless crime.
• Sociology and media representation of crime.
• The profile of a crime victim .
• A theory of gendered criminology: women’s crime.

🚔 Research Topics in Law Enforcement

Another exciting area within criminology to investigate is law enforcement and police jobs. Have a look at the list of burning and controversial topics we came up with:

• The impact of community policing on crime rates and public trust.
• Law enforcement: online crimes and social media .
• Do body-worn cameras reduce police misconduct?
• The effects of implicit bias on the police use of force.
• Law enforcement cameras as an invasion of privacy .
• The impact of police militarization on community relations.
• Why is mental health training essential for police officers in crisis situations?
• Law enforcement officers’ attitudes regarding body-worn cameras .
• The role of police in addressing hate crimes and bias incidents.
• The effectiveness of community-based alternatives to traditional policing.
• Organizational changes in law enforcement agencies .
• The efficacy of police-community partnership in addressing gang violence.
• The impact of police officer diversity on community relations and trust.
• Local, state, and federal law enforcement in the US .
• The role of police in addressing cybercrime and online harassment.
• The effects of police body language and nonverbal cues on public perceptions.
• Cumulative career traumatic stress in law enforcement .
• Social media and its role in shaping public perceptions of police behavior.
• The role of police discretion in enforcing drug laws and addressing addiction.
• Mindfulness practice in law enforcement .
• The effectiveness of hot spot policing in reducing crime rates.
• Organizational culture in the police department.
• Stress in law enforcement officers and available programs .
• The role of police leadership in promoting ethical behavior and accountability.
• The effectiveness of community-based justice programs for juvenile offenders.
• Law enforcement in colonial America .
• Police-community partnerships for addressing domestic violence.
• The role of police in addressing human trafficking and exploitation.
• Misrepresentation of law enforcement by media .
• School safety and the police.
• How does stress affect the performance of law enforcement officers?
• The law enforcement: verbal communication as the best form of interaction .
• The significance of federal and state law enforcement mechanisms.
• The adverse effects of toxic leadership in quality law enforcement.
• Balance between effective law enforcement and personal liberty .
• The importance of discipline in public services.
• The connection between police salary and rates of police brutality.
• Role of police agencies in law enforcement .
• Police investigative questioning and techniques.
• The issue of corruption in law enforcement.
• Significance of computer forensics to law enforcement .
• Case study: police response to the Ningbo protest.
• Police actions to stop school bullying .
• Law enforcement position in society .
• New technological advances within the police department.
• Do law enforcement cameras violate privacy right?
• Different types of evaluation designs in law enforcement .
• Recognition of women’s right to work as police officers.
• The effectiveness of foot and bike patrols of the streets.
• Firearms types and usage in law enforcement .
• The competencies of international law enforcement authorities.
• Comparison of police brutality statistics for different genders.
• Ethical theories in law enforcement practice .

🕵️ Criminal Investigation Research Topics

The criminal investigation process is another criminology area worth discussing in your research paper. Below you’ll find the most intriguing criminal investigation topics:

• The history and evolution of criminal investigation techniques.
• Crime scene investigation in media and real life .
• The role of forensic science in criminal investigations.
• How does technology impact modern criminal investigations?
• The importance of preserving crime scenes and evidence.
• Crime scene investigation effect in the justice system .
• The ethics of interrogation techniques used in criminal investigations.
• Eyewitness testimony in criminal investigations.
• The role of criminal profiling in solving crimes.
• Organized business crime prosecution and investigation .
• How does media coverage affect criminal investigations?
• The use of informants in criminal investigations.
• The main challenges of investigating white-collar crimes.
• Undercover police investigations in drug-related crimes .
• The role of private investigators in criminal investigations.
• The impact of false confessions on criminal investigations.
• How is DNA evidence collected in criminal investigations?
• Importance of toxicology in crime investigation .
• The role of the FBI in national criminal investigations.
• The use of undercover operations in criminal investigations.
• The main challenges of investigating organized crime.
• Crime level investigation in the United States .
• Witness protection programs in criminal investigations.
• The impact of plea bargaining on criminal investigations.
• Surveillance techniques in criminal investigations.
• Investigating crime with age and mental illnesses factors .
• How are cybercrimes investigated?
• The role of international cooperation in criminal investigations.
• How do racial biases influence criminal investigations?
• Drug trafficking: investigation on Frank Lucas .
• Polygraph tests in criminal investigations.
• The main challenges of investigating terrorism-related crimes.
• Homicide investigations and forensic evidence .
• The role of victim advocacy in criminal investigations.
• Lie detector tests in criminal investigations.
• The role of forensic psychology in the investigation .
• The effects of community involvement on criminal investigations.
• The problem of false accusations in criminal investigations.
• Approaches in criminal investigation .
• The use of forensic accounting in financial crime investigations.
• How does the media shape public perception of criminal investigations?
• Key rulings on the conduct of investigators at the scene of a fire .
• The impact of political pressure on criminal investigations.
• The main challenges of investigating human trafficking.
• The Breonna Taylor case and criminal investigation .
• The role of victim compensation in criminal investigations.
• Behavioral analysis in criminal investigations.
• Procedures within crime scene investigation .
• Crime scene reconstruction in criminal investigations.

Criminology goes hand-in-hand with legal studies. If you’re interested in both areas, you should definitely write a research paper on one of the criminal law research topics:

• The evolution of criminal law in the US .
• Criminal law: stolen valor .
• The difference between criminal and civil law.
• Human trafficking and criminal law.
• Types of criminal offenses and the elements of crime.
• International criminal law and measures .
• The role of the burden of proof in criminal cases.
• Criminal defenses and their validity.
• The insanity defense in criminal law.
• Actus reus in English criminal law .
• The controversies around the death penalty.
• Juvenile delinquency and criminal law.
• Cybercrime and its legal implications.
• Criminal law – is graffiti a crime or not ?
• Domestic violence and criminal law.
• Hate crimes and their legal consequences.
• Restitution for victims in criminal law.
• Civil vs. criminal law and differences between them .
• Forensic evidence and its admissibility in court.
• Sexual assault and criminal law.
• The rights of the accused in criminal cases.
• Regulatory criminal laws in the criminal justice system .
• Receiving immunity for testimony in a criminal law case.
• The legal classification of criminal offenses.
• Self-defense in criminal law cases.
• How Canadian criminal law regulates deviant conduct .
• Sentencing guidelines and their impact on society.
• The use of DNA evidence in criminal cases.
• Eyewitness testimony and its reliability in court.
• Fundamental aspects of Canadian criminal law .
• The role of the media in criminal trials.
• The impact of social inequality on criminal justice outcomes.
• The future of criminal law and its impact on society.
• Criminal law in India and access to justice .
• International criminal law and its enforcement.
• Extradition and its legal implications.
• The impact of globalization on criminal law.
• Juvenile vs. adult criminal law .
• The importance of victim rights in criminal cases.
• Restorative justice and its benefits for society.
• Alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders.
• Automatism as a defence in criminal law .
• The role of defense attorneys in criminal trials.
• The role of prosecutors in criminal trials.
• The right to a public trial in a criminal law case.
• Civil and criminal law penalties and differences .
• Car searches in criminal investigations by law enforcement.

🔒 Criminology Topics for Research in Crime Prevention

Researching crime prevention allows you to learn more about the strategies for reducing criminal behavior. Have a look at our outstanding crime prevention topic ideas:

• Understanding and explaining crime prevention.
• Theories that explain criminal activities and criminology .
• The effectiveness of community policing in preventing crime.
• The benefits and drawbacks of crime prevention in the US.
• How can education reduce crime rates?
• Crime prevention programs and criminal rehabilitation .
• Technological innovations and their impact on crime prevention.
• The importance of early childhood interventions in preventing criminal behavior.
• The relationship between poverty and crime prevention strategies.
• Youth crime prevention and needs assessment .
• The use of restorative justice in reducing recidivism.
• The effectiveness of gun control laws in preventing gun-related crimes.
• The impact of social media on crime prevention and awareness.
• Crime prevention program in Australia .
• The use of CCTV cameras in preventing crime.
• Evidence for crime prevention programs in developing countries.
• The role of mental health services in preventing criminal behavior.
• Crime prevention practices: overview .
• The effectiveness of community-based programs in reducing juvenile delinquency.
• The use of environmental design in preventing crime by shaping space and behavior.
• Victim support programs for lowering crime rates.
• Situational and social crime prevention approaches .
• The effectiveness of after-school programs in preventing juvenile offenses.
• Techniques for preventing situational and social crime.
• The impact of citizen participation in crime prevention.
• Computer crime prevention measures .
• The efficacy of community watch programs in preventing neighborhood crimes.
• The use of community centers for preventing gang-related crimes.
• The impact of sentencing policies on crime prevention.
• Biometrics recognition and crime prevention .
• The relationship between video game violence and youth crime .
• Social media and cybercrime prevention.
• The role of social workers in crime prevention.
• Three-strikes law for preventing violent crimes .
• Decreasing crime rates through education and medicine.
• The use of animal-assisted therapy for reducing criminal behavior.
• The effectiveness of aftercare programs in reducing recidivism.
• Capital punishment as ineffective crime deterrence .
• The main strategies for proactive crime prevention.
• The impact of domestic violence prevention programs on crime rates.
• The use of probation and parole in preventing criminal behavior.
• Juvenile weapon crimes and strategies to address .
• The role of faith-based organizations in crime prevention.
• The use of diversion programs in juvenile crime prevention.
• The distinctions between crime prevention and community safety.
• Preventing crime victimization in international students .
• The impact of agriculture and rural development on crime prevention.

Criminal justice might be a challenging research topic, but it is worth the time and effort. Consider our unique topic ideas for your successful research:

• The effectiveness of community policing.
• The use of statistics in criminal justice and criminology .
• Rehabilitation programs offered in prisons and their efficacy.
• The importance of defense attorneys in the criminal justice system.
• The code of ethics in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice .
• The significance of restorative justice programs.
• The impact of mandatory minimum sentencing laws.
• Criminal justice process: felony criminal charge .
• The role of judges in the criminal justice system.
• Probation and parole in the criminal justice system.
• Veterans in the criminal justice system .
• The comparison of prison privatization in the US and UK.
• The main issues women experience in the prison system.
• US terrorism and criminal justice decision-making model .
• The prison system in a democratic society.
• The role of psychologists in the criminal justice system.
• Transgender offenders in the criminal justice system .
• The impact of private prisons on crime rates.
• The effectiveness of victim compensation programs.
• The successes and failures to reform punishment in the criminal justice system .
• Community involvement in the criminal justice system.
• The main challenges of long-term prisoner rehabilitation.
• Technology application in criminal justice .
• The role of victim-offender mediation in the criminal justice system.
• Gender disparity in the criminal justice system.
• Recidivism in criminal justice: the American prison system .
• How does solitary confinement impact people in prisons?
• Legal and ethical issues in international intervention.
• Racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system .
• Do mandatory minimum sentences help or hurt?
• The effects of prison on children of incarcerated individuals.
• Psychopathy in the criminal justice system .
• The importance of mental health professionals in the criminal justice system.
• Techniques for influencing criminal justice system change.
• Non-inclusiveness of the criminal justice system .
• The impact of racial profiling on the criminal justice system.
• The effectiveness of diversion programs for veterans.
• False confessions in the US criminal justice system .
• Racism in the criminal justice system of the US.
• People with disabilities and criminal justice.
• Ethical dilemmas in the criminal justice system .
• Forensic psychology guidelines for criminal justice.
• The impact of technology on jury selection .
• Effective writing and criminal justice .
• The effectiveness of mandatory drug testing for probationers and parolees.
• The effect of wrongful executions on the criminal justice system.
• Discontinuity of care in the criminal justice system .
• The influence of media on criminal justice and community.
• The impact of cybercrime on the global criminal justice system.
• Criminal justice: coerced confessions .
• The role of private prisons in the criminal justice system.
• The effectiveness of diversion programs for people without housing.
• Criminal justice system and the problem of racism .
• What can be learned from the history of criminal courts?
• Comparison between American and British legislative frameworks.
• Criminal justice case: types of sentences, probation, and final decision .
• The overview of the modern justice system.
• The ethical issue of unwarranted arrests.
• Civil liability in criminal justice .
• The risk groups of juvenile recidivism .

🆚 Difference between Criminology and Criminal Justice

Students often confuse criminology with criminal justice because both areas study crime and criminal behavior. Understanding their main differences is essential before conducting research in any of these areas.

Is Criminology a Science?

Criminology can be considered as a science because it uses the scientific method. The scientific method involves five steps: stating the problem, forming the hypothesis, collecting the data, interpreting these data, and drawing conclusions. Within criminology, scientists use standard research methods, such as surveys, experiments, interviews, etc.

What Does Criminology Study?

Criminology studies crime, including its causes, methods of prevention, and responses from law enforcement. It relies on other non-legal studies, such as sociology, psychology, and statistics, to examine the characteristics of people who commit crimes and the effects of criminality on individuals and society.

What Are the Principal Areas of Criminology Research?

Four significant criminology areas include:

• The history of criminology . This area focuses on criminology founders and theories of crime and punishment development.
• Theory of crime causation . This aspect explores if a criminal’s behavior is determined by their social environment.
• Typologies of crime . This field describes different types of crimes and the reasons for committing them.
• Crime prevention efforts . This area studies crime measures that can curb crimes before they occur.

What Are the Principal Types of Research Methods in Criminology?

Criminology uses quantitative (analyzing measurements and statistics) and qualitative (analyzing non-numerical data) research methods to gain valuable insights. The most common scientific methods in criminology are surveys, experiments, secondary data analysis, interviews, historical/comparative research, and ethnography.

• Criminology and Criminal Justice: Pick a Topic | Marquette University
• Criminology Questions & Topics | David H. Kessel
• Topics | Ghent University
• Emergent Issues in Crime & Justice | University of Maryland
• Qualitative Research in Criminal Justice | University of North Texas
• Criminology, Law & Society | UCI Libraries
• What the Data Says (and Doesn’t Say) about Crime in the United States | Pew Research Center
• Types of Criminal Offenses | Justia
• Criminal Justice and Criminology Theses | East Tennessee State University
• Research Overview | The University of Alabama
• Criminology Research | University of Portsmouth
• Research | Arizona State University
• Research Themes | University of Surrey, Centre for Criminology
• Advanced Criminology & Criminal Justice Research Guide | Mardigian Library
• Criminology – Research Guide: Getting Started | PennLibraries
• Law and Criminology | University of Plymouth
• Topics for a Criminology Research Paper | Classroom
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60 Awesome Criminology Dissertation Ideas For You!

Creating high-quality criminology dissertation ideas is a highly important aspect, not only for gaining top grades but firstly for showing your prowess. Yet, we all know that this task might sometimes be difficult as it is a resource-consuming process.

Since finding the proper criminology dissertation ideas could sometimes be a challenge, we’ve put together a great list to get you started. Different approaches will be a match for different people. Therefore, read through them all and select the ones that best fit you.

But before that,

Criminology Dissertation Tips

How do you generate ideas for criminology dissertation? Well, here is a quick look at that:

• Brainstorming
• Free writing
• Idea mapping
• Imagination

Allow your ideas to flow freely regardless of how wild or crazy they seem. In the midst of free writing the plans, you can censor the “dumb” or “silly” ideas. Such sifting will leave you with impressive dissertation ideas for criminology and sociology papers.

Unlike other types of writing, criminal justice is a sensitive matter that needs evidence-backed arguments. There is no room for speculations or gossip in a criminology dissertation. Hence, maximum precision is necessary if you desire a top-notch paper in the end.

You have a plethora of dissertation questions for criminology to choose from in this post:

Masters and PhD. Criminology Dissertation Ideas

Here is a list of Masters and first-class dissertation ideas criminology worthy of mentioning:

• Policing strategies within the war against drugs: A comparative analysis
• A case study of sexual violence as a weapon in armed conflict
• Understanding how marginalization and discrimination because of religion causes crime
• Exploring the impact of genocidal acts in community cohesiveness
• How corruption affects the political, social, economic, and security of a country
• What is the role and motivation of women joining ISIS?
• A critical analysis of how the US government responds to terrorist threats
• Racist stereotyping and crime: What is the relationship?
• Influence of drugs and alcohol on sexual assaults
• Key socio-history factors and how they contribute to contemporary form
• LGBT and crime: An understanding of their contribution or impact
• A discourse analysis of how the coronavirus has shaped crime
• An examination of the role of technology in fueling crime
• An interdisciplinary gaze into the problem of ‘evil.’
• Exploring the part of rehabilitation centres in curbing crime
• Does urban setting provide breeding grounds for crime than rural areas?
• A review of the cybercrime legislation and their place in maintaining law and order
• A critical evaluation of bullying in schools versus crime
• The role of women in aiding crime
• A critical examination of the police force and crime

Argumentative Criminology Dissertation Topics

A list of criminology topics for an argumentative dissertation paper:

• Can religious ideologies be the cause of terrorism?
• Is crime worse than natural disasters or diseases?
• Is domestic violence only against women or men to suffer?
• Is immigration the cause of the increased crime rate?
• What are the contributing factors for serial killers?
• Is it possible to have a crime-free society?
• Is the education system lagging in its role of shaping good morals and character?
• Are political tensions to blame for the internal militia uprisings
• Is there a thin line between law enforcement and criminology?
• Does parental supervision help in reducing crime among teenagers?
• Is there someone behind the rise of youth gangs in a given society?
• Does the media portray young people as criminals?
• Is gun control in the US the stepping stone to high crime rates?
• What is the role of the school and community in preventing child abuse?
• How has counterfeiting evolved with the advent of new technologies?
• Is racist abuse towards international students the cause of crime and violence?
• Is social insecurity mere brutality?
• Is forced labour among detainees an efficient way of correction?
• Are media representations of terrorism an exaggeration?
• Is culture key in shaping morals for a better society?

Controversial Criminology Dissertation Titles

• Does abortion fall under the category of the crime?
• Is the patriarchy society responsible for the rise in crime numbers?
• How parental separation results in future violence
• Were the Black Lives Matter campaign marred with violence rather than seeking justice?
• The unseen world of male rape in society today
• Music contributes to the crime through videos and the lyrics used
• Social media has been a major crime scene in the technological era
• Is it acceptable to acquaint rape perpetrators on bail terms?
• Are Islamic charities a source of terrorist financing?
• Is the media the main instigator of moral panics in the society?
• Most crime offenders are teenagers and especially college dropouts
• Should the government increase the age limit for acquiring a national identity card?
• Coronavirus has fueled up more criminal activities than never before
• Human trafficking has only one role; sexual exploitation
• The law is subjective when it comes to domestic violence on males
• Regulating prostitution will reduce crime
• Facebook is a conduit for criminal activity rather than socializing
• Should the police carry guns in public?
• Corruption is a result of imitation
• Does prison truly correct criminal behaviour?

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Criminology Dissertation Ideas for Students

When students enter university, few of them consider what dissertation they will write. They’re mostly focused on everyday tasks like essays, but since the necessity to select topic and investigate is inevitable, sooner or later, this question is going to gain urgency. Criminology is a unique subject.

Whether you’re studying it at the University of Surrey or Stirling, the final year will be tough. Some are going to require online dissertation help . But before getting professional assistance, one must look through diverse criminology dissertation ideas and decide which suits better. The more you like it, the more you’ll feel engaged in writing, meaning that chances at getting an excellent grade are going to grow. Let’s take a look at newly available criminology topic prepared by our professionals in this field.

Topics on 6 Major Divisions of Criminology

We’ve divided this vast area into six main topics, each having a number of suggestions. Check them and see what criminology dissertation titles you find interesting. We’ll start with two widest general sections.

Prison & Society Topics

The perception of prisons and prisoners in society has always been a subject of hot debate. As you are choosing dissertation topics dealing with social aspects of criminal offenders, remember about narrowing your ideas down to include a single social element. See these examples to help you start writing:

• Portrayal of prisons in the media.
• Should schoolchildren have visits to prison as a part of the school curriculum?
• Mental health issues and serial killer personalities.
• Breaking down negative stigma regarding ex-prisoners and social work.
• Is prison punishment justified for economic or political crimes?
• HM Prison Wandsworth Effectiveness: Control, Crime, Punishments
• Barriers between Prisoners & Free People: Dual Review
• Thin Line between Free Life and Prison
• How do Ex-Prisoners Adapt to New Life?
• Adaptation Period in Prison: Factors of Difficulties & Success

Crime & Justice Topics

When a crime is committed, people often think of the existing criminal justice system which has numerous flaws and benefits, depending on who reviews it. Choosing your dissertation topic on justice is not an easy task, which is why consider checking criminal justice dissertation ideas:

• Prevention of crimes with the help of education and volunteering work.
• The management of prison overcrowding.
• Gang activity control and reporting systems: evidence vs official reports.
• Drug legislation and insufficient punishment.
• Video games violence and serial killer cases.
• History of Death Penalty, Its Meaning
• Illegal Acts That Attract Insufficient Punishment
• Crimes in that Result in Overly Harsh Punishments
• Alternative Means of Punishments: Comparisons of International Systems
• Validity of Putting Education Before Prison

Ethnicity and Race Topics

Many of us know that some crimes taking place contain racial or ethnic elements. While these crimes have decreased lately, they are still widely discussed to help people avoid them and address every issue that comes up. Here are several ethnicity and race dissertation topics:

• Racial inequality vs South Africa.
• Law violations among ethnic minorities in Wales.
• Cyberbullying crimes and ethnicity factor.
• How does media contribute to the birth of hatred based on racial principles?
• Sports and legal consequences of racial conflicts.
• Race-Fuelled Lawlessness: 2015-2022
• Laws that Could Reduce Crimes Based on Ethnicity
• Minorities Representation Prisons
• Murders Across English Cities based on Race & Ethnicity
• Changes in Ethnicity: Relation to Crime over the Last Ten Years

Crime and Social Inequality

It is a popular belief that social access to welfare and one’s financial state always lead to either a higher or a lower criminal activity rate. While it is not proven scientifically due to insufficient sample groups, students may explore this field of science to bring innovations and new insight.

• Does the lower-income situation in the family lead to an increase in crime rates?
• Workplace violence towards female workers and sexual assault crimes.
• Discrimination in grammar schools & learning disabilities.
• Do people in rural areas have more social responsibility regarding law violations?
• Social comparison crime rates and knife crimes among the teen population of Liverpool vs Manchester.
• Murders Committed by Low & Middle-Class Representatives: A Comparison
• London Divided into Sectors: Class Separation and Violence
• Correlation between Public Resources & Felony Control
• Does Low Income Cause Violence?
• Discrimination: Its Impact on Violence

Activism & Riots Ideas

It is way too easy to cross the line between social campaigns and law violations as the group of people gathers together to protest. It often leads to riots and violence. Explore related criminology dissertation topics below and change them a little bit to fit your thesis statement:

• The Black Lives Matter social movement branch.
• The role of Instagram and Facebook influencers in social riots.
• Media bias of television networks in coverage of riots.
• The limitations of social activism: when responsibilities fail to work.
• The use of nationalistic slogans and knife crimes during social-based riots.
• Successful Riots & Their Consequences
• Riots that Caused Many Crimes
• Verge between Activism & Crimes
• When Social Mobility Masks Crimes: Cases & Impact
• Causes for Riots & Most Typical Kinds of Violence Committed as Their Result

Topics about Police

A successful work of criminology specialists always involves police officers, which is why choosing your policing dissertation ideas/police dissertation ideas must be approached with great care and without bias. After all, it is your research of both sides that matters.

• How can police body cameras help decrease police violence?
• Difference in behaviours of police officers in villages vs large cities.
• Can children’s books have a positive impact on attitude to police among teenagers?
• Male vs female police officers: why gender is not always significant.
• Police work differences between and Canada.
• Praise & Complaints about Police: Truth and Myths
• Right of Police to Use Weapons & What It Results In
• Crimes Commited by Police: Imprisoned Officers
• Criminology Network of Police Officers
• What Makes Criminology Investigation Successful: New Factors

If you’re still searching for other options, consider looking through a similar field. Check dissertation topics in finance or economics dissertation topics . Crimes happen in these spheres, too, and maybe you’ll locate the one that stirs your interest there. Remember, authentic interest in a theme is already a big guarantee of future success.

Criminology Dissertation Tips

Criminology dissertation represents one of the most complicated types of work even for those students who pursue their Criminology or Forensic Sciences degrees. Coming next, Psychology, Law, and Nursing also relate here. Therefore, students must consider the following rules as they start:

• Research similar works dealing with your subject. Always consult with your academic advisor.
• Narrow things down to become more focused on a certain problem that your criminology dissertation explores.
• Provide new information and mention case studies to provide more samples for your methodology.
• Include statistical information and comparisons, especially if using qualitative methodology.
• Provide counter-argument sections to make your research unbiased.
• Choosing your topic, avoid controversial subjects if you are not ready to deal with them.

Most importantly, always discuss every aspect with your academic advisor to avoid accidental plagiarism or copyright infringement issues as you are dealing with a plethora of information and citations.

Psychology and Criminology Connection

Regardless if you study Criminology or Psychology, these two fields of science always go hand in hand, especially when forensic analysis of mental health aspects must be done. You might already have seen it in various TV series or shows, yet take time to explore criminology and psychology dissertation ideas:

• Psychology aspects of domestic abuse reporting.
• The fear factor and analysis of child victims of crimes.
• Psychology of gambling and the apprehension of punishment.
• Male vs female perception of serial killer crimes.
• PTSD and military violence analysis.
• Are there typically crimes?
• Attitude to alcohol-related crimes vs the United States.
• Psychology of a drug dealer.
• How can good psychological skills help prevent bullying?
• Abuse of leadership in the workplace: moral and legal responsibilities.

Explore these topics to see how criminal studies always relate to psychology as one explores what has fueled the crime and what mental aspects have been involved.

Masters and Ph.D. Criminology Dissertation Ideas

Dealing with Criminology Master’s dissertation ideas, you can still choose basic Criminology topics. The difference lies in the depth of your research and the ways how you approach your methodology.

• Police strategies on self-control and stress management in emergency situations.
• Female prisons and sexual violence cases: analysis and prevention methods.
• Religious discrimination in society.
• Parental responsibilities monitoring: ethics and limitations.
• Interrogation of child abuse victims.
• Police bias in responding to emergency calls.
• Negative perception of police officers: the role of media and newspapers.
• Marginalization among police officers in Wales.
• Does technology lead to being anonymous: cyberbullying and online gambling.
• Post-prison life rehabilitation methods.

Argumentative Criminology Dissertation Topics

Argumentative dissertation topics in criminology must present some argument or make an assumption regarding whether something is possible. Using argumentative topics, make your opinion clear.

• Religious beliefs and terrorism cases in Northern Ireland.
• Are political crimes worse than economic violations?
• Do men and women suffer differently from domestic abuse?
• Mental abuse in the workplace vs physical abuse.
• Are immigrants to blame for the terrorist attack cases?
• Can police officers remain unbiased when dealing with male vs female offenders?
• The media portrayal of serial killers: pros and cons.
• School education and prevention of drug-related crimes.
• Should prisoners be allowed to vote and participate in politics?
• Social work as an alternative to imprisonment: Norway’s example.

Controversial Criminology Dissertation Topics

Remember that controversial criminology dissertation topics are not for everyone because it means facing disturbing topics that require exploring not only your position but the negative side of things as well.

• Reporting male rape differences: community stigma.
• Black Lives Matter: did the police really have their say in this case?
• Covid-19 related crimes: are they financial or moral?
• Bias towards female child abusers: social aspects.
• Social media as justification of psychological online crimes.
• Rap music as a contributor to knife crimes and violence.
• Do we evaluate terror attacks based on what media shows us?
• Are children unbiased when they report domestic violence threats?
• Prevention of terrorism methods between and the USA.
• Do serial killers have morals?
• What topics may be chosen when I write a criminology dissertation?

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• How to Choose a Criminology Dissertation Subject?

It must be something that motivates you for research and something that you know well. It is recommended to narrow things down a little bit and play with the alternate wording to fit your thesis statement. You should discuss things with your academic advisor and remain unbiased as you research.

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150+ Top Criminology Dissertation Ideas To Consider

Table of Contents

Criminology is a vast subject that studies crimes and their causes, costs, and consequences. If you are a student pursuing a degree in criminology, then to obtain graduation, as a part of your final assignment, you will have to submit a well-researched criminology dissertation. But mainly, for writing a criminology dissertation, a good topic is needed the most. In case, you find it challenging to identify the right topic for your thesis, take a look at this blog. For your convenience, we have shared 150+ best criminology dissertation ideas. In addition to that, we have also suggested how to choose a good topic and craft a brilliant criminology thesis.

Let’s get started.

Criminology Dissertation Topic Selection

Generally, you may find numerous criminology dissertation ideas on the internet, yet you need to select only credible sources. Thus, if you want to choose inspiring criminology dissertation ideas, perhaps consider exploring the conditions below.

• Firstly, select topics that tackle current issues only as you might want to write an exemplary essay. Also, you may secure good grades, if you choose current criminology dissertation ideas.
• Secondly, you ought to create a direct impact on the lives of people. Perhaps, ensure understanding of the thin line between criminology and law enforcement.
• Thirdly, consider choosing a hot debate or a problem. Possibly, you ought to establish a connection with the people, otherwise, your study might turn boring.

Criminology Dissertation Writing

Now that you know how to choose criminology dissertation ideas, let’s learn how to write them.

• Perhaps, ensure to write on topics that are neither very narrow nor too broad.
• For instance, if you choose narrow topics, possibly you will not have enough research scope. Also, if you choose too broad topics, certainly you will confuse your audience and your message might sound unclear.
• Besides, you might also need to follow the marking rubrics as might want to deliver an exemplary dissertation.
• Finally, consider to proof-read your work as you might want to deliver a flawless dissertation. For instance, you may use online grammar check tools to refine your work. Also, run a plagiarism check as you might not want to get accused of cheating.

See Also – How Long is a Dissertation?

List of Criminology Dissertation Topics and Ideas

Find here, a list of outstanding topics to consider for writing a top-scoring criminology dissertation.

Simple Criminology Dissertation Ideas

• Religious ideologies as the cause of terrorism.
• How to create a crime-free society?
• Why does immigration lead to an increased crime rate?
• Serial killers and their contributing factors.
• Social insecurity is mere brutality.
• Sexual exploitation is the only role of human trafficking.
• How to regulate prostitution and minimize crime?
• Imitation causes corruption.
• How do prisons truly rectify criminal behavior?
• Permission for the police to carry guns in the public.
• Facebook is a platform for criminal activities and not socialization.
• How is abortion a crime?
• Parental separation and future violence.
• Bullies in schools versus crime- A critical evaluation.
• How does culture shape the morals for a better society?
• Discuss the impact of gender on law violations.
• Analyze how social class correlates with the crime rate.
• Evaluate the impact of weather on law violations.
• Sexual abuse leading to criminal behavior in women
• Relationship between the maltreatment of a child and the involvement of the child in criminal acts
• Traumatic childhood leads to criminal behavior – Discuss
• Discuss the relationship between crime and racist stereotyping
• Does stereotype mentality towards the people of the LGBTQA+ community make them involved in crime?
• Addictive products and criminal thinking
• Discuss the patterns of criminal thinking and their effects with example

Top Criminology Dissertation Ideas for the Experts

• Why do dominant criminal theories not include women- Feminist Criminology?
• How is criminality a product of culture- Cultural criminology?
• Discuss the concept of natural legal crime.
• Analyze the social construction of crime- Crime demonstrates social reactions.
• Wildlife harm and exploitation- Discuss the environmental crime.
• Discuss how prejudice motivates violence- Environmental crime.
• What drives one person to kill another person- Homicide?
• Evaluate the impact of systematic bias on criminal justice.
• African Americans- Analyse the racism and discrimination towards them.
• Discuss the discrimination in the UK Court System.
• Elaborate on the extent of discrimination in the UK Court System.
• How are serial killers portrayed in the media?
• Analyze terrorism prevention technology.
• Role of street lighting in reducing crime.
• Discuss the national defense in the US.
• Analyze the national defense in the UK.
• Comparative study on the rate of crime in Asia and Middle-East
• Impact of social discrimination, stigma, and prejudice on a country’s crime rate
• Violence, Crime, and Development: Costs, Trends, and Policies in the Caribbean
• Involvement of youth in criminal acts in the United Kingdom

Also Read: Top 100 Forensic Psychology Research Topics and Ideas

Amazing Criminology Dissertation Ideas

• Discuss the impact of parental separation on future violence.
• The unknown world of male rape in the current society.
• Analyze the impact of organized crime on the criminal justice system.
• Illegal research and dangers of genetics.
• Discuss the impact of different drug types on the users.
• Elaborate on substance abuse in the military.
• Describe the parental abduction laws.
• Advantages and disadvantages of sex offender registry.
• How is jury selection performed?
• The legal perspective of cybercrime.
• Discuss the recent innovation of experimental criminology.
• How are organized crime and corruption related to each other?
• Discuss the steps to prevent shoplifting.
• Evaluate the help that the victim of a crime might get.
• How to prevent elder abuse?
• Discuss the leading problems resolved by law enforcement today.
• Analyze the law that protects domestic violence victims.
• Discuss the global perspective on juvenile delinquency, justice, therapeutic interventions, and welfare
• Juvenile delinquency cases in the United States
• Impact of an urban setting on people’s criminal behavior

High-quality Criminology Dissertation Topics

• Elaborate on the different types of serial killers.
• Drug consumption and youth arrest.
• Discuss the community correction and its effectiveness.
• How does sentencing take place?
• When unwarranted arrests are accepted?
• Discuss human trafficking in the modern world.
• Relevance of technology in modern forensics.
• Describe the different types of offenders and their classification.
• Homicide, murder, and manslaughter- A comparative analysis.
• Causes of victimization and ways to prevent it.
• Issues of poor living conditions in the prisons.
• Discuss the rights of the rape victims.
• The three-strike role and mandatory sentencing.
• How do the drug courts function?
• Problem-solving and the underpinning issues they address.
• Male crimes versus Female crimes- A comparative analysis.
• Criminal cases versus civil cases- Compare and Contrast.
• Analyze the key problems and unknown pitfalls of the prison system.
• Innovative Ways to Deal with Social Disorders in a Community
• Why do crimes of serial killers always present a complex puzzle to solve for the investigators?

Also read: Top Business Law Paper Topics For Students To Consider

Trending Criminology Dissertation Ideas

• Discuss the core principles of Crime Prevention.
• Relevance of criminal background checks for all new employees.
• Concealed weapons- Discuss the criminal codes of various states.
• How does restrictive housing help to decongest prisons?
• How do social class and crime relate to each other?
• Why is eyewitness testimony helpful in an investigation?
• Extradition law and its fairness.
• The United States and Marijuana legalization.
• Jack the Ripper – Elaborate on it.
• Pornography is a type of sexual violence.
• The juvenile justice system and its elimination.
• Gun Control Law and its Mitigation.
• Punishment versus Reform- Which is more beneficial?
• Bad parenting and juvenile delinquency- How it relates?
• Sex offender’s registration- Should it be on public record?
• How to protect yourself from false accusations?
• Supermax prisons and their evaluation.
• Advantages and disadvantages of marijuana legalization.
• The trends and patterns of Latent crime in Russia
• Discuss the criminal thinking errors

Excellent Criminology Dissertation Titles

• Youth offenders and the boot camps- Evaluate the strategy.
• Eyewitness testimony and its evaluation.
• Discuss effective programs against home-grown crimes.
• How is zero tolerance the best policy for crime reduction?
• Why is the death penalty effective in crime deterrence?
• Discuss the efficiency of predictive policing.
• Examining the juveniles for conduct disorder or psychopathy.
• Role of selective incapacitation in reducing crime.
• Relevance of women in supporting crime.
• Discuss how crime is impacted by the season and geography of a region.
• UK Immigration policy and crime management as a relevant agenda.
• Crime prevention and its advantages- Analyse the direct and the indirect benefactors.
• Crime alleviates poverty- A qualitative review.
• Biotechnology and digital environment for crime management in the UK.
• Compare and contrast juvenile crime rates in India and Pakistan with case examples
• Discuss the predisposing factors behind the activities of serial killers
• Domestic Violence and its impact on criminal behavior
• Discuss how the consumption of alcohol and other addictive products (e.g. Heroin, Cocaine, LSD) makes the youth commit a crime
• Serial Killers: Nature, Psychology, and Treatment
• Critical analysis of the juvenile justice system in the United States

Unique Criminology Thesis Topics

• Do the media act as a catalyst for moral panics that happen in society?
• Discuss the influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on criminal behavior.
• Assess the ramifications of political backing for crimes and their influence on society.
• Discuss the negative stigmas that are related to ex-prisoners.
• Compare the alternative punishment methods in international systems.
• Research and write about social media crimes.
• Analyze the role of a psychological examination in a criminal investigation.
• Examine the role of cybercrime laws in preserving law and order.
• Critically analyze the response of the US government to terrorism threats.
• Study how a location’s topography and season have an impact on crime.
• Develop a macro social examination of the relationship between disabilities and crime using neighborhood and county-level data
• Explore the effectiveness of life-skills programs in the prisons in Florida from the perspective of Social Bond and General Strain Theory
• Examine the empirical relationship between morality and offender decision-making
• Macro analysis of illegal fishing and hunting across the United States using an economic structural approach
• Discuss the impact of Green Victimization and toxic colonialism of Native Americans relating to uranium mining

Also read: Outstanding Law Research Topics For Students To Get Started

Interesting Criminology Research Topics

• Do you think it’s possible to anticipate crime or is it a type of enticement? Create a logical explanation.
• Describe how gender is related to crime in the UK- Literature Review.
• Elaborate on how marriage deters crime. Analyze the current literature.
• Criminology and women- An investigative analysis.
• Behavioral genetic studies in criminology.
• Research methods in criminology.
• Crime incidents in the UK- Critical analysis.
• Criminology study and forensic psychology.
• Analysis of mental health of sex offenders- A global approach.
• Describe how neighborhood topography motivates crime.
• Crimes are specific to each gender- Critical review.
• Who is responsible for the street crime?
• A systematic review of criminology of place.
• How are entrapped people doomed to a life of crime? Mixed method evidence.
• Training and academic curriculum required for criminologists in the United States.

Wonderful Criminology Dissertation Ideas

• Discuss the different types of punishments in the criminal justice system of the United Kingdom
• Best strategies to detect and prevent forgery cases in educational institutions, and workplaces
• Reliability of testimony provided by the eyewitnesses of a murder
• Critical analysis of the role played by the religious authorities and the clergy in fighting crime
• Why is Criminology considered as a social science?
• Psychology of a rapist
• Psychology of rape victim
• How anybody can rape or sexually assault a baby girl
• What are the impacts of crime incidence on children’s psyche
• What are the impacts of crime movies on audiences
• Impacts of detention cell on the criminal
• Is punishment an efficient way to reduce the crime rate?
• Is the death sentence for the criminal ethically correct decision?
• What is the psychology behind human trafficking
• Human trafficking and its impacts on society

Wrapping Up

Out of the plenty of ideas suggested above, choose any topic that matches your university guidelines and begin writing a detailed criminology dissertation with valid supporting evidence to prove your thesis statement. In case, you need any other thesis topic on criminology, get in touch with the skilled academic writers from our team. Right from criminology dissertation topic selection to writing and proofreading, our subject professionals will provide the best dissertation help online at an affordable price.

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Digital Commons @ USF > College of Behavioral and Community Sciences > Criminology > Theses and Dissertations

Criminology Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Efficacy of Online Social Movements for Sparking Change: The Case of the Missing Murdered and Indigenous Women Movement (#MMIW) , Kacy A. Bleeker

An Examination of Racial Disparities in Arrest Across Florida Counties, 1998-2018: A Test of the Racial Threat and Political Representation Hypotheses , Xavier D. Burch

The Invisible Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Boys and Their Barriers to Access to Services , Amanda L. Connella

Damned & Damned: Examining Vexatious Litigation and the Vexatious Litigant Statute in Florida Courts , Sarah L. Harper

The Contributions of Mental Health Issues, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Adverse Childhood Experiences to Recidivism Among Rural Jail Incarcerees , Lauren N. Miley

Assessing the Relationship Between True Crime Documentary and Podcast Consumption, Fear of Crime, and Protective Behaviors , Lauren A. Tremblay

Police Officers’ Perceptions of Gunshot Detection Technology , Courtney L. Weber

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

A Macro Social Examination of the Relationship Between Disabilities and Crime Using Neighborhood and County Level Data , Natasha A. Baloch

Racial Differences in Perceptions of Sanction Severity , Sarah L. Franklin

Juvenile Homicide Offenders: A Life-Course Perspective , Norair Khachatryan

Exploring the Effectiveness of a Life-Skills Program in a Florida Prison Through a Social Bond and General Strain Theory Perspective , Danielle M. Thomas

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Clean Water for All: Examining Safe Drinking Water Act Violations of Water Systems and Community Characteristics , Junghwan Bae

Morality and Offender Decision-Making: Testing the Empirical Relationship and Examining Methodological Implications , Jacquelyn Burckley

The Ring of Gyges 2.0: How Anonymity Providing Behaviors Affect Willingness to Participate in Online Deviance , Cassandra E. Dodge

A Macro Analysis of Illegal Hunting and Fishing Across Texas Counties: Using an Economic Structural Approach , Leo J. Genco Jr.

