Researched Paper

This is Eddie V. I focused my researched paper on prisons and questioned their effectiveness in terms of correcting criminals. I came across a variety of journals that touched on the topic but i did not find any that chose a specific side. There were articles that weighed the sides and left the rest to be determined by the reader. To me prisons are ineffective in correcting criminal behavior and cutting recidivism rates. I enjoyed writing the paper but it was a challenge putting it all together.
Procrastination should definitely be avoided for this paper as it will be very challenging to compose a good paper. The course is arranged for procrastination to be avoided but there is a gap that allows for a bit of procrastination to happen. My best advice is to stay focused and write the paper close to the date it is assigned and not wait till the last minute.

Restorative Justice Vs Retribution Justice Researched Paper

I wondered whether a different form of justice, restorative justice in this case, would be more effective at reducing juvenile recidivism. If you've taken other criminal justice courses at CSULA (which I'm assuming you have otherwise you wouldn't be taking this course) then I'm sure you've heard how awful our corrections system has become which is why I was particularly interested in this topic. Should you feel the need to go along the same path I did then I suggest you find the book Juvenile justice reform and restorative justice: building theory and policy from practice by Bazemore and Schiff. It will change your world! Well not really but it will definitely make your research a lot easier. Accountability in Restorative Justice by Roche is another book you should check out.

Helpful Hints:
1. Get plenty of sleep during the first half quarter because you will lose a lot of it during the second half.
2. You will be overwhelmed during your researched paper. Prepare accordingly.
3. You will be stressed out over this researched paper. See Above^
4. Pick a topic you're interested in. If you're not interested in your topic then no one who reads your paper will be either.
5. Don't write the paper at once. You will age about 10 years if you do.
6. Buy a new print cartridge before you print. You may run out of ink halfway through the printing process (doh!)
7. Should your pesky friend "procrastination" show up at your door pretend like you're not home. Hide if you have to. Just stay away from it at all costs.


Good Luck.

crim 301

my research paper was on juveniles being treated as adults. the question i asked on my paper was whether or not transferring juveniles into adult courts is a good option for them?after doing my research i came to the conclusion that no, it is not a good option for juveniles to be sent to adult courts. there are a lot of negative effects that these juvenile face that can harm them in the long run.
the reason why i decided to write on this topic was first because i want to be a juvenile probation officer and thought that it would be a beneficial topic for me; and second because i saw the documentary called Juvies that everyone should watch, it really opens your eyes about juveniles in prisons.overall i think i did well on my paper and i am very proud of it =)

Research Paper

My topic was the effects of gender and race on juvenile cases being transfered to adult courts and ultimately juveniles being sentenced to adult facilities. I chose this topic because i had heard many complaints from people throughout high school stating that their friend's court case was treated unfair and i wanted to know how much evidence there was that actually proved this. There were many articles that covered this topic as well as books. Most of my information that i used came from books in the CSULA library. One main source for me was the book "The Cycle of Juvenile Justice" by Thomas Bernard and Kurlychek. This class and paper does require a lot of time but all the assignments that are assigned help to maintain yourself on schedule. If you do all the assignments by the date that they are due then this class shouldn't be too hard. Just keep track of all the assignments and learn to manage your time if you haven't done so. Also make sure to double check the syllabus and the point breakdown sheets for assignment due dates. Going through everyones post it seems we all agree that you have to start the writing process early. Good luck!

-Jonathan Martinez

Researched Paper

My researched paper was about being able to identify violence against women and seeking help. There are many women out there who who are in violent relationships and have gotten accustomed to living with that life style and not doing anything about it. Many women see the violence happening to them as being something of a normal norm in our society because that is all they know. But the reality of it is, there should be no reason why a women should put up with any sort of violence and that is why it is good that women recognize it and seek help to put an end to it. At the end of all this though each women suffering from violence has to want to not want to live with violence and say enough is enough. Ultimately the women going through it has to have the will.

I gained a lot of knowledge from choosing this topic. Although if i had the opportunity to choose my topic again i would definitely have chosen a different one. This is a topic that can be good to just look into to gain personal knowledge but not to do a paper on it. I would recommend not to focus your paper on this topic. The information is limited and it does not go too far back in history. Books I would recommend are Understanding Violence Against Women by Crowell, N., Burgess, A., and the article Predicting the Timing of Women's Departure From Abusive Relationships by Panchanadeswaren, S. and McCloskey, L.

Good luck on the paper! And one piece of advise ASK the professor questions when in doubt or when in need of help. Take advantage when she offers to revise your draft!

