Career - Criminal Justice - General Resources - Research Guides at East Carolina University Libraries

Overview

Investigating Major Issues in Careers

A good way to find issues in your chosen career is to visit an association or organization website that focuses on your field. There are professional and trade associations for almost every profession and industry. Their purpose is to promote the profession, represent the interests of professional practitioners, and answer any queries from the public.

Finding Information about your chosen Profession

Go to Occupational Outlook Handbook. The Handbook includes information about your profession, education requirements, earnings, links to information about the job market in each state, and trade association information.
Search for your career.
Note: Scroll to the section on "Sources of Additional Information" to find professional or trade associations that represent the field.

Examples of the kinds of groups you'll encounter include:

Browsing a Professional or Trade Organization Website

A quality professional/trade organization website can help you research current issues in your current profession and locate trade publications.

Finding Issues - Look for links labeled: News, Publications, Research, Topics, Frequently Asked Questions, and Press Releases.
Finding Publications - Look for links labeled: Publications
- Trade Publications are sometimes provided for free via the association website. If they are not provided for free, check to see if the library has a subscription via the E-Journal/E-Book Portal.

Criminal Justice Organizations

National Associations

Criminal Justice

The American Society of Criminology
An international organization whose members pursue scholarly, scientific, and professional knowledge concerning the measurement, etiology, consequences, prevention, control, and treatment of crime and delinquency.
The American Sociological Association - Crime, Law & Deviance Section
The purpose of the section on Crime, Law and Deviance is to foster the development of this aspect of sociology through the organized interchange of ideas and research results.
Justice Research and Statistics Association
A national nonprofit organization of state Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) directors, and other researchers and practitioners throughout government, academia, and the justice community who are dedicated to the use of research and analysis to make informed policy and program decisions.

Jail/Correctional/Police Associations

American Correctional Association
Founded in 1870 as the National Prison Association, ACA is the oldest association developed specifically for practitioners in the correctional profession.
American Jail Association
A national, nonprofit organization that supports the professionals who operate our Nation’s jails. It is the only national association that focuses exclusively on issues specific to the operations of local correctional facilities.
Correctional Education Association
A leading professional association in juvenile justice and adult correctional education, both nationally and internationally, providing leadership, direction, and services to correctional educators and programs, and representing juvenile justice and adult correctional education to broader educational, political, and social agencies.
National Association of Police Organizations
A coalition of police units and associations from across the United States. NAPO was organized for the purpose of advancing the interests of America's law enforcement officers through legislative advocacy, political action, and education.

International Associations

Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
An international association established in 1963 to foster professional and scholarly activities in the field of criminal justice.
Justice Studies Association
An international community of academics, activists, artists, researchers and practitioners who are committed to promoting transformative, restorative, social, economic and political justice in all areas of our lives – from the local to the global.

Research Centers & Commissions

National White Collar Crime Center
A nonprofit, membership-affiliated organization working to support the efforts of state and local law enforcement to prevent, investigate and prosecute economic and high-tech crime.
National Center for Women & Policing
Conducts and disseminates original research on the status of women in policing and the impact of gender on police operations.
Vera Institute of Justice
An independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit center for justice policy and practice that combines expertise in research, demonstration projects, and technical assistance to help leaders in government and civil society improve the systems people rely on for justice and safety.
United States Sentencing Commission
An independent agency in the judicial branch of government that provides access to publications such as the Federal Sentencing Guidelines Manuals, Federal Sentencing Statistics by State, District, and Circuit, Research Products and Special Projects.