Self-Protection in Cyberspace: Assessing the Processual Relationship Between Thoughtfully Reflective Decision Making, Protection Motivation Theory, Cyber Hygiene, and Victimization , C. Jordan Howell

Racial Threat Theory: A Test of the Economic Threat Hypothesis , Carl L. Reeds

Online Perceptions of Panamanian Prisons and Incarcerated persons: An analysis of YouTube user comments , Mahaleth J. Sotelo

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Toxic Colonialism and Green Victimization of Native Americans: An Examination of the Genocidal Impacts of Uranium Mining , Averi R. Fegadel

Cross-National Incarceration Rates as Behavior of Law , Christopher J. Marier

The Effects of Perceived Motivations and Mental Distress on the Likelihood of Reporting and Engaging in Self-Protective Measures Among Victims of Stalking , Daniela Oramas Mora

Mental Health and In-Prison Experiences: Examining Socioeconomic and Sex Differences in the Effect of Mental Illness on Institutional Misconduct and Disciplinary Segregation , Rachel E. Severson

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Dating Application Facilitated Victimization: An Examination of Lifestyle-Routine Activities, Self-Control, and Self-Efficacy , Vanessa Centelles

Social Constructionism and Cultivation Theory in Development of the Juvenile “Super-Predator” , Elizabeth R. Jackson-Cruz

Bystander Intervention, Victimization, and Routine Activities Theory: An Examination of Feminist Routine Activities Theory in Cyber Space , Jennifer A. Leili

Sexual Assault and Robbery Disclosure: An Examination of Black’s Theory of the Behavior of Law , Caitlyn N. Muniz

Mass Shootings and Gun Sales: A Study on the Influence of Red and Blue Power , Maria Jose Rozo Osuna

A Multi-dimensional Macrolevel Study of Drug Enforcement Strategies, Heroin Prices, and Heroin Consumption Rates , Alexander G. Toth

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

The Impact of a Religious/Spiritual Turning Point on Desistance: A Lifecourse Assessment of Racial/Ethnic Differences , Rhissa Briones Robinson

Political Decisions on Police Expenditures: Examining the Potential Relationship Between Political Structure, Police Expenditures and the Volume of Crime Across US States , Xavier D. Burch

Identifying the Personal and Perceived Organizational Characteristics Associated with Job Satisfaction Among Juvenile Probation Staff , Julie M. Krupa

The Role of Organizational Justice in Predicting Attitudes Toward Body-Worn Cameras in Police Officers , Nathaniel L. Lawshe

Yet Another Ferguson Effect: An Exploratory Content Analysis of News Stories on Police Brutality and Deadly Force Before and After the Killing of Michael Brown , Carl Root

The Role of Race/Ethnicity and Risk Assessment on Juvenile Case Outcomes , Tayler N. Shreve

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Intimate Partner Violence and the Capacity and Desire for Self-Control , Krista Taralynne Brewer

School Shootings in the United States from 1997 to 2012: A Content Analysis of Media Coverage , Victoria N. Iannuzzi

Chronic Runaway Youth: A Gender-Based Analysis , Michelle N. Jeanis

A Test of Wikström’s Situational Action Theory Using Self-Report Data on Intimate Partner Violence , Lauren Nicole Miley

An Exploratory Study of Macro-Social Correlates of Online Property Crime , Hyojong Song

Female Incarceration and Prison Social Order: An Examination of Gender Differences in Prison Misconduct and In-Prison Punishments , Elisa L. Toman

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Their Role as Mitigators for Youthful and Non-Youthful Offenders in Capital Sentencing Cases , Jessica R. Trapassi

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Disinhibition, Violence Exposure, and Delinquency: A Test of How Self-Control Affects the Impact of Exposure to Violence , Wyatt Brown

The Guilty But Mentally Ill Verdict: Assessing the Impact of Informing Jurors of Verdict Consequences , Erin Elizabeth Cotrone

The Relationship between Psychopathic Personality Traits and Lying , Jason A. Dobrow

Delving into the Heart of Victimization Risk: Examining the Interactive Relationship between Demographic Factors and Context , Amy Sheena Eggers

A Power Conflict Approach to Animal Cruelty: Examining How Economic Power Influences the Creation of Animal Cruelty Laws , Leonard J. Genco

The Role of Gender in Self-Control and Intimate Partner Violence , Laura Marie Gulledge

The Restrictive Deterrent Effect of Warning Banners in a Compromised Computer System , Christian Jordan-Michael Howell

Tactics of Sexual Control and Negative Health Outcomes , Anna Elizabeth Kleppe

The Applicability of Criminology to Terrorism Studies: An Exploratory Study of ISIS Supporters in the United States , Amanda Marie Sharp Parker

The Path to Violent Behavior: The Harmful Aftermath of Childhood Trauma , Nicholas Michael Perez

The Effects of Racial Bias on Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence Scenarios , Batya Yisraela Rubenstein

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Reel or Reality? The Portrayal of Prostitution in Major Motion Pictures , Raleigh Blasdell

Psychopathy and Perception of Vulnerability , Barbara Joyce Dinkins

Effect of Empathy on Death Penalty Support in Relation to the Racial Divide and Gender Gap , Brian Godcharles

Exploring the Interactive Effects of Social Learning Theory and Psychopathy on Serious Juvenile Delinquency , Brandy Barenna Henderson

Tampa Electric Company's Big Bend Utility Plant in Hillsborough County, Florida: A Case Study , Lynne M. Hodalski-Champagne

Thirty Year Follow-Up of Juvenile Homicide Offenders , Norair Khachatryan

Organized Crime in Insurance Fraud: An Empirical Analysis of Staged Automobile Accident Rings , Chris Longino

The Role of Social Support in the Disclosure and Recovery Process of Rape Victims , Jessica Nicole Mitchell

Evaluating the Social Control of Banking Crimes: An Examination of Anti-Money Laundering Deficiencies and Industry Success , Erin M. Mulligan

Elite Deviance, Organized Crime, and Homicide: A Cross-National Quantitative Analysis , Carol L.s. Trent

An Evaluation of the Utah First District Mental Health Court: Gauging the Efficacy of Diverting Offenders Suffering With Serious Mental Illness , Stephen Guy VanGeem

Rape, Race, and Capital Punishment in North Carolina: A Qualitative Approach to Examining an Enduring Cultural Legacy , Douglas Wholl

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

The Tattoo: A Mark of Subversion, Deviance, or Mainstream Self-Expression? , Jocelyn Camacho

Juvenile and Adult Involvement in Double Parricide and Familicide in the U.S.: An Empirical Analysis of 20 Years of Data , Averi Rebekah Fegadel

Predicting Successful Drug Court Graduation: Exploring Demographic and Psychosocial Factors among Medication-Assisted Drug Court Treatment Clients , Autumn Michelle Frei

Experimentally Evaluating Statistical Patterns of Offending Typology For Burglary: A Replication Study , Lance Edwin Gilmore

Developmental Trajectories of Physical Aggression and Nonaggressive Rule-Breaking among At-risk Males and Females during Late Childhood and Early Adolescence , Eugena Givens

Predicting Fear of Crime using a Multilevel and Multi-Model Approach: A Study in Hillsborough County , Jonathan Maskaly

Public Knowledge and Sentiments about Elite Deviance , Cedric Michel

The Influence of Community Context on Social Control: A Multi-Level Examination of the Relationship between Race/Ethnicity, Drug Offending, and Juvenile Court Outcomes , Jennifer Peck

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Assessing the Relationship Between Hotspots of Lead and Hotspots of Crime , Kimberly L. Barrett

A Life-Course Approach to Sexual Offending: Examining the Continuity of Juvenile Sexual Offending into Adulthood and Subsequent Patterns of Recidivism , Maude Beaudry-Cyr

Examining the link between self-control and misconduct in a multi-agency sample of police supervisors: A test of two theories , Christopher Matthew Donner

The Impact of Hyperfemininity on Explicit and Implicit Blame Assignment and Police Reporting of Alcohol Facilitated Rape in a Sample of College Women , Sarah Ehlke

Rurality and Intimate Partner Homicide: Exploring the Relationship between Place, Social Structure, and Femicide in North Carolina , Amelia Kirkland

Self-Control, Attitudinal Beliefs, and White-Collar Crime Intentions , Melissa Anne Lugo

Zero Tolerance for Marginal Populations: Examining Neoliberal Social Controls in American Schools , Brian Gregory Sellers

State-Corporate Crime in the Democratic Republic of Congo , Veronica Jane Winters

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

The Walls Are Closing In: Comparing Property Crime Victimization Risk In Gated And Non-Gated Communities , Nicholas Branic

What Propels Sexual Homicide Offenders? Testing an Integrated Theory of Social Learning and Routine Activities Theories , Heng Choon Chan

A Deadly Way of Doing Business: A Case Study of Corporate Crime in the Coal Mining Industry , Charles Nickolas Stickeler

Deconstructing the "Power and Control Motive": Developing and Assessing the Measurability of Internal Power , Shelly Marie Wagers

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Assessing racial differences in offending trajectories: A life-course view of the race-crime relationship , Michael S. Caudy

Mental Health Courts Effectiveness in Reducing Recidivism and Improving Clinical Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis , Brittany Cross

General Strain Theory and Juvenile Delinquency: A Cross-Cultural Study , Wen-Hsu Lin

General Strain Theory, Race, and Delinquency , Jennifer Peck

Developmental Trajectories of Self-Control: Assessing the Stability Hypothesis , James Vance Ray

Explaining the "Female Victim Effect" in Capital Sentencing Decisions: A Case for Sex-Specific Models of Capital Sentencing Research , Tara N. Richards

A Multilevel Model of Police Corruption: Anomie, Decoupling, and Moral Disengagement , Ruth Zschoche

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

The Emotional Guardianship of Foreign-Born and Native-Born Hispanic Youth and Its Effect on Violent Victimization , Amy Sheena Eggers

The Influence of Narcissism and Self-Control on Reactive Aggression , Melissa L. Harrison

Is There an "Innocent Female Victim" Effect in Capital Punishment Sentencing? , Amelia Lane Kirkland

An Analysis of the Influence of Sampling Methods on Estimation of Drug Use Prevalence and Patterns Among Arrestees in the United States: Implications for Research and Policy , Janine Kremling

A Pathway to Child Sex Trafficking in Prostitution: The Impact of Strain and Risk-Inflating Responses , Joan A. Reid

Victimization Among Individuals With Low Self-Control: Effects on Fear Versus Perceived Risk of Crime , Casey Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Domestic Violence Within Law Enforcement Families: The Link Between Traditional Police Subculture and Domestic Violence Among Police , Lindsey Blumenstein

Rape Attitudes and Beliefs: A Replication Study , Rhissa Emily Briones

Reel Images: Representations of Adult Male Prisons by the Film Industry , Melissa E. Fenwick

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Home » Blog » Dissertation » Topics » Criminology » 80 Criminology Research Topics

80 Criminology Research Topics

FacebookXEmailWhatsAppRedditPinterestLinkedInIf you are a student passionate about understanding the complexities of crime and its impact on society, your search for compelling research topics in criminology ends here. As you embark on your academic journey, we present you with a comprehensive list of criminology research topics catering to undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels. Criminology, a multifaceted […]

If you are a student passionate about understanding the complexities of crime and its impact on society, your search for compelling research topics in criminology ends here. As you embark on your academic journey, we present you with a comprehensive list of criminology research topics catering to undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels.

Criminology, a multifaceted discipline, delves into the causes, consequences, and prevention of criminal behaviour. From exploring the psychology behind criminal motivations to analyzing the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs, these topics offer a wide range of opportunities for in-depth inquiry. Whether you seek to shed light on emerging trends in cybercrime or to uncover the dynamics of criminal justice policies, our list aims to ignite your curiosity and guide you towards a research path that aligns with your interests and aspirations. Let these thought-provoking topics inspire you as you delve into the captivating world of criminology and make valuable contributions to the field. So, let us embark on this intellectual journey together as you embark on a scholarly exploration of criminology’s intriguing dimensions.

A List Of Potential Research Topics In Criminology:

• Analyzing the effectiveness of community policing in reducing crime rates.
• Understanding the implications of privatization in correctional facilities and criminal justice services.
• A comprehensive review of white-collar crime: theories, patterns, and detection.
• Understanding the role of social media in facilitating gang activities in the UK.
• The role of social disorganization and covid-19 on neighbourhood crime patterns.
• A systematic review of criminal profiling techniques and their validity in an investigation.
• The role of technology and social media in organized crime activities during COVID-19.
• The effectiveness of community-based corrections: a critical review of recidivism outcomes.
• Analyzing the use of technology in policing strategies: lessons from UK law enforcement.
• The impact of COVID-19 on the prison system: challenges and policy implications.
• Analyzing the relationship between mental health and criminal justice system: a review.
• Exploring the role of cybercrime during the COVID-19 lockdown: trends and challenges.
• A critical review of criminal justice policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Understanding the psychological factors behind serial offenders and crime spree patterns.
• The influence of drug decriminalization policies on drug-related crimes in the UK.
• The role of technology in modernizing criminal justice systems: benefits and challenges.
• Investigating the impact of COVID-19 on crime rates and criminal justice responses.
• The role of family structure in juvenile offending and delinquency.
• Investigating the influence of social media on gang culture and criminal activities.
• The influence of public opinion on criminal justice policies: a UK case study.
• The role of sentencing policies in criminal justice disparities.
• The relationship between childhood trauma and criminal behaviour: a longitudinal study.
• Examining the dynamics of human trafficking: causes, consequences, and countermeasures.
• Analyzing the effects of gang injunctions on gang activities in UK cities.To covid-19.
• Understanding the role of social media in criminal behaviour and online activism.
• The role of community engagement in crime prevention during the pandemic.
• Investigating the intersection of race, class, and crime: a multidimensional approach.
• Understanding the effect of COVID-19 on gang activities and recruitment.
• Understanding the connection between mental health and criminal behaviour during the pandemic.
• A comprehensive review of restorative justice programs: evaluating effectiveness and challenges.
• Analyzing the impact of COVID-19 on juvenile delinquency and youth justice systems.
• Analyzing the impact of mass incarceration on communities and social inequalities.
• The role of environmental factors in shaping criminal behaviour: a geospatial analysis.
• Understanding the dynamics of knife crime in London: a case study analysis.
• Examining the impact of neighbourhood characteristics on crime patterns: a literature review.
• The effectiveness of prison rehabilitation programs in reducing recidivism in the UK.
• The effectiveness of hate crime legislation in addressing bias-motivated offences.
• The impact of cybercrime on society: trends, challenges, and prevention strategies.
• Exploring the psychology of white-collar criminals: motivations and rationalizations.
• Examining the relationship between pandemic-related stressors and criminal offending.
• Investigating the effectiveness of restorative justice programs in promoting rehabilitation and healing.
• Investigating the link between human rights violations and state crimes.
• Reviewing the role of technology in advancing crime investigation and policing strategies.
• The effect of COVID-19 on domestic violence incidents and interventions.
• Reviewing the influence of media representations on perceptions of crime and criminals.
• Examining the impact of COVID-19 on criminal justice responses in the UK.
• Analyzing the use of forensic evidence in solving cold cases and unsolved crimes.
• The influence of substance abuse on recidivism rates: a comparative study.
• Investigating the impact of body-worn cameras on police-citizen interactions.
• Analyzing the use of technology in criminal investigations and law enforcement.
• The impact of COVID-19 on crime rates: a comparative analysis of pre and post-pandemic periods.
• Understanding the impact of gun control policies on crime rates.
• Investigating the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs in reducing recidivism.
• Reviewing the efficacy of gun control policies in reducing gun violence.
• Understanding the role of gender in criminal offending and victimization.
• Analyzing the effectiveness of cybersecurity measures in preventing cybercrime: a review.
• Understanding the implications of COVID-19 on recidivism and reentry programs.
• The impact of COVID-19 on human trafficking and exploitation.
• A critical review of mass incarceration and its socioeconomic consequences.
• Exploring the link between mental health and juvenile delinquency.
• Analyzing the role of media portrayals in shaping public perceptions of crime and criminals.
• The influence of gang culture on youth criminalization and membership dynamics.
• Exploring the effects of COVID-19 on cybersecurity and digital crimes.
• Reviewing the use of predictive policing algorithms in crime prevention: ethics and implications.
• Analyzing the impact of racial bias in criminal justice systems.
• Exploring the role of CCTV surveillance in crime prevention and investigation in the UK.
• Understanding the relationship between economic inequality and crime.
• Exploring the relationship between COVID-19 lockdowns and environmental crime.
• Analyzing the impact of drug policy reforms on crime rates: a systematic literature review.
• Examining the impact of the economic downturn on property crime rates during the pandemic.
• Analyzing the relationship between economic inequality and crime rates in the UK.
• Exploring the relationship between immigration and crime: myths and realities.
• Analyzing the changes in criminal justice policies and practices in response to the impact of police reforms on crime rates and community perceptions in the UK.
• Exploring the relationship between drug legalization and crime rates.
• A systematic review of human trafficking interventions: lessons from global efforts.
• The influence of COVID-19 on hate crimes and bias-motivated offences.
• The impact of Brexit on cross-border crime and criminal justice cooperation in the UK.
• Analyzing the effectiveness of early intervention programs in preventing juvenile delinquency.
• Analyzing the effects of COVID-19 on restorative justice and victim-offender mediation programs.
• Analyzing the social implications of criminal records on reentry and employment opportunities.

This comprehensive list offers compelling research topics for criminology students at all degree levels. From exploring the impact of technology on crime investigation to studying the influence of social media on gang activities, these themes provide abundant opportunities for in-depth inquiry and analysis. Whether you are pursuing an undergraduate, master’s, or doctoral degree, choosing a research topic that aligns with your interests and objectives is essential for a successful dissertation journey. Delve into the captivating world of criminology, contribute to understanding complex issues, and pave the way for positive change in criminal justice systems. Best of luck as you embark on your dissertation writing and research endeavours!

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120+ Amazing Criminology Dissertation Ideas for Students

Table of Contents

Criminology is the scientific study of crimes and the behavior of criminals. The subject predominantly studies crimes from a social angle. If you are a student who is pursuing a degree in criminology, then obviously you will be asked to submit a dissertation on topics related to criminology. Basically, for writing a dissertation, a good topic is needed the most. On the internet, you can find several criminology dissertation ideas. In case, your professors ask you to choose a criminology dissertation idea and topics on your own instead of suggesting some topics, you can very well take a look at the internet or any other credible sources.

Especially, to help you in composing a great criminology dissertation, here, in this blog post, we have shared some effective writing steps. In addition to that, we have also shared a list of criminology dissertation topics.

Explore this blog post and get ideas regarding criminology dissertation writing.

Steps for Writing an Excellent Criminology Dissertation

If you have no idea how to write a criminology dissertation, then make sure to sequentially execute the steps that are presented below.

• Firstly, read and get a clear understanding of the guidelines that your university shared with you.
• Secondly, know your target readers.
• Thirdly, identify the criminology research area that you are passionate about and have strong knowledge of.
• Fourthly, pick an ideal criminology dissertation topic that matches your interest.
• Fifthly, analyze the topic and create a strong thesis statement.
• Sixthly, research various credible sources related to your topic and collect major ideas for discussion.
• Next, with the collected ideas, sketch a criminology dissertation outline.
• Then, elaborate on the outline and compose a well-structured dissertation by including the essential sections. In particular, the dissertation should be crafted as per the writing guidelines provided by your university.
• At the end of the dissertation, create a references section and cite your sources as well.
• Lastly, before submission, proofread and edit the copy of your criminology dissertation. Note that, the final draft that is ready for submission should be free from errors and plagiarism issues.

List of Criminology Dissertation Ideas

Criminology is a vast field of study with plenty of research areas. When it comes to writing a criminology dissertation, you can very well choose a topic related to terrorism, victimization, racism, domestic violence, discrimination, criminology theories, and so on.

In case you run short of ideas or if you are seeking the best criminology research topics for your dissertation, then without any hesitation, go through the below-mentioned list and pick a topic that you feel is perfect for you to research and write about.

Also, Read – Top Criminal Justice Research Topics and Ideas for Students

Ph.D. Criminology Dissertation Ideas

• Examine the police force and crime.
• Study the cybercrime legislation and its place in maintaining law and order.
• Explain the role of women in aiding crime.
• Explore the part of rehabilitation centers in curbing crime.
• Write about LGBT and Crime.
• Analyze how the US government responds to terrorist threats.
• Conduct a critical evaluation of bullying in schools versus crime.
• Examine the role of technology in fueling crime.
• What makes women join ISIS?
• Prepare a case study of sexual violence as a weapon in armed conflict.
• Explain the influence of drugs and alcohol on sexual assaults.
• Analyze how the coronavirus has shaped crime.
• Explore the impact of genocidal acts on community cohesiveness.
• Describe the relationship between racist stereotyping and crime.
• Explain how corruption affects the political, social, economic, and security of a country.

Argumentative Criminology Dissertation Ideas

• Explain whether it is possible to have a crime-free society or not.
• Describe the role of the school and community in preventing child abuse.
• Does parental supervision reduce crime among teenagers?
• Explain how counterfeiting has evolved with the advent of new technologies.
• Is the education system lagging in its role of shaping good morals and character?
• What are the contributing factors for serial killers?
• Is immigration the cause of the increased crime rate?
• Which is worse than natural disasters or crime?
• Is there a thin line between law enforcement and criminology?
• Can religious ideologies be the cause of terrorism?

Controversial Criminology Dissertation Topics

• Is it acceptable to acquaint rape perpetrators with bail terms?
• Does prison truly correct criminal behavior?
• Most crime offenders are teenagers and especially college dropouts.
• Is the patriarchal society responsible for the increase in the crime rate?
• Explain whether social media is a prime reason for crime in this technological era or not.
• Corruption is a result of imitation.
• Is abortion a crime?
• Should the government increase the age limit for acquiring a national identity card?
• Is media the main instigator of moral panics in society?
• Will regulating prostitution reduce crime?

Criminology Dissertation Ideas on Racism and Discrimination

• How does race correspond with the type of crime?
• Targeting minority groups on the basis of race and ethnicity.
• Discuss the relationship between racist stereotyping and crime.
• How discriminatory is the US and UK Court System?
• Is discrimination because of religion the main cause of crime?
• Racism and discrimination towards African-Americans.
• Discuss the Pros and Cons of Racial profiling.
• How systemic bias affects criminal justice?
• Is racist abuse towards international students the cause of crime and violence?
• How does the discriminatory portrayal of minority groups in the media affect criminal justice?

Awesome Criminology Dissertation Ideas

• Does street lighting reduce crimes?
• Write about crime control in criminal justice administration.
• Explain illegal research and the dangers of genetics.
• Discuss the role of Psychometric examinations in criminal justice.
• Explain the use and function of smart handheld devices in enhancing security.
• Discuss the portrayal of serial killers in media.
• Write about crime prevention programs.
• Corporate crime: the ruling class criminals.
• How does terrorism prevent technology?
• Explain how organized crime affects criminal justice.
• Discuss the stages and methods of criminology research.
• Analyze the inspection tactics of the crime scene.
• Explain the ethical basics of police activities in modern society.
• Discuss the hidden mechanisms and possibilities of prevention in Lust murders.
• Write about the identity of a criminal.
• Explain how to prevent child pornography.
• Analyze the factors of suicide and problems of statistics.
• Describe the characterization of crimes connected with rape.
• Write about graphology and handwriting expertise.
• Explain the meaning of Fingerprints in the investigation.

Engaging Dissertation Topics on Criminal Psychology

• Describe the role of criminal psychologists.
• Does socioeconomic status affect one’s criminal behavior?
• Compare therapeutic and forensic evaluation.
• How does the lack of education affect incarceration rates?
• Explain the impact of forensic psychology on the legal system.
• Discuss the effect of upbringing on antisocial adult behavior.
• Describe the nature of criminal behavior.
• Write about Childhood aggression and the impact of divorce.
• How does gender and cultural background affect one’s attitude toward drug abuse?
• Analyze the different types of forensic psychological evaluations.
• Discuss the most common ethical challenges in interviewing children as eyewitnesses
• Is enough being done to reduce the likelihood that special education students will end up in jail or prison?
• Are there enough safeguards in place to lessen the chances that students in special education may wind up in jail or prison?
• Can forensic psychologists anticipate potential danger in the future?
• How a person’s upbringing and psychological development can prevent him/her from becoming a serial killer?
• What part do movies, video games, and the internet play in encouraging criminal copycats?
• Discuss the effectiveness of the criminal justice system and prisons in rehabilitation
• What is eyewitness identification psychology?
• Impact of eyewitnesses’ psychology on the trustworthiness and legitimacy of their statements
• What standards of conduct should American forensic psychologists need to adhere to when testifying in criminal court?

Criminology Dissertation Ideas on Different Crime Types

• Discuss the constitutional and legislative issues in counter-terrorism.
• Write about gambling in America.
• Research and write about cybercrime: cyber fraud, defamation, hacking, bullying, and phishing.
• Study the history of terrorism and its countermeasures.
• Write about wildlife harm and exploitation.
• Analyze the Types of child abuse and its detection, prevention policies, prosecution, and punishment.
• Environmental crime. Natural resource theft: the illegal trade in wildlife and timber, poaching, illegal fishing.
• Write about the different types of white-collar crimes and their detection, prevention policies, prosecution, and punishment.
• How to prevent college campus crime.
• Robbery: risk groups, ways of prevention, prosecution, and punishment.
• How does prejudice motivate violence?
• Discuss the causes and effects of Juvenile Delinquency.
• Explain domestic violence with disabilities.
• Methods of deception, risk groups, ways of detection and prevention of human trafficking.
• What motivates one person to kill another?

Criminology Dissertation Topics on Crime and Victimization

• How does ownership of firearms correspond with law violations?
• Discuss the connection between family status and law violation.
• Explain the role of gender in law violation.
• Does unemployment have a relationship with the crime rate?
• How does social class correlate with a crime rate?
• Analyze the causes of violence in society.
• How does the weather correspond with law violations?
• Explain the reasons for homeless imprisonment.
• Is there a connection between mental health and law violation?
• Does the crime rate depend on the neighborhood?

Interesting Criminology Dissertation Topics

• Discuss the impact of detention cells on the criminal.
• Analyze the psychology of rape victims.
• Conduct a comparative analysis of male and female crimes.
• Explain the patterns of criminal thinking and their effects of them with examples.
• Prepare a comparative case study based on the Juvenile crime rates in India and Pakistan.
• Research and write about the various types of serial killers.
• Explain the different types of offenders.
• What are the causes of victimization and how to prevent it?
• Analyze the key problems of the prison system.
• Discuss the rights of the victims of rape.
• How should people protect themselves from false accusations?
• Write about street crimes.
• Discuss the psychology behind human trafficking.
• How to prevent shoplifting.
• Write about feminist criminology.

Outstanding Criminology Dissertation Ideas

• Write about the Drug traffic tracking strategies used in the UK.
• What is the effectiveness of the International Criminal Court in achieving its mandate?
• Why are most crimes in the US and UK mainly committed by the youths?
• How does memory impact eyewitness testimony?
• Why do college students engage in cases of arson?
• What are the implications of Solitary confinement for drug traffickers?
• Write about the latest innovations in experimental criminology.
• How does information-sharing technology help in fighting terrorism?
• How does systemic bias impact criminal justice?
• Analyze the investigation process of police officers in solving a crime.

Final Words

Hopefully, the list of ideas shared in this blog post will help you in crafting a brilliant criminology dissertation. In case, you need help with criminology dissertation topic selection and writing, contact us immediately. We have numerous subject matter experts on our team to offer you high-quality criminology assignment help . Especially, according to the requirements you submit to us, our scholarly writers will prepare and deliver a plagiarism-free criminology dissertation in advance of your submission date. Moreover, by utilizing our assignment help services online, you can boost your academic performance and also get valid clarifications for all the subject queries you have.

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Home > USC Columbia > Arts and Sciences > Criminology and Criminal Justice > Criminology and Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

Criminology and Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

The Risk of Protection: Examining the Contextual Effects of Child Protective Services on Child Maltreatment Fatalities in the U.S. , Cosette Morgan McCullough

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Too Feminine for Execution?: Gender Stereotypes and the Media’s Portrayal of Women Sentenced to Death , Kelsey M. Collins

Juveniles, Transferred Juveniles, and the Impact of a Criminal Record on Employment Prospects in Adulthood: An Experimental Study , Joanna Daou

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Why So Long? Examining the Nexus Between Case Complexity and Delay in Florida’s Death Penalty System , Corey Daniel Burton

The Criminalization of HIV and HIV Stigma , Deanna Cann

Views of Substance Use During Pregnancy: Social Responses to the Issue , Taylor Ruddy

The Spatial Variability of Crime: A Review of Methodological Choice, Proposed Models, and Methods for Illustrating the Phenomenon , Matthew D. Spencer

Community Corrections Officer Decision-Making: An Intersectional Analysis , Amber Leigh Williams Wilson

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

The Utility of Using Virtue Locales to Explain Criminogenic Environments , Hunter Max Boehme

Fostering Resilience in Correctional Officers , Jon Thomas Arthur Gist

The Impact of Race/Ethnicity on Sentencing: A Matching Approach , Travis Jones

Unraveling the Temporal Aspects of Victimization: The Reciprocal, Additive, and Cumulative Effects of Direct/Vicarious Victimization on Crime , Yeoju Park

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Media Influence on College Students' Perceptions of the Police , Matilda Foster

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Ohio's Certificate of Relief , Peter Leasure

Trends in the Prevalence of Arrest for Intimate Partner Violence Using the National Crime Victimization Survey , Tara E. Martin

Reading Between the Lines: An Intersectional Media Analysis of Female Sex Offenders in Florida Newspapers , Toniqua C. Mikell

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

The Short-Term Self-Control Stability of College Students , Nicholas James Blasco

Developmental Patterns of Religiosity in Relation to Criminal Trajectories among Serious Offenders across Adolescence and Young Adulthood , Siying Guo

Local Incarceration As Social Control: A National Analysis Of Social, Economic, And Political Determinants Of Jail Use In The United States , Heather M. Ouellette

Association Between Perception Of Police Prejudice Against Minorities And Juvenile Delinquency , Kwang Hyun Ra

A Quasi-Experimental Analysis Of School-Based Situational Crime Prevention Measures , Gary Zhang

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Sex Offender Policies that Spin the Revolving Door: An Exploration of the Relationships Between Residence Restrictions, Homelessness, and Recidivism , Deanna Cann

Untangling the Interconnected Relationships between Alcohol Use, Employment, and Offending , Margaret M. Chrusciel

Inmate Time Utilization And Well-Being , Mateja Vuk

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

The Socio-Legal Construction Of Adolescent Criminality: Examining Race, Community, And Contextual Factors Through The Lens Of Focal Concerns , Patrick Glen Lowery

The Impact Of Deinstitutionalization On Murders Of Law Enforcement Officers , Xueyi Xing

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Relationships Between Law Enforcement Officer-Involved Vehicle Collisions And Other Police Behaviors , John Andrew Hansen

In the Eye of the Beholder: Exploring the Dialogic Approach to Police Legitimacy , Justin Nix

Criminology on Crimes Against Humanity: A North Korean Case Study , Megan Alyssa Novak

General Strain Theory and Bullying Victimization: Do Parental Support and Control Alleviate the Negative Effects of Bullying , Jonathon Thompson

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Adultification in Juvenile Corrections: A Comparison of Juvenile and Adult Officers , Riane Miller Bolin

Perception of Police in Public Housing Communities , Taylor Brickley

Neighborhood Disorganization and Police Decision-Making in the New York City Police Department , Allison Carter

The Impact of Race on Strickland Claims in Federal Courts in the South , Wyatt Gibson

Lead Exposure and Crime , Tara Elaine Martin

GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER: HAZING, HEGEMONIC MASCULINITY, AND VICTIMIZATION , TONIQUA CHAREE MIKELL

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Policing Alcohol and Related Crimes On Campus , Andrea Nicole Allen

Gender and Programming: A Comparison of Program Availability and Participation in U.S. Prisons for Men and Women , Courtney A. Crittenden

Assessing the Impact of the Court Response to Domestic Violence in Two Neighboring Counties , Gillian Mira Pinchevsky

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Criminal Sentencing In the Court Communities of South Carolina: An Examination of offender, Judge, and County Characteristics , Rhys Hester

Examining the Effects of Religiosity and Religious Environments On Inmate Misconduct , Benjamin Dane Meade

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Criminologists' Opinions On Correctional Rehabilitation , Heather M. Ouellette

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

A Qualitative Analysis of the Etiology, Manifestation, and Institutional Responses to Self-Injurious Behaviors in Prison , Steven Doty

Theses/Dissertations from 2002 2002

The Effects of Administrative Factors on Police Officer Job Performance , Irick Anthony Geary Jr.

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• Northeastern University
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Criminology and Criminal Justice Dissertations Collection

http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20233343

Affording a meaningful opportunity of release: legal representation of juvenile lifers.

Assessing deterrence in the FBI's Safe Streets gang initiative: a social network approach.

Autistic and at-risk: the public and personal safety of children with autism spectrum disorders.

Background justice: the political context of adolescent legal socialization.

Bureaucracy and law: a study of Chinese criminal courts and social media.

Clearances, cameras, and community violence: police outcomes in an organizational and community context.

College students and the illicit use of prescription drugs: a test of general strain theory.

A comparison of the individual-, county-, and state-level correlates of homicide and mass murder

Contextualizing the political economy of juvenile court decision-making

Crime, place, and networks in the age of the internet: the case of online-promoted illicit massage businesses.

Home » Blog » Dissertation » Topics » Criminology » Criminology Dissertation Topics (26 Examples) For Your Academic Research

Criminology Dissertation Topics (26 Examples) For Your Academic Research

Mark Dec 28, 2019 Jun 5, 2020 Criminology No Comments

Criminology has become a major area for research and studies due to the rise in the crime rate around the world. We have made a list of criminology dissertation topics and project topics on criminology, which can be explored by the students. The list of criminology dissertation topics is based on related areas and the […]

Criminology has become a major area for research and studies due to the rise in the crime rate around the world. We have made a list of criminology dissertation topics which can be explored by the students. The list of project topics on criminology is based on related areas and the emerging trends in the field. You can select any of the research topics on criminology and our team of expert writers can facilitate you with the dissertation writing on the chosen topic.

A list Of Criminology dissertaton topics

Examining the financial regulatory enforcement proceedings in underdeveloped countries.

Analysing the cycle of violence by focusing on resiliency and protective factors.

To study the social experiences of sex offenders in prisons by conducting a comparative analysis.

Finding out how the approach to the war on terrorism is leading to an increasing rise in homegrown terrorists.

Analysing and interpreting a juvenile murder case.

The contribution of domestic violence in increasing social crimes.

How do religious scandals lead to declining moral standards and increasing the rate of crime?

Conducting an investigative analysis of women and criminology.

An inquiry into the research methods in criminology.

Reviewing the law and policies on stalking in different countries.

Examining the type of crimes specifically related to each gender.

To explore the factors that influence young adults to commit crimes.

Exploring the effects of religiosity and religious environments on inmate misconduct.

Analysing the illicit use of drugs among college students in the UK.

Conducting a cross-national study of youth offending.

A literature review of the theories and concepts related to crime.

The emerging concept of cybercrime and how it has influenced different aspects of the society and environment.

Exploring the case of serial killers by conducting a comparative review.

How has modern technology affected the rate of crime in the United States?

Exploring some of the trademarks of both male and female serial killers.

Does homelessness lead to influencing criminal behaviour and violent attacks?

Analysing the rise of youth gangs globally.

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213 Criminology Dissertation Ideas And Thesis Titles

Finding criminology topics is not as easy as pulling out an essay idea from any website. It requires students to go the extra mile to investigate a particular problem and derive a professional topic. Does this give you chills already? Well, our expert UK writers have prepared a list that will earn you high grades. Make sure to pick one that will impress your stingy criminology professor to the core!

Criminology Topics: What Do They Entail?

Criminology focuses on examining crime from a social perspective with a close lens at the perpetrator of the crime, their motive, effects, and prevention. As you will note in the list of writing ideas below, criminology also studies human behaviour about crime.

Since criminologists go to the extent of looking at the social roots and impacts of a crime, they also s-encompass other fields of study such as philosophy and anthropology. The combination of all these methods leads to a precise determination of the root cause of criminal behaviour. They will therefore be able to determine effective and practical ways of preventing its occurrence in the future.

For you to have a top-rated criminology paper, ensure that you:

• First, understand the task at hand
• Collect relevant details to furnish your paper with
• Outline your criminology paper
• Structure your ideas into sections
• Abide by the formatting requirements of your college or university
• Maintain originality throughout your paper
• Reference and cite your sources well

The result of this is a brilliant criminology paper that will earn you a spot on the top of your class leaderboard. Do you want to try out our sample criminology dissertation titles? Here is your unique opportunity now!

Top-Notch Criminology Dissertation Ideas

• Why are the majority of crimes committed by the youths?
• Reasons why men are more prone to commit crime than women
• What to improve in the British criminology curriculum
• Is it possible to develop a society without crime?
• How does the environment motivate one towards criminal behaviour?
• Evaluate the role of music in enhancing crime
• Are the current laws on criminology effective enough?
• Why do college and university students engage in cases of arson?
• Predisposing factors behind the activities of serial killers
• The role of guardians and societal leaders in preventing crime
• Possible causes of rape and other indecent sexual behaviour
• Discuss the relationship between crime and punishment in the past decade
• Are criminology related laws implemented to the latter?
• The role of specialized police units in preventing crime
• Why the internet is a harbour for vigorous criminal activity
• How to detect domestic violence before it occurs
• Innovative ways of dealing with social disorders in a community
• Why serial crimes always present a complex puzzle to solve for investigators

Criminology Dissertation Ideas Mental Health

• The role of trauma in forcing one to commit a crime
• Evaluate the association between mental illness and crime
• Possible mental disorders that make teenagers commit crimes
• Using community-based treatment centres to help people with mental cases
• A global perspective on the mental health of sexual offenders
• How anxiety and depression may cause one to premeditate committing murder
• Impact of detrimental mental health problems on a person’s conduct
• The relationship between aggressive behaviour and mental disorders
• Traumatic experiences that may trigger criminal activities
• How the media impacts the mental health of a person in committing a crime
• Ways of promoting a healthy mental state in a society
• How phobias prevent or trigger people about crime
• The role of a mental check-up in a criminal investigation
• Can an illegal fake a mental disorder to evade punishment?
• Importance of mental therapies for criminals charged with murder

Criminology And Psychology Dissertation Ideas

• How attitudes and emotions compel people to criminal behaviour
• Impact of domestic violence on a child’s aggressive behaviour
• A psychological examination of people who start trouble every time
• How race is a critical factor in the police’s judgment of criminal activity
• The role of forensic psychology in criminal investigations
• A psychological view of the gender-based violence against women
• Psychological disorders as a result of divorce may lead to crime
• How parenting styles affect a child’s behaviour: A case of poor parenting
• Discuss criminal intent based on a psychological disorder
• How drug abuse contributes to crime as a result of psychological dysfunction
• How attitudes towards criminal justice shape people’s behaviours
• Why most employers are reluctant to employ people with past criminal records
• Discuss criminal psychology with communist states
• Current trends and practices in crime related to psychology
• Compare and contrast situation and premeditated child abuse

Custom Criminology Dissertation Topics

• Do criminals get justice after being sentenced?
• How to investigate a serial crime in a society
• Techniques used in monitoring people with suspecting criminal behaviour
• Evaluate the role of private detectives in solving societal crimes
• How the neighbourhood topography relates to illegal activities
• Best approaches to combating crimes committed by gangs
• The part of the police in keeping society safe and peaceful
• How the mental health of women relates to aggressive behaviour at a times
• Predisposing factors behind human traffickers and children abductors
• Should the government enact more laws to curb domestic violence?
• The role of modern technologies in complicating criminal investigations
• How schools can enhance good morals among students at a tender age
• Do suspensions act as a cause for violence in the future among students?
• How to deal with protests and violence in a school setting
• How the use of force only serves to stir up crime

First-Class Dissertation Ideas For Criminology

• Policing strategies that wage war against smuggling of goods
• The role of the US-Mexican border in combating criminal activities
• How marginalization leads to the discrimination of various people
• An analysis of the genocides in the past decade: What caused them?
• What motivates young men to join gangs and other criminal groups?
• How does alcohol catalyze sexual assaults?
• The relationship between crime and LGBT groups
• The implication of racial profiling in causing criminal activities
• A critical review of how the US government responds to mass shootings
• Gun ownership policies that will make America safe
• The role of corruption in facilitating illegal underground activity
• How the economic state of a country can lead to crime
• Discuss the relationship between oil and civic disorder
• Historical factors that have necessitated crime in the 21 st century
• The contribution of propaganda and Yellow Journalism to crime

Criminology Dissertation Ideas On Terrorism

• Evaluate the response of the US forces towards terrorist activities
• Implications of the 9/11 attack on the safety of airlines
• Discuss the relationship between radicalization and terrorism
• Ways in which ISIS lures young men into joining them
• How technology has helped advance terrorist activities in the country
• Assess the impact of terrorism on religious profiling of people
• Why terrorist activities are most prevalent in urban centres
• How terrorists instil fear on their victims
• Has the coronavirus slowed down terrorist activities?
• Exploring the role of attitude in fueling terrorist activities towards certain countries
• Reasons why the media can serve as a super-spreader of fear during terrorist attacks
• Ways of detecting terrorist plans before they come of age
• Significant strides made in the war against terrorism in Africa
• The role of intelligence services in combating terrorism
• A critical analysis of the bombings on the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania

Criminology Dissertation Ideas About Drugs

• The role of drug rehabilitation centres in reducing criminal activities
• A critical evaluation of heroin and cocaine users
• The impact of legalizing marijuana on criminal behaviour
• Is there a thin line between drug abuse and violence?
• How to curb drug and substance abuse among college students
• The role of the media in sensitizing society against the adverse effects of drugs
• How the doping technology can help curb drug and substance abuse
• How drug abuse is a stepping stone to high crime rates in developing nations
• Explore the different types of crimes resulting from drug abuse
• What are the possible ways of eradicating corruption caused by criminal behaviour?
• Why it is difficult for drug addicts to go for guiding and counselling
• Impacts of excessive drug abuse on one’s mental state
• Why most gangs are associated with drug and substance abuse
• Post-traumatic drug disorders that lead to criminal activities
• Most commonly abused drugs by teens in the United Kingdom

The Best Criminology Dissertation Ideas UK

• Government policies that are curtailing the spread of criminal behaviour
• How the UK government is dealing with criminals of any kind
• Are the court systems in the UK doing enough to curb crime?
• Describe the application of the social learning theory in reducing crime
• How a criminal investigator develops a perspective on a particular crime
• How developed economies are handling corruption-related cases
• The standards of correctional facilities in the United Kingdom and their effectiveness
• An investigation of the legal policies against crime in Britain
• Compare and contrast criminal activity in UK suburbs and those of America
• A critical review of past illegal activity in Britain over the last five years
• Perceptions and attitudes towards UK criminal investigators
• How antisocial behaviour relates to illegal activities
• Are introverts more prone to crime than extroverts?
• A study of the UK media and its implication on crime
• How criminal investigative exposes have led to the arrest of various criminals

Criminology Dissertation Ideas On Domestic Violence

• Multiple forms of domestic violence in the 21 st century: A case of sexual and verbal abuse
• Acts that lead to psychological intimidation in domestic violence
• Economic impacts of domestic violence
• Does the word ‘abuse’ downplay the severity of domestic violence acts?
• Are domestic violence acts ‘terroristic’ in nature?
• Social structures that reinforce the suppression of women
• The growing cases of male abuse in the recent days
• An analysis of the various aspects of domestic violence
• The role of writers in speaking out against domestic violence
• How to look out for warning signs in the case of domestic violence
• Do victims of domestic violence find a safe place to talk without judgment?
• Discuss the implications of the Domestic Abuse Bill in the UK
• How to address the needs of survivors and their families
• The role of society in holding perpetrators of domestic violence accountable
• The role of grants and government funding in supporting anti-domestic violence movements

Criminology Dissertation Ideas About Prisons

• Do prisons deny inmates their human rights?
• Investigate reports of sexual abuse in prisons
• Why murderers should not be in one prison facility with other offenders
• Are prisons breeding grounds for criminal activity?
• Compare and contrast crime in female and male prisons
• The role of prison wardens in shaping the conduct of prisoners
• Should all offenders be kept in one prison irrespective of their crimes?
• Is denying prisoners visitations a catalyst for their aggressive behaviour?
• The role of society in helping criminals change
• How prison wardens contribute to crime in prisons
• Should all correctional facilities be outside significant cities?
• Should convicts of life sentences stay with those of shorter sentences?
• An analysis of cases of convicts killed in prisons
• What should determine the suitability of an officer as a prison warden?
• How should inmates relate with the prison wardens?

Forensic Psychology Dissertation Ideas

• Technological advances in forensic psychology and its impacts
• The procedure of investigating a crime using forensic psychology
• Compare and contrast the use of forensic psychology on men versus women
• Different approaches to forensic psychology in criminology
• Do we have enough forensic psychologists?
• How does genetics affect forensic psychology?
• Factors affecting eyewitness identification performance
• A study on male victims of partner violence
• Investigate the jury decision-making process based on forensic psychology
• A study of knowledge and attitudes towards conduct disorder
• How race affects psychotherapeutic performance
• Examine the association between psychosis and being a migrant
• Using a measurement scale to assess psychopathic personality traits
• How personality functioning may predict a person’s engagement in cyberstalking
• The collateral consequences of money bail

Latest Knife Crime Dissertation Titles

• What happens when the police become criminals?
• The impact of cybercrime on international peace and security
• Unearthing the underworld of hardcore teenage crimes
• How some police office rob banks and participate in serious crimes
• Dealing with drug trafficking in the technological era
• A comparative analysis of European law enforcement agencies
• Using children as witnesses in a criminal case: Is it ethical?
• Discuss the role of psychological intervention for criminals
• Analyze the rise of militia uprisings
• Impact of political tensions on criminal activities
• How the media stereotypes young people as criminals
• Social insecurity and brutality
• Impact of forced labour on correcting detainees: Does it help?
• Does the media exaggerate terrorism activities?
• Cultural values that can shape the morals of a society

Additional Terrorism Dissertation Ideas

• Is white supremacy terrorism?
• How domestic terrorism has risen in the US over the past few months
• The role of the UN Mission in keeping terrorists at bay
• How to cut off funding for terrorist activities
• How terrorism has become a threat to human existence
• How to prevent young men from joining terrorist groups
• Why terrorists take hostages and threaten to detonate bombs
• Psychological implications of terrorism activities
• Can someone who has been a terrorist fit into society again?
• Discuss the breeding of local terrorism in countries
• Counter-terrorism measures that work
• The role of surveillance in countering terrorism activities
• How terrorism creeps into conflict zones
• How the rule of law can help eliminate terrorism
• How to empower minors against terrorism
• The role of community anti-terrorism awareness programs
• How terrorists cause insubordination and waywardness

Criminal Law EPQ Questions

• Proactive policing
• Pretext stops and charter remedies
• Working with virtual legal assistants
• The part of the sedition law
• Analyze the right to protest
• Is life imprisonment a myth?
• State’s role in regulating crimes against women
• Appeal to the death sentence
• Laws about custody and maintenance of minors
• Are Promissory notes and Bills of Exchange the same?
• What is the difference between fatal and non-fatal offences?
• Are ideas protected under copyright?
• What is a crime of passion?

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Best Criminology Dissertation Topics You Should Research

Are you in search of Criminology Dissertation Topics? Criminology, as defined by the University of Queensland, delves into the study of crime, deviance, and the response of the criminal justice system to crime control. It offers a comprehensive examination from a sociological perspective, analyzing various facets of criminal behavior, societal influences, and the mechanisms of […]

Are you in search of Criminology Dissertation Topics? Criminology, as defined by the University of Queensland, delves into the study of crime, deviance, and the response of the criminal justice system to crime control.

It offers a comprehensive examination from a sociological perspective, analyzing various facets of criminal behavior, societal influences, and the mechanisms of law enforcement.

In this article, we’ll explore a curated list of Dissertation Topics for Criminology that are ideal for crafting your research proposal and dissertation.

Whether you’re pursuing undergrad or master’s studies, we can assist you in finding a unique dissertation topic within the realm of Dissertation Topics in Criminology to suit your academic pursuits.

With our guidance, you can delve into contemporary issues such as cybercrime, white-collar crime, restorative justice, or explore historical perspectives on criminal justice systems. Let’s embark on this journey of scholarly exploration together.

Other Related Posts

• Domestic violence dissertation topics
• Domestic violence dissertation ideas and Examples
• Customize Criminology dissertation topics

Table of Contents

Cybercrime:

• The impact of social media on cyberbullying among teenagers.
• Cybersecurity measures and their effectiveness in combating online fraud.
• Psychological profiles of cybercriminals: Understanding motivations and behaviors.
• The role of cryptocurrency in facilitating cybercrime activities.
• Legal and ethical considerations in prosecuting cyber offenders.

White-Collar Crime:

• Corporate fraud detection methods: A comparative analysis.
• The role of organizational culture in promoting or preventing white-collar crime.
• Environmental crimes and their impact on public health and safety.
• Insider trading: Case studies and regulatory responses.
• The effectiveness of whistleblower protection laws in combating corporate misconduct.

Criminal Psychology:

• Psychopathy and its correlation with violent crime: A meta-analysis.
• Understanding the psychology of serial killers: A case study approach.
• The influence of childhood trauma on later criminal behavior.
• Investigating the efficacy of rehabilitation programs for juvenile offenders.
• Neuropsychological factors influencing criminal decision-making.

Restorative Justice:

• Victim-offender mediation programs: Assessing outcomes and participant satisfaction.
• Restorative justice practices in indigenous communities: Cultural considerations and implications.
• Restorative justice in schools: Promoting accountability and conflict resolution.
• Community-based restorative justice initiatives: Case studies and best practices.
• Restorative justice for non-violent offenders: Benefits and limitations.

Policing and Law Enforcement:

• Community policing strategies and their impact on crime prevention.
• Use of force policies in law enforcement: Balancing public safety and civil liberties.
• Racial profiling in law enforcement: Addressing biases and promoting equity.
• Police discretion: Factors influencing decision-making in the field.
• The role of technology in modern policing: Surveillance, drones, and predictive analytics.

Criminal Justice System:

• Bail reform: Assessing the impact on pretrial detention and recidivism rates.
• Alternatives to incarceration: Rehabilitation programs and diversionary measures.
• Jury decision-making processes: Influences and biases.
• The intersection of mental health and the criminal justice system: Challenges and solutions.
• International perspectives on criminal justice reform: Comparative analysis of policies and practices.

Best Criminology Dissertation Topics List for research

Here is the list of criminology dissertation topics from our experts’ writers:

• To explore the life of a police officer in the United States.
• Studying the research methods in Criminology and how these are beneficial for improving the laws.
• The increase in Criminology in the covid’19 period.
• Do you consider stalking a crime? A case analysis.
• To explore the use of drugs in High school students in the UK.
• To analyze the crimes in which the criminals run away.
• What is the role of social media in increasing rates of crime?
• To investigate the blackmailing crimes of a teenager.
• What is the reason for the rising of youth gangs?
• Do you think poverty is also the reason for the rising crimes?
• To analyze the relationship between psychology and crimes.
• What factors influence young adults to commit a crime?
• Do you think bad parenting is the reason for young adult crimes?
• To study the crimes of color discrimination.
• The increasing crime of sexual assault with children in schools – a review of 10 cases in this context.
• Do you think everyone should have a gun license? If yes, then don’t you think it will increase the crime rates?
• What are the punishments for cruelty to animals? A comparison of developing and developed countries.
• To study the life of Acid victims – a case example.
• Analyses on crime and police in the Asian market.
• Can religious ideologies be the cause of terrorism?
• Do you think crime is worse than natural disasters?
• Why does the media portray young adults as criminals?
• Do you think social security is mere brutality?
• How can you explain the racist abuse towards international students?
• What is the difference between law enforcement and Criminology?
• How can we have a crime-free society? A case analysis.
• What do you think about abortion? Is it also a crime?
• How does divorce affects children’s minds toward criminology?
• To study the Human trafficking crime rates in Japan and China
• To analyze the increasing rate of corruption cases in the Asian markets.
• Do you feel safe sending children to school? – an analysis.
• To study the bullying cases at school and how it has increased the chances of students growing up to commit crimes.
• What is the punishment for revenge pornography according to international laws? A comparative analysis.
• How does the media portray the lifestyle of prison? – The US media analysis.
• Do you think mental health criminals should not get punished? – research analysis.
• The role education can play in the life of people and how it leads to reducing the rate of crime in countries.
• To study the relation between illiterate people and crimes – a case review.
• To study the history of the death penalty – a literature review.
• What is the meaning of an illegal act? – A literature review.
• To explore cyberbullying crime in the light of US law history.
• How does cyberbullying lead to suicide? – A case review.
• Do you think prisoners should get the right to vote?
• To study the life of prison – research analysis.
• Do you rape victims can also become criminals?
• What are the mental effects of domestic violence on mental health?
• How can you explain the criminology of torturing the victim before committing the murder?
• To explore the different cybercrimes in the UK market.
• What are the sexual crime rates in America?
• To study criminology in Asian countries and how the laws have evolved.
• Do you kill someone in the name of religion okay?
• Juvenile sex offenders, community notification, and reintegration.
• Our prisons are doing what we expect of them, analyzing political and social responses to Criminal Penalties in the United Kingdom.
• Is live telecast on social media forcing our young generation to perform criminal acts?
• Offenders Serving Life Imprisonment from a Psychological Perspective.
• Gender is not the main cause of sexual and domestic violence, discuss.
• The rise in violent crime rates of children ages 6-16 since the evaluation of social media

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These are a few best criminology dissertation topics and research ideas we have been able to come up with for you. Still not getting what you are looking for? we have a cheap topic help service for criminology research topics. Fill out the form below and get a custom topic brief of 500 to 600 words as per your provided requirements.

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Criminology Dissertation Ideas

Coming up with quality criminology dissertation ideas can get pretty complex, because it requires detailed and sometimes lengthy research. Professional writers from our dissertation writing service prepared everything you need to know about criminology dissertation writing, including specific criminology dissertation ideas.

You will find plenty of topics with which you will be able to ace your criminology class and impress your professors. But, before we go through our list, let’s take a closer look at what makes criminology dissertations so interesting, as well as how to approach them, regardless of which topic you are given.

How to Come Up with a Criminology Dissertation Topic?

Coming up with useful criminology dissertation ideas is more difficult than in some of the other disciplines. How so? Well, the subject matter is more sensitive, and while you might be able to get away with some speculation in a dissertation in other disciplines, there is zero room for that here. However, there are some methods that can make the entire process easier, and they include:

• Brainstorming
• Mapping out your ideas
• Letting the arguments you have create your topic
• Free writing
• Check relevant sources for additional ideas

Don’t be afraid to put down just about on paper, especially if you are relying on free writing or brainstorming. Perhaps that silly thing that popped inside your head might lead you toward more useful criminology dissertation ideas and topics.

What Makes a Criminology Dissertation Interesting?

The best criminology dissertations are interesting because they cover an exciting topic in a way that hasn’t been done before. Also, criminology is extremely fascinating, because it covers complex subject matter, such as crime, from different angles. Not only does require you to include science, but also psychology and sociology in order to get inside the criminal mind. Exploring the motives and reasons behind certain crimes is always interesting, which is why so many effective criminology dissertation ideas revolve around it.

More about dissertation writing: The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Dissertation

Best Topic Ideas from Criminology Dissertation

We have set out to create a list of criminology dissertation ideas that are both practical and diverse. This means you will be able to find a topic for yourself, regardless of what sort of crime you are exploring. Also, you will find ideas for subject matter which has already occurred in real life. We have also kept in mind that you need to do research for these topics, which is why we have limited ourselves to those for which you can find plenty of information online or in your local campus library. Here is our list of best criminology dissertation topics:

Criminology Dissertation Ideas on Serial Killers

• Which people are most likely to become serial killers?
• How do serial killers become serial killers?
• Differences between serial killers and mass murderers
• Comparison between real-life serial killers and their portrayal in Hollywood films
• What drives women to become serial killers?
• Exploring the possibility of rehabilitating serial killers
• Differences between male and female serial killers
• Should serial killers be let back into society after serving out their sentences?
• List countries that have the highest numbers of serial killers and explore the reasons behind those numbers
• Can a person’s social status lead them to become a serial killer?
• What are the main motives of serial killers?
• Has modern technology made it easier or harder for serial killers to remain at large?
• What are specific trademarks of female serial killers?
• Which factors contribute to the chances that a person will become a serial killer?
• How common are serial killers outside of the US?

Feminist Criminology Dissertation Topics

• Treatment of Women in the criminal justice system
• Exclusion of women in the dominant crime theories
• Gender diversity in the study of crime
• Feminist theories in criminology
• Women as victims of violent crimes
• Percentage of women working in the criminal justice system
• Feminist approaches to criminal research
• What is feminist criminology?
• Why is feminist criminology important?
• Gender inequality in the law and criminal justice system

Criminology Dissertation Ideas on Domestic Violence

• Investigating the effects of domestic violence on young children
• What are the key triggers for domestic violence?
• The effectiveness of psychiatric treatment in overcoming trauma caused by domestic violence
• Domestic violence: racial and ethnic factors
• Comparison of different types of domestic violence
• Male domestic violence in first-world countries
• Female empowerment and its effect on domestic violence
• Correlation between domestic violence and probability of suicide
• What role does the media play in domestic violence
• Who are the victims of domestic violence?
• Domestic violence and the law
• Forms of intimate partner violence
• Popular culture and domestic violence
• Domestic violence against people with disabilities
• Gay and bisexual domestic violence

Youth Crime Dissertation Ideas

• Juvenile delinquents and their family environment
• How do violent movies, music, and video games influence youth crimes?
• Are children of single parents more or less likely to become juvenile delinquents?
• What are the earliest indicators of future delinquent behavior?
• Do male juvenile delinquents receive longer sentences than female delinquents for committing the same crime?
• What role do alcohol and drugs play in young people committing crimes?
• What’s the outcome when it comes to the rehabilitation of young offenders?
• Are corrections facilities the best to rehabilitate underage delinquents?
• Are foster children more likely to end up committing a crime?
• What are the most common crimes committed by juvenile delinquents?
• Does a family history of crime make children more like to commit a crime in the future?
• How does juvenile delinquency affect young people’s chance of employment and having a career?
• What is the main motive behind youth crimes?
• How to minimize violent and sexual crimes among the youth
• Should juvenile delinquents be tried as adults if they have committed a violent crime?

Cybercrime Dissertation Topics

• Discussing the impact of cybercrimes on the finance and banking industry
• Should online identity theft be treated as a crime?
• The most common cybercrimes in the United States
• Exploring the history of hacking
• The most vicious cyber attacks in history
• What effects does hacking have on countries?
• Challenges of cybersecurity and the prevention of cybercrimes at universities
• Are cyber attacks considered terrorism?
• Explaining all the phases of a DDoS attack
• What are the most effective ways to protect children from cyberbullying?
• What is ransomware and how do ransomware attacks happen?
• Evolution and history of online scams
• What are the best ways to prevent cybercrimes?
• What are the main motives for cybercrimes and hacking?
• What are the financial effects of cybercrime?

Criminology Dissertation Ideas about Drugs

• Differences between the effects of alcohol and marijuana on human behavior
• Should the media promotion of drugs be banned?
• In what way does cannabis improve or impair the cognitive abilities of those consuming it?
• Should marijuana be legalized and under which conditions?
• Correlation between drugs, poverty, and crime in low-income households
• How effective are the methods used by physicians and psychiatrists in drug rehabilitation facilities?
• How does parental drug use affect the child’s tendency to use drugs?
• Are there any positive effects of smoking cannabis?
• Establishing the connection between substance abuse and violent crimes
• What role does drug abuse play in domestic violence?
• Comparing the effects of the most common drugs on human behavior
• What are the most abused drugs in the United States?
• Should schools introduce random drug testing in order to fight drug abuse among students?
• Exploring the harmful effects drug abuse has on society in general
• Does drug abuse increase the number of sexual assaults?

Dissertation Ideas on Mental Health and Crime

• What role does childhood trauma play in a person’s likelihood to commit a crime?
• Establishing the connection between mental illness and crime
• Which mental disorders are most likely to drive a person to commit a violent crime?
• How effective is mental therapy for criminals which have committed murder?
• Is it possible to fake a mental illness in order to escape punishment?
• Correlation between mental disorders and aggressive behavior
• What are the most common mental illnesses among sexual offenders?
• What sort of mental disorder do victims of sexual assault usually suffer from?
• The most efficient ways of promoting mental health in a society
• Which traumas can lead a person to commit a violent crime?
• How does media content exacerbate a person’s mental disorder?
• What are the common mental disorders among the youth?
• Can community-based centers be effective in providing treatment for those suffering from mental illnesses?
• How can members of the police force be trainers to recognize mental illnesses?
• Can depression and anxiety drive a person to commit murder?

Criminology Dissertation Ideas on Prisons

• Should the prisoners be allowed to vote and under which conditions?
• To which extent is it possible to rehabilitate prisoners which have committed violent crimes?
• Should murderers be introduced back into society after they have served the entirety of their sentence?
• Correlation between crime rates and the length of prison sentences for those crimes
• Which crimes are the most common inside prisons?
• Should sexual offenders be separated from other prisoners?
• What are the most common causes of unrest in prisons?
• The most effective methods for preventing suicide in prisons
• Why is it difficult for developing countries to reduce violence among prisoners?
• What are the most common crimes prisoners get convicted of?
• What is the longest prison sentence ever given to a murderer?
• What percentage of sexual offenders end up in prison for the same crime?
• How many criminals escape from US prisons every year?
• Should prisoners which have committed murder receive benefits for their forced labor?
• The most effective rehabilitation methods in prison

Coming up with useful criminology dissertation ideas can be a challenge, especially if you are looking to cover something that hasn’t been done before. Hopefully, our list of dissertation topics will provide you with enough quantity and quality, so that you are never short on ideas. We hope you will find it helpful and use some of the subjects listed in this article.

This article was written by Beatrix Potter Publish Date: Jul 21, 2022

Beatrix Potter

Related posts, essay referencing guide, how long does it take to write different types of assignments, marketing dissertation topic ideas, please, login.

256 Research Topics on Criminal Justice & Criminology

Are you a law school student studying criminal behavior or forensic science? Or maybe just looking for good criminal justice topics, questions, and hypotheses? Look no further! Custom-writing.org experts offer a load of criminology research topics and titles for every occasion. Criminological theories, types of crime, the role of media in criminology, and more. Our topics will help you prepare for a college-level assignment, debate, or essay writing.

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• ⚖️ Criminology vs. Criminal Justice
• 🔬 120 Criminology Research Topics
• 💂 116 Criminal Justice Research Topics

🔥 Hot Criminology Research Topics

• The role of media in criminology.
• Cultural explanation of crime.
• Benefits of convict criminology.
• Main issues of postmodern criminology.
• Is criminal behavior affected by the politics?
• How does DAWN collect data?
• The limitations of crime mapping.
• Personality traits that trigger criminal behavior.
• Community deterioration and crime rates.
• Does experimental criminology affect social policy?

🔬 120 Criminology Research Topics & Ideas

Here are 100 criminology research topics ideas organized by themes.

Just in 1 hour! We will write you a plagiarism-free paper in hardly more than 1 hour

General Criminology Research Paper Topics

• Criminology as a social science.
• Criminology and its public policies.
• History of criminology.
• Crime commission: legal and social perspectives .

Criminal Psychology Research Topics

• What is the nature of criminal behavior ?
• How does the lack of education affect the incarceration rates?
• Childhood aggression and the impact of divorce
• The effect of the upbringing on antisocial adult behavior
• How do gender and cultural background affect one’s attitude towards drug abuse ?
• Forensic psychology and its impact on the legal system
• What is the role of criminal psychologists?
• Different types of forensic psychological evaluations
• What’s the difference between therapeutic and forensic evaluation?
• Does socioeconomic status impact one’s criminal behavior ?

Criminology Research Topics: Theories

• What crimes are typical for what ages?
• How does the type of crime correspond with the level of exerted aggression ?
• What is the connection between citizenship (or lack thereof) and law violation?
• How does education (or lack thereof) correspond with crime level?
• Does employment (or lack thereof) correspond with law violation?
• What is the connection between family status and law violation?
• Does gender affect on the type of law violation?
• How does ownership of firearms correspond with law violation?
• Does immigrant status correlate with law violation?

• Is there a connection between mental health and law violation?
• What are the causes of violence in the society?
• Does the crime rate depend on the neighborhood ?
• How does race correspond with the type of crime?
• Do religious beliefs correspond with law violation?
• How does social class correlate with crime rate?
• What are the reasons for the homeless’ improsonment?
• How does weather correspond with law violation?

Criminology Topics on Victimization

• Biological theories of crime: how do biological factors correspond with law violation?
• Classical criminology: the contemporary take on crime, economics, deterrence, and the rational choice perspective.
• Convict criminology: what do ex-convicts have to say on the subject?
• Criminal justice theories: punishment as a deterrent to crime.
• Critical criminology : debunking false ideas about crime and criminal justice.
• Cultural criminology: criminality as the product of culture.
• Cultural transmission theory: how criminal norms are transmitted in social interaction.
• Deterrence theory: how people don’t commit crimes out of fear of punishment.
• Rational choice theory : how crime doing is aligned with personal objectives of the perpetrator.
• Feminist Criminology: how the dominant crime theories exclude women.
• Labeling and symbolic interaction theories: how minorities and those deviating from social norms tend to be negatively labeled.
• Life course criminology : how life events affect the actions that humans perform.
• Psychological theories of crime: criminal behavior through the lense of an individual’s personality.
• Routine activities theory : how normal everyday activities affect the tendency to commit a crime.
• The concept of natural legal crime.
• Self-control theory : how the lack of individual self-control results in criminal behavior.
• Social construction of crime: crime doing as social response.
• Social control theory : how positive socialization corresponds with reduction of criminal violation.
• Social disorganization theory : how neighborhood ecological characteristics correspond with crime rates.
• Social learning theory : how (non)criminal behavior can be acquired by observing and imitating others.
• Strain theories : how social structures within society pressure citizens to commit crime.
• Theoretical integration: how two theories are better than one.

Criminology Research and Measurement Topics

• Citation content analysis (CCA): a framework for gaining knowledge from a variety of media.
• Crime classification systems: classification of crime according to the severity of punishment.
• Crime mapping as a way to map, visualize, and analyze crime incident patterns.
• Reports and statistics of crime: the estimated rate of crime over time. Public surveys.
• Drug abuse warning network (DAWN): predicting trends in drug misuse.
• Arrestee drug abuse monitoring (ADAM): drug use among arrestees.
• Edge ethnography: collecting data undercover in typically closed research settings and groups through rapport development or covert undercover strategy.
• Experimental criminology: experimental and quasi-experimental research in the advancement of criminological theory.
• Fieldwork in criminology: street ethnographers and their dilemmas in the field concerning process and outcomes.
• Program evaluation: collecting and analyzing information to assess the efficiency of projects, policies and programs.
• Quantitative criminology: how exploratory research questions, inductive reasoning , and an orientation to social context help recognize human subjectivity.

Criminology Topics on Types of Crime

• Campus crime: the most common crimes on college campuses and ways of preventing them.
• Child abuse : types, prevalence, risk groups, ways of detection and prevention.
• Cybercrime : cyber fraud, defamation, hacking, bullying, phishing.
• Domestic violence : gender, ways of detection and prevention, activism.
• Domestic violence with disabilities .
• Elder abuse : types, prevalence, risk groups, ways of detection and prevention.
• Environmental crime. Natural resource theft: illegal trade in wildlife and timber, poaching, illegal fishing.
• Environmental crime. Illegal trade in ozone-depleting substances, hazardous waste; pollution of air, water, and soil.
• Environmental crime: local, regional, national, and transnational level.
• Environmental crime: climate change crime and corruption.
• Environmental crime: wildlife harming and exploitation.
• Hate crime : how prejudice motivates violence.

• Homicide : what motivates one person to kill another.
• Human trafficking : methods of deception, risk groups, ways of detection and prevention.
• Identity theft : methods, risk groups, ways of detection and prevention.
• Gambling in America .
• Juvenile delinquency : risk groups, prevention policies, prosecution and punishment.
• Juvenile Delinquency: Causes and Effects
• Organizational crime: transnational, national, and local levels. Ways of disrupting the activity of a group.
• Prostitution : risk groups, different takes on prevention policies, activism.
• Robbery : risk groups, ways of prevention, prosecution and punishment.
• Sex offenses: risk groups, types, prevalence, ways of detection and prevention.
• Terrorism: definition, history, countermeasures .
• Terrorism : individual and group activity, ways of detection and prevention.
• Theft and shoplifting : risk groups, ways of detection, prevention policies, prosecution and punishment.
• Counter-terrorism: constitutional and legislative issues .
• White-collar crime : types, ways of detection, prevention policies, prosecution and punishment.

Criminology Topics on Racism and Discrimination

• How systemic bias affects criminal justice?
• How discriminatory portrayal of minority groups in the media affects criminal justice?
• Racial profiling : targeting minority groups on the basis of race and ethnicity.
• Racism and discrimination towards African-Americans .
• Racial profiling : what are the cons? Are there any pros?
• How discriminatory is the UK Court System?
• How discriminatory is the US Court System?

Other Criminology Research Topics

• Corporate crime : the ruling class criminals.
• Genetics: illegal research and its dangers.
• Hate crime : the implications in criminal justice.
• Serial killers : risk groups, ways of detection and prevention.
• Serial killers: portrayal in media.
• Organized crime : how does it affect criminal justice?
• Crime prevention programs.
• Street lighting: does it reduce crime?
• Terrorism prevention technology.
• Identity theft : risk groups, ways of deception, prevention policies.
• Due process model: procedural and substantive aspects.
• Crime control in criminal justice administration.
• Types of drugs: how do they affect the users?
• Smart handheld devices: their function for security personnel.
• Social media : its impact on crime rate.
• Public health: how does criminal justice affect it?
• Psychometric examinations: what is their role in criminal justice?
• National defense in the US.
• National defense in the UK.
• Sexual harassment : the role of activism, ways of responding, prevention and prosecution.
• Substance abuse : military.
• Criminology and criminal justice jobs: a full list.

🌶️ Hot Criminal Justice Topics

• The history of modern police.
• Different types of prison systems.
• Is situational crime prevention effective?
• How to prevent wrongful convictions.
• Challenges faced by crime victims.
• The advantages of community corrections.
• How do ethics influence criminal justice?
• Disadvantages of felony disenfranchisement.
• Does correctional system in the USA really work?
• Possible problems of prisoner reentry process.

💂 116 Criminal Justice Research Topics & Questions

Here are some of the most typical and interesting criminal justice issues to dazzle your professor.

• Prison system : the main problems and the hidden pitfalls.
• The question of gender: why are there more men who receive capital punishment than women?
• Kidnapping and ransom: common features, motifs, behavior patterns.
• Crime prevention : key principles.
• Firing a gun: what helps professionals understand whether it was deliberate or happened by accident?
• Cybercrime : the legal perspective.
• Internet vigilantism: revenge leaks.
• Hate crime on the Internet: revenge leaks, trolling, defamation.
• Crime and justice in mass media .
• Parental abduction laws.
• Sex offender registry: pros and cons.
• The deterrence theory and the theory of rational choice : are they relevant in the modern world?
• Sexual assault in schools and workplaces.
• Jury selection: how is it performed?
• Experimental criminology: the latest innovations.

• Wildlife crime: areas of prevalence, ways of prevention.
• Felony disenfranchisement laws: when do they apply?
• The relation between organized crime and corruption .
• Victim services: what help can a victim of a crime get?
• Prison rape and violence: the psychological aspect, ways of prevention.
• Juvenile recidivism : what are the risk groups?
• Forensic science : role and functions in modern criminal justice.
• Shoplifting: how to prevent theft?
• Witness Protection Program: who is eligible and how to protect them.
• Date rape : what are the ways for the victims to seek legal assistance?
• Substance abuse and crime: correlation or causation?
• Identity theft: dangers and consequences in the modern world.
• Online predators: what laws can be introduced to protect kids? Real-life examples.
• Civil and criminal cases: how to differentiate?
• Domestic abuse victims: what laws protect them?
• Elder abuse : what can be done to prevent it?
• The strain theory : the unachievable American dream.
• Concepts of law enforcement: pursuing criminal justice .
• Ethics and criminal justice: the unethical sides of law enforcement.
• The top problems to be solved by law enforcement today.
• Information sharing technology: how has it helped in the fight against terrorism ?
• Terrorism in perspective: characteristics, causes, control .
• Serial killers : types.
• Drug use and youth arrests.
• Aggressive behavior : how does it correlate with criminal tendencies?
• Community corrections : are they effective?
• Sentencing: how does it take place?
• Punishment types and the established terms.
• Unwarranted arrest: when is it acceptable?
• Human trafficking in the modern world.
• Human trafficking: current state and counteracts .
• The role of technology in modern forensics .
• Similarities and differences between homicide , murder, and manslaughter.
• Types of offenders: classification.
• Effects of gun control measures in the United States .
• The role of crime mapping in modern criminal justice.
• Male crimes vs female crimes: are they different?
• Prisons : the problems of bad living conditions.
• Victimization : causes and ways of prevention.
• Victimology and traditional justice system alternatives .
• Rape victims: what are their rights?
• Problem-solving courts: what underlying problems do they address?
• Mandatory sentencing and the three-strike rule.
• Have “three-strikes” laws been effective and should they be continued?
• Criminal courts : what can be learned from their history?
• Hate crimes : what motivates people to commit them?
• Youth gangs: what is their danger?
• Fieldwork: how is it done in criminology?
• Distributive justice : its place in criminal justice.
• Capital punishment : what can be learned from history?
• Humanities and justice in Britain during 18th century .
• Abolition of capital punishment .
• Criminals and prisoners’ rights .
• Crime prevention programs and criminal rehabilitation .
• Campus crime: what laws and precautions are there against it?
• Criminal trial process: how does it go?
• Crimes committed on a religious basis: how are they punished?
• The code of ethics in the Texas department of criminal justice .
• Comparison between Florida and Maryland’s legislative frameworks .
• Fraud in the scientific field: how can copyright protect the discoveries of researchers?
• Prosecution laws: how are they applied in practice?
• The classification of crime systems.
• Cyberbullying and cyberstalking: what can parents do to protect their children?
• Forgery cases in educational institutions, offices, and governmental organizations.
• Drug courts : how do they work?

Controversial Topics in Criminal Justice

Want your work to be unconventional? Consider choosing one of the controversial topics. You will need to present a number of opposite points of view. Of course, it’s acceptable to choose and promote an opinion that you think stands the best. Just make sure to provide a thorough analysis of all of the viewpoints.

You can also stay impartial and let the reader make up their own mind on the subject. If you decide to support one of the viewpoints, your decision should be objective. Back it up with plenty of evidence, too. Here are some examples of controversial topics that you can explore.

• Reform vs. punishment: which one offers more benefits?
• Restorative justice model : is it the best criminal justice tool?
• The war on drugs : does it really solve the drug problem?
• Criminal insanity: is it a reason enough for exemption from liability?
• Juvenile justice system : should it be eliminated?
• Drug testing on the school ground.
• Police brutality in the United States .
• How to better gun control ? 
• Why Gun Control Laws Should be Scrapped .
• Pornography: is it a type of sexual violence?
• Whether death penalty can be applied fairly?
• Jack the Ripper: who was he?
• The modern justice system: is it racist?
• A false accusation: how can one protect themselves from it?
• Concealed weapons: what are the criminal codes of various states?
• Race and crime: is there a correlation?
• Registering sex offenders: should this information be in public records?
• Juvenile delinquency and bad parenting: is there a relation?
• Assessing juveniles for psychopathy or conduct disorder .
• Should all new employees be checked for a criminal background ?
• Are delinquency cases higher among immigrant children?
• Restrictive housing: can it help decongest prisons?
• Homegrown crimes: is there an effective program against them?
• Prostitution: the controversy around legalization .
• Eyewitness testimony : is it really helpful in an investigation?
• Youthful offenders in boot camps: is this strategy effective?
• Predictive policing : is it effective?
• Selective incapacitation: is it an effective policy for reducing crime?
• Social class and crime: is there a relation?
• Death penalty: is it effective in crime deterrence?
• Extradition law: is it fair?
• Devious interrogations: is deceit acceptable during investigations?
• Supermax prisons: are they effective or just cruel?
• Zero tolerance: is it the best policy for crime reduction?
• Marijuana decriminalization: pros and cons.
• Marijuana legalization in the US .

Now that you have looked through the full list of topics, choose wisely. Remember that sometimes it’s best to avoid sensitive topics. Other times, a clever choice of a topic will win you extra points. It doesn’t depend on just the tastes of your professor, of course. You should also take into account how much relevant information there is on the subject. Anyway, the choice of the topic of your research is up to you. Try to find the latest materials and conduct an in-depth analysis of them. Don’t forget to draw a satisfactory conclusion. Writing may take a lot of your time and energy, so plan ahead. Remember to stay hydrated and good luck!

Now, after we looked through the topic collections on criminology and criminal justice, it is time to turn to the specifics in each of the fields. First, let’s talk more extensively about criminology. If you are training to be a criminologist, you will study some things more deeply. They include the behavior patterns of criminals, their backgrounds, and the latest sociological trends in crime.

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In the field of criminology, the specialties are numerous. That’s why it’s difficult to pinpoint one career that represents a typical member of the profession. It all depends on the background of a criminologist, their education, and experience.

A criminologist may have a number of responsibilities at their position. For example, they might be called forth to investigate a crime scene. Participation in autopsies is unpleasant yet necessary. Interrogation of suspects and subsequent criminal profiling is another essential duty.

Some professionals work solely in research. Others consult government agencies or private security companies. Courts and law firms also cooperate with criminologists. Their job is to provide expert opinion in criminal proceedings. Some of them work in the prison systems in order to oversee the rehabilitation of the convicted.

Regardless of the career specialty , most criminologists are working on profiling and data collection. A criminologist is another word for an analyst. They collect, study, and analyze data on crimes. After conducting the analysis, they provide recommendations and actionable information.

A criminologist seeks to find out the identity of the person who committed the crime. The time point of a crime is also important, as well as the reason for it. There are several areas covered by the analysis of a criminologist. The psychological behavior of the criminal or criminals is closely studied. The socio-economic indicators are taken into account. There are also, of course, the environmental factors that may have facilitated the crime.

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Some high-profile cases require a criminologist to correspond with media and PR managers extensively. Sometimes criminologists write articles and even books about their findings. However, it should be noted that the daily routine of a professional in the field is not so glamorous. Most criminologists do their work alone, without the attention of the public.

The research a criminologist accumulates during their work is extensive. It doesn’t just sit there in a folder on their desk, of course. The collected statistics are used for developing active criminal profiles that are shared with law enforcement agencies. It helps to understand criminal behavior better and to predict it. That’s why a criminologist’s work must be precise and accurate for it to be practical and useful. Also, criminology professionals must have a good grasp of math and statistics.

Thinking of a career in criminology? You will need to, at the very least, graduate from college. There, you’ll master mathematics, statistics, and, of course, criminology. An associate’s degree may get you an entry-level position. But the minimum entry-level requirement is usually the bachelor’s degree. The best positions, though, are left for the professionals with a master’s degree or a PhD.

Just having a degree is not enough. To succeed as a criminologist, you will require all your intelligence, commitment, and the skill of analyzing intricate situations. An aspiration to better the society will go a long way. You will need to exercise your creative, written, and verbal communication skills, too. An analytical mind will land you at an advantage.

Criminology: Research Areas

Times change and the world of crime never ceases to adapt. The nature of criminal transgression is evolving, and so do the ways of prosecution. Criminal detection, investigation, and prevention are constantly advancing. Criminology studies aim to improve the practices implemented in the field.

There are six unified, coordinated, and interrelated areas of expertise. Within each, the professionals are busy turning their mastery into knowledge and action.

The first research area is the newest worry of criminology – cybercrime. The impact of this type of crime is escalating with every passing day. That’s why it’s crucial for the law enforcement professionals to keep up to date with the evolving technology. Cybercrime research is exploring the growing threat of its subject at all levels of society. Cybercrime may impact people on both personal and governmental levels. Cybercrime research investigates the motivation and methodology behind the offenses and finds new ways to react.

The second research area is counter fraud. Crimes that fall under this category include fraud and corruption. The questions that counter fraud research deals with are many. How widely a crime is spread, what method is best to fight it, and the optimal courses of action to protect people and organizations.

The third research area is that of forensics. The contemporary face of justice has been changed by forensic science beyond recognition. Nowadays, it’s much harder for criminals to conceal their activity due to evolved technologies. The research in forensics is utilizing science in the identification of the crime and in its reconstruction. It employs such techniques as DNA recovery, fingerprinting, and forensic interviewing.

What is forensic interviewing? It helps find new ways to gather quality information from witnesses and crime scenes. It also works on developing protocols that ensure the protection of this human data and its correct interpretation by police.

The fourth research area is policing. Police service is facing a lot of pressing issues nowadays due to budget cuts. At the same time, police officers still need to learn, and there are also individual factors that may influence their work.

The fifth research area is penology. It’s tasked with exploring the role of punishment in the criminal justice system. Does punishment aid the rehabilitation of perpetrators, and to what extent? The answer will help link theory to practice and thus shape how criminal justice practitioners work.

The sixth research area is that of missing persons. Before a person goes missing, they may display a certain pattern of behavior. The study of missing persons helps to identify it. The results will determine the handling of such cases.

