Criminal Justice Subject Guide

Research Tools & Resources in Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice & Law Encyclopedias and Reports

Academic Encyclopedias

Use academic encyclopedias to find foundational information on legal and criminal justice and injustice issues. 

CQ Researcher Reports

CQ Researcher reports cover current national and international issues. Reports provide a solid introduction to a range of topics, including Law and Justice. 

  • Open CQ Research and click on the Law & Justice tile to browse a range of reports. Be sure to check the date for currency!

Why start with reference?

Use Background Info as a Starting Point

An overview of your broad topic area helps you understand...

  • what the key issues are and how you may want to refine your topic
  • definitions of key concepts and terminology in the field
  • who are the stakeholders (the groups or individuals this topic concerns)
  • a context of how your topic relates to the other issues that surround it
  • a historical perspective on your topic
  • specialized vocabulary or search words that are used in your field (you will use these words for searches later in your research process)