Unit III research paper

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The purpose of this research paper is to provide you with the opportunity to review the theories of criminology and victimology and determine the contributions made by both studies. What is the history of criminology? When did victimology arise as a theory relating to why crimes exist in our society? How did each of these studies generate investigative strategies such as offender profiling and victim profiling? Geographic profiling/crime mapping may contribute to investigative procedures as well.

With the advent of technology, these theories have expanded tremendously as software has enabled re-creation of the crime scene within the presentation prepared for the courts. Offender profiling can help investigators focus investigative efforts toward a specific type of offender, which leads them toward research determining past offenders who foster such characteristics and those offenders who are presently on parole.

This, of course, leads to crime mapping, which relates to victims as much as offenders. The crime mapping technique helps investigators track victims of similar crimes as well as offenders of similar crimes, which can be cross-referenced with the information relating to recent parolees who may match the profile of a specific crime. Additionally, both of these services may help locate an unknown offender based on surveys of communities to determine any unknown suspects that may live or work in proximity to the crimes or crimes.

This assignment empowers you to research to determine how the criminal justice system relies on criminology and victimology to help solve present crimes as well as predict similar crimes in the future.

Depending on the topic chosen in your Unit I Research Paper Topic assignment, you may select option 1 or 2 below.

  1. Research your study strictly based on the comparison of criminology and victimology, providing information that reveals the interaction and interdependence of these fields of study as well as the contribution each provides to criminal justice operations in the United States today.

OR

  1. Research the victimology side of the equation with concentrated research on the role criminal profiling and victim profiling play in criminal investigations and subsequent case filings in America today.

In your research paper, you must address the following that addresses the information below.

  • Define criminology and how it relates to the theories of criminology.
  • How do criminology and victimology interact to provide a clear picture of crime and the causes of crime?
  • How does criminology influence criminal profiling and offender behavior profiling?
  • How do victimology and criminology influence victim profiling?

Complete a research paper that must be a minimum of three pages in length, not including the title page and the reference page (title and reference pages do not count toward the total page requirement). The research paper must follow APA guidelines and contain the following components:

  • Title page: The title page must be in APA format, which includes a properly formatted running head and the page number in the header.
  • Abstract: Provide a brief explanation of the purpose of your paper. This must be a minimum of 150 words. This should be similar to what was done for the topic description you submitted in the Unit I assignment.
  • Introduction: Provide a brief introduction.
  • Body: Include headings help the reader transition from one subject to the next in the main body of the paper. This is the focus of your research and analysis of criminology and victimology and the interaction and interdependence of these fields of study. Additionally, identify the contribution each provides to criminal justice operations in the United States today. Alternatively, this will be your analysis of the victimology side of the equation and the role criminal profiling and victim profiling play in criminal investigations and subsequent case filings in America today.
  • Conclusion: Provide a summary of your findings and solutions based on best practices today.
  • Reference page: You must include the heading “References” centered above the reference list on a separate page after your conclusion. You must include the three sources selected in the Unit I Assignment. You may include more, but your initial three, which were used to research and create the topic must be used. All sources must be referenced in APA format, and each source must correspond to at least one in-text citation. Each source must be double-spaced, and APA requires a 1/2-inch hanging indentation.