Erik Peña

Researched Paper

My research topic was on stress programs in police work. I chose this topic because it was interesting and also because there isn’t much research on it. Most research talks about the different kinds of stress there are in the field of policing, but none discuss the programs that can help police officers cope with stress. I also looked at the effectiveness of the programs that were available. A source that I found useful was books. I thought that most of the research could have been done without the use of books but it turns out that there are books with helpful information. The book I found useful was Treating Police Stress by John M. Madonna, Jr. & Richard E. Kelly. This book contains many helpful sources for this topic. I learned many new things on my topic that I did not know prior to this researched paper. This paper takes a lot of time to write so give yourself enough time to do it. Complete all the little assignments that lead up to the researched paper because it makes it easier. I would say that anyone taking this class in the future should use their time wisely. I also recommend being organized and outline your topic.

Research Paper

As the the majority of the contributors have stated, this class involves an ample amount of writing! Even when first reading the syllabus of the class, you may start to feel overwhelmed. The good news is that it will help you in writing your research paper. However, as many have emphasized, you must start early, and the way the class is broken down, you will have no choice!

My topic was on the effects of trying juveniles as adults, and how it is hurting the public and the offenders. What I found was that as a short term solution, trying a juvenile is more effective, but as a long term solution, the public and the offender end up paying a higher price.

There are so many helpful sources for this topic but one of the most helpful ones where of organizations such as Campaign for Youth Justice. There are also many books on this topic, however, many are outdated. Many of the journal articles will have to be requested because they are not available on the CSULA database.

Overall, the only advice I can give is to start the research paper process early and gather AND organize your sources.

Crim 301 Term Paper

This course taught me a lot about my writing weakness and strengths. This paper was somewhat difficult because I procrastinated and waited 2 weeks to start it before it was due. Other that one negative aspects I desperately need to work on, I enjoyed doing the research. I learned a lot about aggression and its relationship to antisocial behavior. I was unaware to how many theories there were on aggression and the many different ideas each theory contributed. I’m very fascinated with child development and learning about how and why they engage in certain behaviors. Juvenile delinquency is a growing problem here in America and it has been for years. I hope to someday have the chance to work with young children and adolescence and help them avoid the criminal justice system. Overall I’m somewhat pleased with the end product. If I had a chance to do things differently, I would definitely start doing the research and writing process weeks in advance. Probably the day the assignment was assigned because trying to write an research paper last minute is nearly impossible to do, if you want to turn in above average work.

Research Paper

Crim. 301 is a very writing intensive course. To future students I recommend that you attend all classes and complete all assignments. The assignment are all tools that help in writing your research paper. This course also helps identify your writing strengths and weaknesses and how to correct them. Now for the research paper, My topic was to examine job placement programs in the prison system and determine if they are beneficial to society and in reducing recidivism. some advice I can give to new students are to be prepared to have no social life because it is a lot of work. I would advise you to start early just in case you find that your topic does not have much support. This will give you enough time to change the topic. The library visits were very helpful in how to find research and how to use refworks. I will admit i did struggle with the paper because i wanted to have a great paper. Do not be afraid to visit the writing center or ask Jenny for help they are more than willing to lend a hand. One source I found really helpful was a Journal article by Ross Pavis titled, Preparing Federal Prison Inmates for Employment after Release: An innovation at the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Honestly, I found a lot more books than articles that helped articulate my stand on my topic. ONCE AGAIN I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH START EARLY you will be glad you did at the end of the quarter.



ANDREW MEDRANO

Research Topic: Racial Gang Segregation Affecting Male Prisons and Jails in the U.S.

The paper can be very difficult if you do not start early with a good assumption of something that interests you. Jen states to pick a topic you enjoy, LISTEN. You don't want to write about something that you don't like and then later, you will be making stuff up. So choose wisely.

As far as the research itself, do it with enough time. As soon as you know your topic, start searching for books, journal articles, etc. Anything that may be beneficial to your topic. I found books to be very useful to my paper, since there were many topics on prisons around the world, especially in California. I found a certain amount of online articles, but that helped me more with my Lit. Review.

My topic wasn't that difficult to research on. I tried to obtain a topic that had many reviews and relevant information. I did learn a lot, so don't just skim, actually try to learn something, because eventually, you will be presenting it in class.

I know the class may seem like a lot of work in the beginning, but in the end it pays off because you get more experience with English grammar and how to format certain papers. Ref works from the library helped me a lot in obtaining articles, especially the annotated bibliography, so USE IT.

