Criminal Behavior

See attached

Research Paper: A major component of this class is a 2,250-word term APA style and formatted research paper. The 2,250-word requirement excludes the wording of the Cover, Abstract, and References pages. No more than 25% of the written assignment in this course may be attributed to referenced sources. Your paper must be 75% original thought. Again, your cited work and quotations must not exceed 25%.

You must use and cite a minimum of five sources with no more than two being web sources. Peer-reviewed sources and scholarly articles are strongly encouraged as research sources. Do not use the course textbook as a source. Turnitin.com reports provide the instructor with the word count and the percentage of wording attributable to other sources. Papers may not be submitted from previous courses or classes to fulfill this requirement and will be referred for a potential Academic Code Violation.

Your research paper topic must address one of the following topics and the Saint Leo Core Value of Excellence must be integrated in the paper as well:

· Theories of Psychopath and Violent Criminal Behaviors

· Theories of Sociopathic Disorders

· Antisocial Personality Disorders and Criminal Behaviors

· Rational Choice Theory

· Biological Theory

· Social Learning Theory

· Social Bonding Theory

· Social Disorganization Theory

· Differential Association Theory

· Conflict Theory

· Control Theory

· Anomie and Strain Theories

· The Theory of African American Offending

· Labeling Theory

· Feminist and Black Feminist Theories

· Routine Activities Theory

· Latino/Latina Critical Theory

· Critical Race Theory

· Asian Critical Theory

· Life-Course or Developmental Theory

· Victimization Theory

· The Theoretical Motivations for Committing Homicide

· The Theoretical Motivations for Serial Killings

· The Theoretical Motivations for Joining Street Gangs

· The Theoretical Motivations for Use of Excessive Force by Police Officers

· The Theoretical Motivations for Elder Abuse

· Postpartum Depression and Criminal Behaviors

· The Theoretical Motivations for Spree Killers

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Research Paper Guidelines CRM 426

Step 1 Select a Topic
The purpose of this project is to provide you with an opportunity to conduct research on a topic related to
criminal justice. A list of topics has been provided for you in the course syllabus. Once you have selected
your topic you must get it approved by the instructor.

Step 2 Writing the Research Report
Your Research Paper should contain six major subsections (underlined) that should be labeled as
follows:

The Abstract
An abstract is a single paragraph, without indentation, that summarizes the key points of the manuscript
in 150 to 250 words. The purpose of the abstract is to provide the reader with a brief overview of the
paper. The abstract, however, should be written last.

The Introduction
The introduction leads the reader from a general subject area to a particular topic of inquiry. It establishes
the scope, context, and significance of the research being conducted by summarizing current
understanding and background information about the topic, stating the purpose of the work in the form of
the research problem supported by a hypothesis or a set of questions, explaining briefly the
methodological approach used to examine the research problem, highlighting the potential outcomes your
study can reveal, and outlining the remaining structure and organization of the paper. The introduction
should be approximately ½ to one full page in length. You must include in-text and parenthetical citations
in APA format.

Identify A Problem
A research problem is a definite or clear expression [statement] about an area of concern, a condition to
be improved upon, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in
theory, or within existing practice, that points to a need for meaningful understanding and deliberate
investigation. The purpose of a problem statement is to:

1. Introduce the reader to the importance of the topic being studied. The reader is oriented to the
significance of the study.

2. Anchors the research questions, hypotheses, or assumptions to follow. It offers a concise
statement about the purpose of your paper.

3. Places the topic into a particular context that defines the parameters of what is to be investigated.
4. Provides the framework for reporting the results and indicates what is probably necessary to

conduct the study and explain how the findings will present this information.

The problem statement should be a ½ page in length. You must include in-text and parenthetical
citations.

The Research Question
A research question investigates a specific component of a broader topic. It is the question you are
trying to answer when you conduct research on a topic. An example of a research question is as
follows: Could the decriminalization of marijuana lead to less crime in the United States? You will be
required to write one research question.

The Literature Review
A literature review surveys books, scholarly articles, and any other sources relevant to a particular issue,
area of research, or theory, and by so doing, provides a description, summary, and critical evaluation of
these works in relation to the research problem being investigated. Literature reviews are designed to
provide an overview of sources you have explored while researching a particular topic and to

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demonstrate to your readers how your research fits within a larger field of study. In this course, you must
use and cite a minimum of five sources with no more than two being web sources (i.e., government
reports). Peer-reviewed sources and scholarly articles are strongly encouraged as research sources. Do
not use the course textbook as a source. Papers may not be submitted from previous courses to fulfill this
requirement. Your literature review should be three full pages in length.

The Theoretical Framework
Theory is that which explains how things are in reality, as opposed to what we might want them to be.

You have been learning the various types of criminological and sociological theories in this course.

Personal ideologies are of no value in criminological theory unless they can be evaluated scientifically.

We define theory as “an attempt to explain why a particular social activity or event occurs.” A theory is a

generalization about the phenomenon that is being studied.

You will select one to two criminological theories to explain the nature of crime. This section of the
research paper should be one full page in length.

The Discussion
The purpose of the discussion is to interpret and describe the significance of your findings in light of what
was already known about the research problem being investigated, and to explain any new understanding
or insights about the problem after you have taken the findings into consideration. The discussion will
always connect to the introduction by way of the research questions or hypotheses you posed and the
literature you reviewed, but it does not simply repeat or rearrange the introduction; the discussion should
always explain how your study has moved the reader’s understanding of the research problem forward
from where you left them at the end of the introduction. The discussion section of your paper will be one
full page in length.

The Conclusion
The conclusion is intended to help the reader understand why your research should matter to them after
they have finished reading the paper. A conclusion is not merely a summary of the main topics covered or
a re-statement of your research problem, but a synthesis of key points and, if applicable, the place where
you recommend new areas for future research. For most college-level research papers, one or two well-
developed paragraphs is sufficient for a conclusion, although in some cases, three or more paragraphs
may be required.

References
A citation is a formal reference to a published or unpublished source that you consulted and obtained
information from while writing your research paper. The way in which you document your sources
depends on the writing style manual your professor wants you to use for the class. All papers in this
course are to be written in the American Psychological Association (APA) format.

Grading Rubric
Exceptional corresponds to an A- to A (90-100). Performance is outstanding; significantly above the
usual expectations.

Proficient corresponds to a grade of B- to B+ (80-89%). Skills and standards are at the level of
expectation.

Basic corresponds to a C to C+ (70-79%). Skills and standards are acceptable, but improvements are
needed to meet expectations well.

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Novice corresponds to a D to C- (50-69%). Performance is weak; the skills or standards are not
sufficiently demonstrated at this time.

0 This criterion is missing or not in evidence.

Criteria

Ratings

0 Novice Basic Proficient Exceptional

The organization and written quality of the
report displays the core value of excellence

The depth of work and research that when
into the criminal behavior analysis

The quality of the description of the
theories to be used

The accuracy and insightfulness of the
application of the theories to explain the
criminal behavior of the subject

The professional quality of the Power Point
presentation

Score: ______ of 100
Comments: