Essays and Research Papers on The Public & Crime

This is a 4 page paper discussing the basis for justice in which people are treated differently. The basic principle of justice which was first formulated by Aristotle states that “equals should be treated equally and unequals unequally”. In terms of contemporary justice, this is similarly defined as “individuals should be treated the same, unless ...

This 5 page paper explores the causes of crime in our modern society. This paper examines the reasons people commit crimes, and cites a number of statistics to support these views. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 10 page paper exmines the role of forensic science in determining how justice is served. More specifically, this paper asserts that forensic science is not the miraculous tool it appears to be, and that its use does not always result in justice being served. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

A 15 page paper. Fatigue in our nation's police officers is a very serious problem. This essay explores this problem. The writer begins with newspaper headlines that illustrate the effects of sleep deprivation among police officers. The literature review is divided into two sections: the many different causes of fatigue and the effects of fatigue. ...

10 pages in length. Re-establishing -- or in some cases establishing for the first time -- victim rights has sent a tidal wave of unprecedented movement throughout the criminal justice system. That victims have typically been forced to prove their innocence within a system that purports to protect those who have fallen prey ...

This 4 page report discusses what author and sociologist Barry Glassner calls "The Culture of Fear." The premise of the report is that the amount of unrealistic fear that exists among the populations of some of the most developed nations of the world is most often directly related to the portrayal of horrific events by both the news ...

A 5 page overview of the various explanation of sex offending. This paper explores environmental factors, genetic factors, and psychological abnormalities to conclude that there is little true evidence to accept such excuses. Instead, there is a growing outcry to hold individuals responsible for those actions rather than to make excuses for those ...

An 8 page overview of the societal factors believed by many to be responsible for the disproportionate representation of blacks in our nations prisons and jails. The author provides statistics demonstrating the fact that blacks are disproportionately represented and then addresses the problems leading to the social stratification that many believe account for that ...

This 7 page paper looks at how each of the authors developed theories on deviance. Kaplan's focus on self-derogation and self-esteem are duly noted and Reckless's containment theory is outlined. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

A 4 page overview of the common misperception that racial profiling accounts for the disproportionate representation that some minorities have in our criminal justice system. Noting that this fallacy is often stretched to imply concern over implications in the post-September 11 environment, the author emphasizes that the fact is that a particular culture’s propensity ...

This 28 page paper evaluates views on capital punishment as it respect people of various religious backgrounds. Although many religions are mentioned, the paper focuses on Protestantism and Catholicism as practiced in the United States. The history of the church in respect to support and opposition of capital punishment is discussed as well as ...

This 6 page paper provides an overview and critique of Turow's book entitled Ultimate Punishment, where he concludes that the death penalty is not administered fairly. Several cases are discussed in the context of the book. The author weighs both sides of the issue. No additional sources cited.

This 4 page paper provides an overview of Sutherland's Differential Association theory as it applies to the crime of rape. This paper considers the implications of this theory for understanding criminal activity. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

4 pages in length. Police officer Whiteman was shot with a Heckler & Kosh semi automatic assault rifle, which – after being purchased legally - had been unlawfully modified to allow fully automatic firing. Officer Whiteman, who was shot during a shootout with bank robbers, wants to sue the gun manufacturer. In ...

This 7 page paper begins by defining crime as a social problem and then looks at a variety of theories, inclusive of a feminist perspective. Finally recommendations are made as to how society can best cope with crime and mete out punishment. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

3 pages in length. Understanding why some people turn to illegal activity while others do not is what criminal behavior theories strive to reflect; attempting to correlate the relationship between theory and treatment finds one often borrowing from more than a single explanation. The writer discusses how criminal behavior is based upon a ...

This 4 page paper relates the fact that public images can influence views on crime. The mass media has served as a basis for our cultural understanding and response to news events, and it is not surprising that theorists like Kathleen Daly have related the belief that the mass media has a substantial influence ...

This 8 page paper outlines the basic elements of Sutherland's differential association theory. Edwin Sutherland’s differential association theory has been central to the perspectives on criminology and social deviance. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

This 9 page paper outlines the impact of the relationship between offenders and counselors in the criminal justice model. This paper also relates the existing views of the PACTS model, a new approach to addressing the offender population. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 16 page paper provides an overview of criminological theories, and compares and contrasts their essential elements. This paper applies these theories to specific issues, and demonstrates the value of one theory over others. Bibliography lists 12 sources.

4 pages in length. The writer briefly discusses classical, neoclassical and positivist theories; conflict and feminist theories; and labeling, control and learning theories. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 5 page overview of the question of whether a subject’s race influences the use of force by police. The conclusion is reached that while the precise relationship with a propensity for the use of force has not been definitively determined, there are specific relationships between race and the manner a subject is treated ...

A 5 page overview of juvenile crime. While “get tough” policies have resulted in a lowered degree of juvenile crime, our juvenile detention facilities and adult penitentiaries alike are filled to the brim. The economic cost of crime is astounding. A more effective approach than either “get tough” programs or rehabilitation would ...

A 6 page overview of the problems alcoholism presents in terms of criminal justice. Evaluates the genetic and environmental determinants of the disease and suggests that the genetic may, in actuality, be more easily addressed than the environmental. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

There has been an increasing trend to use restorative justice. This is seen as cost effective and empowering victims. However, this 7 page paper argues there is a danger that by focusing on needs and interests of victims, restorative justice may go too far in the direction of 'privatising' crime. The bibliography cites 10 sources. ...