One source I found useful was a book called, PRISONS-Revised Edition by Jeffrey Ferro. Very beneficial because it explains a lot of the criminal cases that eventually led criminals to prison and jails. Also gives the background on prisons.

-Blanca Machuca

Crim 301 Research paper

I did my paper on eyewitness identifications. There is a lack of awareness regarding eyewitness identifications as being a science. Most wrongful convictions are the result of mis-identifications, due to various factors; such as, the fairness of the lineup, show up identifications, post-identification feedback and others. The simple truth of the matter is; if police organizations created a fair lineup and conducted the lineup with a double blind administration, it would virtually eliminate a lot of the problems associated with mis-identifications. However their is more favor towards increased choosing rates compared to protection of the individual and in essence society. Because, if a person is misidentified that means the real perpetrator is still out there.

I gained a lot of insight regarding eyewitness procedures and highly recommend the topic. A few prominent researchers in the field are Elizabeth Loftus and Brian Cutler. They are both amazing pioneers eyewitness testimonies. The book, Mistaken Identification The Eyewitness, Psychology, And The Law, by Cutler and Penrod, 1995. Some advise I would give would be to gather all your sources early and sift through them, annotating which quotes you plan on incorporating into your paper. Don't wait until the last minute, you know it sucks... ;)

Melissa Brown

Researched Paper

My researched paper was on the kinds of contraband that are in the prisons and what is being done about it/what is the most effective way to deal with it. For this topic there weren't no prominent thinkers. I had to take a step back and write about prisons in general. In the beginning I wanted to know what was the most effective way to deal with contraband yet, it turns out that I still don't know. Towards the end of my paper I propose research. We know that contraband in prisons is a huge problem and we need to do more research and have more effective policies.

I did not find much information on what is being done about contraband and on what is the most effective way to deal with it. However, I did find information on the different kinds of contraband in the prisons. Most of the sources I found useful for this topic were books. The best advise I can give is: use as many books or articles in your paper,the more information you use the better your paper will be.

Rosio G.

Research Paper-CSI Effect

My Research paper was on the C.S.I. Effect myth that originatad from television series such as BONES, CSI, ect, and its effect on the jury. At first i thought that it was real because i would think that people who watch these shows would believe that there is a large amount of technological advances in a crime lab and that there is evidence everywhere which leads for the jury to ask for more forensic evidence . However, i discovered that this is not completely true. I found that the jury will still convict a person of a "big" crime, such as rape or murder, even if there is no forensic evidence. They will, nevertheless, more likely ask for more forensic evidence in smaller crimes such as assault and burglaries.

There was some information on my topic, it had 9 journal articles available and one single book. However, i did research the history of the jury and forensic evidence. Overall, my paper was easy to write because there wasn't too much information or too little. The best advice i can give is: do your research early and narrow your topic as much as possible so that research can be easily done.

Crim 301 Researched Paper

My research topic was on the laws that affect different types of sex offenders. One source that I found useful was an article from an online website titled " Does Sex Offender Registration Deter Crime"? I think in some cases it does, and it is effective, but studies have shown it hardly isn't. Cases have shown most sex offenders re-offend after they are released into the community.
Advice I can give to the upcoming new students in Crim 301 DO NOT PROCRASTINATE! Gather all your sources, online articles, books, and try to outline your paper. Professor Hicks is really nice, and do not be afraid to ask for help. One of my problems was trying to come up with a topic that I would enjoy writing 12 pages on. Find a topic that interest you, and that has tons of information. Note: the beginning 5 weeks will be extremely hard, but all the assignments will help you to get you ready for the researched paper.

- Vanessa Alvarez

Crim 301 Researched Paper

My research topic was on the segregation of inmates that have tested positive for HIV/AIDS. A source that I found very useful was an article entitled "Communtiy-based organizations and HIV Prevention for Incarcerated Populations: Three HIV Prevention Program Models and AIDS Education and Prevention in Correctional Settings" by Tanya Ehrmann. The process in writing my research paper was long and at times frustrating because there are so many elements involved during the process of researching and finding valuable sources that will contribute to your paper. My advice to future students who will be taking Crim 301 would be, make sure that you complete every assignment leading up to the final researched paper because those assignments will only benefit you when you begin to finally write your actual researched paper. Also, it is never to early to begin thinking about possibly topics that you are interested in and that can also be used as a topic for your researched paper. Be sure to start your paper early and do it piece by piece so you don't find yourself overwhemed by leaving everything to the last minute. My final piece of advice to future students would be do not procrastinate your researched paper it is worth the majority of your grade and believe me with all the writing that is involved in Crim 301 you do not what to have to take this class over again. Good Luck!!! -Tara Igler

