CCJ 3680: Criminology

Research Paper Outline

Choose the crime you plan to use.

You initially need to choose one of eight index crimes from the Uniform Crime Report (the Uniform Crime Report refers to the FBI dataset for measuring crimes in the U.S.). The eight index crimes include:

Homicide

Rape

Robbery

Aggravated Assault

Burglary

Larceny

Motor Vehicle Theft

Arson

Provide a brief summary of the crime problem in America and the theories you will be discussing. Introduce your thesis statement. For example:

“This work will examine criminological theories surrounding potential motivations for arson including labeling, routine activities, trait, and social learning theories.”

Choose three theories you plan to use

After choosing one of the eight crimes, you need to choose four theories from the course that you believe can explain why this crime occurs. In this course, we have / will cover ten theories including:

Cultural Conflict Theory

Anomie / Strain Theory

Social Disorganization Theory

Differential Association / Social Learning Theory

Labeling Theory

Social Control / Social Bond Theory

Life Course Theory

Trait Theory

Routine Activities Theory

Rational Choice Theory

Create a 1 ½ page summary of the three crime-theory connections (i.e., half a page for each).

You need to make sure to include references for each theory explanation and each connection to the specific crime. When connecting to the crime, you will need to identify outside sources (i.e., academic articles) that explain your connection. The best way to do this is through google scholar.

Identify three academic articles that make the theory-crime connections (i.e., one for each). Make sure to cite these articles and include the citations in the text and as references using APA citations.

Conclusion

Summarize your research paper. Highlight the key components identified in each of the four subsections. Provide any concluding remarks about the future for criminological understanding of the chosen crime problem in America.

Don’ts

Use I/me/we.

Provide opinions (only use objective evidence).

Use hypothetical/rhetorical questions.