Now that we know what criminology is, it’s time to talk about criminal justice.

While criminology focuses on the analysis of crime, criminal justice concentrates on societal systems. Its primary concern is with the criminal behavior of the perpetrators. For example, in the USA, there are three branches of the criminal justice system. They are police (aka law enforcement), courts, and corrections. These branches all work together to punish and prevent unlawful behavior. If you take up a career in criminal justice, expect to work in one of these fields.

The most well-known branch of criminal justice is law enforcement. The police force is at the forefront of defense against crime and misdemeanor. They stand against the criminal element in many ways. For instance, they patrol the streets, investigate crimes, and detain suspects. It’s not just the police officers who take these responsibilities upon themselves. There are also US Marshals, ICE, FBI Agents, DEA, and border patrol. Only after the arrest has been made, the perpetrator enters the court system.

The court system is less visible to the public, but still crucial to the criminal justice system. Its main purpose is to determine the suspect’s innocence or guilt. You can work as an attorney, lawyer, bailiff, judge, or another professional of the field. In the court, if you are a suspect, you are innocent until proven guilty. You are also entitled to a fair trial. However, if they do find you guilty, you will receive a sentence. Your punishment will be the job of the corrections system.

The courts determine the nature of the punishment, and the corrections system enforces it. There are three elements of the corrections system: incarceration, probation, and parole. They either punish or rehabilitate the convicts. Want to uptake a career in corrections? You may work as, including, but not limited to: a parole officer, a prison warden, a probation officer, and a guard.

📈 Criminal Justice: Research Areas

The research areas in criminal justice are similar, if not identical, to those of criminology. After all, those are two very closely related fields. The one difference is that criminal justice research has more practical than theoretical applications. But it’s fair to say that theory is the building blocks that practice bases itself on. One is impossible without the other unless the result you want is complete chaos.

So, the question is – what topic to choose for the research paper? Remember that the world of criminal justice is constantly changing. Choosing a subject for research in criminal justice, consider a relevant topic. There are many pressing issues in the field. Exploring them will undoubtedly win you points from your professor. Just make sure to choose a direction that will give you the opportunity to show off both your knowledge and your analytical skills.

Not sure that your original research direction will be appreciated? Then choose one of the standard topics. Something that is widely discussed in the media. And, of course, make sure that you are truly interested in the subject. Otherwise, your disinterest will translate into your writing, which may negatively affect the overall impression. Also, it’s just more enjoyable to work on something that resonates with you.

What can you do with your research paper? Literally anything. Explore the background of the issue. Make predictions. Compare the different takes on the matter. Maybe there are some fresh new discoveries that have been made recently. What does science say about that?

Also, remember to backup all your arguments with quotes and examples from real life. The Internet is the best library and research ground a student could hope for. The main idea of the paper, aka the thesis, must be proven by enough factual material. Otherwise, it’s best to change your research direction.

And, of course, don’t put it all off till the last minute. Make a plan and stick to it. Consistency and clever distribution of effort will take you a long way. Good luck!

🤔 Criminal Justice Research FAQs

Criminological and criminal justice research are the scientific studies of the causes and consequences, extent and control, nature, management, and prevention of criminal behavior, both on the social and individual levels.

Criminal justice and criminology are sciences that analyze the occurrence and explore the ways of prevention of illegal acts. Any conducted personal research and investigation should be supported by the implemented analytical methods from academic works that describe the given subject.

There are six interrelated areas of criminology research:

• Cybercrime research makes law enforcement professionals keep up to date with the evolving technology.
• Counter fraud research investigates cases of fraud and corruption.
• Forensics research utilizes science: DNA recovery, fingerprinting, and forensic interviewing.
• Research in policing investigates individual factors that may influence the work of police officers.
• Penology explores the role of punishment in the criminal justice system.
• The study of missing persons helps to identify patterns of victims’ behavior.

There are seven research methods in criminology:

• Quantitative research methods measure criminological and criminal justice reality by assigning numerical values to concepts to find patterns of correlation, cause and effect.
• Survey research collects information from a number of persons via their responses to questions.
• Experimental research assesses cause and effect in two comparison groups.
• Cross-sectional research studies one group at one point in time.
• Longitudinal research studies the same group over a period of time.
• Time-series designs study the same group at successive points in time.
• Meta-analysis employs quantitative analysis of findings from multiple studies.

The basis of criminological theory is criminological research. It influences the development of social policies and defines criminal justice practice.

Criminological research doesn’t just enable law students to develop analytical and presentational skills. The works of criminal justice professionals, scholars, and government policymakers dictate the way law enforcement operates. The newest ideas born out of research identify corrections and crime prevention, too.

Here is a step-by-step instruction on how to write a criminal justice research paper:

• Choose a topic
• Read the materials and take notes
• Come up with a thesis
• Create an outline for your work
• Draft the body
• Start with a cover page, an abstract, and an intro
• List the methods you used, and the results you got
• Include a discussion
• Sum it up with a conclusion
• Don’t forget a literature review and appendices
• Revise, proofread, and edit

The most common types of methodologies in criminal justice research include:

• Observation of participants.
• Surveys and interviews.
• Observation of focus groups.
• Conducting experiments.
• Analysis of secondary data and archival study.
• Mixed (a combination of the above methods).

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• The Differences Between Criminal Justice and Criminology: Which Degree Is Right for You? (Concordia St. Paul)
• Corporate Crime: Britannica
• The Development of Delinquency: NAP
• Databases for Research & Education: Gale
• A CS Research Topic Generator: Purdue University
• A Introduction To The Federal Court System: US Department of Justice
• Criminal Justice Research Topics: Broward College
• Research Topics in Criminology: Cambridge Institute of Criminology
• CRIMINOLOGY: University of Portsmouth
• Research: Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice, University of Maryland
• Criminal Justice: RAND
• Research Methods in Criminal Justice: Penn State University Libraries
• Research: School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University
• Criminology – Research Guide: Getting started (Penn Libraries)
• Criminology Research Papers: Academia
• The History & Development of the U.S. Criminal Justice System: Study.com
• CRIMINAL JUSTICE & CRIMINOLOGY: Marshall University
• Criminal Justice: Temple University
• Criminal Justice: University of North Georgia
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The schools of criminology seems like such a fascinating field — it’s definitely not for the lighthearted though! Here in the Philippines, criminology as a course is highly underrated; hopefully that’ll change!

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Criminology is the study of crime, criminal behaviour, and the legal system that deals with crimes. The study of crime covers its causes, types, and responses. It's a valuable field with many career opportunities, especially as crime rates continue to rise globally. Students and researchers must explore quality criminology dissertation ideas for their research.

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Published by Alvin Nicolas at January 4th, 2023 , Revised On February 2, 2024

Criminology students can research any of the several subfields of criminology when writing a dissertation or thesis paper. An excellent criminology dissertation topic will play a crucial role in helping you achieve the desired grades.

If you are a student of criminology pursuing a graduate or postgraduate qualification but have no idea what should be the topic of your dissertation, there is no need to panic because you are not alone on this boat.

To help you start the dissertation writing process , we have compiled a list of focused and clear criminology dissertation topics . See all the lists of topics available on this page and choose a title with which you can work best.

Also, find out how our dissertation planning service and the full dissertation service can assist you in your time of need.

Criminology Dissertation Topics

• Relationship between a child’s abuse and their involvement in criminal activity.
• Does prejudice against members of the LGBTQA+ community encourage criminal activity?
• Compare youth crime rates in Pakistan and India.
• Examine how crime reflects social responses by analysing the social construction of crime.
• A review of 10 incidents involving the growing crime of sexual assault of children in schools.
• Do you think everyone needs a gun license? If so, would this increase the crime rate?
• What are the penalties for animal cruelty? A comparison between emerging countries and industrialised nations.
• Examine the increase in corruption cases in Asian marketplaces.
• Examining the cases of bullying at school and how it increases the likelihood of young people committing crimes in the future.
• What is the punishment for retaliatory pornography under international law? A study of contrasts.
• How is the prison lifestyle portrayed in the media? – A study of the US media.
• The consequences of police abuse and torture in emerging nations, both now and in the future.
• Effective methods for detecting and combating cybercrimes in the modern world.
• Is increasing police capacity the only method to lower crime rates in underdeveloped countries? Discuss
• What steps may be made to guarantee the safety of the minority community in a nation? Make a judgement based on the criminology literature.
• How did illegal immigration affect crime levels in a state? Talk about it using one of your preferred countries as an example.
• What effects does political support have on how smoothly criminal activity operates?
• Talk about how residential building architecture and community structures contribute to crime prevention.
• Discuss the correlation between unemployment and crime using statistical evidence. Conduct the study based on the academic background, personal interests, and length of employment.
• Who stands to gain from crime prevention? Make a study of the beneficiaries, both direct and indirect.
• Would eradicating poverty result in a drop in crime? Review the qualitative aspects.
• What social and economic effects does crime deterrence have? Give a thorough analysis of the literature on any American state.
• Is there a connection between childhood events and adolescent criminal activity? Review the qualitative aspects.
• The use of biotechnology and digital environments for the prevention and control of crime in the nation of your choice.
• Does crime prediction have any chance of success? Discuss the creation of a logical defence.

Top-Notch Criminology Dissertation Topics

• What are the determinants that lead to the development of a serial killer? Do either genetics or the effects of civilisation have an impact or both?
• Is our educational system falling short of its intended objectives of developing pupils’ solid moral qualities? Discuss
• How does political unrest in a country or region relate to internal militia uprisings?
• explain the subtle distinction between criminology and law enforcement?
• How significant a role does parental supervision play in reducing the number of teenage crimes?
• What are the underlying causes of the emergence and growth of youth gangs in a society that is worried in a less developed country?
• What part can the community and schools play in successfully reducing child abuse cases?
• The development of counterfeiting, along with technological advancement
• How can racial abuse of international students damage a nation’s standing in the eyes of the world’s educational community?
• How forced labour serve as a deterrent for prisoners and provide a more effective punishment for them?
• Discuss instances of honour killings in South Asian countries.
• Was the purpose of maintaining justice tainted by violence during Black Lives Matter (BLM) campaigns?
• How are police changes necessary to enable law enforcement to combat criminal activity?
• How may the regulation of prostitution assist in lessening sex-related crimes?
• Describe the evolution of organised crime and how the Russian mafia practised it. Compare it to the actions of the Italian mafia.

Mental Health Criminology Dissertation Topics

• Analysing the relationship between mental illness and criminal behaviour.
• An international look at the mental health of sex offenders.
• Why can mental illnesses such as anxiety and sadness lead someone to consider killing someone?
• The negative impact of mental illness on a person’s behaviour.
• The link between violent behaviour and mental illness.
• How does the media affect a person’s mental health before committing a crime?
• Amnesia and what impact can it have on people as they get older?
• What impact can trauma and psychological trauma have on people’s long-term health?
• What are the benefits of the insanity defence system for the population?
• What are some ways to prevent unnecessary depression in childhood?
• What effects does religion have on a person’s mental health?
• What exactly are post-traumatic stress disorders, and what treatment options are available?
• What causes mental trauma, and what remedies are available for it?
• What role do mental health nurses have in supporting women who have miscarried?
• What potential difficulties might nurses in the UK face?

Some other interesting dissertation topics based on other subjects: Business administration dissertation topics |  HRM dissertation topics

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Psychology and Criminology Dissertation Topics

• Is the strategy used in the fight against terrorism causing a surge in domestic terrorism?
• Maximising the advantages of imprisonment as a tool for rehabilitation to reduce the likelihood of repeat offences.
• How does drug misuse result in psychological dysfunction, which increases criminality?
• Understanding the causes of special needs of individuals becoming criminals
• Is the increased focus on mass murder to blame for a rise in the number of incidents?
• Why are most employers hesitant to hire applicants with criminal histories?
• Could domestic violence against men factor in the increase in social crimes?
• The internet and other media resources have played a role in the rise of copycat crimes.
• Can social media effectively be used to prevent and detect crime?
• Does parenting have any impact on the likelihood of committing crimes?
• Are religious scandals to blame for the lowering of morality and the rise in crime?
• How do people’s attitudes and emotions drive them to commit crimes?
• Domestic abuse’s effects on a child’s violent behaviour.
• A psychological analysis of those who always instigate trouble.
• How important race in the way that the police evaluate criminal activity?

Also read: Psychology Dissertation Topics

Drugs and Criminology Dissertation Topics

• The contribution of drug treatment facilities to the reduction of crime.
• An assessment of users of cocaine and heroin.
• The relationship between drug offending, low-income households and poverty?
• The impact of marijuana legalisation on criminal behaviour.
• Is there a thin line between violent behaviour and drug abuse?
• How can drug and alcohol abuse among students be reduced?
• The role of the media in raising public awareness of the adverse effects of drug abuse.
• How can doping technology be used to prevent drug and alcohol abuse?
• How can drug use contribute to high crime rates in poor countries?
• Examine the different forms of crime caused by drug abuse.
• What are the ways to counter corruption caused by illegal activities?
• What are the adverse effects of heavy drug usage on mental health?
• Why is drug and alcohol misuse so common among gangs?
• Explore the PTSD-related drug problems that result in criminal behaviour.
• Study the most popular drugs teenagers use in the UK and their effect on their life.

Domestic Violence and Criminology Dissertation Topics

• Domestic abuse in the 21st century takes many different forms, including verbal and sexual abuse. Discuss the phenomena.
• Analyse the effects of domestic violence that result in psychological intimidation.
• Discuss the effects of domestic violence on the economy.
• Does the word “abuse” minimise how severe domestic violence actions are?
• Do acts of domestic abuse qualify as “terrorism”?
• Social systems that support the sexism of women
• Why are there reports of an increase in male abuse?
• The impact of domestic abuse on women’s mental health Makes a comparison of the circumstances in Western and Asian nations.
• Take a look at several domestic abuse incidents and compare victimology.
• What to look for in the case of domestic abuse as warning indications?
• Do domestic violence victims have a place to go where they can communicate without being judged?
• Examine the effects of the UK’s Domestic Abuse Bill.
• How can the requirements of survivors and their families be met?
• Discuss the role of society in prosecuting domestic violence offenders.
• Grants and government funding support movements against domestic violence.

Criminology Victimisation Dissertation Topics

• How do biological elements relate to breaking the law?
• The prevailing view on crime, economics, deterrence, and the logic of choice.
• What do former prisoners have to say about the matter?
• How can social interactions spread criminal norms?
• How can fear of punishment prevent people from committing crimes?
• How can committing crimes fit into the criminal’s personal goals?
• Illegal behaviour is seen through the prism of the personality of the offender.
• How does good socialisation relate to a decline in criminal activity?
• How environmental factors in a neighbourhood affect crime rates.
• How is the crime committed in line with the offender’s personal goals?

Terrorism and Criminology Dissertation Topics

• Analyse the US military’s response to terrorist activity.
• Consequences of the 9/11 attack for airline safety.
• Describe the connection between terrorism and radicalisation.
• How the country’s terrorist actions have advanced thanks to technology.?
• Analysethe effect of terrorism on the use of religion to identify people.
• Why are metropolitan areas the scene of the majority of terrorist attacks?
• Investigating the effect that perceptions play in encouraging terrorist activity in various countries.
• Reasons why during terrorist strikes, the media can be a super-spreader of dread.
• An examination of the US embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.
• Significant progress has been made in the fight against terrorism in Africa. Discuss

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How Can you Find a Top-Rated Criminology Dissertation Topic?

Students generally find criminology dissertation topics online, but one should only select from reliable sources. So, if you are looking for motivational criminology dissertation topics, you should look at the circumstances below.

• If you want to write an excellent criminology dissertation, you are advised to choose topics that solely focus on contemporary issues.
• Remember that you are going to have a direct impact on people’s lives. Make sure you understand the close relationship between criminology and law enforcement.
• You should choose a contentious issue or problem. You might want to build relationships with people. Otherwise, your research might become tedious.

The Importance of Studying Criminology

Study criminology, and you could take on a precious job for society. You could study crime, research the causes of criminal behaviour and improve education, rehabilitation and crime prevention programs. This degree could be right for you if you want to contribute to maintaining public safety.

Criminology students have a wide range of career options available to them. Immigration, education, policing, law enforcement, personal security, community planning, advocacy, counselling, public administration and international development are all exciting fields of work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tips to write an excellent criminology dissertation.

To write an excellent Criminology Dissertation:

1. Choose a compelling topic. 2. Conduct thorough research. 3. Develop a clear and coherent structure. 4. Analyze data critically. 5. Use appropriate referencing. 6. Edit and proofread meticulously.

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The topic of environmental sustainability is the talk of the town these days. The worst effects of climate change are currently being felt worldwide in the form of global warming, rising sea levels, droughts, and desertification.

Choosing a relevant topic for a project management dissertation with full consistency and dedication is one of the most important steps to consider if you want your writing work.

Business ethics is a critical study of the moral difficulties that arise in business. If you’re planning to pursue business studies, the first step is to learn about the effects of unethical practices that result in poor decisions for the business.

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What Are Criminology Dissertation Ideas

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Criminology is basically the study of all those criminal activities which do not have any relation to legal action but it studies criminal activities.

There are many criminology dissertation topics which can be helpful for the students who are studying criminology.

• Impact of corruption on society.
• Role of technology in increasing crime rate.
• Role of women in criminal activities.
• Crime is worse than any other activity.
• Crime free society is possible in reality or it's a myth.
• Media plays a role in making young people criminals.
• Increasing marital rape case.
• Justice for LGBT community.
• Is human trafficking making the society unethical?
• Can we improve the behaviour of criminals by imprisonment?
• Is social media a reason for criminal activities?
• How can we make a society corruption free?

Read Also:  Debate Topics

What are the rules of choosing criminology research topics.

There is no fixed rule of choosing a research topic but you should understand some basic principles while selecting a topic for writing the dissertation. It should be flexible enough, if you need to implement any new idea then flexibility is very important and it should have a base of real case studies. You should be confident enough so that the reader can also feel confident and all the arguments should have some basic facts.

When you are selecting a topic for writing the dissertation on criminology you should acquire some knowledge of practical issues of this topic because this subject is dynamic in nature so you should also prefer dynamic topics for writing the dissertation on this subject.

How To Write Criminology Dissertation?

There are many ways to write a beautiful criminology dissertation but there are some patterns which have to be followed while writing criminology dissertation as it requires deep analysis of the topic. Here we will understand all the important points of dissertation writing.

• First of all, you have to write an introduction which consists of all the important questions of the issue and give an idea about the main body which you are going to mention later in the dissertation.
• You have to mention the guide who helped you in writing the criminology dissertation.
• Mentioning about the types of criminology.
• Mentioning about all the critical issues related to your dissertation topic.
• Now you have to prepare the dissertation.
• Now make a checklist which can assure you whether you have covered all the points or not.
• Designing the criminology dissertation.
• Mentioning the chapter insight in which you have to mention all the ideas related to criminology dissertation.
• Now mention the criminology dissertation proposal.
• Finding the dissertation topics.
• Categories the dissertation topic.
• Mention all the types of criminology dissertation.
• Analysing the methodology used to answer the question.
• Mentioning all moral issues related to criminology dissertation topics.
• Finding out all the gap areas of the dissertation topic.
• Mentioning about the criminal justice procedure related to crime.
• Now write down about any sensitive topic.
• If you have any alternative dissertation topic.
• Mentioning criminology dissertation.

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How to write police dissertation ideas.

When you think about writing about the police dissertation ideas because if you choose a topic which is very narrow in ideas, in that case you do not get enough flexibility to add on something and once you should proofread the dissertation before submitting it to your guide. There are some important police dissertation ideas which can give you an idea about the topic.

• Is it possible to create a crime free world?
• Is abortion is a crime or not?
• Is YouTube helping people in learning or spreading nuances in society?
• Child pornography must be banned.
• Social media is creating social issues in society
• Does lifetime imprisonment help in controlling the crime rate?
• Is technology helping the people in indulging in criminal activities?
• Discuss the fundamental rights of criminals.
• Is crime a social evil?
• How can nuclear technology be a big reason for national crime?
• Who is considered more inclined in criminal activities, women or men?
• Is juvenile justice helping the minors from criminal activities?
• How biotechnology is helping biological crime?
• How psychology can help people from criminal activities?
• What are the reasons of human trafficking?
• How can social movies help people from criminal activities?
• How genetic engineering can control human trafficking issue?

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Let us see some criminology examples.

Criminology dissertation requires a deep understanding of criminal activities because nowadays you can see several kinds of criminal activities in society, hence you can see the importance of the criminology subject, as a result many students are opting this subject in studies as it is dynamic in nature, you can see many new kind of criminal cases everyday hence, you can see many examples of criminal activities which can help you in quoting the criminology dissertation example in assignment writing.

Most student need to write their dissertation assignment for completing their graduation or post-graduation, hence they require dissertation help service provider in the UK which can help them in completing the assignment on time but most dissertation writing services are not up to the mark, therefore, student should check the customer reviews on social media because there you can find real customer reviews which will help you in choosing the best writing service provider but if you select substandard service provider who even do not have good writers who are the whole and sole of the writing service then it would result negatively, thereby you always choose the best writing service who can fulfil all your requirements without any trouble and you should also care about the customer service of that company which is providing you the service because customer service is very important when you have to revise something in the dissertation. Nowadays most writing service providers are giving their services at a reasonable cost.

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UNDERGRADUATE AND MASTERS DISSERTATIONS

The Internet Journal of Criminology presents Masters and first class undergraduate dissertations in the field of criminology, which are considered by the Editorial Board to be worthy of publication.

The IJC will only publish undergraduate dissertations that receive a first class mark, and it should be noted that these criminology papers are NOT peer reviewed, edited or assessed for their quality. So long as the student was given a first class mark and the paper is criminological in content we will publish it, thereby offering up and coming criminologists an outlet through which to become published. To download the articles please click on the links below.....

Pre and Post 9/11: An Exploration into Societal and Media Understandings of Extremist Organisations and Counter-Terrorism Preventative Measures in the United Kin gdom

       Amelia Ann Twinkle Bell, 2023. Leeds School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beckett University

Terrorism is an ever-evolving concept and has been subject to significant advancements in recent history (Fussey and Richards, 2008.) Although these developments are well documented in academic literature, there is a clear lack of comparative evaluations between initial understandings and recent outlooks on terrorism. As a result of this, the following piece explores the recent history of extremism in the United Kingdom in relation to counter-terrorism measures, media representations and societal understandings. In order to further understand these aspects of terrorism discourse and how changes came into effect, this dissertation first highlights the importance of the terrorist attack that occurred on the 11th of September 2001 and how this in turn revolutionised global understandings of terrorism. This critical event has become an increasingly important element in academic literature discussing modern terrorism (Crenshaw, 2002) and this piece finds that these attacks have been a catalyst for the development of two distinctive eras of terrorism within the United Kingdom. The eras discussed within this piece are that of the era of the Prevention of Terrorism (temporary provisions) Act (1974) and the newfound era of the war on terror. This has allowed the piece to take a comparative approach in order to fully understand and compare the critical shifts in media representations, societal understandings and counter-terrorism preventative measures within each era. In further support of this, this dissertation has evaluated the different extremist threats within the UK and examines the two most prominent extremist groups evident in each era, the Irish Republican Army and ISIS.  

I nvestigating the Role of Empathy and Emotional Intelligence on Attitudes Towards Coercive Control                                                  

                        Holly Isabelle Harris  Loughborough University, Division of Criminology

Coercive control has come to the forefront of intimate partner violence research since updated changes within legislation has made the offence easier to define and understand. Attitudes towards intimate partner violence have been linked as being one of the most prominent predictors in the perpetration of intimate partner violence however, research fails to examine the relationship between attitudes and coercive control specifically. Previous research focuses on factors influencing attitudes concerning intimate partner violence including gender, age, economic and education status, and although important, there is a lack of research in the area of psychological variables and their impact on attitudes towards relationship behaviours. In order to investigate the role of psychological variables, this study examined which variables are the strongest predictors in attitudes towards healthy relationships, which for the purposes of this study refers to the extent to which participants hold attitudes in agreement and/or disagreement with coercive controlling behaviours. As well as demographics, the variables in question are emotional intelligence, cognitive and affective empathy, egocentricity, and interpersonal manipulation. Participants were a self-selected sample from the general public (N=301) and were required to complete the Psychopathic Personality Traits Scale (PPTS), The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue-SF), and The Attitudes Towards Healthy Relationship Scale (ATHRS).  Results were analysed using independent t -tests and multiple regressions whereby all variants of psychopathy were associated with unhealthier relationship attitudes, as well as the demographic variables of ethnicity and education. Additionally, men were more psychopathic on all variants in comparison to women. Emotional Intelligence was found to be an insignificant factor in predicting ATHRS.  This study provides novel contributions to the literature due to the development of the ATHRS as a new measurement tool when investigating coercive control and demonstrates potential practical implications. Limitations of the current study and future research recommendations are discussed within the subsequent chapters. 

The Victorian Fin de Siècle and The Criminal Other

                                By Erika Urban- Szabo London Metropolitan University

  This thesis examines Victorians and crime by looking at how a unique set of anxieties that appeared throughout the Victorian era formed society's perceptions of crime and criminals. It argues that progressively the figure of the criminal other, the social enemy emerged, and this combined with the omnipotent fear of crime and tinted with the notion of degeneration resulted in even the pettiest of criminals being regarded as a monstrous threat to society and ultimately to all of civilization (Foucault 1978). Respectively, the ‘literature of crime’ appeared and flourished, concerning crime and reflecting the social anxieties, such as immigration, sexuality- particularly of women, moral degeneracy, and reverse colonization. Bram Stoker's renowned book, Dracula, with the frightful illustration of the Count and his influence touched with his readers in the setting of the closing hours of civilization.

The Grenfell Tower disaster: A case study of corporate crime

                                          By Eliza Riggs Manchester Metropolitan University    

This is a case study which has applied a Marxist theoretical framework along with Zemiology. With the application of these frameworks, this thesis argues that the Grenfell Tower Fire is a victim of corporate crime to the highest degree due to the innumerable social harms. This study is important as it comes at a time where, even as many as six years on, there is yet to be any justice from the deviant omissions of the council and corporations involved in the fatal refurbishment project. The study closely examines the causative role that deregulation and stigmatisation of territory, social housing and race came to play in laying the foundations of the fire on the night of the 14th of June 2017, each individually and in their interconnected relationship. The case study is interesting as it applies Marxism, to criticise power relations in a capitalist society, and Zemiology, a somewhat contested theory, to examine the ripple of harms created before, during and after the disaster. Even how the research questions focus on corporate crime is interesting as it a contentious area of research due to how broad it is. Moreover, the study builds on relevant Marxist critical works to support and establish the validity of these key theories and frameworks, as well as providing key statistics and policies surrounding the high-rise building. Notably, the case study also uses a range of resources from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry as it is argued to have the most unbiased findings. Fundamentally, these key theories and frameworks, combined together, establish a new perspective on the social disaster. The study concludes, through the perpetual manifestation of harms, that Grenfell is a victim of corporate crime due to criminal negligence through deregulation (laisse-faire capitalism), stigmatisation of social housing and stigmatisation of race, ultimately breaching the Human Rights Act 1998. Although, most the implications are interesting and important, arguably the most interesting implication is that due to inaction after the disaster there is a possibility that another fire like Grenfell could be round the corner. 

A Contextual Exploration of the Contributing Factors of Ritualistic Murders

                                                        By Evelin G. Csabai, University of Portsmouth

Ritualistic mu rder is an undefined and under-researched concept. It is often discussed in connection with serial murder, fantasy-driven behaviour, religion and culture, and mental health disorders. This study discussed and presented the above-mentioned topics and discovered their potential contributions or causal relationships to ritualistic murder. The research further examined the overlap between the characteristics of ritualistic murderers and those of serial killers. In addition, the dissertation identified gaps in knowledge and suggested directions for future research, including the need for a unified definition of ritualistic murder and a deeper understanding of the role of underlying issues. Overall, the findings concluded that ritualistic murder is a wide umbrella term that has important implications for the fields of criminology and psychology. This dissertation elucidated that further research around ritualistic murder could aid in differentiating between and understanding perpetrators of this crime, and thereby potentially reduce crime rates. Furthermore, it was highlighted that by researching this phenomenon, its causal and contributing factors could be addressed and criminal justice agencies could develop more efficient and effective ways of dealing with these perpetrators.

An Examination of Adolescent to Parent Abuse and Violence Within England and Wales. The Perspectives of Practitioners Within the Criminal Justice System and Surrounding Agencies.

A dissertation submitted in part-fulfilment of the degree of

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Criminology

                                                              Imogen Allan ( Nottingham Trent University )  March 2023

The intention of this research is to present an examination of adolescent to parent abuse and violence within England and Wales.  Through conducting semi structured interviews with four practitioners who work within the criminal justice system and surrounding agencies, this research aims to improve understanding on three key elements of the abuse; its prevalence, the impacts, and the resources available to support families experiencing it.  Taking particular interest in the relationship between single mothers and sons, and how single mothers may be impacted differently, this research uses feminist methods to explore the gendered nature of the abuse.    This research piece concludes that, as hypothesized, single mothers and sons seemingly are disproportionately impacted.  While practitioners agree that this is a prominent issue within England and Wales, perspectives varied regarding how to respond to the abuse.  This research found that the absence of a clear definition, legislation and awareness of the abuse prevents the criminal justice system and surrounding agencies from having unified response to combat the issue.

Infants in the Timeline of IT

An exploratory study, seeking to assess the risk of misinformative radicalisation and subsequent challenges to safeguarding young people posed by the Covid-19 Pandemic and the social media surge in usage which followed .

                                                            Alexander Kounoupias, University of Portsmouth 2023.

Is the Taliban’s use of cyberspace and their attempt to rule as an emerging liberal state, a security threat to Afghanistan and the West?

                                                     Mia Isobel Elias, University of Portsmouth   2022

This dissertation is a research study into the Taliban’s fight to become an internationally recognised liberal state, their use of cyberspace and if this is a security threat to Afghanistan or the West. This dissertation provides extensive research into the following objectives: to assess to what extent the Taliban is an emerging liberal state, to understand the impact of the Taliban as an emerging state on Afghanistan and the West as well as to understand the impact of the use of cyberspace by the Taliban on their potential status as a liberal state. The research carried out to effectively discuss the objectives was semi-structured interviews and social media analysis. The interviews provided the reader in-depth knowledge to discuss alongside existing literature. The social media analysis mainly focused on how the Taliban’s official spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid utilises cyberspace. This dissertation concludes the Taliban are not operating as liberal state so they should not be seen as the new government of Afghanistan. The citizens of Afghanistan are at risk of the Taliban’s action. Since the takeover, a humanitarian crisis has been present in the country. The Taliban’s use of cyberspace as a state terrorist organisation is not a current cyber threat to Afghanistan or the West. The Taliban have engaged in the cybercrime of fake news. Finally, future risks regarding the Taliban’s future use of cyberspace and the possibility of their relationship with China should not be ignored

Human Rights and Policing ‘An examination into how the Police attempt to protect Human Rights and the effects the Human Rights Act (1998) has on Police Powers’

                                                            Shauna Curry - University of Wales.

Deep rooted within the British Constitution lies the idea that humans are entitled to basic human rights and freedoms. Landmark developments include the Magna Carta of 1215 and the Human Rights Act (1998). The foundation of liberal democracy is that all humans are equal, so the protection of human rights is vitally important for democratic effectiveness. In a democratic society, police officers hold a unique position as one of the most significant law enforcement authorities and serve as human rights and constitutional protectors. However, policing is often viewed through its failures and not its potential successes. This noble profession of protection, defence, reassurance and restoration of peace and social order has come under scrutiny for its violation of human rights, and disconnection from the principles of democratic governance. Balancing rights has become a perennial question. Critically, how far can police balance the needs of society for peace and security with individual’s rights including the suspect and the accused. Therefore, via social research this study attempts to address and examine how police attempt to protect human rights and determine the effects that the Human Rights Act (1998) has on police powers

Social media’s role in the online abuse against feminist advocates. 

            By Chloe Biddle, University of Portsmouth, Institute of Criminal Justice Studies

Feminism, as a social movement is defined as a global, political movement for equality and the liberation of women. The phenomena of feminism can be dated back before the 19th century; however, this study places a focus on the first wave (1848-1920), second wave (1963-the 1980s), third wave (1990s - 2010s), and fourth-wave feminism (2012- present). Despite the key focus of each wave differing throughout these periods, the fundamental goal underpinning feminism is to advocate for women’s rights socially, economically and politically. Contemporary feminism focuses on the issue of digital feminist activism and discusses how the digital world has provided a gateway for freedom of expression online. But consequently, also created a platform for abuse and violence, especially on social media platforms.    The overarching aim of this research study was to understand the forms of abuse experienced online by persons with public feminist accounts and the resulting harm. The objectives of this study were to firstly, critically explore the language and content used against those who have public feminist profiles, by studying social media posts and threads. Secondly, to critically analyse gendered differences between public feminist advocate posts and attitudes towards them. Lastly, to critically consider the intersecting harms and abuses experienced by persons belonging to several marginalised groups. The non-participant observation was undertaken to observe how online abuse is conveyed on Twitter. Eight public Twitter profiles were analysed using thematic analysis to determine five main themes. The five main themes identified were: support and solidarity, misogyny and sexism, challenging or denial of the victim, white feminism, and anti-male exclusionary behaviours. The main findings of this study revealed that white feminism and anti-male exclusionary attitudes were the most prominent types of abuse found on Twitter. This study contributes to existing knowledge as it highlights the key ways abuse is formulated online, which can aid the amendments of terms and conditions and safety policies, including the Online Safety Bill.  

“ Is she thick as sh*t? You get with someone like that for the abuse”:   A Qualitative Analysis of Twitter to Understand Public Perceptions of Female Celebrity Survivors of Intimate Partner Abuse.

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment for the requirements of the MSC (Hons)Victimology and Criminal Psychology  degree

                                                      By  Sophie Leitch, University of Portsmouth 

Male violence against women and girls has grabbed the attention of the public and policy-makers in recent years following numerous extreme examples of misogyny and femicide, most notably the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer. Intimate partner abuse (IPA) is especially topical currently due to the recent high-profile proceedings between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, which have generated significant public interest, and strong opinions on the matter.  

The aim of this dissertation was to better understand public opinions about female survivors of IPA. To achieve this, a qualitative content analysis was conducted on Tweets which had been shared in relation to the three celebrity survivors selected as case studies: Amber Heard, Evan Rachel Wood and Rhianna. The research highlighted that, despite significant changes within legislation and the criminal justice system’s response to IPA over the years, victim blaming attitudes, as reflected within early positivistic victimology theories, remain prevalent in society today. Such attitudes ultimately impact on the support provided to survivors and their ability to obtain justice. The research demonstrated the continued difficulties in obtaining “victim status”, and how this status can be rejected as a result of both how the abuser is perceived as well as the survivor’s own behaviour or characteristics. The data indicated that the highly influential notion of Christie’s “ideal victim” persists, albeit the characteristics associated with it have evolved in line with women’s changing position in society. It is evident that more research is required in this field to better understand the complexities around who is granted victim status and who is denied it, alongside education programmes to improve the public’s understanding of IPA.

To what extent is the age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales correct? 

                  By Zoe Emma Treasure (University of Lincoln)

In England and Wales, the point at which a child can be held criminally responsible for their actions is 10 years of age. This is vastly out of line with ages of civic responsibilities and societal freedoms, which are most commonly set between 16 and 18 years of age. In England and Wales, a child cannot consent to sexual activity, vote, consent to healthcare, sit on a jury or marry another person until they meet the appropriate age threshold. The illogicality of this is made apparent by the notion that a child of ten years can be held to have sufficient competence to commit murder, yet they cannot get medical treatment alone. This dissertation will outline the history of minimum age of criminal responsibility, along with identifying the illogicality of the current age. Proposals for reform will also be made.

‘ Scare in the community’. Crime, Fear and Facebook. Exploring the effect of Facebook crime content and resident’s fears and perceptions of crime in Portsmouth .

                                                                          By Sarah Hardy. University of Portsmouth.

Research surrounding the fear of crime, media, and its effect on fear of crime is in abundance, however the relatively new concept of social media, particularly Facebook and its relationship to a fear of crime, is under-researched.  

The current study explores crime-related content on Facebook and the relationship to fear of crime. Aiming to fill a gap in the literature that addresses the relationship between consumption of crime-related content and fear of crime, surveys were disseminated to a sample of the population to investigate whether viewing crime-related content on Facebook can affect crime fears amongst residents in Portsmouth. It also explores perceptions of crime and neighbourhood characteristics. The survey uses both open and closed questions in a mixed-methods approach which enables quantitative data, and some rich, personal, qualitative data. 

The findings reveal that crime-related content consumption on Facebook did not significantly contribute to a fear of crime amongst the respondents, but it did make them more aware of criminal activity, and that females were only slightly more fearful of crime than males. Further findings on neighbourhood characteristics did however produce themes that suggest certain areas of the city such as parks and alleyways are significantly related to feelings of rising crime. This study provides a basis for understanding social media viewing and crime, but further research in this field is required in order to fully understand how viewing crime content on Facebook effects individuals fears and perceptions of crime.    

How and to what extent does a custodial sentence influence a convict’s rehabilitative and reintegrative prospects? A comparative study into French and Irish contexts .

        By  Victoire Stephan University College Dublin and Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas 

                                                        (Masters dissertation)

While there is extensive literature concerned with the efficiency of alternative or community sentences in achieving desistance and reintegration, the influence of custodial sentences on post-prison rehabilitation in a comparative framework is rarely evoked. A custodial sentence is a judicial sentence requiring an offender to be imprisoned . It involves a form of modern penal confinement, accompanied with sentencing practices that often relate to punishment, deterrence and rehabilitation . However, after penal servitude, the condemned criminal facing life after bars is confronted with inevitable challenges attached to re-entry, in preparation for effective reintegration. Indeed, in the collective imaginary, prison has shifted from being a place solely aimed at punishing offenders to a setting for transformation of deviant individuals . What this dissertation intends on developing is how these rehabilitative processes and goals practically unfold. 

Journey into the world of the incel. An investigation into the emergence of the incel subculture and an evaluation of their threat to women.

              By Zsuzsa Holmes University of Portsmouth Institute of Criminal Justice Studies (2021)

I ncels are a predominantly Western, antifeminist online subculture who represent an increasing threat to public safety. This project explores incels and evaluates the threat they pose to women (their enemy) and to greater society. This research reports on the results of a systematic literature review on incels and the debates encompassing the incelosphere. Incels represent a manifestation of twenty-first century socio-economic shifts and technological innovations. The backlash from women’s ongoing liberation, neoliberalism and the #MeToo movement within an increasingly technological landscape have amplified an existing undercurrent of toxic masculinity and antifeminist rhetoric. This interdisciplinary investigation explores the context from which the incel emerged, their myopic ideology and subcultural identity. Findings suggest incels are an emerging societal harm who promote and incite online and real-life violence and extremism. Essentially, the incelosphere offers a platform to spread violent misogyny, radicalise young men and fuel extremism. This research illuminates the state of play of men’s online movements and aids in exposing and holding accountable those who inhabit the manosphere as well as the technological conglomerates who offer the tools for radicalisation. Ultimately, incels place a mirror to the parts of society which are failing where greater support is vital for vulnerable individuals to prevent them from falling down the slippery slope of radicalisation. 

The Silent Pandemic of Vulnerable Children. An explorative study into professional perspectives of risk factors that contributed to rising child abuse cases during the first UK lockdown. 

                                      By Phoebe White. University of Northampton

Child abuse impacts thousands of children in the UK every year, significantly implicating their safety, welfare, and development. When the Coronavirus Pandemic began in 2020, national lockdowns were enforced internationally to preserve public health and prevent the spread of the virus. The implications of these lockdowns meant millions of children were confined to their homes for several months, with limited contact with key professionals and services previously in place to identify and prevent abuse or maltreatment. Previous knowledge of child abuse has shown the risk factors which can lead to a child experiencing abuse, now exacerbated by the Coronavirus pandemic.

This study has taken an interpretivist paradigm to meticulously explore the risk factors which had contributed to rising abuse cases during the UK lockdown. Using a mixed method approach, this was done via interviews with two social workers and an Executive Headteacher from an Academy Trust, 17 questionnaire participants from the same academy and secondary data published by the Children Commissioner in April 2020.

The findings had concluded that there were several implicating risk factors contributing to rising child abuse cases during the UK lockdown, therefore this cannot be pinpointed to one factor alone. These risks are not new in the context of child abuse; however, they were worsened through the pandemic. The recommendations of this study concluded that Covid-19 has ultimately changed our safeguarding landscape, therefore professionals should use the challenges presented by the pandemic to improve practice and knowledge, ultimately working towards preventing children experiencing harm and maltreatment.

E xploring the effects of rape myth acceptance and gender role attitudes on the perceptions of the female victim and male perpetrator of date rape.

