Assignment paper Help-further investigate one of the crime control strategies (e.g., broken windows, mass incarceration) or concepts (e.g., social capital)
Topic: Transinstitutionalization and How that has affected the Mass Incarceration in the United States
Your assignment is to further investigate one of the crime control strategies (e.g., broken
windows, mass incarceration) or concepts (e.g., social capital) discussed in class. You must
choose a topic, craft a research question that links two or more concepts, and then draw on some
existing research to provisionally answer this question. By writing this paper you should
improve several skills, including the ability to…
• move from broad concepts to specific research questions;
• clearly and concisely describe theories or ideas about crime control;
• find scholarly sources through the library or other academic databases;
• write professionally and organize a paper in a logical way;
• better understand and describe social science research.
Here are a few examples of research questions:
• Do places with more social capital have less crime, and is this association causal?
• To what extent does incapacitation – through imprisonment or mental health institutions
– reduce violent crime?
• How much, if at all, does restorative justice reduce recidivism and lower incarceration
rates?
Regardless of your topic, your paper must include the following:
1. Title and a brief introduction. A paper of this type should include a title. Then,
concisely introduce your topic and provide your audience with some relevant background
information. For instance, are you dealing with a contentious issue? Are there debates
about it in academia or in the news that your reader should know about? Do any terms or
concepts require definition?
2. Summarize the topic, strategy, or concept. Assume that your readers have limited
knowledge of the topic, and thus you should bring them up to speed. Provide an
evenhanded overview of the topic by drawing on class readings, lecture notes, and/or
supplementary readings. You should also mention any criticisms of the idea. This should
be about 1-2 pages.
3. Make your case. Here you must draw on 2 studies of the topic to inform your
argument. For instance, if my paper is about broken windows and crime, then I should
identify research articles that are relevant to this topic. Be sure to summarize these
articles, especially the research question, the nature of the evidence, and the conclusion. I
insist that these studies be from scholarly journal articles, not web pages or government
reports, and that the articles have some empirical component. See the instructor if you
have any questions about the appropriateness of your sources.
4. Conclude. Write a short conclusion that summarizes your argument. You might also
suggest what type of data or evidence would be ideal (even if unavailable) to further
evaluate your research question. You can also write about any broader implications of
your research if you’d like. This should be about 1-2 paragraphs.
Note: It’s perfectly OK if your idea was not supported by the available evidence!! Such is
the nature of scientific inquiry. Draw your conclusion based on the evidence.