Crim 301 Researched paper

Crim 301 is a class where your going to be writing A LOT! There is no escaping that! Just know that writing as much as you do helps you become a much better writer, and it also makes you understand yourself as a writer. Understanding yourself as a writer is very important because that what will lead you into the right direction to be a better writer, so take it seriously! As for the research paper you will be doing, you have to start early! Pick your topic and begin researching right away. Don't get stuck on a topic until you know you have a sufficient amount of sources to support your ideas. Once you have done that make sure your doing the little assignments along the way that the professor assigns you. Those are only going to help you in the end! This paper is not an easy paper to just write. I know as college students we tend to wait last minute, but this is not a paper to do that with! Get help if you need it! Ask questions! Being proactive will really help you during this process! Work hard and I am sure you will do just fine!
My topic was on the death penalty and deterrence. If you decide to do this topic or something around the death penalty, be aware that there is not much support for the opposing side which makes it hard sometimes. Death penalty does not deter major crimes and there is a lot off research and support proving that;however, there is not much at all arguing that it does deter crime, so that makes it very difficult.

CRIM 301 Research Paper

Like others have said, this class requires a lot of writing and majority of your grade depends on the research paper. Choose a topic that is interesting to you and find as much information about it as possible. Take into account that your research question can not be too broad or narrow, rather just narrow enough where you can still find enough information on your topic. It is very important to plan ahead and start on your research paper early. Do not work on your paper last minute or you will risk taking this class again. It is a good idea to take this paper one step at a time. Breaking your paper apart and writing it in sections makes it an easier task to achieve. Also, have a teacher or a writing center tutor to peer review your paper. They will give you the needed feedback and locate any errors that your paper might have. My research topic was about marijuana legalization in California and its effect on the crime rate in urban areas. During my research I found it helpful to use as many sources as you can. That means using books, peer-review journals, internet sources, and if possible interviewing people who can contribute to your paper. Overall, the research paper is not as bad as it seems as long as you start early and write a section at a time. I am not a good writer, however after taking this class I know my writing skills have improved. Practice makes perfect. Good luck and plan ahead!

Peter La

Crim 301 Researched Paper!

Crim 301 is class that involves A LOT of writing! It is not as easy as it sounds. When it comes to writing your researched paper, it takes a lot of time and dedication, especially if you want to succeed in this class and get a good grade. I advise students who take this class to begin writing the paper early and try to get as much information as possible. I also advise to not just rely on the internet but use other outside sources such as books, newspapers, movies, and interviewing people in the field. When I wrote my paper I tried to research as much as possible. My research question was "What programs does the Juvenile Justice system have that prevent juveniles from entering the adult prison system ?" When it comes to choosing a research question make sure the question isn't to broad and you choose a topic where you will be able to find information and not be limited on sources. Also while I was researching I actually found all of my sources to be useful I just couldn't pick one because they all contributed in my paper. To write my paper, I found it useful when I wrote my paper in pieces instead of doing it all at once. If you try to do it all at once it becomes overwhelming and you feel like it is never-ending. The paper does have to be very detailed and it should also have some of your input and your own thoughts and ideas. It should also be supported by a lot of evidence. This class is a lot of work but writing is part of the Criminal Justice major and it will benefit students in the future especially when they begin to look into the type of career they want to do.

-Mayra Meza

Researched Paper

I found that thinking about your topic and starting early with the research process was helpful. I found that by breaking the paper into sections and working on it overtime and not all at once was also helpful and made the paper a lot easier. I think that the real struggle for me was the page length requirements. Once your done with your paper it is a good idea to have the teacher look over it so that you can have feedback and fix your problems before you submit your final paper. I think that an interesting topic because your paper would be easier to write. I decided to write my research on the coroner system and medical examiner system. I did research on the difference between each system and discussed why the medical examiner system should be the only system used in death investigations. While I was looking for sources I found that books were extremely useful and one useful source was books that related to medical examiners and forensic pathology. One book I used was Death Investigations and I got it from the campus library. Some authors that were helpful were Randy Hanzlick, Marcella Fierro, Scott Wagner, etc. Overall I enjoyed writing the paper and found it very informative. I got to know my strengths and weaknesses as a writer and ways to improve my writing.

Monique Acosta

Welcome

This is the blog for CRIM 301 at CSULA. If you made it here then you are ready to post about your researched paper. Please take some time to read the other posts, and please be as helpful as possible. Students in future courses will be reading your posts, so it is important to be both honest and clear. Thank you for contributing to this resource.