By Heena Patel, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK

The commonality of date rape is high and includes a forced sexual encounter with a perpetrator that the victim knows and trusts. Conversely, society’s views on rape do not fit this idea (Zaleski et al., 2016). People’s perceptions of a date rape scenario have been found to be affected by pre-existing beliefs including rape myth acceptance (RMA) and gender role attitudes (GRA), which has great implications for the criminal justice system and future interventions for both victims and perpetrators of date rape (Grubb and Turner, 2012). The present study aimed to explore whether participants GRA and RMA have an influence on their perceptions of victim and perpetrator responsibility, impact, punishment, and guilt in the context of a date rape scenario.  University students aged over 18 years (N = 98) were recruited opportunistically via snowball sampling. The results indicated that participants’ (with low RMA) perceptions of date rape regarding responsibility, impact, punishment and guilt did not differ across levels of GRA. The study concluded that traditional GRA did not influence people’s perceptions on date rape, but this study could only draw conclusions for those with low RMA. Therefore, this study provides supporting evidence for the shift in gender equality. Future research should examine the effects of RMA and GRA on same-sex date rape, as date rape perceptions in this area are less clear. 

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO RECIDIVISM: THE CASE OF PRISON INMATES AT HAWASSA CORRECTIONAL CENTER, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

B Y  TOMAS TSEGAYE HAKI 2021 HAWASSA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA

Nowadays, the issue of crime in general and recidivistic behavior in particular, has become a great problem in Ethiopia. Every crime has social and economic costs for both society and the individuals, but most importantly recidivism creates fear and insecurity among the society along with continuous loss of property and life, plus it escalates expenditures on law enforcement and criminal justice. However, recidivism and its factors are not adequately understood in Ethiopia. Hence, this study tried to examine the factors that contribute to recidivism, with particular emphasis on prison inmates at Hawassa correctional center. A mixed research approach and cross-sectional study design were employed. The quantitative data was collected from all recidivists (80) selected through comprehensive sampling. On the other hand, qualitative data was gathered from seventy purposively selected participants using key informant interviews, semi-structured interviews, and case studies. The quantitative data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques while the qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study results showed that recidivism is emanating from; personal factors which comprise age, sex, educational background, alcohol and drug use; socio-economic factors which include lack of family support, peer pressure, negative community attitude, unemployment, income shortage, and homelessness as well as institutional factors which encompass mistreatment by prison staff, ineffective services, overcrowding, lack of inmate classification system, inmates subculture and lack of assistance upon release. Based on the findings, the researcher recommends that efforts to incorporate the issue of recidivism and social reintegration of offenders in current criminal policy, the prison management should introduce offender oriented treatment programs and work with community groups, faith-based institutions, and volunteer individuals and organizations to assist released prisoners in creating opportunities for them.

What makes the Modern English Football Hooligan? Understanding this Phenomenon: An Analytical Exploration into Criminological Theory, History and Identity.

                                                                By Alex R. Goulding, Nottingham Trent University

The aim of this research is to create a clearer understanding of the modern English football hooligan and the crime of football hooliganism. This will be accomplished through an in depth study, looking at alternative criminological theories used by academics to explain the phenomenon, as well as its surrounding history and identity. More specifically, the research will arrive at a definition which summaries particular characteristics that constitute the modern football hooligan - as there is currently no consensus or legal definition regarding this crime - as well as creating a model showing football hooliganism’s evolvement over time. A secondary research method utilising an amalgamation of both qualitative and quantitative data will be used to collate a broad depth of information suitable for answering the question. The study concludes with a contemporary definition and model of football hooliganism, which strongly recommends the need for more research into this type of crime, placing emphasis on the need to legally decide the precise definition of this phenomenon, avoiding future uncertainty and scepticism.

Capital Punishment - A Macabre Method of Revenge? A Justified Method of Retribution? Or Something Totally Different?

Should and will this Highly Controversial Practice of State Execution ever be Reinstated in the United Kingdom?

A Literature Review and a Primary Research Comparison of the Viewpoints of Individuals Studying MA Criminology at NTU Compared to Those Who do Not.

                           Alexander R. Goulding, M. A. Criminology Dissertation, Nottingham Trent University  

This research aims to investigate and evaluate contemporary primary viewpoints as well as secondary literature and data on the pros and cons of CP, determining the likelihood of reinstating CP within the UK in the future. More specifically, these primary viewpoints consist of 5 individuals studying MA criminology at NTU and 5 individuals who do not study MA criminology: members of the general public. Each sample consists as individual FGs for the purpose of this project. As CP was last carried out in the UK in 1964, it is a topic that may seem alien to many people of current generations. It is therefore relevant to investigate this relatively overlooked topic to understand its current consensus in 2018. The literature review divulges into topics such as retribution, deterrence and public safety. Additionally, results from the FGs displayed a huge range of diversified responses, with participants studying MA criminology less in favour of reinstalling CP in the UK in comparison to non-MA criminology participants. The research ultimately concludes that whilst in the view of the author that there may be significant benefits of reintroducing CP to the UK at some point in the future, the current CJS is not currently suitable. As a result, it seems very unlikely that the return of CP in the UK will happen at any time in the near future.

A Critical Review of Injustices Faced by Ethnic Minority Communities and the Resulting Social Harms

Chloe Elizabeth Coleman, MA Criminology & Criminal Justice, Aberystwyth University. 

Disproportionality within the justice system in England and Wales is a very well-researched topic. While various groups are victims of unfair treatment, it is fair to argue that ethnic minority individuals suffer a great amount of injustice. Faced with stereotypical attitudes and prejudices from society, these attitudes influence how they are viewed and treated, by the justice system and vice versa. Faced with injustices at every stage of the justice system, from their first encounter to their last, it is inevitable that ethnic minority individuals who are brought into contact with the justice system, will inevitably become victims of social harms. By acknowledging the injustices faced by these individuals through the theoretical approach of social harms, this dissertation has explored various issues that contribute to the harms suffered by individuals, in the justice system. They are issues that should not be discussed separately, because they all lead to the same outcome – injustices that affect the most vulnerable communities.

To what extent has the proposed racialised media narrative influenced white women’s perceptions of Muslim men as sexual predators? 

                     By Rhys Terry. University of Plymouth. MSc Criminology. School of Society and Culture

Currently, scholarship researching the racialised media narrative of Muslim men as sexual predators is yet to provide qualitative data testing its significance on shaping public opinion. Research from the likes of Cockbain and Tufail (2020) largely rely on illustrative examples, especially those addressing the infamous ‘Asian grooming gang’ scandals of the early 2010s, to conclude that liberal media outlets have legitimised a racial stereotype in wider public opinion. Taking this conclusion, this study attempts to test the significance this proposed media narrative has had in shaping the perceptions of Muslim men as sexual predators using qualitative evidence from the discourse’s primary target audience; white women. Sampling white women aged 18-65, this project uses participant responses from semi-structured, in-depth interviews to ascertain its position.

  “She was drunk! What did she expect?” Predicting attitudes towards intoxicated sexual consent based upon demographic, psychological and attitudinal factors

          By Cameron Nyland, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK

The definition of sexual consent is blurred, causing a reduction in victims reporting the offence and thus, perpetrators facing just punishments. Engaging in sexual activity whilst intoxicated is, by definition, illegal; laws in England and Wales state that alcohol causes individuals to lose the capacity to make such choices. This study investigates whether the belief that consenting to sexual activity whilst intoxicated is acceptable can be predicted through examining demographic, psychological and attitudinal factors. For this study, a community sample of 2,878 participants took part in a questionnaire that investigated demographic factors, levels of self-esteem, social dominance, hypermasculinity and their attitudes towards sexual consent whilst intoxicated. Hypermasculinity, social dominance orientation, self-esteem, education status, age and the existence of psychopathic traits were found to be predictive of an individual’s attitudes towards intoxicated sexual consent. The study finds that implementing policies in bars, night clubs and other environments to advertise signs of problematic attitudes towards sexual consent that are likely indicators of sexual misconduct could be effective as a means of reducing sexual violence. Further reductions can be made through sex education classes being better informed in how to discuss situations in which sexual consent can and cannot be accepted.

The Oppression of Factory-Farmed Animals: A Critical Discourse Analysis of English and Welsh Animal Welfare Legislation

                                                                               By Libbie Nicklin

It is well established that factory farms subject the non-human animals confined to significant abuse. But what does a close analysis of the legislation in place for their ‘protection’ reveal about their plight? Utilising critical discourse analysis and informed by a non-speciesist and species justice perspective, this dissertation highlights the oppression of factory-farmed animals as prevalent in the language use of English and Welsh animal welfare legislation. The findings reveal that they are oppressed through the use of speciesist language, representing them as inferior; their suffering is disguised through the use of cleverly chosen language; and existing as welfare law gives the public the impression that these beings are protected from harm, but in reality, contributes to the legitimisation of abuse. This research contributes to the sub-discipline of green criminology by greater incorporating the harms of factory farming into its field. Overall, this project keeps the justice, rights, and victimhood of factory-farmed animals at its very centre, hoping that it acts as a first step toward discourse that promotes harmonious relations with non-human animals.

The motivation of volunteer police officers in Baden-Württemberg between family support and cop-culture - A qualitative Study.

By Friedrich Schwindt, University of Essex.

Module: Criminology and Criminal Psychology Thesis: March 2020

Thesis submitted for the Degree of MSc in Criminology and Criminal Psychology

The Voluntary Police Service in Baden-Württemberg (FPD) occupies a particular position in the structure of the Federal Republic's police forces. Members of the Freiwillige Polizeidienst (FPD), founded in 1963, are police officers according to the police law of Baden-Württemberg. They wear a police uniform that differs from the regular police force only in the badges of rank, and they are armed. The study examines factors that have influenced the motivation of members of the FPD when taking up and continuing their service .  

Why is it so difficult to find a job after serving a prison sentence? (A qualitative study of employers’ perception of hiring ex-offenders)

                                            By Matúš Jusko, London Metropolitan University

Ex-offender employability is a complex topic with numerous points of view. Nevertheless, the notion that ex-offenders should be offered all the necessary help to be reintegrated into society is highly supported by academics and the general society too. There is evidence that ex-offenders who are not able to find a job are more likely to re-offend. However, on many occasions, these attempts fail due to numerous different reasons. This research aims to discover what is the experience of hiring an ex-offender like and what are the most common pitfalls of ex-offender employability. Lastly, to identify future implications to improve the situation.

The Criminal Exploitation Of Young People Through County Lines And Criminal Justice Responses.

                                          Louise Kay. Manchester Metropolitan University

The past several years have witnessed an evolution of the drugs supply markets, which prompted a central government response.  Worth an estimated £9.4 billion (Black, 2020), the drugs industry has developed a distribution model that supplies drugs to coastal towns and villages in a process known as county lines.  The central features of county lines are the use of mobile technology and social media and the recruitment of young people by organised criminal gangs, who are used to transport and sell substances between markets.  Once recruited, they are quickly placed into debt bondage, exacerbating their involvement.  

Despite the exploitation of young people to commit criminal acts, the mechanisms introduced to recognise those exploited as victims have been described as not fit for purpose.  As a result, many young people who are recognised as victims endure criminal proceedings, resulting in them being criminalised.    

The Human Cost of PREVENT: , A Systematic Literature Review of the UK’s Counter-Radicalisation Policy

                                                      By Emily George. University of Plymouth

As more contemporary acts of terror have reached global news, the phenomenon has placed counter-terrorism at the forefront of academia and politics. Over time the conversation has shifted to preventing radicalisation domestically. Academia’s increased focus has led to a murky, confusing landscape for future researchers to navigate, specifically concerning the effectiveness of policies. This systematic literature review aims to shed clarity on this area of research. Collating, exploring, and analysing current literature, the study asks what the overall evaluation of PREVENT is and the human cost of this policy within the Education sector.

An Equal Portrayal?: British Media Representations of Male versus Female Child Sex Offenders.

Georgia Shearman: University of Huddersfield for the degree of BSc (Hons) Criminology with Law.

The main aim of this research was to uncover if there were any differences in the way the British newspapers portray male and female child sex offenders. Specifically, the labels, language, discourses and narratives were analysed to uncover if and what differences there were in the portrayals. Additionally, the theory which best explained these differences in portrayals was researched, in relation to news theory such as Newsworthiness or feminist theory such as Male Gaze or Double Deviance. Consequently, the main theories drawn on for this research were Newsworthiness and the Ideal Victim and Ideal Offender concepts, along with feminist theories of Double Deviance, Male Gaze and the Chivalry theory .

Academic Fraud: How Do Students Plagiarise? Can The System Be Beaten?

    By Louis Wassell Nottingham Trent University Division of Sociology BA (Hons) Criminology

Plagiarism is something that all students have heard of, yet still some are unaware of the intricacies of it. The same can be said for Turnitin, which is also a huge part of university work. By critically assessing the use of Turnitin, it can be discovered if there is an alternative to the online anti-plagiarism software. Therefore, this dissertation set out to analyse plagiarism based primarily on secondary research and attempts to simplify the matter for the benefit of future students. To test the effectiveness of Turnitin, a short web-based experiment was carried out, with the aim to see how much plagiarism Turnitin can find when plagiarising intentionally and to see if it can be ‘beaten’.  

Understanding how narrative presentations impact stigma and punitive attitudes towards individuals with paedophilic disorder

                        By  Gianna Cadorna Royal Holloway University of London

The public stigma towards people with paedophilic disorder was previously considered a blind spot in the stigmatisation literature. However, in recent years, we have seen increased attention to this topic, specifically researchers have emphasised the importance of reducing this public stigma towards people with paedophilia, in a bid to encourage willingness to seek therapy and thus, reducing the risk of committing child sexual abuse. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of narrative humanisation presentations in reducing the stigmatic and punitive attitudes towards people with paedophilic disorder. This was done by distributing self-administered questionnaires to a student population (N = 100). It was hypothesised that the participants in the experimental condition (narrative presentation condition) would exhibit less stigmatic and punitive attitudes towards people with paedophilic disorder, in comparison to the participants in the control condition. Our findings generally supported this hypothesis, with narrative humanisation presentations producing reduced stigmatic and punitive attitudes towards people with paedophilic disorder. Notably, medium to large effect sizes were reported for four of the outcomes (total scores, dangerousness, intentionality, and punitive attitudes). Intercorrelations of the outcomes and within-group differences were also examined. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings, at a societal and individual level, are discussed, as well as suggestions for future research.

Knife Crime in Medway, UK: The Impact of Media from a Youth Perspective

By ALANYA ROSE SPILLER

School of Science, London Metropolitan University   

The relationship between young people and the rise of knife crime has been a serious issue that has affected many people’s lives. The moral panics that have stemmed from the increase of injuries and deaths as seen in the media, as well as the government response to (Wood, 2010), have undoubtedly made this topic one of fragile nature and has become most memorable for youths in the last decade (Hesketh, 2019). While young people have gone unnoticed (Halsey and White, 2008), this project sets out to examine the issue with young people’s perspectives on knife crime, and as well, aims to understand the influence of media on these beliefs.

Perceptions of the Use and Effectiveness of Victim Personal Statements within West Yorkshire Police

                       By Sarah Butters, School of Law, University of Leeds

The most recent available data from the Crime Survey of England and Wales (2018/19) reveals that one in seven victims of crime were offered the chance to make a Victim Personal Statement – an invite to participate which should be made to every victim of crime under the entitlement of the Victims’ Code (Ministry of Justice, 2015). The police are responsible for delivering the Victim Personal Statement however, police perceptions of the scheme in England and Wales have not been the focus of research when reflecting on the reasons for these disappointing delivery statistics. Using a series of semi-structured interviews with serving West Yorkshire Police officers ranging in rank and service length, this dissertation has assessed perceptions to purpose, delivery, effectiveness, victims’ rights and improvements to Victim Personal Statements. The findings support previous studies in regard to confusion of purpose, use of a hierarchy of crime and success in offering ‘therapeutic jurisprudence’ (Erez, 1999). However, this research also suggests areas for further exploration – specifically the issue of timing of delivery, a challenge to universal victim participation and the suggestion of outsourcing such participation to civilian staff to deliver. The number of victims participating in the scheme reveals that the Victim Personal Statement, as it is currently delivered, is not working for the overwhelming majority of victims. This dissertation offers areas for further research and practical action which could result in meaningful participation for more victims of crime.  

Providing Safety to the LGBTQ+ Community Within the Night-Time Economy

                     By Rica Alexandra Hülseberg - London Metropolitan University

This study identified patterns of victimisation not only against but, importantly, within the community. It also identified general mistrust in the police among individuals and apprehensiveness of confiding in the police about issues regarding safety within their businesses among managers and owners. This was found to be exacerbated by the force’s loss of LGBT liaison officers and therefore LGBTQ+ representation, which contributed to the police having been found unsuitable to address issues of LGBTQ+ safety as a singular agency. While the research argued for this gap to be filled by alternative organisations and solidarity within the community through inter-agency approaches, it has identified issues with the inclusivity of campaigns and intra-community victimisation. It was therefore recommended to provide more funds to alternative organisations and to task them with developing campaigns providing pertinent training to businesses and staff that is tailored to the community’s needs. A special emphasis on identifying and addressing intra-community patterns of victimisation through campaigns and dialogue has also been suggested in order to create an inclusive framework for LGBTQ+ safety within the night-time economy. 

An Empirical Study of Homelessness and Crime

MSC Criminology Dissertation By Jason Taylor Leeds Becket University

This dissertation explores the relationship between homelessness and offending. The central aim is to highlight the need for more research into homelessness as a cause of offending. Basic quantitative data is collected from a small number of homeless hostels in a Northern UK city to demonstrate that offending is more common within this context. Unstructured interviews with service users and staff within these hostels were then conducted to explore offending in the context of homelessness. Results highlight that substance misuse and contact between the police and those who are homeless are important factors which require further research. Surprisingly, the physical design of homeless hostels is highlighted as a potential factor in offending behaviour for those living in them, as is staff interaction and hostel policy. Notions of ‘anomie’ and stigma are then used to frame discussions from these interviews. It is argued that there is a need for more Criminological research into this area.

The Reasons for the Emergence of a Drug Market in Rural Ireland in the period from 2009-2019. A case study of a small town in West Cork.

Darren Christopher White.

Dissertation: MA Criminology.

National University of Ireland, Cork.

​ Drug markets in Ireland have seen a marked change in recent years, with rural areas now comparable to urban areas in terms of drug availability and drug use. A key aim of this research is to account for the reasons for the emergence of drug markets in rural Ireland, using a small town in West Cork as a case study. A new type of drug dealing model has been identified in the UK called ‘county lines’, whereby “drug dealers are engaging in out-reach activity and travelling from their urban hub to provincial towns and cities within a wide radius of their home turf, not just to deliver their product to that location as a ‘weight’ but also to retail it there themselves” (Coomber and Moyle, 2017). European studies have shown that there is evidence of county line type drug dealing in Ireland, and a key aim of this research is to highlight this. Guided by existing literature done in Ireland and the UK, a convenience sample was utilised, and two professionals were interviewed regarding a drug market in the area. Media analysis was also employed, as several newspaper articles were reviewed to gain a contextual understanding of the local drug market. The findings of these interviews suggest that changes to the local drug market have been influenced by a multitude of factors. Foreign nationals moving into the area, from those attracted to hippy communes was the origins of this market, and it moved from a social supply model to a more entrepreneurial one as years went on, with some similarities to county lines in the UK. Money & recession and rural vulnerability are also highly influential factors to the drug market in the area.

Exploring Students’ Attitudes Towards Various Illicit Substance Use in Relation to the UK Drug Classification System

                                                  By Matthew James Williams, John Moores University,  April 2017.

This study investigates students’ attitudes towards the use of various illegal drugs in relation to the classification system in the UK. Background: Though studies of this nature exist in other countries (Bullock, 2004), no such research has been conducted in the UK to date. Thus far, research has focussed on drug use prevalence rates and attitudes towards drug use (Bryan, Moran, Farrell, & O’Brien, 2000; Home Office, 2016; Ormston et al., 2010) or more recently, and slightly more relevant to the current study, whether drug harm is actually related to the current classification system in the UK (Morgan et al., 2009; Nutt et al., 2007). However, these studies fail to take into account whether the participants agree with the current classification system Therefore, this research was deemed important and necessary to provide insight into field not previously investigated in the UK. Method: This mixed design study recruited 100 undergraduate students via opportunity sample from the two university libraries. 

I S BREAKING THE LAW A CLIMATE NECESSITY? A QUALITATIVE STUDY ON THE EXPERIENCES OF EXTINCTION REBELLION MEMBERS ARRESTED FOR PROTESTING

By Amy Jacklin, BSc Criminology. London Metropolitan University

Climate change has grown in importance over the last 20 years, with protest groups such as Extinction Rebellion (XR) becoming an interesting topic for green criminologists to study and analyse. Previous literature around green groups has been highly theoretical, with focus on the ways other societal groups view them and their actions, rather than qualitative data from the viewpoint of XR. Therefore this research aimed to fill this gap, using semi-structured interviews with 3 members of XR who have previously been arrested for their protesting actions. The data was analysed using NVivo and produced two themes: the interactions participants had with the police, the way in which formal and informal controls are used to attempt to discourage individuals from breaking the law and who the participants are and what motivations they had. This paper concludes that further research needs to be undertaken into the experiences of the BAME demographic within police custody and whilst protesting, as this study has shown how these protestors may have additional negative experiences and consequences of their arrests.

"I hope Boris Johnson watches Top Boy”: a synthetic and critical analysis of popular culture

                                     Molly McDonnell (B.A Hons. Criminology. Liverpool John Moores University)

The ‘black urban crime’ genre has grown in popularity over the past two decades though its exploration in the UK is limited. Top Boy first appeared on our screens on Channel 4 in 2011 and returned in 2013 before being axed until its 2019 Netflix revival. This dissertation offers a synthetic and critical analysis of the representation of young black males in popular culture, drawing upon the cultural verisimilitude of the series and its vivid illustration of the issues facing the UK today. Understanding the representations in Top Boy allows media audiences to reconstruct their own social meanings around black youth and street culture, affirmation that the series will spark policy debates for years to come.

Western Female Jihad: How Can Understanding the Motivations and Roles of Western Muslim Women Joining ISIS Influence the UK’s Response?

By Daniel Scott

BA (Hons) Criminology. Sheffield Hallam University

This dissertation addresses the phenomenon of Western female Muslims migrating to join the so-called Islamic State. The report utilizes the existing literature on the subject to first of all critically discuss the pathways that lead young women and girls away from their lives in the UK and into the arms of a terrorist organisation. The second part of the report will look at the main roles carried out by these women when they get to ISIS-controlled territory and the implications for future threats to security. Finally, the third part of the report will critically analyse the UK government’s PREVENT strategy in terms of its effectiveness at dealing with the issue.  

The Criminalisation of Abortion in America:  Waging War on Women’s Rights. A Genealogy.

By Georgia Meyer. Leeds Becket University

The introduction of heavily restrictive abortion legislation in America has sparked international controversy surrounding the status of women’s rights, granted by Roe V. Wade. This is especially controversial due to the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland in the same year. I aim to provide insight into how similarly Westernised countries can have such conflicting ideas on the right to an abortion, and whether the introduction of heavily restrictive abortion legislation is to solely control women through a (Foucauldian) genealogy. I look at the growth and power behind the pro-life movement in America and how this is sustained through the implementation of ‘norms’ through the use of Foucauldian Power-Knowledge thesis. By identifying the social dynamics that feminist theories fail to recognise as a contribution to instituting success in anti-abortion views, I explore the context and religious significance in America using secondary data.  

Repressing Mental Health Illness: Life of a Police Officer

By Susannah Hickie. University of Sheffield.

A thesis is presented on the mental health issues amongst policemen. In today’s society, it is apparent that men hide or repress mental health issues due to the associated heavy stigma. In recent years, there has been more attention on the topic of mental health and emotions. However, there has been little research into specific occupations with a high prevalence of mental ill health. Police officers deal with negativity day after day with limited insights about its effects. This dissertation describes how emotions, masculinity and mental ill health present themselves amongst police officers. The aim of this research is to understand why male policemen repress their mental health issues, what causes this and the effectiveness of available help. The mental health issues in focus are Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety, suicide and depression. This project uses qualitative methods to delve into the minds of policemen and retired policemen who are suffering. The key findings surround solidarity, gender, mental health, help available and the public’s views

The Implications of Imprisonment on the Mental Health of Prisoners: An Exploration from the Perspective of Staff who Work with (Ex) Prisoners

By India Papathanasiou. University of Huddersfield 

This research entails an investigation into the implications of imprisonment on the mental health and well-being of (ex) prisoners, explored from the perspective of professionals who have experience in working with this cohort. This research strives to provide a deeper understanding into factors within the prison context that lead to the development or exacerbation of mental health problems amongst all prisoners. The literature review highlights an array of themes, including gym, drug use and parental imprisonment in affecting the mental health of prisoners, of which were also widely explored in the participants responses. The research serves to investigate these (and further) issues in order to tailor better services to approach the specific mental health needs of the prison population.

Sexual Violence as a Weapon in Armed Conflict: A Case Study on the Yazidi Genocide

A criminological dissertation submitted as part of the MA in Applied Human Rights, Sheffield Hallam University

During different periods of history, the Yazidis have suffered from marginalisation and discrimination because of their religion. The scale of the persecution suffered by the Yazidis was highlighted by Yazda (2017) in a report that suggested the religious minority had suffered 74 genocidal campaigns against them throughout their history. Allison (2018) highlights that they have been targeted because they are viewed as ‘devil worshippers’ due to the fact that they are a non-Abrahamic religion. They came to the forefront of the world media’s attention following the siege of Mount Sinjar where tens of thousands of Yazidis were trapped by attacking IS forces (Cooper and Shear, 2014).  It has been suggested that since the so-called Islamic State started attacking Yazidi settlements in August 2014, around 3100 Yazidis have been killed, and around 6800 have been kidnapped. Ultimately, on August 3, 2014, ISIS exploited the political, social, economic, and security collapses in the country and invaded Nineveh province, including Sinjar city and the surrounding Yazidi villages in northern Iraq (Lister, 2015).

An Explorative Study of Student Perceptions of Revenge Porn Terminology

By  Alan Robert Harrop, University of Derby 

This dissertation is being submitted in partial fulfillment of the

candidacy requirements for the degree of

MSc Criminal Justice and Criminology

In recent years, the proliferation of digital technologies has generated a means for the creation of sexually explicit content. The non-consensual dissemination of such material has sparked an increase in online abuse and is an act better known by its embellished title, Revenge Pornography (RP). Whilst the label of RP was initially useful in highlighting widespread attention to a new and emerging social harm, academics have expressed concern that its continued use is problematic as it has become a convenient, media friendly term, that focuses on the assumed motivations of the perpetrators and therefore overlooks the harms suffered by victims (McGlynn and Rackley, 2017). 

Drug trafficking, the pressures of transnational organised crime on the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a comparative analysis of policing strategies within the war against drugs.

Jamie Heslop (Supervisor: Hilary Miller)

A dissertation submitted in requirement for the degree of  BA Hons Criminology & Criminal Justice

University of Essex 

September 2017     

The following dissertation has been conducted to provide awareness into the prevalence of transnational organised crime in relation to the constant threat from drug trafficking. The study investigates the pressures drug enforcement agencies face within the war against drugs and how they currently implement strategies.   Currently, however, there is a void in research published comparing the NCA and DEA, and their transnational fight making this study imperative in analysing how these drug enforcement agencies are currently coping. As a result, the research was mainly retrieved from NCA and DEA documents which were processed within a rigorous systematic review of an inclusion and exclusion process to remove vast amounts of unnecessary literature. The research presented findings into criminological theory as to why drug traffickers exist such as social disorganisation and General Strain Theory. Such theories linked to strategies enforced to disrupt transnational drug supply through implementation of HIDTA’s, National Control Strategies and the Southwest Border Initiative which findings show to be an imperative part of policing. It also became evident that current political restraints of Brexit and the Trump administration have become key areas of discussion which pose significant threats to the existence of current transnational strategies. The research concludes the importance of enforcement agencies policing strategies, presenting that without such policing skills, the transnational cartels would place the UK and U.S. communities in great detriment. 

An Exploration of the Understanding and Perceptions of Sexual Consent among UCC Final Year Criminology Students.

By Eibhlín Toomey. University College Cork.National University of Ireland, Cork. School of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences.

This study sought to ascertain the understanding and perceptions of final year UCC Criminology students in relation to sexual consent. An empirical research survey was designed and disseminated to students. The findings were analysed comparative to previous research and legislation. The study found the ambiguity of current consent legislation is leading to an uncertainty of how sexual consent is given. The study also found an inconsistency in understanding consent within relationships when compared to other sexual encounters. A lack of educational influences on consent perceptions has also been strongly highlighted.

JOINT ENTERPRISE, BAME GROUPS AND GANG NARRATIVES.

By Shenée Nash. Royal Holloway University of London

This study cri tically analysed the extent to which the doctrine of joint enterprise criminalises young BAME individuals and how gang narratives contribute to the prosecution of BAME groups. By conducting three semi-structured interviews with academics and a campaign coordinator, it was discovered that the process of prosecution of young BAME groups is underpinned by a gang narrative which is fuelled by racist stereotyping. The findings suggest that from the combination of gang databases, prejudiced policing in black communities, the use of gang narratives in court and the medias’ perpetuation of gangs, young BAME groups are criminalised through joint enterprise. The legitimacy of whether joint enterprise is fair and just was also brought into question highlighting the lower evidential threshold in these cases, harsh sentencing practices and the problems with secondary liability. Recommendations are made regarding the criminalisation BAME youth who are labelled as gang-involved and the necessity for research that probes into the lives of BAME groups in their communities to prevent gang stereotyping and reduce the impact of joint enterprise on BAME individuals.

To what extent is sexual assault occurring in the night time economy normalised? 

By Hannah Cashman. University of Portsmouth.

This dissertation seeks to discover to what extent sexual assault occurring in the night time economy is normalised. A mixed methodology approach was utilised consisting of an online survey and non-participant observation in the form of a Twitter analysis of the #MeToo movement. The online survey was distributed through social media and the sample included anyone over the age of 18 residing in the UK and received a total of 167 participants. A total number of 100 tweets were analysed as part of the non-participant observation.

This research upholds findings of a range of previous academic studies including the existence of notions such as rape culture and victim blaming. It has also provided new and valuable information including the environment of the night time economy can be seen to influence negative and misogynistic behaviour derived from rape culture, increasing the likelihood of a sexual assault occurring compared with during the day. Although the influence of drugs and alcohol on this issue is also notable, the night time economy as the setting for such activity to thrive, can be argued to be a facilitator of sexual assault. It also has a detrimental effect on the likelihood of reporting such an incident, not only through the repercussions of alcohol in terms of memory loss, but also as this type of behaviour is somewhat expected it hence goes unquestioned when it occurs.

COSA NOSTRA: A STUDY ON THE SICILIAN MAFIA. FROM THE ORIGINS TO THE MAXI-TRIAL AND THE CREATION OF THE 41-BIS PRISON REGIME.

By Martina Indelicato. BA Criminology.  University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork, Criminology.

This thesis dissects the relationship between this organisation and Italy (more specifically Sicily) from its origins to its contemporary form. Hence, some key socio-historical factors are analysed and critically discussed so as to understand the relationship between Cosa Nostra, Sicilian society and Italian politics. Particularly, the dissertation concerns with the changes in methods, structure and influence of the Sicilian Mafia following the Maxi-Trial (1986-1987) and the introduction of the 41-bis prison regime as a punitive instrument towards Mafia associates. The research describes the rationale and principles of the 41-bis prison regime, as well as clearly explain the effect that this event had on Cosa Nostra’s organisational nature and impact on the wider society.

ITALIAN MEDIA’S REPRESENTATION OF FEMALE SEX OFFENDERS 2008-2014: AN ANALYSIS

By Castellani Cecilia, University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork, Criminology  

Studies aiming at understanding of this group of criminals have been slowly increasing in the last few years, the academic knowledge on FSOs still remains in its early stages causing, unfortunately, a limited understanding on the public level (Elliott and Bailey, 2014). Additionally, literature seems to focus on the Anglo-Saxon perception of FSOs and very little research has been done with regards to countries like Italy. Indeed, the Italian country rarely appears in statistics, papers or researches on such topic determining a worrying, and very likely misleading, ignorance.

‘…It’s definitely lost its meaning and what it’s for…’: The changing motives of LGBT pride and its impact on hate crime against members of LGBT community

By Clare Chamberlain, University of Hull

The continuing march towards a progressive, enlightened society, may when viewed against a backdrop of increasing societal acceptance of a visible Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender [LGBT] agenda, have paradoxically facilitated an increase in hate crime.   

This dissertation provides an insight into the specific views held by members of the LGBT community as to why hate crime continues to be perpetrated against them; and their opinions as to the insidious, sometimes counterproductive effects Pride events can produce, when viewed as increasingly commercialised product.

The use of semi-structured interviews for the purpose of collating real and lived experiences, is the framework for this dissertation. In turn this gathered data is used for the purpose of analysing four emerging themes, paramount as to why LGBT individuals feel hate crime is on the rise in an otherwise, contemporary, liberal society.

“It is GREAT To Enjoy Sex”: A Discourse Analysis of How Sexual Consent is Constructed in University Consent Campaigns

By  Rebecca Robinson Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK 

Hickman and Muehlenhard (1999) define consent as “free verbal and nonverbal communication of a feeling of willingness” with offences such as rape and sexual assault being areas in which the prosecution is to prove the absence of consent. Between 2009 and 2012, an average of 473,000 adults per year said they had been victims of sexual offences (Ministry of Justice, 2013: p.6). Previous research into consent campaigns has shown an over reliance on the victims role in preventing an attack (Bedera and Nordmayer, 2015), and a separation in understanding between negotiating sex and consent (Beres, 2014). This highlights the importance of positive understanding around consent, with an aim of lowering the frequency of sexual violence occurring against and by young adults. Adopting a social constructionist approach, this study aimed to examine how the language used in sexual consent campaigns within universities in the United Kingdom could influence the construction of knowledge and understandings of sexual consent. This was investigated using Foucauldian Discourse analysis to establish the dominant discursive patterns available to young adults. Overall, consent was constructed as a positive aspect of all sexual encounters, with the responsibility of its establishment being placed equally on both parties. The data suggested that the most beneficial way for

sexual partners to negotiate sex and fully understand each other’s feelings of willingness or refusal is to encourage an open, on going and informed discussion.

An Examination of the Role of Age, Gender and Student Status upon Perception towards Sentencing and the Criminal Justice System

By Joe Gleadall (BSC Dissertation) University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK  

​ With public attitudes towards crime loosely informing criminal justice system procedures and the appropriateness of sentences handed down over time, the need for renewed understanding around these perceptions remains important. Particularly, when considering past research suggests demographic features such as gender play an important role in both attitudes towards crime and different sentences offenders receive based upon their gender (Quas, Bottoms, Haegerich & Nysse-Carris, 2002). The aim of the present study was therefore to examine gender differences and the role of participant demographics upon perceptions towards crime and the criminal justice system. Participants were a combined sample of university students and members of the general public (n=157). Procedures involved exposing participants to the same six crime vignettes, in which both male and females commit comparable crimes. The experiment looked to observe how the gender of the participant and the gender of the “criminal” influenced the length of sentence given. Other variables such as age and education status were examined. Findings displayed although no significant differences in sentencing were found between with male and females for serious crime scenarios, a significant difference in the length of sentence for minor offences such as drink driving offences was found. Further analyses also displayed the importance of participant demographics on conviction proneness and confidence held in the criminal justice system. Theoretical and practical implications for findings are discussed.

Shades of Evil: An Interdisciplinary Gaze into the Abyss By Domenico M. Galimi (MSC Dissertation) - University of Greenwich.

This dissertation sheds light on the problem of evil by concentrating on three main questions. The first one, “what is evil”, focuses upon trying to provide a definition of the concept of evil. The second one, “who is the evil person” seeks to identify the essential characteristics of the evildoer. The last, “why is  evil alluring” focuses on determining the reason why, ultimately, evil sways more and more people. 

An Exploration of Animalistic and Mechanistic Dehumanisation in Public Attitudes Towards the Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Violent and White-Collar Offenders    By Lloyd Christian Peter Paskell (MSC Dissertation) - University of Portsmouth

​ Findings showed that animalistic dehumanisation plays a significant role in public attitudes towards the rehabilitation and sentencing of violent offenders. The same results were found with white-collar offenders but in a mechanistic form. Thus, suggesting that as dehumanisation increases, public support for rehabilitation decreases, and support for higher sentences increases. 

Does court attendance for young offenders impact on future offending: Youth conditional cautions vs referral orders

Laura Kavanagh (MA Thesis)  University of Portsmouth.

This study assesses the impact of court attendance on reoffending for children and young people, through an assessment of the relevant literature and a preliminary study, comparing reoffending rates YCCs and ROs.

Cybercrime and the ‘Peelian Model’ of Policing: A Literature Review

By Sean Brennan, University of Portsmouth

Cybercrime’ is the term used to describe the use of internet and computer technology to engage in unlawful activity. Through its scale, anonymity and portability, the internet has revolutionised the way we live our lives while in turn giving rise to new forms of crime and deviance. Policing must adapt to this unique environment while continuing to meet conventional demand. This review summarises and critically evaluates existing research on how the internet has changed society and the demands on policing.

A critical evaluation of policy and practice responses in England and Wales for unaccompanied migrant children who are trafficked into slavery.

Miranda Trier (MA Thesis) Swansea University

The purpose of this research is to critically evaluate the effectiveness of current policy and practice responses in England and Wales to unaccompanied migrant children (UMC) who are trafficked into slavery. 

Seductions of the Caliphate: A Cultural Criminological Analysis of Online Islamic State Propaganda

Ashton Rebecca Kingdon (MSC) University of Portsmouth

The Islamic State is an impenetrable world; what we know is what propagandists want us to see, and, over the past four years, the Islamic State has developed not only as orchestrators and performers of attacks, but also as professional storytellers, setting out to hijack the popular culture of the west and seduce its youth. The Islamic State has successfully industrialised its propaganda machine, and is thus now deemed to possess a more powerful propaganda apparatus than that seen in Nazi Germany (Aly et al, 2017). The research presented here took an interpretivist epistemological approach, utilising qualitative data-gathering techniques, embedded within grounded theory (Corbin & Strauss, 2015). Methodologically, this study incorporates non-participant observation of online spaces, and a semiotic content analysis of 100 propaganda videos, in order to explore the visual persuasiveness of terrorist imagery, and, more importantly, the subcultural elements of radicalisation evident within Islamic State propaganda.

Do the actions of extremist groups segregate communities and promote hate crime: Do the English defence league (EDL) and the Muslims against crusades group (MAC) constitute a social problem?  “Two sides of the same coin of hate”?   By Maryam Aisha Zaman. London South Bank University.

Through the use of primary and secondary analysis this dissertation aimed to explore the actions of the English Defence League and the Muslims Against Crusades, and how they are perceived by the government, the media and the public.

Solving problems: A study into the role and importance of a community court in the South of England .

By Benjamin Slocombe, University of Portsmouth

Criminal justice professionals in the UK are seeking alternatives to the formal criminal justice system for young people. In response to this community courts have started to emerge in the UK. Community courts originally emerged out of North America during the 1990’s in response to quality of life crimes that neighbourhoods in New York faced (Atherton, 2015, p.113). The aim of this dissertation was to critically examine the importance of a community court in the UK that is offering an alternative for dealing with young offenders, as well as highlighting the issues that it faces.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST ASIAN WOMEN IN LEICESTERSHIRE 2005

By Rezia Begum, Loughborough University

This study examines the subjective experiences of Muslim and Hindu women in Leicestershire who have suffered domestic violence. It is based on in-depth semistructured interviews with ten Asian women and self-completion questionnaires completed by sixty women victims living in refuges. The guiding research questions are: age, marital status, religion, identity of the abuser, period of the abuse, forms of abuse, involvement of the police, family member awareness, agencies approached for help, frequency of medical assistance, state of mind of the abuser, thoughts of leaving and reasons for not doing so.

THE FUKUSHIMA DISASTER – A critical evaluation of the crisis management practice and accident response taken in the case of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident from the perspective of ‘risk society’ thesis and green criminology

By Yuki Taira Royal Holloway, University of London

This study, the question of whether or not the occurrence of the Fukushima nuclear disaster is ascribable to the accumulation of manufactured risk factors was addressed. In order to construct a plausible argument, this study considers the potential applications of Beck’s ‘risk society’ thesis and green criminology theory as a theoretical foundation.

Prisoners and Fine Art: What works, what doesn’t work, and why?

By Nicola Tallon. Nottingham Trent University.

This literary analysis critically examines how Fine Art can aid prisoners rehabilitation and desistance from crime by adopting Tilley and Pawson’s (2004) realist evaluation, “what works, for whom and in what circumstances?” (Pawson & Tilley 2004). In order to achieve the research aim various avenues have been examined. Firstly, taking into consideration multiple evaluations conducted on the effectiveness of Fine Art Programmes in prison settings in the USA and the UK. The strengths and weaknesses of research designs were tested using the Sherman et al. (1998) Maryland Scale.

Additionally examined are the challenges that Fine Art programme facilitators face in the running of their programmes, as well as challenges researchers face when carrying out their studies and the limitations of existing research. Furthermore, this research examines the links between high UK prisoner mental health illness levels and the therapeutic benefits of art activities that result in improved well-being for participants. Lastly, this thesis gives realistic recommendations for future research that will strengthen research design, allow for new findings, and aid the continuation of Government funding through the Transforming Rehabilitation Agenda’s (2013) payment by results strategy.

Is it Strange or is it Scary? Examining Salience and Arousal Explanations of the “Weapons Focus Effect ”

By Dominic Willmott, University of Huddersfield.

There is a mass of research literature providing evidence for the ‘Weapon Focus’ effect which although traditionally accounted for in terms of an Arousal explanation, underpinned by Easterbrook’s (1959) Cue-Utilisation Hypothesis, recently research has favoured causation of such an effect in terms of a Salience explanation, understood in terms of Schematic memory structures. However, neither explanation as of yet has been able to conclusively disprove the other. In a study measuring the physiology and memory of participants, in conditions specifically designed to improve on past literatures methodological shortfalls, the effects of both explanations were meticulously separated out in an attempt to clearly investigate differences between them. Findings displayed that although differences emerged between memory scores and levels of physiological arousal between salience and arousal conditions, such were not to a significant extent. Methodological shortfalls within the current experiment and past research studies are thought to account for the failure to produce a weapons focus effect or further significant differences, however critical evaluation and deeper consideration of the current theoretical accounts identifies the inadequacy of these explanations, as well as future suggestions on how such might be improved.

Making a Molester. 

By  Rachael Hannah Fowler. University of Chester/St Helens College  

This dissertation offers a critical examination of the possible explanations for paedophilia by expanding on previous undergraduate research. It begins with an explanation of moral panics and how this can cause common misconceptions regarding paedophilia and child sexual abuse. Following this, the focus shifts to the topic of paedophilia by exploring intra-familial abuse and how sexual attraction can be affected by cultural and religious differences, biological influences and via social learning. The dissertation then explores societal perceptions of the female paedophile, the Madonna-whore taxonomy and the juxtaposition of the female paedophile as a victim of a patriarchal society. It concludes with an overall summary and discussion of the main findings. 

Constructing the Perfect Terrorist Attack: Critical Evaluation of News Values and media representatio ns

By Ellie Ralph, John Moores University, Liverpool. 

This work is a piece of systematic desk-based research that explores theories of newsworthiness and their application to terrorism in 2015. Through both quantitative and qualitative content analysis, the work explores

the extent to which news values derived from Chibnall (1977) and Jewkes (2004; 2011; 2015) apply to two specific terrorist attacks carried out by IS and Boko Haram. Using quantitative content analysis, a cross section of online newspaper articles were analysed for the presence of news values. Through qualitative content analysis, the presence of these values were then analysed in order to explore the reasons as to why the British media prioritise particular news values over others. The work also includes discussion of other theories such as Orientalism (Said, 1978), othering, labelling, media imperialism and Islamophobia to explain why non-domestic terrorism is reported in the way that it is. The researcher utilises a mixed method approach to compare how two Islamic extremist groups are represented in the British media and ultimately derives a definitive list of news values that apply to media reporting of terrorism that are a combination of values drawn from Chibnall (1977), Jewkes (2004; 2011; 2015) and this research.

HAVE COMMUNITY PROTECTION OFFICERS (CPOs) MET EXPECTATIONS?

Managerial opinions of Nottingham City Council’s wardens as policing partners

By Jordan Cashmore, Nottingham Trent University

Since the beginning of the cuts to police budgets, constabularies in England and Wales have had to make substantial savings to meet public expectations with fewer resources. In the City of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Police have worked in a unique partnership with Community Protection Officers – police vetted and CSAS certified neighbourhood wardens employed by Nottingham City Council – for over a decade. With Nottinghamshire Police having to rely increasingly on partners to ensure adequate service delivery, it is time to ask whether CPOs as an agency and as a policing partner have met the expectations of managers in Community Protection and Nottinghamshire Police.

Having expanded in size, remit and power over the last ten years, CPOs have become an integral part of neighbourhood policing. They have met or exceeded all of the expectations held by participants and are projected to continue receiving political support in Nottingham. Their future seems uncertain, with respondents from Community Protection and Nottinghamshire Police anticipating different directions in the future of this scheme.

‘ I only respect my sisters and my mother; all other women can go to hell’: an exploration into involuntary celibates’ relationships with their female re latives.  

                                               Mia Carmen Lowther, University of Portsmouth 2023

Involuntary celibates, known as incels, are a growing online community that are renowned for their harmful and misogynistic views on women. These beliefs have had offline physical impacts, with violent attacks against women and the public claiming lives. Some attacks carried out by those associated with the incel community have killed their own female relatives, such as their mothers and sisters. There is a lack of research, however, on incel’s relationships with their female family members and how these are articulated within their online spaces. This study aimed to address these shortcomings and contribute original research to this topic by conducting thematic analysis on the popular incel forum incels.is. to explore the relationship incels present to have with their female relatives, and if this has impacted their ties to the community and its’ ideologies. Over 200 posts and comments were analysed on the forum and four themes were derived from the data; that incels generalised their relatives within their perception of all women, others made exceptions for the females they are related to, female relatives were blamed for the inceldom of users, and some posters wanted sexual relationships with their female relatives. The conclusions were that the several opposing views within the data highlights the contradictory and hypocritical beliefs that are rife in incel culture, yet they all uphold the rigid gender stereotypes of misogyny. Each theme, however, is crucial for explaining how incel ideologies link to the relationships they have with their female relatives and that exploring incel’s relationships with their female relatives is significant to understanding incel culture. This study concludes with its’ limitations and recommendations for further research. 

Assessing The Extent To Which Recreational Drug Use Has Been Normalised Amongst Young Adults In England And Spain – A Comparative Study

By Carlos Puig Saenz, University of Derby

This dissertation aims to assess normalisation of recreational drug use on an English and a Spanish sample, testing the validity of the thesis created by Parker et al. (2002). The inclusion of two different countries allows a comparative assessment of the five key factors of normalisation: drug availability and accessibility, drug trying rates, regularity and recency of use, and degrees of social and cultural accommodation. The figures obtained are compared to other social studies measuring drug use, demonstrating that the rates of recreational use of drugs amongst the young-adult population remains consistently high. Respectively, 87% and 94% of the English and Spanish respondents involved in this research have been in drug offer situations, reporting cannabis to be the easiest drug to acquire. 66% and 81% of them have tried at least one drug, cannabis trying rates standing at 59% and 74% followed by the ‘dance drugs’ ecstasy and cocaine. Even though the abstainers held a negative opinion towards the topic, an average of 96% of participants selected it as the most acceptable drug, indicating – as most research suggests – that “it is only with the recreational use of cannabis that the normalisation criteria have been adequately satisfied” (Parker et al., 2002: 961). 

3D Printed Firearms: Can we smell the cordite?

By Alexander Goodwin, Nottingham Trent University

Over this last year there has been a lot of media attention and controversy about a potential new crime wave of untraceable three dimensional (3D) printed firearms. However, the question remains is this all necessary? This research through a critical review of the current and potential impacts of 3D printed firearms aims to determine the level of concern that is required in relation to 3D printed firearms. 

The ‘Chav’ as a Subcultural Response to the Ideological Stigmatisation of Working Class Youth in an Ontologically Insecure Postmodernity By Emily Harley-O’Neill, Nottingham Trent University

The twenty-first century, as an epoch of innovation and advancement, is riddled with perplexities of social existence. While the juvenile delinquent is by no means a novel consternation, a consumer society of cultural multiplicity and precarious relations has submerged the public imagination in existential fear of transgressive youth. The ‘chav’ is visual phenomena of expressively branded identity, of which has come to be figuratively coalesced with the origination of a criminogenic British underclass. Characteristics of welfare dependency, sexual promiscuity and worklessness are propagandised as the epitome of a moral corrupt society. Mediated stereotype acts as a deviancy reinforcer, further ostracising an outcast youth beyond the boundaries of normative reality. A deconstruction of the underclass, as contextualised in a socio-political continuum of class hatred, is necessary for interpreting of the ‘chav’ identity as a subcultural acclimatisation to the ontologically insecure self.   

An Exploration of News Reporting of Paedophiles Over Time

By Michelle Karsparians, London Metropolitan University

This research explores whether there are any changes in how the UK’s national newspapers report on the trials of child sex offenders over a seven year period from 2008 to 2014 using the methodological approach of content analysis. The purpose of the research is to uncover whether there is evidence that news reporting informs its readership of changes in the understanding of child sex offenders, reporting more sympathetically on the growing medical and academic challenges to perceived perceptions of child sex crime offenders who, notwithstanding the seriousness of their crimes, are, for example, often either victims of child sex crimes themselves, or are genetically predisposed to their behaviour. There is an increasing school of thought that there is more of a requirement of medical, psychological treatment and rehabilitation and a little more understanding by society of underlying causes of such behaviour, rather than total condemnation and vilification. Does our national press, as a source of information, reflect this change of understanding about child sex offenders in its news coverage? 

A critical insight into fraud and corruption, and its facilitators , in global sporting organisations in a Western European and North American context By Kirsty Teague, Nottingham Trent University

Criminology as an academic discipline is becoming increasingly aware that crime and deviance within sport is by no means trivial, yet to date there is a paucity of literature in what has been dubbed as ‘sports criminology’ (Groombridge, 2012). Through the utilisation of secondary sources, this library-based dissertation seeks to bridge the gap in knowledge, to gain a critical insight into fraud and corruption, and its facilitators, within global sporting organisations, such as FIFA. Thus, seeking to be a preliminary piece of work allying the disciplines of criminology and sport together. This dissertation argues that not only does the self-governing and self-regulating nature of global sporting organisations, facilitate fraud and corruption, but also, that the commercialisation of sport more generally has been a catalyst for the occurrence of fraudulent and corrupt practices. Whilst there are a number of individual-level criminological theories which aide the explanation of fraud and corruption conducted on an individual basis, it has been found that the nature and extent of fraud and corruption within GSOs is best explained by Messner and Rosenfeld’s (1994) institutional anomie theory. However, ultimately this dissertation took a similar stance to that of Hall and Winlow (2015), proposing that it is timely that criminology needs to expand the zemiological study of harm to become better able at explaining harms in today’s neoliberal era, in order for crime and deviance within sport to not be disregarded or trivialised.   

To what extent has recreational drug use become normalised amongst young adults in contemporary society?

By Kristian Parkin, Northumbria University, UK.

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the extent to which recreational drug has become normalised amongst young adults in contemporary society. Drug normalisation has been a theory that has been heavily neglected for around a decade, therefore this dissertation is extremely valuable as it provides a thorough investigation in a contemporary setting. Through the use of online self-completion questionnaires, the research has investigated; the access and availability of illicit drugs, drug trying rates, levels of recent and regular drug use, levels of social accommodation from abstainers and ‘ex’ triers, as well as levels of cultural accommodation. The research revealed that 70.5% of respondents have tried an illicit substance, whilst it is the significant minority who have never consumed some form of illicit drug. The research has also importantly revealed that non-users and ex-triers are highly tolerant of the use of drugs recreationally and many attitudes displayed are remarkably accommodating. With regard to previous research, the current research revealed that cannabis still remains to be the most normalised drug; however LSD and amphetamines can no longer be seen to hold a footing within the conceptualisation. The current research has also been revealed that cocaine appears to be gaining a substantial level of momentum and is moving away from its ‘hard drug’ classification; it could soon be situated within the conceptualisation. Overall, the research found that within the sample, recreational drug use has become further normalised and has moved significantly away from its traditional association with deviancy. Recreational drug users can no longer be simply thought of as social ‘outsiders’.   

Patriarchy, Culture and Violence Against Women:A Qualitative, Theoretical and Empirical Analysis of Criminal Justice Responses to Honour Based Violence in the United Kingdom. By Sara Kathrada, Liverpool John Moores University, UK.

This thesis employs qualitative methods to examine the subjective experiences of 9 South Asian females in the United Kingdom, all with varying exposure to honour based violence and the criminal justice system. Recurrent themes emerge from their accounts to suggest that abusive acts arise out of a multiplicity of cultural circumstances influenced by power and gender relations. Interdisciplinary theoretical analysis in the discourses of criminology, criminal justice, sociology, law, cultural studies, psychology and political science compliment the research, with the interplay between contradictory discourses neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism demonstrating how the volatile and pensive climates of multiculturalism embedded in contemporary issues of terrorism, sexuality and patriarchy, fracture social relations in the dichotomy of belonging and identity. The notion of honour is also explored, seen both as a tool to constrain women's self-determination and independence, and as a catalyst for violence when notions of family and community norms are challenged by women. Case descriptions from the UK are employed to illuminate how the concept of honour is used in practice, as well as highlighting problems with accountability and the lack of civil and criminal remedies that fail to provide women with adequate protection whilst covertly legitimating male violence. Recommendations based on findings include holistic responses in the provision of training for criminal justice bodies, the creation of guidelines and legislation specific to honour based violence, and the development of specialist voluntary services.   

Inside Out, Upside Down: Prison, The Military And The Effects Of Parental Separation On Children

By Charlotte Dodds, University of Winchester, UK.

This dissertation explores the impact of parental separation on children’s wellbeing. Specifically, it will investigate the adverse behavioural and psychological effects of parental separation on children’s wellbeing, the possible explanations for these effects and the trauma it elicits in the lives of affected children. It does this by comparing children separated from their parents because of imprisonment with children separated because of military deployment. In doing so, this dissertation aims to ascertain whether parental imprisonment poses a unique threat to children’s wellbeing, distinct from other forms of separation. It found that parental imprisonment could be understood to pose a unique threat to children’s wellbeing on the basis that the prison context has an exclusive set of factors which adversely affect children’s wellbeing. These include issues of stigma and visitation difficulties, although casual inference is difficult to determine given that the effects could be attributed to pre-existing disadvantages in children’s lives prior to the separation and not the separation itself. It is argued that certain similarities exist between both the prison and military contexts such as the ambiguous and repetitive nature of the loss which casts doubt on the uniqueness of the prison context in affecting children’s wellbeing. Ultimately, this dissertation considers that parental imprisonment does pose a unique threat to children’s wellbeing.   

“Risked To Death”: A Study into Practitioner Perception of the Implications of Scotland's Sex Offender Management System on the Rehabilitation Of Registered Sex Offenders By Mhairi Fyffe, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK.

Researchers have recently likened modern society to that of a “risk society”, a society preoccupied with risk prevention. It has been claimed that principles of justice are being jeopardised by an obsession with risk reduction, with punitive policies having little empirical basis. It is crucial that measures taken to combat sex offending are sensitive to coherent research into what evidences best practice and are not merely a panic, populist punitive response. At present, literature assessing the current system of management lacks the expert knowledge and professional experience of practitioners. This dissertation uses data collected from interviews with seven MAPPA professionals in order to enhance the understanding of the implications of Scotland’s system of management on the rehabilitation of Registered Sex Offenders. It is hoped that by doing this, a more coherent assessment of the management system can be made. The themes that are discussed are the importance of a holistic approach, problems with a misinformed public, the counter-productivity of the Scottish system of management and the assessment of MAPPA. 

Political Economy, Race and Justice

By Melissa Howard, Leeds Metropolitan University , UK.

The purpose of this dissertation is to critically discuss the evolution of African Americans in the United States. The 4concern is that despite gains during the Civil Rights Movement the black race has continued to experience; exclusion, exploitation, and discrimination although at present somehow this is ‘hidden’. African Americans are disproportionately imprisoned in the United States. They account for over 50 per cent of the prison population but account for only 13 per cent of the general population. This statistic is in no relation related to an increase in offending rates. This is all in consequence to changes in policy and practice in the last forty years. These changes in the economy and law and policy in particular have in consequence meant that African Americans are still being denied full integration and citizenship. This means they are still being blocked politically, economically and socially. This research discusses the simultaneous transformations and implementations since the 1970s this is inclusive of the neoliberal project, the ‘war on drugs’ and the ‘prison industrial complex. It becomes apparent that these all interlink and help to keep political and economic elite interests in increased wealth through profitability, at the expense of the black race.   

Scamming Black Widow Killers: Investigating a weirdly unexplored type of romance scam 

By Ann Gransbury, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

This research examines one type of ‘Black Widow’ killer as an unexplored area of romance scams. Black Widow killers murder those close to them, usually those who they have some form of romantic association with, such as a husband or lover, however, they also prey on their own relatives. The type of Black Widow killer focused upon in this research is those who murder for the purpose of financial gain, through using romance to initiate the process. These killers are referred to as ‘Scamming Black Widow killers’. The notion that such a killer could be identified as a type of romance scam is due to these killers and those fraudsters conducting romance scams having the same motivations. Romance scams involve fraudsters romancing their victims to form a trustworthy ‘relationship’, to then defraud them of their finances. The crime of murder itself, committed by Black Widow killers, is extremely serious in that it requires attention. There is no way to fully understand the incidence of Black Widow murders, as it is possible for some to go undetected or possibly ruled as accidental deaths. The other crime of non-lethal romance scams discussed in this research is also a serious crime, which can result in high quantities of money lost, and great emotional pain for the victims. Although these two crimes are separate, the link between them has previously been weirdly unexplored. This research aims to fill this knowledge gap, proposing Scamming Black Widow killers to be understood as one type of romance scam.   

Male Rape: The Unseen World of Male Rape

By Aliraza Javaid, University of Leicester, UK.

This research explores the phenomenon of male rape and how the police recognise it, together with uncovering male rape myths in a local police force. Whilst male rape research is expanding, it was found that the police have a lack of knowledge, understanding, awareness, and specialised training of male rape. Therefore, police officers’ attitudes, ideas, views, perspectives, and beliefs on specific topics pertinent to male rape are discussed. This project also seeks to comprehend gender expectations and stereotypes of men, so as to comprehend the prevalence of male rape, the negligence of male rape, and the under-reporting/recording of male rape. Moreover, because male rape is a part of sexual violence, feminist theory is used as a foundation for this project, since feminism seeks gender equality. Ultimately, this research emphasises the need for the police to adequately manage male rape victims and take male rape seriously, without any negative attitudes, ideas, views, perspectives, and beliefs. 

Male Rape: The ‘Invisible’ Male

Female rape attracts a lot of attention in the social sciences, but male rape is greatly overlooked by feminism, which searches to highlight the gendered nature of rape. As a result, there is a lack of numerical evidence on male rape, although it is necessary to classify the theoretical development of male rape as a social issue as it looms across the social research discourse. Therefore, it is important to examine this growth because the current direction of the research on male rape has worrying ramifications for how male rape is theorised. Male rape in the 21st century is problematic because males are still frightened to report for a wide range of reasons. Therefore, explanations of underreporting are examined, how male rape is considered in criminology, the police, and how male rape victims are construed within the law, prison, media, and support organisations. Ultimately, this dissertation stresses the need to account adequately for both female and male rape victims alike. 

From the‘Bootlegger' to the ‘Pirate': A Comparative Analysis of the Illegal Music Industry

By Daniel Shepherdson, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The effect of the media and what they can do cannot be ignored as it plays such a crucial part in daily life. This is highlighted by the recent Leveson inquiry which considered whether the press needed regulating. This thesis considers the effect of one of the fastest growing types of media, social media. In the UK alone, social network site Twitter registered around ten million users in 2012 (Guardian, 2012). A large percentage of the UK now has access to these social networking sites. This study explores the changing nature of media representations of the British police and the implications that social media may have on perceptions of the police. This will be achieved be examining the literature surrounding media representations of policing, followed by a discussion of five qualitative, primary research interviews with journalism students, which that examine the use of social media, engagement with police related content and influence of social media on opinions of the police. This thesis covers areas of media effects research that this author believes have not yet been addressed and so aims to fill a gap in the literature. Significantly, this research hopes to develop knowledge on, and allow the reader to understand the impact of the changing nature of media representations of the police on how the police are perceived. The findings suggest that social media enables users to be more involved in the democratic processes of government organisations, but what also happens is that people may be exposed to more damaging footage of the police, take in smaller amounts of information and still be greatly influenced by mass media organisations, who are the main context setters of news. Public opinion may be no better informed then before. Representations become more complicated, and so views of the police become more extreme and varied, which in turn may create more tension over opinions on the police.   

‘Policing in Great Britain has always been as much a matter of image as much as of substance' The Changing Nature of Media Representations of the Police and the Effect on Public Perceptions: From Mass Media to Social Media By Joshua Walmsley-Lycett, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

This dissertation aims to analyse and compare the ever-evolving illegal music industry, both past and present. Specifically, this research will focus on the bootleg boom which occurred in the late 1960’s, with online piracy of today, which was enabled by the invention of the Internet. The approach undertaken aims to supply a brief history of both bootlegging and piracy, and to determine the actual financial impact the illegal music industry has had on official record sales. The study will utilise secondary research, as well as an in-depth interview with an individual involved in the pioneering of bootleg records in the late 1960’s.   

Can The Police Prove Evidence of Non-Consent? By Angie Neville, University of Teesside, UK.

The aim of the research is to explore whether the quality of evidence of non-consent, gathered from female victims of acquaintance rape in an East Midlands Police force area in 2010/11, is sufficient for a successful prosecution. Whilst the numbers of reported rapes has steadily increased, the conviction rate does not reflect this. The offence of Rape has the highest attrition rate of all serious crime and the contention is this is often due to insufficient evidence. This may be due to poor investigative interviewing of victims by the Police, hence the requirement for this research. This dissertation met the research aim through an extensive study of the relevant literature and the implementation of a multi-method approach, designed to collect empirical data from practitioners with expertise in the research area. The latter was carried out via semi-structured interviews and an evaluation of interviews conducted with rape victims. The findings were analysed in an attempt to assess the current quality of evidence of non-consent.   

Vulnerabilites and Responses to Terrorist Financing: An Exploration of Informal Value Transfer Systems, Islamic Charities, Businesses And Financiers By Joshua Morris, University of Derby, UK.

Since the events of September 11th 2001 the international community has explored various measures of tackling terrorism, one of these measures and one which has been explored less is the tackling of terrorism financing. President Bush announced the first stage of the War on Terrorism with an attack against the terrorist financial infrastructure, but since then there has been relatively little focus on this tactic. Due to the activities of al-Qaeda being mainly under the radar, this study only offers an exploration and insight into the vulnerabilities and effectiveness of the measures targeted at terrorist financing. Therefore it was not possible to offer a full conclusion on the findings and the effectiveness of the measures targeted at them. The findings on Informal Value Transfer Systems (IVTS) suggested that the system could be as clean and only as vulnerable to terrorist financing as the formal banking system for example. However as it has been stressed in this study, as there is no effective measure to confirm what effect any tactic deployed against al-Qaeda is having it cannot be said for certain. The findings on Islamic charities suggested that this source of terrorist financing is much more vulnerable to terrorist financing than the other two areas discussed. The reasons found for this were that the humanitarian consequences that these measures can cause make it difficult for governments and bodies to apply strict measures to this source. The final source discussed was businesses and financiers and the findings on this area were found to be the most inconclusive, as there were many conflicting opinions from authors present. However the evidence which highlighted the role financiers had in funding the 9/11 attack underlined the threat and vulnerability this source has in terrorist financing. 

Does Secondary Psychopathy Exist? Exploring Conceptualisations of Psychopathy and Evidence for the Existence of a Secondary Variant of Psychopathy By Christopher Thomas Gowlett, University of Derby, UK.

A growing body of theory and related research has proposed the idea that psychopathy may be no longer consist of a homogenous population of individuals who share common etiological and phenotypic features. Rather, it is now proposed that psychopathy may be further segregated into primary and secondary variants that score similarly on measures of psychopathy (e.g. Psychopathy Checklist – Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 1991, 2003)) and yet differ in elements of their personality, behaviour and the etiological factors implicated in their development. Utilising secondary research in order to conduct a critical review of the related literature, this study set out with the primary aim to critically evaluate evidence for the existence of a secondary variant of psychopathy. Further to this, a secondary aim was to investigate historical and contemporary conceptualisations of psychopathy and its operationalisation through its measures.   

The Effectiveness of Youth Mentoring in a Criminal Justice Context

By Hannah White, University of Derby, UK.

The overall aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of youth mentoring as a criminal justice intervention. It not only analyses the effect it has on offending behaviour, but also assesses the impact it has on other aspects of a young person’s life. In addition, it examines the importance of a meaningful relationship between a youth and their mentor in achieving a successful mentoring outcome. A comprehensive review of the current literature in relation to youth mentoring suggests that it can have a number of benefits, including increased school competency, enhanced social skills and improved family relationships to name a few; however, the findings do not support its use as a criminal justice intervention on such a large scale, as the impact it has on offending is argued to be modest at best. As youth mentoring is an increasingly popular method of crime reduction and prevention in the United Kingdom (UK), it is important to examine its effectiveness in greater detail. A case study of a sixteen year-old youth and his male mentor from a local Youth Offending Team was carried out using two semi-structured interviews. Through a process of thematic analysis, it is suggested that youth mentoring can have a significant impact on a young person in a number of ways, particularly in the presence of a good quality relationship between mentee (youth) and mentor.   

Moral Panics, The Media and Male And Female Offenders of Child Sexual Abuse

By Rachel Allsopp, University of Derby, UK.

It is argued that the media is the main instigator of moral panics and that their depiction of male and female offenders of CSA differs based on their predisposed gender roles. An extensive literature review was undertaken in order to explore the differences between how male and female offenders of CSA are portrayed. It was found that female offenders were reported based on a ‘virgin’ or ‘whore’ paradigm and that they are classed as doubly deviant. Females who commit CSA go against their predisposed gender roles and carry out their offences under the guise of motherhood. Male offenders, on the other hand, are deemed evil and the use of the term paedophile is broadly applied giving society a false impression of sex offenders. It is also noted within this dissertation that the CJS respond differently depending on the sex of the offender. Female offenders appear to be taken less seriously whereas male offenders are vilified as a gendered group and the media takes it upon themselves to take vigilante action or encourage vigilante action as they perceive themselves as being the guardians of society. It was found that moral panics about male offenders of CSA are more prevalent than female offenders of CSA and this could be due to the consensus that CSA offenders are only male and that the few cases involving females are due to male coercion or not believed. This was found to be not true in the case of people such as Rose West who was sexually deviant before she met Fred West. It is suggested that the media with their influential ability should educate society rather than focus on playing on the fears of society and that the CJS needs more training with regards to female offenders.   

Restorative Injustice: Barriers to Victime Engagement in Restorative Justice

By Rachel Harding, University of Derby, UK.

Restorative Justice has been used informally by other names for many years, but it is only recently that it has become a source for widespread debate. With the current economic crises, finding the most effective way of combatting recidivism and so reducing the cost of crime has become paramount in the eyes of the police, the public, and the government. Restorative Justice is often posited as a cheaper, more effective alternative to imprisonment, but it has the shortcoming of relying almost solely on the permission and participation of the victims. This report seeks to discover and analyse possible barriers to victim engagement in Restorative Justice with a view to making recommendations on how to remove or alleviate these. By creation of a Literature Review, it was discovered that, although popular media represents a usually negative view of Restorative Justice, the majority of victims and offenders in studies discussed felt positively about it. The statistics also showed Restorative Justice in a good light when considering recidivism. However, there were no projects that addressed victims of assault in Derby. To this end, a questionnaire was created and completed by thirty victims of assault selected through Witness Service in Derby. The answers were then analysed to fully benefit from the information within and the results were presented within coding frames. It was found that Restorative Justice was not a well-known practise, with less than half of the sample having previous awareness of the scheme. It was also found that there was a great deal of confusion concerning perceived effectiveness of the scheme, and there were few that answered directly to the questions over choosing an ambivalent answer. Overall, there was a general view that Restorative Justice can be good for both victims and offenders in certain situations, but can also be damaging if not applied properly.   

The Victim’s Role in the Justice Process

By Ryan Ruddy, University of Cincinnati, USA.

This paper is written to address the role of the victim in the criminal justice process. Secondary data analysis is the method used for the research. The data include governmental, law, scholarly, and victim’s rights studies. The purpose of this paper is to suggest changes to the victim’s role and expectation in the criminal justice process. The reader is taken through the historical approaches to victim involvement in the criminal justice process, to contemporary issues that victims of crime face, the paper goes on to discuss changes that should be made for the justice system to leave victims more satisfied with their involvement. Multiple approaches pertaining to violent and minor crime are taken into consideration. Finally, this paper addresses challenges to implementing legal changes to victim’s roles.   

The Extent of Student Knowledge on the Current UK Drugs Policy, and Their Perception of Harms In Illegal Drugs By Coral Higson, University of East London, UK.

This project will measure university students’ knowledge on the current classifications of drugs and the sentencing penalties resulting from possession of an illegal drug. In addition the perceptions of how harmful drugs can to be. This will be done through self-completion questionnaires from a sample of 42 students from the University of East London. One of the main aims of the UK drug policy is to deter the public from consuming illegal drugs. However, previous studies have shown that young people have the highest level of illegal drug consumption, suggesting that drug policy is not working as effectively as it could be. The results of this study indicated a lack of knowledge on the current drugs policy and varying views of the harms drugs carry. 

Anti-Drugs. Pro_Reform? Why is the UK Reluctant to Adopt Consequentialist Approaches to Policing Drugs?  By Daniel Courton, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

‘If you are anti-drugs, you should be pro-reform’ – Nick Clegg (BBC, 2012). In 2012 a Home Affairs Select Committee recommended a Royal Commission into UK drug policy to investigate whether Portugal’s decriminalisation policy could be adopted (HASC, 2012). These calls were echoed in 2013 with the All-Party Parliamentary Group Report into Drug Policy Reform (APGRDR, 2013). Both were carried out by party-politicians and supported by academics, yet these calls were rejected by Prime Minister David Cameron who stated that current approaches were succeeding (BBC, 2013). Moreover, at the time of writing, Brighton council is considering the use of decriminalised drug-use rooms, attracting similar criticism (BBC, 2013c). Why is the case? Why is the UK reluctant to adopt such consequentialist approaches to policing drugs when other nations are seeing successes and endorsements from professionals? What is the cultural context behind this? This thesis is a literary analysis that presents a cultural comparison of the UK and Portugal to establish cultural explanations as to why the UK is reluctant in adopting consequentialist drug approaches when compared to other nations. This writer concludes that the UK is an embodiment of Young’s Exclusive Society and Garland’s Culture of Control and it is this cultural context that creates a reluctance to pursue such a consequentialist strategy as CJS policy is a reflection of a nation’s culture. The importance of understanding the influences cultural context possess regarding drug policy development is highlighted. Therefore if there are any desires to change policy, cultural change is recommended for acceptance. Thus, further cultural comparisons regarding drug policy between different nations are recommended with a focus on the BRIC nations to reflect drugs’ global attributes and the changing nature of this world.   

Cruel and Unusual

By Nicola Murray, University of Bedfordshire, UK.

This research’s intent was to explore the issue of sex offending and in particular the use of sex offender registries within United Kingdom and America; looking at the impact of labelling, from the perspective of the offender and their families. Secondary research was used to gather the relevant studies together from both countries perspective in a cross cultural exploration using an implicit binary comparison of United Kingdom and America, to discuss the question of cruel and usual punishments. A considered effort was made to only use research which was taken from the offender’s perspective. Legislation from both countries was discussed, with the intention of highlighting the key comparisons and differences. Key figures show a decrease in sex offending while, evidence suggests a continued public unrest; England’s human rights policies are explored, as are the tougher legislations within the United States. Research indicated United Kingdom has sufficiently less sex offenders per 10,000 people than America. Moral panics, society’s morality and media influences are researched, these are used to demonstrate that public notification and restriction programs could be seen to infringe on the human rights of an individual and have a detrimental effect on any rehabilitation. 

Life as a Cop - The Impacts of Policing on Police Officers: Is Policing a Lifestyle Choice? 

By Ruth House, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The face of policing is changing. This research examines the impact that the role of a police officer has on those who perform it. Through semi-structured, qualitative interviews, it explores the various pressures that are placed on officers throughout their role; the impact these have upon them as people; and the way in which they live their lives. In doing so, it seeks to determine whether policing is a lifestyle choice. For the first time in over 30 years, police forces in England and Wales are being subjected to significant reforms at the recommendation of Tom Winsor. Moreover, due to governmental cuts to funding, there is now more demand than ever on the police to be an efficient, effective and resourceful public service. This climate of transition and change within policing, forms the context within which this research enquiry sits. Whilst these changes have only just begun to take effect, invariably they have, and will, continue to create additional pressures with which officers must contend. Thus, during a time when police officers are placed, more than ever, at the forefront of public and political scrutiny, it is important that the pressures engendered within their contemporary role are fully understood and, crucially, do not go unrecognised. Currently, police performance is quantified, for these stakeholders, through numerical performance indicators. However, the findings of this research have led the researcher to question how practicable this really is, and whether measuring performance in this way is unintentionally hindering officers, the police service, the government and, potentially, the social recovery of society.   

Neoliberalism, Social Harm and The Financial Crisis

By Rachel Burton, Leeds Metropolitan University, UK.

This research analysis set out to examine and explore the relationship between neoliberalism and social harm theory in the US and the UK, to see if the effects of neoliberalism can be described as social harms. This exploration included the definition of the perceived notion of crime and how certain harms are not valued under criminal law. It used previous literature to assess and discover the impacts neoliberalism (as a form of capitalism) has on society (in terms of its political ideologies). Whilst also developing an understanding of the argument from critical criminologists who suggest a move to the social harm approach would be beneficial. The interest in this research was born out of the 2008 financial crisis, its causes and the responses to it. From this analysis it can be seen that there is a strong link between neoliberalism and the production of social harms. It was concluded that further research is required to push forward the need for these social harms to be recognised as unlawful.   

Sex Trafficking of Women and Children in Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States: The Global Politics of Exploitation By Justyna Syla, University of East London, UK.

This project examined the phenomenon of human trafficking in the context of sexual exploitation. It focused on women and children, as the victims, because these groups are the most vulnerable. Furthermore, it presented methods of recruitment, reasons for targeting particular types of people and the consequences the victims suffer from sex trafficking. The international routes of human trade within Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States were also outlined. This included forms of transport and passage, destination countries and origin points. Human trafficking was defined and its occurrence and existence historically was critically evaluated. Furthermore, development of international legislations and awareness raised within the countries where the problem exists was presented. Moreover, this project illustrated different perceptions of trafficking which are linked to creation of diverse laws and approaches by various states to tackle this crime.   

Unravelling their Misrepresentations and Understanding the Cause: An exploratory study into domestic violence concerning gay men By Daniel Malcolm Nixon, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.

The concept of domestic violence has predominantly been understood within a heterosexual context where women are situated as the victims of both her gender and by her partner. Very little research has been conducted to explore domestic violence in non-heterosexual relationships. Many misconceptions have surrounded the occurrence of abusive behaviours within the relationships of gay men, which have most importantly contributed to its concealment, rejection and fundamentally its very existence as a problematic issue that society faces within the contemporary world. Therefore, this study pursues to unravel and enlighten this topic by exploring how such violent behaviour is caused, constituted, constructed and understood in late modernity by those gay men who have been subjected to it. The research adopts a qualitative approach using semi structured interviews to obtain ‘thick descriptions’ of how men have experienced domestic violence within intimate same sex relationships. The data gathered has been thematically analysed using grounded theory to explore what appear to be the central causes, processes and societal perspectives of the topic. The notion of crystallisation has also been used to drive its exploratory aim in providing a deepened understanding of domestic violence from various viewpoints. The findings indicate that domestic violence within the intimate relationships of gay men lack recognition, are misconceived, gay men struggle to self realise their victimized position and that current service provisions are inconsistent as well as ineffective at confronting the problem due to both heterosexist and sexist stereotypes. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that through exploring the lives of gay men, domestic violence is potentially an occurring feature within the discourse of a gay mans life, and that exploration must be continued if a thorough understanding of such a concealed topic is to be revealed. 

I shop therefore I am; does the society of consumption drive criminal activity in late liquid modernity?

By Grace Morrison, University of Teesside, UK.

This small scale research project utilises secondary analysis of 6 texts to lay the foundations into the study of criminal motivation in an increasingly individualised society. In order to achieve this it traces the history of criminology as a science and consumption as a socially constructed phenomenon back to their inceptions. It explores how consumption has become the grand narrative in contemporary society and examines the political and economic context in which this has flourished. It traces criminological thought back to its founders and assess the impact on which it has on modern criminological thought, whilst noting the flaws in its foundations. It will argue and demonstrate how desire has been manipulated in the core of our biological being and harnessed into consumerism allowing the Kenyan capitalist economic system to grow. It will show the relationship this holds to modern criminal activity. This paper will conclude that access to the consumption market is the Holy Grail for modern citizens and criminal activity is a result of exclusion to this market and of a revolutionizing process of repression from our basic animalistic drives. It will also show that criminology as an academic discipline and practical science needs to move away from its preoccupation with controlling crime risks and encourage more original thought into discovering individual criminal motivations, rather than nostalgically comparing out dated and flawed theories.   

The Criminal 'Edgework' Alternative Hypothesis: Is the Advancement of Entertainment and Communications Media Reducing Crime? By Simon Hayward, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

In an unexpected turn, the Western world is experiencing a steady reduction in crime, which began in the mid – 1990’s. In an attempt to make sense of this 15 year crime drop, Criminologists have been proposing many different explanations, all of which suffer from a lack of evidence to provide validity and reliability. The idea is that this 15 year crime drop is partly due to the unintended consequences of some form of relatively new human activity or invention. The proposition put forward within this dissertation is whether the advancement in entertainment and communications media has played a part in this crime recession. The argument is that this advancement in media technology has provided a substitute and a distraction from committing real life crime. The new emerging trend in Criminology has been to cite Routine Activities Theory as an explanation for the crime drop, and given that the advancement in entertainment and communications media has been an obvious change in society, the theory has been incorporated into this study. The notion of ‘edgework’ is also a focus, as it is an original and interesting concept that humans craving for the exhilaration of risk can cause crime, and that modern day media technologies may provide an alterative avenue to feed this craving. We may call this hypothesis: The ‘Edgework’ Alternative Hypothesis. Ultimately, however, it is clear that the study suffers from the same lack of evidence and support that other explanations suffer, and that further research is needed in order to validate the research. At present, the research is very much down to individual opinion.   

Does Early Aggression Predict Whether A Child Will Go On To Be Antisocial? 

By Jana Trajkovska, Navitas College of Public Safety, UK.

The following socio-criminological study seeks to discover how modern society perceives early childhood aggression as a predictor of future antisocial behaviour. This report investigates links of causal factors of aggression and antisocial criminality, through the collection of published literature, public surveys and professional interview analysis. Theorists have linked antisocial personality traits to violent criminality since the 1930’s (Moeller 2001, p.2000).The current interest however lies with the causes of antisocial behaviour- much established research being dedicated to the causal factors of violent offending. Early aggression is on the other hand sparsely investigated within published research; however authors that have made the link and covered this topic show that it is an important area to consider further research into, to satisfy the ultimate aim of adequate crime prevention. The goal of this report is to uncover what modern society’s views are on early childhood aggression as a predictor of future antisocial behaviour. This report investigates links of causal factors of aggression and antisocial criminality through the collection and critique of published literature, public surveys and professional interview analysis. Within this paper you will find a literature review, a research proposal and a final report- consisting of analyses of the data collected.   

The EU Plan of Action on Combating Terrorism: An Ambiguous and Redundant Tool of Governance

By Thomas Delaney, University of Westminster, UK.

‘The most powerful military in the world cannot invade, kill or capture a network or destroy every loose weapon on the planet. The best response to this network of terror is to build a network of our own -- a network of like-minded countries and organizations that pools resources, information, ideas, and power. Taking on the radical fundamentalists alone isn’t necessary, it isn’t smart, and it won’t succeed’ (Biden, 2006 cited in Crenshaw, 2007) This report is a conservative, unprecedented attempt to evaluate and address the EU Action Plan for Combating Terrorism and wider EU counter-terrorism policy initiatives through a multidisciplinary lens. An ambiguity-conflict nexus has been distilled from a systematic literature review of differing perspectives that equate to policy entrepreneurs evoking ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors within policy formation and implementation. Furthering this, an empirical content analysis of the Action Plan and related EU counter-terrorism documents and their evolution since September 11th 2001 highlight the overriding ambiguity-conflict nexus within EU counter-terrorism initiatives. Lastly, this report concludes that the ambiguity and conflict within the Action Plan that arose from policy entrepreneurialism and the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ perspectives, contradicted the central requirement of a managerialist, hierarchical governance that the Action Plan hoped to achieve (Yonah, 2002; 2006; Council of the European Union, 2004a; 2004b).   

A Case Study into the Introduction of the Federal Reserve Act 1913 and its Legitimisation of Crime

By Shaun Yates, University of Central Lancashire, UK.

The purpose of this study is to distinguish the useful and harmful aspects of Fractional Reserve Act 1913 is. This study concludes by stating that the act is destructive in nature and needs to be readdressed. This study analyses the Act, questioning its moral legitimacy and practicality. It analyses how the Act was created, who published it, why it was created and how useful it is for society. As a result of this research, the harms this Act has created are exposed. An investigation into the act’s history is also conducted raising questions over the legitimacy of the Acts original creation. The authors and publishers of the Act are criticised for manipulating policy in order to achieve private agendas. 

The Significance of Regulating Prostitution

By Nazmina Begum, Manchester Metropolitan University , UK.

This dissertation will focus on the significance of regulating prostitution. The UK Government currently regulates prostitution because the conduct attracts many problems such as drug use, violence, public nuisance, organised crimes, human trafficking, child prostitution, and exploitation. However, these problems are still present in the UK. Thus, there have been suggestions that perhaps the UK should take a different approach to prostitution to tackle these problems more effectively. This dissertation will aim to formulate a framework for the UK Government that will best tackle these drastic problems. This dissertation will present an evaluation of prostitution and prostitution laws in history. This dissertation will specify whether prostitution should be accepted as a trade like any other lawful trades or whether the UK should view prostitution as oppression, slavery, and coercion. Finally, there will be an investigation into the reform proposals to demonstrate the significance of regulating prostitution and whether any changes to the current UK laws and policies on prostitution could be made in order to pragmatically tackle the underlying problems of prostitution.   

An examination of the ‘Breaking the Cycle’ Green Paper to determine whether the proposed increase in the use of restorative justice is more likely to reduce the recidivism rates of young offenders than the current criminal justice system By Laura Hush, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

This research paper considers the proposals put forward by the Government in the ‘Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders’ (Ministry of Justice, 2010) Green Paper against theories of desistance from crime. This is to determine whether the proposed increase in the use of restorative justice could decrease recidivism rates of young offenders, or whether the current criminal justice system has a greater ability to achieve this. The major difference between the current criminal justice system and restorative justice is that, whilst the current criminal justice system focuses predominantly on punishing the offender, restorative justice concentrates on addressing the underlying reasons for the behaviour and the perspective of the victim. This difference is focussed on throughout the analysis. This research found that young offenders’ desistance from crime can be a result of them maturing, though it is also assisted by strong links with the local community and wider society, for example through work or relationships. As such requirements are met more closely by restorative justice practices; it seems that this would be better placed than the current criminal justice system to decrease young offenders’ recidivism. The detailed reasons for this finding are discussed in this research.   

To What Extent Has Facebook Become a Conduit for Criminal Activity?

By Victoria Loizou, University of Hull, UK.

The wide availability of the internet has brought massive changes in the ways by which communication can be achieved and in many instances have replaced traditional methods of correspondence. Increasingly popular is the use of social network sites which are one of the many ways by which computer mediated communication can be achieved. The massive growth of this sort of interaction has consequently attracted a large amount of media attention particularly following incidents of criminal activity that came to light. The aim of this dissertation is to explore the extent and nature of criminal activity of most popular social networking site, Facebook, and to determine whether the risks and warnings highlighted in the news and other media regarding the use of social network sites are justified.   

Media Representations of Male and Female ‘Co-Offending’: How female offenders are portrayed in comparison to their male counterparts

By Kathleen Evans, University of Chester, UK.

Through the method of Critical Discourse Analysis this dissertation examined how female co-offenders are portrayed in comparison to their male counterparts within different forms of media. Existing literature on gender assumptions and the notions of masculinity and femininity and how they are reiterated in relation to the offender within the media sphere, were vital in not only providing the foundations for this dissertation but also the focus for the analysis. Concentrating on two different cases of male and female co-offending; Vanessa George and Colin Blanchard and Maxine Carr and Ian Huntley, a review of the literature relating to each of the partnerships was initially undertaken before critically analysing the linguistic features of a selection of headlines and two documentaries relating to each of the cases. Informed by the literature, due to the preconceptions surrounding femininity it was predicted that within both forms of media the female offender in each case would receive the majority of the negative attention and due to their gender would be demonised far more than the male. Whilst the analyses of both sets of headlines revealed this to be true, interestingly the documentary relating to Maxine Carr appeared to take on a far more balanced stance. 

A Critical Analysis of the Justifications of Imprisonment as Punishment and the Culture of Punitiveness in Comparison to the Realities of Prison Life within England and Wales By Nicola Dewhurst, University of Leeds, UK.

This project will aim to identify why imprisonment is considered to be the primary and most preferable form of punishment within England and Wales. To do this, historical and traditional notions of the penal system will be considered in depth before it is ascertained if such values are outdated, unjustifiable or ineffective in modern society. The penal system will be largely deconstructed in an attempt to remove normative and familiar assumptions and rhetoric that may taint objectivity of judgements. Essentially, this means that the penal system will be stripped of societal connotations (in so far as is possible given the arguable subjectivity of all human debate), in an attempt to reach a non-prejudiced, non-perverted conclusion about the justifiability of imprisonment as punishment, and the subsequent consequences that has for offenders.   

How Punitive are the British Public?: An Evaluation of Kingston University Student’s Opinion By Kate MacLeod, Kingston University, London, UK.

This dissertation researches the ‘punitive’ nature of Kingston University student’s opinions towards the sentencing of offenders. Using Hough and Roberts’ (1999) study ‘Sentencing Trends in Britain: Public Knowledge and Public Opinion’ as inspiration, the knowledge of two cohorts of students on the Criminal Justice System (CJS) and its practices, is tested to determine the origins and reliability of the sources they use to form their opinions. John Pratt’s notion of ‘penal populism’ (2007) will be explained in relation to its influence on the two groups of students. According to the findings of Hough and Roberts (1999) it is considered that the ‘not informed’ students would express more punitive attitudes due to their ‘lack of knowledge’ of the CJS and the populist punitive nature of the mass media they are exposed to (Pratt; 2007). 

Self-Inflicted Deaths in Prison: An Exploration of INQUEST’s Challenges to State Power 

By Carly Speed, Liverpool John Moores University, UK.

In a modern day society dominated by a culture of crime and punishment there has been an increased use of prisons which has resulted in the prison population in England and Wales reaching an all time high. This persistent use of prisons has resulted in an increasingly vulnerable population being in the care of the state. Statistics demonstrate that self-inflicted deaths in prisons is a persistent problem which raises serious questions regarding the state’s ability to adequately care for prisoners wellbeing. This is where the charity INQUEST has been instrumental in supporting and campaigning for the rights of these prisoners and their families. This dissertation examined the work of INQUEST including their main achievements and problems they face as a counter hegemonic organisation. To discover this information, a vast amount of data was gathered from various staff members at INQUEST, historically right through to the present day. The dissertation was able to develop a profound understanding of how a counter hegemonic organisation like INQUEST can successfully challenge the state’s dominant truths surrounding the topic of self-inflicted deaths in prison and develop alternative truths as a result of their dedicated and tireless work.   

The Police Uniform: Power, Authority and Culture By Camilla De Camargo, University of Salford, UK.

The highly recognisable and iconic nature of the police uniform is arguably the most powerful tool of the police trade. The power and authority it bestows on its’ wearers can only serve to have some ‘contaminating’ effect on officers. This study uses qualitative interview data obtained from nine police officers accessed via a Police Neighbourhood Team over a two week period in December 2011. The resulting data was used in an attempt to explore the links between power, authority and the wearing of the police uniform and to discuss the social impact their occupation has on their lives outside the force. 

Contemporary Controversies Surrounding Capital Punishment: How does the deterrence theory, victim participation and human rights impact upon current debate?  By Rosie Grant, University of Leeds, UK.

This dissertation examines three issues of capital punishment that are central to current debate. The areas that are of concern include: the efficacy of the deterrent effect, the role and impact for victims in capital cases and human rights influences. In the evaluation of the deterrence effect, the retrospective data revealed that murders and sanctions are independent phenomena. A comparison of abolitionist and retentionist states in the United States of America informed us that there is no apparent correlation between imposing the death penalty and a reduction in the average homicide rate. There are various other social and demographic factors that may have more impact upon crime. It is argued that the four main dimensions of punishment that the deterrence theory relies upon – severity, certainty, celerity, and publicity – are not exercised sufficiently for the death penalty to act as an effective to deterrent to murder in the United States of America.   

Women in Prison: A Forgotten Population?

By Brogan Currie, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK.

This dissertation examines the gendered experiences of women in prison. Women comprise just 5% of the total UK prison population therefore it is argued that the specific needs of imprisoned women are being overlooked in the development of policy. As a result, there is a view that women are being disadvantaged in terms of the delivery of services within the prison regime including access to appropriate prison rehabilitation programmes and healthcare provision. The literature review identifies the differences in the way men and women experience prison through examples of discrimination. It also highlights the key differences between male and female prisoners including offence type, life experiences and coping mechanisms therefore recognising them as a unique group in need of specialised treatment. However, an investigation into prison rehabilitation programmes and the specific issues facing women in custody such as gynaecological health, pregnancy and childcare, revealed a distinct lack of gender-specifity in available services. It concludes that the small numbers of female prisoners have been subsumed into the majority male population and as a consequence, their needs are failing to be met during custody. This reduces the overall effectiveness of imprisonment as a punitive sanction for women offenders, suggesting that perhaps an entirely new approach is needed.   

Crime Reducing Entertainment: The Contribution of Media Entertainment and Communication Technologies to the UK’s Victimisation Drop By Jordan Cashmore, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The crime drop of the western industrialised world has baffled criminologists of late, defying all predictions. Despite numerous attempts to explain it, no consensus has arisen as to the cause. Therefore, incorporating numerous hypotheses may be the way forward in order to formulate a more comprehensive understanding of the reasons for the decline in crime. The hypothesis presented by this dissertation aims to contribute to that, examining whether improvements to and widespread availability of media entertainment and communication devices have caused the crime drop, specifically in the UK. When comparing statistics from the British Crime Survey regarding victimisation in England and Wales with independent research into ownership and use of leisure and communication technologies, strong visible relationships were found. Routine Activity Theory is used to examine the possible effect that ownership and usage trends of these technologies has on crime victimisation. Since Routine Activity Theory could not explicate the reasons for these potential effects, the dissertation speculates various possible explanations for the effect. It is found that the hypothesis is plausible and can be applied to many victimisation crimes, though it is only a partial explanation and must work in conjunction with other hypotheses in order to mutually improve their effectiveness in explaining and continuing the crime drop.   

Neat, Plausible, and Wrong: Examining the Limitations of Typologies in the Study and Investigation of Serial Murder By Emily Dryer-Beers, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

This thesis questions the accepted use of typologies in an official capacity. To examine if typologies are of practical use in the study of serial homicide, potential implications of their use are critically discussed in five contexts, those of prevention, investigation, profiling, utilisation in court, and with respect to societal contentment. It is concluded that due to the inherent ambiguity of typological thinking and the inability of categorisation to characterise human behaviours, the use of such methods does more to impede understanding than it does to improve it. Rather, such pursuits are borne out of a very human desire to understand, and hence control the uncontrollable. 

What Evidence Is There For A Link Between Mental Impairment And An Increased Risk Of False Confessions?

By Geoffrey Pickersgill, The Open University, UK.

There has been much research in recent years into the causes of the well-known phenomenon that mentally impaired people tend to be over-represented as defendants in the criminal justice process. Less research, however, has been undertaken into why such defendants and suspects appear to be at a higher risk of making false confessions. This may be because it appears that there is a simple answer to this question: such suspects are mentally impaired and vulnerable to the pressures of the criminal justice system, particularly those involved in being interviewed by the police. This is certainly one valid reason but it is by no means the only reason. Research suggests several causal factors are involved. This paper examines some of these causal factors and in doing so reveals the incremental nature of knowledge construction which various researchers have taken in their studies. Dispositional factors and situational factors are both instrumental in causing false confessions. The paper concludes that there is no one major factor that leads mentally impaired suspects to make false confessions more than suspects who are not mentally impaired but rather it is a combination of factors.   

Do the Consequences of Incarceration Problematise the Justification for Women’s Incarceration?

By Suzanne Eckton, University Of Central Lancashire, UK.

The aim of this study is to critically analyse whether imprisonment for women is a justifiable form of punishment, or whether alternative approaches are more appropriate. To gain a clear understanding of the question at hand, this essay is based on a theoretical stand point using sources from official research, feminist views and other critical thinkers, case studies, documentaries as well as charities/agencies and organisations.   

The Arab Spring: The Rise Of Human Security And The Fall Of Dictatorship

By Keiran Morris, Birmingham City University, UK.

This work was conducted to determine the impact of human security concerns within security policies of, the dictatorships of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya upon the Arab Spring and the fall of the regimes in the region of Northern Africa in 2011-12. Academic literature tells us that the concept of security is changing from a state focussed realist concept in the colonial period to a human focused paradigm in the post-colonial period; and, although it discusses the threats posed to the moral values of an abstract ‘international community’ through human security issues such as poverty or human rights abuses, it does little to discuss the importance of the human security on stability of state institutions. Discussion of this change aids an exploration of realist security policies adopted by Tunisian, Egyptian and Libyan authorities during the 20th century post-colonial state-building period. What emerges from this is a discussion of how an ignorance of human security within continually realist security policies eventually led to the downfall of the dictatorial regimes when the legitimacy of those regimes was challenged by a changing international political and economic situation. This work shows that an analysis of media coverage, political statements, academic and NGO reports reveals negative citizen-state relationship where the regimes’ frequent human rights abuses damaged the human security of the general population, leading to the citizens rebelling and ultimately overthrowing the regimes. The work therefore concludes that a state’s recognition of human security is of paramount importance in ensuring its own legitimacy and state security.   

The Coping Strategies, Adjustment and Well Being of Male Inmates in the Prison Environment

By Jordan Picken, Birmingham City University, UK.

The research area of imprisonment and its effects on inmates has had a long and complex history over the past decades, with researchers having varying opinions. Early researchers suggested that imprisonment had negative psychological and physical effects on its inmates, leading to psychological deterioration. More recent research, on the other hand, has suggested that imprisonment is not as detrimental as first thought. This review aims to provide an overview of the coping strategies, adjustment and well being of male inmates in the prison environment. Additionally, a systematic review methodology is adopted to examine the relationships between coping strategies, adjustment and well being of male inmates. The objectives of this review were, firstly, to determine if coping strategies affect the adaptation, adjustment and well being of inmates and, secondly, to determine if institutional changes can improve inmate adjustment and coping. The results were mixed, but demonstrate that there is a complex relationship between the coping strategies, adjustment and well being of male inmates and that institutional opportunities and changes can be beneficial. The review concludes that there is a link between coping strategies, adjustment and well being of male inmates and that therapeutic communities, such as those at HMP Grendon, would be useful in conventional prisons to help inmates adjust and reform.   

The Criminal and the Terrorist: A Comparative Criminological Analysis of Pathways into Crime

By Jasmine Smith, Birmingham City University, UK.

This dissertation examines both serial killers and terrorists in the hope that a more comprehensive understanding and look into their behaviour, can help counter their deviance. As recent tragedies such as 9/11 and 7/7 demonstrate the horrific damage terrorist organisations can cause, and highlights the need to understand their behaviour. Using library based, documentary review as a basis for critical research, this work attempts to investigate and analyse both serial killers’ and terrorists’ pathways into crime. In demonstrating the similarities and differences between the two, this dissertation aims to decipher if a terrorist could in fact be far more analogous to a serial killer than what is often believed. 

"Retribution Is No Solution”: Is Community Justice a Viable Alternative? 

By Anthony Mousdell, St Helens College in collaboration with Liverpool John Moore’s University, UK.

In a period spanning the past 20 years, there has been a “detrimental paradigm shift from ‘penal welfarism’ to ‘penal populism’, the result of which justifies an increase in the use of incarceration” (Bruce, 2010). This dissertation offers an in-depth analysis of Community Justice and the determining factors that entitle it as a viable alternative to the core problems (recidivism, public opinion / risk and economics trepidations) that blight our prison service to date. The findings of which unearth an ambidextrous dichotomy. Exploring ‘the North Liverpool Community Justice Centre’ and cross continental schemes, justice reinvestment coupled with community justice demonstrate a potential solution not without obstacles   

Students’ Perceptions of Homicide

By Sally Freeman, University of Huddersfield, UK.

The piece of work will be looking to address the gap in research around perceptions of homicide particularly with regards peoples’ perception of the dynamics of homicide such as where it occurs and the circumstances around the offence. The research will also look at where people get their information on crime from and consider if this has an effect on a person’s perception. Previous research suggests that peoples view of crime is not in line with official statistics and that people think crime is on the increase when official figure suggest that crime rates and in particular homicide rates are decreasing (Mattinson and Mirrlees-Black, 2000; McDonald, 1995; Mitchell and Roberts,2012). Research also suggests there is a difference between men and women’s perceptions of crime (Pfeiffer et al, 2005), and this piece of research aims to try and replicate those findings in respect to perceptions of homicide.   

Imitation and Incitement: An Analysis of Media-Driven Behaviour and Criminality

By Sarah Morrison, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

In recent years there has been an increase in the consumption of media, which has led to concerns about whether it is criminogenic. This research aims to evaluate the ways in which the media can be considered criminogenic via two outcomes – imitation of acts and incitement to crime. In order to assess the influence of media on imitation and incitement, a secondary methodological approach has been utilised; a literature review was used to compile evidence from a number of resources – including books and journals accessed through Nottingham Trent University. In addition, this research makes use of newspaper articles to gather anecdotal evidence for the purpose of analysing imitative behaviour of fictional media. This evidence provides details about specific cases of criminality, which is analysed in conjunction with the media individuals are purported to have imitated to evaluate the extent to which media is relevant in the cases discussed. 

Bentham Versus Kroppotkin: A view on the use of prison as a punishment for criminal behaviour. 

By Debbie Wells, University of Central Lancashire, UK.

The prison is used as a major form of punishment and is currently the ultimate penalty given to criminals who break the law in contemporary society. However, despite its widespread use, the effectiveness of the prison has always been a widely debated controversial issue. Utilitarian Jeremy Bentham and anarchist Peter Kropotkin have presented opposing views on the use of the prison as a form of punishment. This dissertation will outline these two diverse perspectives. After a brief historical discussion of the emergence of the prison, a discussion of Bentham’s and Kropotkin’s differing views of human nature will demonstrate what they perceive as an ideal society. This forms the basis of their conflicting solutions to reduce crime, in an attempt to answer whether the prison service is an effective form of punishment for criminal behaviour. After close examination of Bentham’s utilitarian theory, it is evident that he desired the reformation of the prison. On the other hand, Kropotkin demanded absolute abolition of the prison and all forms of authority within society, in order to allow for cooperation and mutual aid. However, despite their differences it is evident that both Bentham and Kropotkin would disagree with how the prison operates today.  

How is ‘Honour’ Based Violence Managed In England and Wales?

By Samantha Walker, Plymouth University, UK.

The purpose of this study is to determine how ‘honour’-based violence is managed in terms of legislation and policy within the UK. Due to a substantial rise in immigration into the UK over the last decade and the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and 7/7, the UK moved away from multiculturalism and instead adopted a push towards civic integration. As a result greater focus has been placed upon minority ethnic within England and Wales. Furthermore, since the rise of second wave feminism and the human rights agenda, violence against women within the UK has been increasingly recognised as a social problem. Thus ‘Honour’-based violence, a phenomenon commonly associated with minority ethnic communities, is today increasingly found within both the media and political spotlight within the UK. Through an extensive study of the relevant literature in this area, this dissertation focuses on the way in which ‘honour’-based violence is managed within England and Wales; particularly within both legislation and policy.  

High Plains Drifters: Intellectual Property, Freedom Of Speech And Big Business – The Battle For Control Of The World Wide Web By Wayne Noble, University of Central Lancashire, UK.

This is a discussion and definition of Intellectual Property Rights, Intangibility, File Sharing, Freedom of Information, Drift Theory and the Social Construction of the Cyber Criminal. In this work I intend to outline measures which have been taken to curb Intellectual Property Crime by the media industry and consider how such measures have been effective in designing out crime. Also an examination of the threat allegedly posed by file sharing to the media industry and if that threat is as great as the bodies and statistics claim? There is an exploration of Foucaldian notions of power and how they are stratified across the internet rather than being centred within one particular body or institution.

Is Violence Inherent in Upper Level Drug Markets? An Investigation

By Katie Grady, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The illicit drug trade is the largest transnational form of organised crime in the world and dates back well before any regulations were introduced to monitor or control such substances, or indeed, to respond to the problems it subsequently created. The detrimental impacts of this sustained problem, either with supply or demand, have become embedded in many nations which has allowed upper-level drug traffickers to increase their networks and control, often using violence as a weapon. Despite the large profits generated from the drug trade, it is argued that the suffering caused by the high crime levels and costs to the economy is greater than that of the drugs themselves.  

Youth Gangs in the UK: Myth or Reality?

By Aleasha Cox, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The emergence of youth gangs in the UK in recent years has resulted in heightened media attention of the group, with sensationalised headlines appearing in newspapers relating to violent gang crimes which have led to the deaths of many young people. This has resulted in the fear of groups of young people within communities, as well as a multitude of government responses. The aim of this dissertation was to identify the myths and realities surrounding the emergence of youth gangs in the UK in order to determine whether the media is fuelling a moral panic which in turn has led to inappropriate responses by the government. A literary based approach was utilised for this research in order to ascertain whether it is appropriate to apply the wide range of US literature to the UK situation. The research focuses on the varying definitions of youth gangs, followed by an analysis of both US and UK subcultural explanations of the emergence of gangs and finally a look at how media moral panics influence government initiatives. The research concludes that youth gangs do exist in the UK, however, due to gaps in research and a lack of reliable empirical evidence, along with the influence of the media’s involvement; it is found that government responses are failing to address the needs of youths involved in gangs. Recommendations are also made, suggesting further areas for research as well as improvements which could be made to government policy and initiatives.  

Broccoli or Broken Windows? The relationship between anti social behaviour and a nutrient deficient diet

By Emma Gordon, Blackpool and Fylde College, an Associate College of Lancaster University, UK.

The differential extent of research into nutrition and malnutrition and the impact this has on externalising behaviours is vast. It is generally accepted that nutrition and related factors such as food additives, hypoglycaemia and cholesterol plays an important role as a contributor of children and adults externalising behaviour, such as aggression or anti social behaviour, and as such much research has been carried out into the prevalence of this. However, little is known about the role malnutrition plays in such externalising behaviours (Raine, Lui, Venables, & Mednick, 2004). Furthermore identifying the antecedents of anti social behaviour has also become prevalent in society today (Rutter, 1997). Therefore, the following paper will explore the relationship between malnutrition and anti social behaviour.  

Situational Crime Prevention: Modern Society’s ‘Trojan Horse?’

By Stephen Whattam, Blackpool and Fylde College, an Associate College of Lancaster University, UK.

According to some commentators, Britain is a place of heightened public insecurity and anxiety. ‘Fear of crime’ (FOC) is a routine feature of many people’s lives. It can be argued that in the UK successive governments since the 1970s have utilised this fear, which in turn has provided the political legitimation for the increased use of situational crime prevention security measures. Paradoxically, visible signs of security hardware may make some people more fearful, sensing that high security must indicate high risk. This dissertation discusses whether situational crime prevention is modern society's 'trojan horse'.  

‘The Supervision of Sex Offenders in the Community – at what cost?’

By Sophie Lockley, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The intention of this dissertation was to examine the effectiveness of current practises in place by the criminal justice system to supervising sex offenders in the community. While treatment techniques within a custodial setting have been investigated in previous research, there has been a deficiency in research once sex offenders are released. It considered legislation which has introduced such measures to monitor sex offenders upon their release from custody and analyses the methods and accuracy of risk assessments before reverting back to a debate which highlights the difficulties in balancing the human rights of the sex offender against the rights protecting the public.   

'Child Criminals’ in the Media: an Analysis of Media Constructions of ‘child criminals’ and a Critical Analysis of the Consequences  By Helen Dunbabin, University of Central Lancashire, UK.

The intention of this dissertation is to highlight the socially constructed nature of ‘childhood’ through the production and reproduction of knowledge from discourse. The author endeavours to expose the unequal power relations and discursive manoeuvres that are utilized in media discourse(s) that sustain dominant notions that children and young people who transgress the law are ‘evil’ and/or 'adult like'. 

“Bye-Bye Fascists”: A Critical Analysis of the English Defence League

By Joe Sheffield, Birmingham City University, UK.

This paper is aimed at addressing public opinion towards the Right-Wing group, the English Defence League (EDL). Having received the label of extremists by the media, this paper seeks to examine such claims that the English Defence League is an extremist organisation. What we hope to achieve is a more detailed understanding of the accusations being made against the EDL, as well as identifying who the EDL are and what they stand for. 

The Person is Political

By Rhian Metcalf, University of Central Lancashire, UK.

The central objective of this dissertation is to develop an understanding regarding the socio-economic issue of homelessness. This dissertation attempts to review and develop understanding regarding the ethos and social improvement practices of the Recycling Lives organisation, evaluating the multi-dimensional company’s social value in terms of socio-economic rejuvenation and individual rehabilitation. Other charities and support measures are reviewed alongside government statistics including an acknowledgment of factors which may have added to the progression of an individual’s disadvantaged state, whilst reviewing the benefits and implications of institutionalised intervention.  

The Wrongful Conviction of Arthur Andersen LLC

By Michael E. Marotta, Eastern Michigan University, USA.

The demise of the legal person Arthur Andersen LLC models the many miscarriages of justice, wrongful convictions and subsequent exonerations of real persons. The case shines a bright light into corners of the criminal justice system often ignored both by the mass media as well as by many criminal justice professionals. This dissertation provides a cross-section of the case.  

An evaluation of the Offender Assessment System (OASys) as an assessment tool for the National Probation Service By Kerry Newbold, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The intention of this research was to evaluate the Offender Assessment System (OASys) and to consider its role within the probation service. Primary research was conducted using the semi-structured interview in order to gain information on several a reas of interest in relation to OASys. This included the length of time it takes to complete the assessment, any technical difficulties that occur, gender specific questions, the usefulness of OASys, the results and the relevancy of the information required. A snowball sample was used in order to gather the participants, which consisted of seven probation employees. 

Is CCTV effective in reducing Anti-social Behaviour?

By Philippa Fletcher, Lancaster University, UK.

It seems that currently there is very little literature or research evaluating the effectiveness of CCTV in reducing antisocial behaviour. As antisocial behaviour can be an antecedent to more serious crime it is important to know which initiatives are effective in reducing the likelihood of it occurring. CCTV is a situational crime prevention method, a way to design out crime (Newburn, T., 2007).  The aim of the research was help to bridge the gap in knowledge in the area of the effectiveness of CCTV in reducing antisocial behaviour with the use of both primary and secondary sources. The results were startling, showing CCTV to have little impact on the level of antisocial behaviour in one area and the opposite in another area. The interview with the Blackpool CCTV Unit and research has highlighted some interesting factors as to why these results may have occurred.  

Why Has Prison Emerged as a Prominent Form of Punishment for Most Crime and What Are its Functions in Relation to Wider Society? By Robert Taylor, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The purpose of this dissertation is to ascertain why prison has emerged as a prominent form of punishment for most crime and to critically discuss the function of modern day prisons in relation to wider society. Following the Second World War the prison population in England and Wales increased dramatically and continues to rise, even though crime rates have reduced since 1997. As a result 82 of the 142 prisons in England and Wales are overcrowded. Yet we continue to sentence offenders to custody, since May 1997 a total of 1,036 new offences have been introduced which are punishable by imprisonment and the Ministry of Justice anticipate that the number of offenders behind bars will reach 95,800 by 2015. This thesis endeavours to explore why it is prison remains a popular form of punishment.

Do False Allegations of Rape Made by Women Affect the Workings of the Criminal Justice System?

By Claire Willoughby, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

This dissertation explores false and malicious allegations of rape made by women against men and the effect this has on the workings of the criminal justice system. Further objectives include examining the reasons why false claims are made, to what extent they contribute to the low conviction rate in rape cases which is currently only 6% (Home Office, 2010) and examining the role that alcohol and drugs may play in making a false allegation. These issues were investigated through both library based and primary research that took the form of semi-structured interviews with a convenience sample including a police officer specialising in the field of rape, a prosecuting barrister for the Crown Prosecution Service and someone who has recently been accused of rape. 

Situational Crime Prevention and Crime Displacement: Myth and Miracles?

By Catherine Phillips, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The criminologically orthodox view of crime displacement is that displacement is not inevitable; is often less than anticipated, and that Situational Crime Prevention Initiatives may even lead to a ‘diffusion of benefits’. Advocates of this viewpoint cite empirical literature that purports to show little evidence of displacement. A secondary analysis of this literature shows that displacement may in fact be more common than is widely claimed, particularly in the case of studies with offenders. Furthermore, the findings of the Kirkholt Burglary Prevention Project, which purport to demonstrate a diffusion of benefits, are shown to be based on questionable evidence. This dissertation therefore questions the accepted view of crime displacement, and the soundness of the evidence on which it is based; and recommends that a large scale research project should be conducted with offenders, to discover a more accurate picture of crime displacement.

Was The UK Prison System Designed by Men, For Men?

By Lydia Hackney, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

Women’s prisons are surrounded in controversy and commentaries on the many issues relating to them such as drug abuse, mental illness and s elf-inflicted death have become increasingly visible to the public in the twenty-first century. A number of scholars and campaigners blame these issues upon a gendered design; believing that the UK prison system was designed by men, for men. The aim of the dissertation was to investigate the veracity of this notion using a secondary literary-based research approach. 

Genocide Prevention in the Modern Setting: Theory versus Practice

By Lucy Kentish, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

Genocide is perhaps the most extreme and destructive crime against humanity, however, the international response to incidents of this nature has frequently lacked political will or commitment, either financially or through military interventions. A commonality in the lack of genocide intervention by individual states is the absence of gainful resources such as oil, gold and diamonds in the country of conflict, or through the description of such events as ‘civil wars’. A further problem encountered with the intervention of genocide is its legal classification, the limited meaning of which has consequently resulted in governments failing to respond whilst attempting to determine the correct ‘terminology’, with the recent conflicts in Darfur being a key example of this problem (Quayle, 2005). This thesis, therefore, attempts to determine whether genocide can be actively prevented through a discussion of the potential causal factors of genocide, and a critical evaluation of whether existing responses to genocide are both appropriate and effective.  

‘The Ultimate Betrayal' Female Child Sex Offenders: An Exploration of Theories, Media Representations and the Role of the Internet in Relation to Female Perpetrators of Child Sexual Abuse By Laura Bexson, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

Following the recent case of Vanessa George, the nursery worker who sexually abused children in her care, this dissertation has chosen to look at this group of offenders in more detail. The sole method of data collection chosen for this study was library-based research. Using a range of textbooks, journals, newspaper articles and websites the researcher was able to gather information on this topic. The study discusses a number of theoretical explanations put forward in attempt to explain the actions female perpetrators of child sexual abuse. It e xplores a number of high profile cases of female sex offenders these being; Myra Hindley, Rosemary West and Vanessa George. The ways in which these women were represented in the media is examined looking at the imagery and language used. Finally the role of the Internet in sex offending is examined with a more specific section on what it is about the Internet that may be driving women to commit sexual abuse against children. Here the importance of male-coercion is highlighted. 

To What Extent has Recreational Drug Use Become Normalised Amongst the Student Population at University?

By Sarah Price, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

This dissertation measures the extent to which recreational drug use has become normalised amongst the student population at university. It draws on five key dimensions to measure normalisation through the use of online self-completion questionnaires; access and availability, trying rates, rates of recent and regular use and the degree of social and cultural accommodation of such use. This dissertation assessed the extent of normalisation in comparison to previous research carried out amongst young people in this subject area.  

Care or Custody: Where Should Mentally Disordered Offenders be Placed?

By Sarah Coutts, Sheffield Hallam University, UK.

The Prison Service’s emphasis on punishment, control and security has created many problems for the efficient and effective delivery of care to mentally disordered prisoners. Mentally disordered offenders do not have the crucial coping mechanisms or ability to deal with the ‘prison culture’ (Stephen and Knight, 2009). Conflicting opinions with regards to the treatment of mentally disordered offenders between the prison system and the NHS means care available to prisoners is limited. The focus remains on punishment for the offence rather than treatment of mental disorders (Criminal Justice Act: Chap 44, 2003). Therapeutic communities offer a potential solution to the question of where mentally disordered offenders should be placed. The research found that all three (Community, Institution and Prison) are useful with regards to the placement of mentally disordered offenders. It seems that each provides care for the offender and protects the public from future harm to differing degrees. It identifies the appropriateness of each placement, however also identifies that placement should be dependent on the aims (punishment or rehabilitation), the offence and the mental health issues.

The Reintegration Of Elderly Prisoners: An Exploration Of Services Provided In England And Wales By Matthew Davies, University of Leeds, UK.

The elderly population in England and Wales has received relatively very little attention in the criminal justice system across a number of levels. This is despite a rapidly increasing elderly prison population which is contributing to an already overcrowded prison system. This poses a number of challenges for the Prison Service, since older people in prison experience a host of unique problems which differ to those of younger prisoners. One significant aspect that has been overlooked by academics, politicians and practitioners is the issue of re-integration. A literature review reveals that older inmates disproportionately struggle with resettlement as a result of distinct psychological adjustments they have made in prison, a reduced support network in the community and an increased likelihood of health and mobility concerns. These problems are exacerbated by a system oriented on a stereotypical understanding of the young male criminal. In England and Wales, this has restricted the usefulness of prison programmes and activities for older prisoners who are less likely to re-offend and who are less likely to be a threat to society upon release. With the prioritisation of reducing re-offending and protecting the public, the National Offender Management Strategy (NOMS) fundamentally conflicts with the characteristics of elderly prisoners and fails to consider their re-integrative needs. 

The Heart of the Criminal Justice System: A Critical Analysis Of the Position of the Victim

By Jana Bednarova, Anglia Ruskin University, UK.

The aim of this dissertation, which is based on secondary research involving analysing a range of books, journal articles, Government publications, newspaper articles and videos, is to critically examine the position of the victim in the criminal justice system. The paper looks at the role of political interests in establishing victim-focus policies and the direction towards their placement at the heart of the justice system. This includes the managerialistic values, modernization of the Government and covering-up of punitive measures taken against the offender that all point to the political rhetoric around the centeredness of the victim. Furthermore, the view of traditional justice is accounted for in order to get a grasp of the many underlying factors that can be attributed to the so called rebirth and the consequent concentration on the victim. The paper firstly discusses characteristics of victims, the impact of crime on victims and also their needs for a better understanding of who they are and what can be done to help them. Particular attention is drawn to stereotypes associated with victims and constructions of the ideal victim. Secondly, the adversarial nature of English justice and implications for victims are discussed, as well as some tensions between the interests of the offender and the victim, and the opposed nature of the two. Procedural and service rights especially play an important role in defining whether victims are given appropriate attention. Many new initiatives favour the victim and pledge for its better treatment, but it will be shown that there are conflicts as to what can be done in reality and what is proposed. However, it cannot be disputed that support for victims has progressed significantly within the last decade. In the dissertation, it will be argued that the position of the victim, influenced by these many factors, cannot be at the heart of the system, but has advanced in terms of their treatment.   

Reinvesting in Communities: Community Justice as a Viable Solution to Mass Incarceration.

By Fiona Bruce, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK.

Over the years, there has been a paradigm shift from penal welfarism to ‘punitive populism’ in the UK, and a consequence of this has been an increased use of imprisonment. It has been recognised that high imprisonment rates disproportionately affect the most deprived communities, and this study outlines the detrimental impact that this has upon their economic viability, reputation, cohesion and strength of networks. This study demonstrates that community justice is a potential solution to these problems; as such an approach aims to improve communities by getting people to become more engaged with the criminal justice system (CJS), reintegrating ex-prisoners, and by focussing upon areas such as housing, employment, education and health, and not simply individual offenders. The ways that justice reinvestment initiatives have been used in the US are also outlined in this study, to demonstrate that no new monies are required to fund community justice. Although there are a number of obstacles that will have to be overcome, including support for ‘tough on crime’ policies, a ‘decline in community’ and fear of crime, this study proposes that if the public are made aware of the wider benefits that such an approach could bring, then community justice provides an opportunity for real changes to be made to the CJS and communities throughout the UK. 

A Communities Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Neighbourhood Policing

By Anthea Tainton, Notingham Trent University, UK.

This dissertation evaluates the impact of Neighbourhood Policing in a local community, focusing in particular on the perceptions of key stakeholders and members of the community. Neighbourhood policing is the most recent model of community policing in the UK, whilst community policing has been a popular model in the USA it has not been as influential in the UK. However, during the early 2000s there was growing anxiety and an increase in the public’s fear of crime, despite crime rates decreasing since the mid 1990s. This led to the development of the National Reassurance Policing Programme. This programme developed a set of practical policing strategies that were targeted, primarily, at reducing fear of crime amongst the public. The Neighbourhood Policing model developed directly out of the reassurance programme, and is attempting, with the extension of the policing family, to provide each community with a local policing team that is both visible and accessible. Due to the contemporary nature of Neighbourhood Policing there is limited literature available examining a range of important issues. Not least, the majority of evaluations of this model have focused on implementation issues at a national level, thus ignoring the localised nature of policing. In response to this gap in the literature this dissertation explores perceptions and attitudes towards neighbourhood policing at the level of a local community, examining: public awareness of neighbourhood policing and its aims; multi-agency partnerships and their fit with this model; public understanding of the effectiveness or impact that Neighbourhood Policing is having on crime and anti-social behaviour. Although this is only an exploratory study it argues that in order to understand the impact and effectiveness of Neighbourhood Policing it is essential that future research concentrates on the perceptions of those involved in the delivery and on the receiving end of this approach. 

Theory of Desistance

By Natalie Hearn, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The aim of this research was to explore factors which lead to desistance amongst offenders. There were three central areas looked at during the research. Firstly the correlation between age and offending, secondly the how and why the process of desistance commences, and finally, why people continue to desist from offending. The findings from this research were obtained from semi-structured interviews with two desisters, one male and one female, similar age group, similar economic back ground and upbringing. Themes were kept broad so that the responses were those of the interviewees and not directed by the research. It was discovered that the experiences and factors leading to desistance amongst the research sample group were not dissimilar to the theoretical frameworks of desistance. Given the level of funding put into simply punishing and releasing offenders back into society, this research looks at real interventions which may lead to people “choosing” not to offend in the future.   

Capitalism and Crime: The Criminogenic Potential of the Free Market 

By Mark Horsley, Northumbria University, UK.

This dissertation discusses the neo-liberal capitalist hegemony that exists in the Anglo-American nations and its implications for national crime rates. It elaborates upon the tendency of neo-liberal nations to have dramatically higher crime rates than nations governed by other ideologies. It discusses the problems associated with the widespread adoption of values like competitive individualism, the rise of consumer culture and other factors like rising social inequality. These problems are backed up by case studies of the USA, Japan and the Scandinavian Nations. It concludes that although neo-liberalism may not lead directly to higher crime rates some of its effects are hardly conducive to a peaceful society.   

Recognising Children and Young People Living in the Context of Domestic Violence

By Bridie-Ann Milner, Loughborough University, UK.

Domestic violence has been a relatively ‘hidden’ problem in society for centuries. In the past forty years developing research has shown that children and young people who have witnessed domestic violence in their life time are likely to face long term implications in respect of their emotional, psychological and behavioural development. For children and young people who witness domestic violence, this experience is core to their lives, yet service support and delivery is still fragmented across the UK. The government need to re-address the evidence from research and practice that shows us the extent of the problem and its effects upon children and young people, so they recognise the need to appropriately fund and deliver supportive services for our young and vulnerable population. 

Why is the International Justice System Ineffective at Protecting the Rights of Child Soldiers?

By Mark Gee, Open University, UK.

A number of international legal instruments, adopted, signed and ratified, to protect the rights of children, represent a framework for how “justice” is determined legally (Mehigan, Walters and Westmarland, 2010). Employing content and discourse analysis, and adopting a cultural relative stance, this article examines the centrality of the concept of power to understanding how children are affected differentially by “justice”. Critiques of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations, undated) and the Convention of the Rights of the Child (United Nations General Assembly, 1989), will be followed by a critical assessment of The Impact of Armed Conflict on Children (Machel, 1996). The success of the international justice system in respect of childrens’ rights will be assessed by focusing on two pertinent international solutions, namely the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programme and the International Criminal Court.   

Contemporary Maritime Piracy and Securi-Car Thefts: Can Lessons From the Past Have Practical Implications on Reducing Future Incidence? By Robert Ford, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

Through analysing lessons from the past regarding how several notable methods of crime in transit have transpired, flourished, diminished and ceased, this dissertation seeks to discover if it is theoretically useful to create a common typology of successful crime prevention procedures that can help prevent future attacks on valuables in transit. The two main forms of transport becoming increasingly affected by the theft of cash and valuables in transit (CVIT) today are cash-in-transit vans and international cargo ships, both inconceivably important in modern society and equally as relied upon (BSIA, 2007; IMB, 2009). With the oceans home to ‘roughly 50,000 large ships’ carrying ‘80 percent of the world's traded cargo’ (Luft and Korin, 2004) and cash-in-transit vans carrying ‘£1.4 billion in cash daily’ (Home Office, 2007) around the UK, it is evident that the problem CVIT potentially creates is astoundingly costly. This dissertation aims to provide a resourceful tool by providing a typology and framework of promising practice to be applied to specific areas of such an escalating global crime problem. A typology of promising techniques may advance knowledge and better focus efforts in reducing the incidence of future thefts of valuables in transit, particularly with regards to maritime piracy and securi-car thefts. History has consistently uncovered a preferred method of transport for thieves to target due to a form of displacement occurring once weak targets are universally hardened, and knowing this may help society gear up for the next CVIT problem before it arrives. 

The Treatment of Mentally Disordered Offenders Within the Criminal Justice System

By Rebecca Green, Loughborough University, UK.

This dissertation aims to provide a critical examination of the various types of treatment interventions that affect the mentally disordered offender. This area has seen vast change within recent years, with a number of factors contributing to the desperately high proportion of mentally disordered offenders currently held within prisons in England and Wales. Arguably, focal to debates surrounding the appropriateness of treatment for this group is the care and control dichotomy that has historically undermined successful policy implementation for this group. This dissertation will address the various approaches that have been taken, exploring whether it is possible to balance punishment for their offending behaviour with a need to treat their mental disorder, whilst taking into account concerns with public safety that have increasingly penetrated debates surrounding the treatment of this group. Further, it will propose a number of plausible future policy directions, illustrative of the need to uptake an approach dependent upon both mental health provision and the Criminal Justice System.   

Passion, Poison and Pistols; Media Representations and Media Constructions of Female 'Crimes of Passion' in England, 1820-1856 By Kaye Leese, University of Manchester, UK.

This dissertation shows that the media constructions of mid-19th century murderesses were not as straightforward as some other historians have suggested. Using contemporary newspaper reports it will demonstrate that although many women received a uniformly negative response to their actions, there was a complex criteria underpinning her portrayal. The media was influenced by a woman's physical appearance, her personal life and emotional state, her religious devotion and her relationship with the victim, who was also intensely scrutinised. Class conflict is also evident in this research; a working-class murderess was considered a danger to middle-class notions of sexual honour and acceptable female behaviour. The idea of transgression allowed media reporters to make sense of such deviance. This dissertation shows how using this methodology can give historians a valuable insight into the everyday lives working-class women and also an opportunity to see patriarchy in action.   

Compensation for Miscarriage of Justice

By Daniel Layne, Nottingham Law School, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

Denial of liberty is the most serious state sanction available in the United Kingdom. That people who have suffered an unjustified loss of their liberty, together with all the consequential damage to themselves and their families, should be swiftly and justly compensated is a principle few would disagree with. Of course, consideration of the detail is far more complicated, in terms of why compensation should be paid, who should qualify and how much they should receive. This dissertation attempts to address these issues and compare our current compensation scheme against international obligations and wider principles of justice.   

No Further Action? A critical examination of the past and present police response to domestic violence

By Lee Curran, Student at the University of Huddersfield, UK.

This dissertation offers a critical examination of the police response to domestic violence. The findings of the research suggest that until the late 1980s the criminal justice system paid little attention to the victims of domestic violence. A number of early studies documented the dismissive and derogatory way in which police officers tended to handle ‘domestic disputes’ (for example, Dobash and Dobash, 1980; Hanmer and Saunders, 1984; Edwards, 1989; Bourlet, 1990). Domestic violence was frequently seen by the police as a private matter, not 'real' violence, and unworthy ‘rubbish’ work (Dobash and Dobash, 1992). This dissertation found that from 1986, onwards, the need for changes in police practice to domestic violence was accepted by the Home Office, and domestic violence is now viewed as a crime both by practitioners in the criminal justice system and by government itself. In the past ten years in particular, there have been significant improvements in police policy and practice in response to domestic violence. By contrast, research is showing that enthusiasm for change presents the danger of inappropriate arrests of those they set out to protect.   

To What Extent do Criminal Biographies Add To Our Understanding of Criminality?

By Hayley Killengrey, Student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

What is the academic value of criminal “insider” accounts? How might the personal accounts of convicted criminals add to our understanding of criminal action? Might these accounts contribute to the study of criminology as a vibrant subject? Do such texts illuminate the subject in a way that makes the social reality of criminals easier to comprehend, or are they of no more value than works of fiction? These telling questions focus our attention upon an area of research which has currently received little attention, meaning that there is a gap in the existing literature on the use and usefulness of written criminal accounts. This makes this investigation particularly worthwhile, interesting and justified. This dissertating examines the differences, strengths and weaknesses between a number of criminal biographies and autobiographies and the usefulness of such criminal life stories in criminology.   

What are the differences between how the social classes are portrayed in the News Media in regards to the drinking culture in Britain today?  By Amy Goulding, Masters student at the University of Central Lancashire, UK.

There exists a discrepancy between how the news media portrays the drinking habits of the lower classes namely the ‘underclass’ and the working class, compared with the middle class and celebrity culture in Britain today. Using critical discourse analysis this research explores why the social classes are portrayed differently, who decides on this portrayal and why, as well as the social ramifications of such portrayals. This exploration will extend to the wider social issues which affect the discrepancy in media portrayal. Firstly by looking specifically at the nineteenth century, the social history of Britain’s drinking culture and the class struggle that exists, as this was a period which highlights middle class dominance and has transcended the generations. Secondly, the acceptability of alcohol in British society and how this acceptability differs, dependent on the social class you belong to, according to media construction. Thirdly, an examination of class in modern Britain and how immunity is granted to the middle classes from condemnation from the media and the processes of the Law due to their perceived respectability and use of private and public space. Finally, media influence and how the news media is a business which seeks to increase its profits by being used as a tool in the transmission of ruling class ideology. This research focuses on the news portrayal from three newspapers; The Times, Daily Express and The Sun, as a means of examining the differences in portrayals dependent on the target audience of the newspaper. Societies reliance on the media to provide them with an insight into the world puts the media in a very powerful position. What this research aims to highlight is, that in order for there to be a cultural shift in Britain’s relationship with alcohol, the middle class should no longer be able to hide behind the protection of the media, with all social groups needing to be open to scrutiny.   

The Bare Life of the ‘Problem Drug User’: An Analysis of Neo-Liberal State Responses to ‘Problem Drug Users’ 

By William Coyles, Student at the University of Central Lancashire, UK.

This paper examines the intelligibility of the neo-liberal state’s war on the ‘problem drug user’ within Foucauldian analyses of liberal bio-political regimes of governance. In the modern era, with the epistemic shift to bio-power, the order of power has become imbued with a rationality which derives its principles from those of warfare. The ‘problem drug user’ has become the subject of quasi-military style interventions in the name of the life and health of the population. These interventions are exercised at the level of the ‘problem drug user’s’ life as their form of existence has been ‘disallowed to the point of death’ within an advanced-liberal Britain. The use of such authoritarian strategies is not antithetical to the liberal project of ‘government through freedom’ but is integral to it. Within neo-liberal ‘governmentality’, only certain populations who have reached the ‘maturity of their rational faculties’ are considered amenable to governance within late modern ‘circuits of inclusion’. The pathological ‘problem drug user’ has been led to their improvement by the neo-liberal state in the guise of a benevolent despot. The modern state utilises its sovereign power of deduction to render the ‘problem drug user’s’ bare life amenable to bio-political investment by the ‘experts of life’ in a ‘localisation without order’ outside of the political community termed by Agamben (1995) as camp. It is argued that the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy setting within the late modern prison is the materialisation of this state of exception. Within this permanent spatial arrangement the ‘experts of life’ assume the role of the sovereign, confronting the problem drug user (who assumes the status of homo sacer) in a fundamental bio-political relationship where through a series of practical exercises they are incited to enfold authority and ‘subjectify’ themselves. The telos embodied within this strategy of control is the freedom of the subject and their re-insertion into ‘circuits of inclusion’ where rational and prudent subjects of self interest are ‘governed through freedom’. 

Can Discipline Cope? Intra-EU Migration and its Implications Upon Foucauldian Discipline  By Thomas Alexander Evans, Student at the University of Central Lancashire, UK .

This dissertation is a discussion on whether the current ease of internal migration within an ever more integrated European Union (EU) could affect the concept of Foucauldian discipline, which I argue is embedded deeply within state legitimisation processes and national solidarity movements. I argue that discipline, which requires some form of enclosure, could falter at the national level due to the ease at which non-integrated ‘alien others’ can enter the nation-state’s disciplinary domain; thus creating problems of state legitimacy, leading to reactionary responses from the state and populace. However, if a strong invasive EU discipline were applied across all member states (MS) then it would be possible for the EU to fill the disciplinary void, perhaps also leading to a state formation process through the use of laws, rights and standardised policing. However, I also discuss possible disciplinary ‘crashes’ that could occur if an EU discipline failed or was too weak, which can be applied to all forms of discipline. 

How has the establishment of the Internet changed the ways in which offenders launder their dirty money? 

By Christine Victoria Thomason.

The Internet has become an integral part of UK society, many people use or access the Internet on a daily basis and utilise its resources to help them lead easier lives. The Internet is prevalent within the UK; its abilities are consumed by our education system, our retailing industry, and our employment sector, just to name a few. However, along with all the beneficial aspects that the Internet has created, there have also been some characteristics that have been damaging to society. Offenders have also been able to access and use the Internet to their advantage, to make their lives easier and to aid them in committing criminal offences. In respect to money laundering, the Internet has created huge opportunities and changes within the processes involved. ‘Hackers and fraudsters were first to exploit the criminal opportunities presented by cyberspace and they have since been joined by cyber launderers eager to wash the proceeds of both virtual and real-world crimes.’ (Kochan. 2005: 268). This dissertation has taken an in-depth look into the process of money laundering, along with how the establishment of the Internet has changed the methods utilized by offenders.   

The Ambiguity of Juvenile Sexual Offenders

By Lara Harrison, Student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The main purpose of this dissertation was to explore, explain and evaluate the responses of professional organisations when they have to coordinate a multi-agency response to deal with juvenile sexual offenders. Past literature has often ignored the issue of juvenile sexual offenders and therefore, this dissertation has provided a critical literature review which has attempted to rectify this problem. The findings of this dissertation showed that whilst there has been an attempt to coordinate a multi-agency response, the government has jeopardised this response by the introduction of difficult and confusing laws, policies and organisational arrangements. This has affected juvenile sexual offenders to their detriment, as practitioners have to negotiate the ambiguity of these diverse policies and legislations, and this has put at danger the arrangements already in place for juvenile sexual offenders. However, there has been at attempt to resolve this predicament and practitioners, in Greater Manchester, have established the AIM (Assessment Intervention Moving-on) project. The AIM project has successfully strengthened this multi-agency response and improved policies and practices, for the organisations that have to deal with juvenile sexual offenders. But, several problems have emerged within this multi-agency response and the government still have a lot of work to do, in order to improve the services for juvenile sexual offenders. As a result, items for consideration and future recommendations for policy-makers have been based on these problems.   

Community Oriented Policing

By Ian Mirsky, Student at Buffalo State, State University of New York, USA.

Community policing is the connection between police and citizenry, who work together on safety involving the public in the community. The design of community policing is to entail a more open relationship between the police and the public which gives the police a more proactive role in the community (Thomas & Burns 2005). Community policing involves new and old tactics. The tactics include foot and bike patrol, beat meetings, mini-stations and many other citizen and police partnerships (Thomas & Burns 2005). Community oriented policing involves organizational changes as well as external changes.   

Conceptual and Methodological Challenges in Examining the Relationship Between Mental Illness and Violent Behaviour and Crime By Thomas Richardson, University of Sheffield, UK.

There is a longstanding view within the general population and the criminal justice system that the mentally ill are more prone than the mentally healthy to violence and. This view, however, is not fully supported by empirical research, in particular due to conceptual and methodological challenges that arise when the relationship between mental illness and crime is examined. This paper reviews such challenges, reviewing areas such as the ‘criminalisation’ of the mentally ill and the ‘psychiatrisation’ of criminals, as well as the complex problem of common factors, and the mediating impact of substance abuse. Specific methodological challenges are also reviewed, including problems with conducting longitudinal and randomised research in this area, and difficulties encountered in the sampling methods used.   

Bridging The Gap Between Prison And The Community: An exploration of resettlement and desistance among female offenders in England and Canada By Rebecca Berinbaum, University of Sheffield, UK.

Despite recent developments in law and policy in both England and Wales and Canada which have aimed to decrease the number of offenders being sent to prison, prison populations continue to increase. In England the prison population has nearly doubled since 1991 (Morgan and Liebling, 2007) and despite a slight decrease in the overall prison population in Canada in recent years both female offenders and offenders who have breached the conditions of their release are being sent to prison more frequently (Motiuk, Cousineau and Gileno, 2005; Dell, Sinclair and Boe, 2001: iv). Despite efforts to create a more ‘seamless’ service and provide a continuity of care for those leaving prison, recidivism rates remain high.   

To What Extent Are Different Types of Care Environment Criminogenic? 

By Kimberley Marsh, University of Portsmouth, UK.

The overall aim of this thesis is to investigate young people’s experiences within different care environments (Residential, Secure, Foster and Kinship) and the extent to which they are criminogenic. The investigation is informed by three key criminological theories: the Risk and Protective Factors Paradigm, Control Theory, Anomie and Strain Theory. Previous relevant research on different care environments, offending behaviour and associated theoretical explanations are reviewed and informed the development of the specific focus of the primary research. Reviewing the existing literature illustrated the need for the current study. Much of the existing literature shows a high prevalence of offending amongst young people in care and those who have left care, without differentiating between types of placement or offering any theoretical explanation of the over-representation of those who have been in care and offending behaviour. 

A Comparative Study of Cultural Aspects of Organised Crime in Two Countries – China and Italy – and Their Futures Within a Transnational Criminal Network 

By Rebecca Ince, Student at Aston University, UK.

The BBC World Service recently broadcast a series of investigative reports detailing various transnational criminal trades, including the trafficking of women and children into the illegal sex trade, drug smuggling, the trade in human body parts, money laundering and much more (BBC World Service, 2002). The United Nations Convention Against Organised Crime in 2000 highlighted the role of trafficking groups and criminal organisations in these illicit trades, bringing to attention the fact that serious crime is not simply a series of random individual acts, but is often a carefully organised trade, with the obvious feature of it being both violent and highly illegal.   

‘Every Work of Art is an Uncommitted Crime’: The Application of Sociological Theories of Deviance to Modern Art

By Carol Norman, Student at Goldsmiths College, UK.

Modern art begins with Manet (1832-1883) and the Impressionists and continues until the present day (Julius 2002). Like crime, it often breaks societal rules, however, modern art is not typically against the law and for this reason it is ‘uncommitted crime’ (Adorno 1951). Deviance is the violation of societal rules, which may be consensual or imposed by a powerful group (Box 1981). Modern art breaks societal rules and so is deviant; for example Serrano’s (1987) ‘Piss Christ’ (Picture 1) mocks the Catholic Church and traps spectators into blasphemy. However, despite evidence of deviance in modern art, sociological theories of deviance concentrate on crime, delinquency and mental illness.   

A Study to Investigate Social Control Theories and the Role of CCTV as a Social Control Agent

By Nicholas Reeve, Student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The Primary aim of this dissertation is investigate social control theories, and how they compare to the actual role of CCTV as a social control agent.  Through a reflective analysis of the six years spent as a CCTV operator, the author hopes to use this experience in conjunction with statistical data gathered from both the London Borough of Harrow’s CCTV control room, and the Metropolitan Police to investigate the current role of CCTV. This study investigated the reality of procedure within CCTV, and how its role as a risk management strategy transforms it into an electronic Panopticon, capable of influencing the behaviour of those subjected to surveillance.   

Criminal Victimisation of the Elderly: Have rates of crime against the elderly changed relative to overall crime rates?

By Vicky Heap, Student at Loughborough University, UK.

Despite the increasing profile and reliance upon victimisation surveys to map crime trends, some of society’s demographic receive little attention. The elderly are one such group. They have received little attention due to the traditional notion that they suffer low levels of victimisation. This study challenges these long-held beliefs and focuses upon the criminal victimisation of the elderly, in order to assess if crime rates against them have changed relative to the overall crime rate. A secondary analysis was conducted on the 1988, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2001 British Crime Surveys in order to chart both the proportion and rate of criminal victimisation experienced by the elderly. 

Are Family Pets a Factor in Women Staying in Abusive Relationships?  

By Hannah Cooksey, Student at the University of Chester, UK.

Whether or not family pets are a factor in women staying in abusive relationships is an understudied and undervalued research topic in today’s society. The current study therefore highlights the issue through conducting empirical research, whereby questionnaires have been sent out to Domestic Violence refuges in the Staffordshire and West Midlands areas and completed by refuge staff regarding knowledge of the problem. Previous literature on this topic has been assessed and criticised as well as surrounding themes of the human-animal bond and how these factors would correlate to the current study. This combination of empirical and theoretical study has helped to gauge the extent of animal abuse within violent households. Results supported the notion that pets are a factor in women staying in abusive relationships and that pets are frequently abused by violent partners. The study highlights the need for a wider acknowledgment in addressing the problems and ensuring that more women become aware of the support available, resulting in less women feeling there is no alternative but to stay with their partner and less pets becoming abused in the future. 

A Critical Discourse Analysis of Corporate Environmental Harm 

By Stuart Saint, Student at the University of Central Lancashire, UK.

The aim of this research was to explore the discourses, and discursive practices, concerning corporate environmental harms. Continuing in the tradition of Schwendinger and Schwendinger (1975), I chose to utilise harmful acts that were not necessarily illegal by legal definition but often had a much greater impact upon the ecosystem (such as the pumping of radioactive waste by BNFL into the Irish Sea). As Kennedy (2005) demonstrates, corporate environmental harm can often refer to acts that are legal as a result of significant influence from corporate representatives. This dissertation firstly examines how modernity and capitalism have encouraged environmental destruction and then assesses how the media, lobby groups and governments perpetuate the discourses of corporate environmental harm. There is then a short case study of the illegal dumping of electronic goods and spent radioactive waste. The dissertation concludes by stating that there are a number of different discourses of corporate environmental harm, but that these work together in different ways to reproduce existing power relations.   

Child Trafficking in the UK: An Examination of Contemporary Approaches 

By Lorinda Norris, Student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

Child Trafficking, whilst not a new phenomenon, remains a heinous activity as children are the most vulnerable members of society, yet it is exactly this vulnerability that makes trafficking possible in the first instance. Official statistics by the Home Office and the United Nations highlight a continuing increase in this ‘industry’ and whilst most of society holds the notion that children are not a commodity to be bought and sold, there remain a small but determined proportion of the population who are willing to exploit children for profit. Child trafficking is a covert, multi-faceted and organised criminal activity making it extremely difficult to detect and prevent, particularly in light of its cross-border nature, whilst child victims are themselves often difficult to recognise. It is issues such as these which make child trafficking such a complex activity to approach hence research in this field is often perceived as under-reporting the true incidence of the behaviour. There are legislative provisions and European-based conventions in place to protect trafficked children but many organisations have been slow to react thus responses are perhaps too little, too late. This dissertation, therefore, considers measures that have been put in place by the UK Government to protect trafficked children in conjunction with the various Non Governmental Organisations who are also involved in the issue, in an attempt to assess the scale of child trafficking in the UK.   

Discrimination, relating to length of service, within the contemporary police service 

By Rosie Lambert, Student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The research aimed to investigate the presence, extent and effects of discrimination related to length of service within the police service. This is an under-researched area so literature relating to other areas of discrimination within the police service was considered. This aided comprehension of any common effects of discrimination, which may be similar to those experienced by officers if discrimination related to length of service is present. Primary research was conducted by issuing a questionnaire which gathered the opinions of officers in relation to several areas. The areas investigated include; recruitment, treatment by, and relationships with, other officers. Snowball sampling enabled a positive response rate of almost forty officers of varying ranks. However, this method did not allow the researcher to have control over the sample. All participants described their ethnicity as White British, so other ethnicities were unrepresented. Secondary findings suggested that length of service related discrimination is a problem in many organisations. Research showed that discrimination can have many negative effects on officers, such as reduced life and job satisfaction, stress and social withdrawal. 

An Investigation into the Fear of Crime: Is there a Link between the Fear of Crime and the Likelihood of Victimisation? 

By Tom Wynne, Student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The fear of crime has received an unprecedented amount of attention in the form of research in recent times; however there is a great deal which remains unknown and unanswered. The purpose of this dissertation is to attempt to extensively analyse existing research into the fear of crime, and to uncover new ideas and trends concerning fear and victimisation. In particular, the relationship between fear of crime and likelihood of victimisation is investigated. Many interesting findings emerged from this research, although some results are contradictory. The elderly, for example, were discovered to be generally more fearful than younger adults due to their feelings of isolation and vulnerability. However, research occasionally suggested otherwise; that the elderly were less fearful since they knew their likelihood of victimisation was lower than younger people. Ultimately, the research consulted provides little evidence to suggest that there is a link between fear of crime and the likelihood of victimisation. Fear can be induced by a variety of factors and circumstances and may not necessarily be purely a consequence of one socio-demographic variable. In other words, it is wrong to assume that all women are fearful of crime due to their gender. The impact of fear of crime on lifestyle can be both positive and negative: an individual’s likelihood of becoming a victim will be affected by a variety of factors, some of which are almost impossible to quantify. This is a challenge to be addressed in future research.   

The phenomena of Black youth crime and how Black youths are portrayed in the media in the United Kingdom: Whether the portrayal can be considered exaggerated, or if the moral panic is in someway justified? 

By Ndubuisi Nkem Okoronkwo, Student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

Black youth crime and the portrayal of black youths in the media have generated considerable publicity in recent years. The recent fatal knife and gun crimes in London involving black youths were highlighted by the media which in turn produced a moral panic surrounding the issue. The intent of this study is to present an argument for or against the perception that black youths are portrayed negatively in the media and the moral panic surrounding black youth crime is exaggerated. Literature and qualitative research by way of four unstructured interviews regarding six sub factors which are, the media portrayal of black youths, negative role models amongst the black community, the underachievement of black youths in school, single parent families, social class and black culture, were analysed and discussed in order to reach a valid conclusion. Conclusions are drawn that the media do in fact portray black youths in a negative way but on the other hand, with support from statistics and relevant literature, black youth crime is a serious problem and therefore cannot be dismissed as a moral panic exacerbated by the media.   

An Examination of the Links between Autistic Spectrum Disorders and Offending Behaviour in Young People 

By Diane Bishop, Student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

This dissertation examines the links between autistic spectrum disorders and offending behaviour in young people. First identified over sixty years ago, autistic spectrum disorders have remained relatively unknown until recently. Given the hidden nature of these disorders, they can be difficult for criminal justice professionals to identify, and characteristics of the conditions could be misconstrued as offending behaviour. In order to examine the possible connections between autistic spectrum disorders and offending, as well as the criminal justice system response to young offenders on the autistic spectrum, a review of the current literature was undertaken. To gain a greater insight, interviews were conducted with professionals who work with children on the autistic spectrum. In addition, a Police Community Support Officer was interviewed. Results of primary and secondary research indicated that, without labelling all children on the autistic spectrum as criminal, there are predisposing characteristics of the condition that could be linked to offending behaviour. Furthermore, the research highlighted the lack of training criminal justice professionals receive on how to recognise and appropriately deal with children on the spectrum. The dissertation concludes with recommendations for future research, and outlines the need for better intervention techniques within the criminal justice system.   

What causes police officers to become cynical? Is there any dislocation between themes in literature on police cynicism, and police officers in contemporary society? 

By Ben Hobbs, Student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The main aims of this dissertation were to use empirical and secondary qualitative research techniques to establish why police officers become cynical, and to investigate any dislocation between the themes elicited from police literature on the causes of cynicism, and the feelings expressed by contemporary police officers. The dissertation takes a post-modern position and rejects broad theories and typologies derived from some previous behavioural studies of police officers. The literature accessed highlighted the most prevalent causes of police cynicism to be shortfalls of management, boredom, vocation disappointment, the excessiveness of paperwork, the influence of colleagues, unity and solidarity, isolation from the public and a lack of relevant training. These themes were investigated in the methodology, which involved a semi-structured interview with the Assistant Chief Constable of ‘Westshire’ Police, a social survey of 16 police officers of which 13 were response constables and a focus group of 5 respondents. 

‘A Critical Evaluation of the Sex Offender Treatment Programmes used in Prisons’ 

By Louise Belcher, Student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The purpose of this dissertation was to evaluate the effectiveness of Sex Offender Treatment Programmes (SOTPs) used in prisons. It aimed to achieve this by looking at the historical context, theoretical underpinnings, the aims and (unintended) consequences and the effectiveness of the SOTPs at fulfilling their aims. Secondary research was used in order to answer the research aims, allowing for a wide ranging analysis of the subject area. This research has found that the SOTPs were introduced as a result of the media attention, moral entrepreneurs and public anxiety surrounding sexual offenders. Due to this attention theories attempted to explain sexual offending. Research into rehabilitative approaches suggested that a cognitive-behavioural approach such as the SOTP was the most successful treatment measure for treating sex offenders. By looking into the programmes in more depth this research found that the effectiveness of the programmes was not as straight forward as had been originally perceived. By analysing the aims and (unintended) consequences of the SOTPs as well as the effectiveness of the programmes at fulfilling their aims, this research has shown that within the programmes there is evidence of positive professional practice as well as a reduction in reoffending of those who had completed the SOTP compared with offenders who had not. However, it has also found that there were many weaknesses within the measures used to assess the programmes effectiveness. Therefore, this dissertation has shown that there is a need for methods other that reconviction data to the measure the programmes effectiveness. It has also shown that more research is needed into whether the SOTP is more successful at treating certain types of sex offenders as well as research into whether targeting areas such as distorted thinking and victim empathy is effective at reducing sexual reoffending or that any other approach would be just as effective.   

‘Women In Prison: A Review of the Current Female Prison System: Future Directions and Alternatives’ 

By Amanda Noblet, Student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

A review of relevant literature has indicated that women are sentenced inconsistently by the criminal justice system showing differences between harsh, equal or lenient treatment. This dissertation highlights that sending women to prison, who tend not commit serious crime and drawing a prison population who have the characteristics of economic and social deprivation, is completely unnecessary. It also highlights the penal institutions to which women are sentenced, are failing to provide for the specific needs of women or to equip them with ways to improve their future prospects. Whilst it is recognised that the government is aware of such problems, through the publication of the Corston Report (2007) and their subsequent response, radical shifts in sentencing policy and practices to restrict the numbers of women sent to prison are desperately needed. Considering the secondary research findings, a number of recommendations for future policy and practice have been made in four main areas; increasing the use of non-custodial penalties, a substantial reduction in custodial remand, reform of custody and increased diversion from prosecution.   

An Evaluation of Sex Offender Treatment for Offenders Sentenced to Custody 

By Lewis Evenden, Student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The intention of this dissertation was to examine the effectiveness of the prison based Sex Offender Treatment Programme (SOTP). It considered the history and content of the programme before analysing existing evaluations of the treatment to draw recommendations for future research and practice. Secondary research was used throughout the paper allowing for the difficulties in accessing sex offenders and their environment to be overcome, but also it allowed for time and cost to be kept to an absolute minimum. Home Office studies were the main focus of the dissertation as they provided the most comprehensive results, although the analysis of these was also supplemented by psychology-based evaluations. The research identified that evaluating the effectiveness of sex offender treatment programmes was not straight forward and that it was mainly methodological issues, such as a low base rate when using reconviction data, which have prevented firm conclusions being drawn about the efficacy of the programme. Despite these issues many of the evaluative studies carried out on the SOTP suggested that the programme was insufficient in dealing with high risk offenders. Interestingly this dissertation also touches on the findings that, community provisions in dealing with this category of offender also seem to be inadequate, but without an effective method of testing the efficacy of these provisions, the findings of the studies should be treated with caution. The study also identified a number of areas for further consideration, which are outside the remit of this project, and a number of recommendations to try to improve the situation with regards to demonstrating the efficacy of the programme. These included longer follow up periods and the incorporation of treatment within the follow up contact in order to improve the programmes ability to deal with high risk offenders. 

‘www.how-to-be-a-better-burglar.com’: An exploratory study of online burglary guides

By Matthew Durrant, Student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The Internet was originally designed to provide a means of information sharing, universal networking and communication in which it has excelled. However, the unforeseen costs of the globalization of a freely accessible environment that lacks any kind of appropriate formal control has eventually succumb to those who wish to exploit its relative vulnerability and naivety as a secure community. One example of this vulnerability is the ability people from all over the world are afforded to disclose information which may prove to be harmful to others. Some well documented examples of this we have seen in recent times are online terrorist representation and the disclosure of information such as that on bomb making, the use of the Internet by white racialist groups, pages which are perceived to promote anorexia and websites which provide information on and encourage suicide.   

The Chemical Generation: A Critical Analysis of Medical ‘Expert’ Discourse and the Construction of Mental Illness 

By Katie Ware, Student at the University of Central Lancashire, UK.

This dissertation is a critical analysis of medical ‘expert’ discourses about mental illness. The author makes reference to key texts from the medical establishment as well as critical criminology texts. She takes as her criminological starting point, critical criminologist Joe Sim’s argument that medication is used in prisons as a form of control rather than a form of therapy (1990). At the root of this practice is the underlying assumption of medical experts that deviancy can be detected like an illness and treated as such, which would in turn regulate crime. Her interest in Sim is due to the argument that the happenings within the Prison Medical System (PMS) are not that different from the happenings in the outside world’s medical establishments. With reference to drugs being used as a form of control within prisons, Ware explores whether these kinds of findings are pertinent in the surgeries of general practitioners, and whether a similar theory of control applies to the use of medication in individuals, especially children and teenagers, who are perceived to act outwith the social norm.   

Private Security: In The Public Interest? 

By Ian Messenger, Student at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.

British society has undergone extensive changes over the latter half of the 20th Century. The decline in social capital and sense of community has brought great challenges to state policing through an ever-expanding range of demands placed upon them by its citizens. This decline has led to many informal social controls becoming ineffective and has led to citizens forsaking the concept of ‘community’ for individualism. This has led to a balkanisation in policing needs and has created an insatiable need for security that the public police struggle to meet. The question is how do we ease this pressure? The private security sector predates and now exists alongside the public police and may provide one solution in tackling the increasing demands for policing. The validity of the use of private sector personnel in policing will be studied, specifically in relation to the psychological effects of crime, more commonly known as the ‘fear of crime’. The negative impact of private sector involvement will also be examined with questions being asked as to whether the commodification of security is ultimately harmful to what is left of the collective. The central focus of this paper will conclude if private security serves the public interest by mitigating the effects of individualism or if it merely encourages them, and in what way (if any) this is different from the public police.   

An Examination of How Changes in Policing Practices Have Affected Criminal Justice Discrimination Against Minority Ethnic Communities

By Daniella Narduzzo, Student in the Division of Criminology, Public Health and Policy Studies at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The increase in the number of people from different ethnic backgrounds and countries is one of the most significant changes in Britain. In the twenty-first century minority ethnic groups are still considered to be a problem in society, just like they have been throughout history. Subsequently, the relationship between the British police and ethnic minority communities has not been a happy one. This dissertation examines the extent to which changes in policing practices have affected criminal justice discrimination amongst British minority ethnic (BME) communities. The question of whether the police operate in a discriminatory way has recently been bought to attention since the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry (1999). Using a library-based, documentary review, as a basis for critical research, this work attempts to investigate and analyse the size and scope of the problem between the police and BME communities, the changes that have occurred as a result and the difficulties faced by the police.   

Juvenile Crime and Punishment in Bucharest, Romania: A Public Opinion Survey 

By Alina Haines, PhD Research Student at the University of Huddersfield, UK.

This paper discusses results from a survey of public attitudes towards juvenile crime and the treatment of juvenile offenders in Romania. The study is based on research conducted as part of an MSc in Community Safety at Leicester University. Studies examining public opinion and crime are new to Romania – indeed, this survey represents the first attempt to explore such subjects. Results show that public opinion is inconsistent, with ambivalent attitudes about juvenile crime and sentencing; people concurrently favour retribution and tougher sentences for juvenile offenders, while supporting elements of restorative justice and non custodial penalties. Explanations for such contradictory views include inaccurate knowledge about juvenile crime, prejudices and distorted media reporting.   

Talking about Terrorism: An Analysis of Official Canadian Insecurity Narratives in the Post-September 11 Context 

By Mike Larsen, Department of Criminology, Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ottowa, Canada.

This study identifies the dominant characteristics of official Canadian state discourses on national security and terrorism in the post-September 11 context, using a content analysis methodology; identifies key themes and / or areas of incongruity in these discourses, and relates these findings to a broader discussion of contemporary Canadian national security policy and practice. Major themes of interest and key terms are identified through a review of the literature, and used as the basis for an analysis of twenty (20) samples of open-source official (federal government) Canadian discourse from the post-September 11 context. It is argued that state discourses about terrorism and security are a core component of national security campaigns, and that through the construction of insecurity narratives (constellations of discourse about a particular security threat), states effectively ‘do national security’. The study finds that the current Canadian insecurity narrative is characterized by themes of exceptionality, urgency, necessity, secrecy, and crisis – and consistent references to September 11 as a mobilizing event. The nature of this narrative is such that the current national security campaign is indeterminate in length, ambiguous in purpose, and expansionary in trajectory. 

The Huntley Case: How Far Does It Tell Us That We Need To Compromise Personal Liberties For Public Security? 

By Leanne Monchuk, School of Human and Health Sciences, University of Huddersfield, UK.

The aim of the following literature review is to attempt to discover whether public protection outweighs civil liberties or vice versa. The murders of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells in 2002 threw this topic into the spotlight. Ian Huntley, in 2003, was convicted of their murders and this consequently launched the instigation of the Bichard Inquiry Report. The report was commissioned as Huntley was known to Humberside Police and prior to the murders had allegations of a sexual nature made against him. Key concepts presented in the review include Beck and ‘risk society’, Foucault’s ‘carceral society’ and the Utilitarianism and deontological concepts of liberty. Legislation such as the Human Rights Act 1998, the Data Protection Act 1998 and the introduction of ViSOR are made reference to, in an attempt to discover whether Huntley should have been closely monitored and not employed in a school. No definitive answers in this arena can be provided and many cases have specific and individual circumstances surrounding them. What has emerged however, from the extensive literature that has been collated, is that members of the public do fear the risks that are posed in today’s society and are therefore in favour of the implementation of systems such as the Violent and Sex Offenders Register (ViSOR) if it ensures the prevention of incidents such as the Soham murders from occurring again, and allowing someone like Huntley to ‘slip through the net’.   

Factors in a Successful Use of the Insanity Defense 

By Katie Conner, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, USA.

Little research has been conducted into the factors that impact the successful use of a not guilty by reason of insanity plea by a defendant in a murder case. This study addresses this issue by examining a number of factors including defendant, victim, and crime scene characteristics. Employing archival research, data were gathered from all murder and non-negligent homicide cases for the years 2000 and 2001 in which a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity was later entered for the defendant. Results indicate that specific factors of a defendant’s background, such as criminal and psychiatric history, are associated with impacting a successful not guilty by reason of insanity plea, as are characteristics that indicate planning and victimizing a child. 

Using Panel Data to Characterise Prisoner and Demographic Age Characteristics 

By Wee Lee Loh, Department of Statistics, Harvard University, USA.

Using panel data to study the macro-linkage between demographic and prisoner age characteristics this empirical paper investigates the relationship between age and the probability of being sentenced via an alternative framework. Fixed Effects GLS was used on both an unbalanced panel and a balanced subpanel data set. Both level and log transformed models were tested. Indeed, there is evidence that younger people are more than proportionately committed to the prisons. This result is only significant when the unbalanced panel is used. This exercise also illustrates the possible dangers of creating a balanced subpanel from an unbalanced data set.  

The Drowned and The Saved: Identities of Resistance and Docility Amongst the Boys in a Young Offenders’ Institution 

By Don Crewe, School of Criminology Education, Sociology, and Social Work, Keele University, UK.

This paper explores the relationship between identity and agency in a Young Offenders’ Institution, through an empirical study at HMYOI Werrington in Staffordshire. It contends that ‘docility’ can be an intentional strategy; a product of the possession of agency rather than of its absence as Foucault would argue. Resistance and docility are seen as negotiated strategies in the processes of surviving imprisonment, necessitating sophisticated strategies of discretion in the application of the regime by uniformed staff. Resistant behaviour is conventionally seen as an indication of failure to internalise the regime, and docility of success. I suggest that failure to internalise the regime constitutes genuine survival, and docility the converse. Using Levi’s metaphor, the drowned are the docile, the resistant the saved.  

Problems Faced by the Criminal Justice System in Addressing Fraud Committed by Multinational Corporations 

By Mohd Kassim Bin Noor Mohamed, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

This dissertation examines the problems faced by the criminal justice system when addressing fraud committed by multinational corporations (MNCs). As the recent scandals at Enron, Worldcom et al demonstrate, when MNCs commit fraud their offences eclipse every other form of crime in terms of the money drained from and harm done to national economies. Using a library-based, documentary review, as a basis for critical research, this work attempts to investigate and analyse the size and scope of the fraud problem, the difficulties faced by the enforcement agencies and the legislative challenges that hamper prosecution. There is an effort to present and discuss the socio-legal and criminological debates around the deviance of elites and the cost to social justice if these issues are not faced.

Fear of Crime in a Small Community 

The paper engages with the “commonsense” notion, and that of Ezioni (1993), that fear of crime might be lower in a small relatively close-knit community. To that end it sets out to investigate people’s concerns about crime and to relate them to notions of community in The Cathedral Close in Lichfield (UK), where the researcher, serendipitously, was resident at the time of writing. The paper places fear of crime within a criminological paradigm and engages with the necessary limitations of that paradigm. It suggests that new extra-paradigmatic perspectives may be more illuminating of the concerns expressed by people about crime, and in this vein examines the perceived relationship between the concerns of the residents of The Close about crime and their perception of their place within that small community.

The Commodification of Violence on the Internet: An analysis of 166 websites containing commodified violence  

By Samuel Slater, Student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The commodification of violence has occurred for centuries, even millenia. The simple fact is violence is a highly popular, entertaining and profitable commodity. Noramlly, however, various formal and informal controls regulate the amount and extremity of such violence that is consumed. With the advent of the internet, however, this has all changed. 'Bumfights', released in 2002 and only retailed online, is a poular 'underground' video that features graphic and dehumanising abuse of the homeless. This dissertation investigates the changed nature of the commodifcation of violence, with a content analysis of 166 websites containing such violence, to explore themes and trends in the online violence market.

Therapeutic Jurisdprudence and the Drug Courts 

By Glenn Took, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Victoria University.

This thesis explores the contradictory nature of current penal practices and contends that through the implementation of drug courts based on the teachings of therapeutic jurisprudence, there has emerged within the justice system a hybrid program that sufficiently appeals to a widespread audience in the punishment milieu. In its hybridity the drug court is able to breach the apparent inertia of modern penal practices and offer a program that is therapeutically oriented but is still able to resonate with the sensibilities of the ‘tough on crime’ bandwagon. .

The Theory, Development and Application of Electronic Monitoring in Britain 

By Jenny Ardley, Lecturer in Criminolgy, University of Derby; Associate - Midlands Centre for Criminology and Criminal Justice, UK.

The aim of this dissertation is to provide a critical analysis of the issues surrounding the implementation of Electronic monitoring (EM). Curfew orders (CO) with EM have been available in Britain since July 1995, the Home Detention Curfew (HDC) since January 1999. It is vitally important that society does not accept without question new methods of punishment implemented by the government, especially when the use of sophisticated and modern technology is the main component.  

Preparation for the Release of Life Sentenced Prisoners at HM Prison Sudbury 

By Jenny Ardley, Lecturer in Criminology, University of Derby; Associate - Midlands Centre for Criminology and Criminal Justice, UK.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how HM Prison Sudbury prepares their life sentence prisoners for release with a particular consideration of risk assessment.  

Belief or Prejudice: Christianity and Homosexuality 

By Stephen Hammett, Birkbeck College, University of London.

This paper is an examination into whether claims by Christians about their beliefs regarding homosexuals & homosexuality are consistent religious beliefs or prejudice disguised as religious belief.  

The Mafia, The Triads and the IRA: A Study of Criminal and Political Secret Societies 

By Daniel Lydon, Department of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, UK.

The Sicilian Mafia, The Chinese Triads and The IRA are three secret societies that have evolved from rural peasant protection groups developed to fight back against oppressive feudal regimes. Through kinship (familial and fictive), violence and symbiotic relationships with officials, each group (often many groups operating under the umbrella label) grew in size and adopted hierarchical structures with clear igureheads: The Mafia’s ‘Capo de Tutti Capi’ (‘Boss Of Bosses’,’ Godfather’, ‘Don’), The Triads ‘Dragon Head’ (‘489’), and the IRA’s ‘Brigade Commander’. All aided governments throughout history in various conflicts and at other times revolted against them. The Sicilian Mafia and the Chinese Triads have both been partly responsible for overthrowing unpopular regimes in their native countries and have been forced to emigrate in vast numbers due to economic and political oppression. Both groups evolved into profit-orientated organisations. 

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