Topic
The criminal justice topic I would like to research is a crime in crisis or emergencies. At least two problems occurred during 2020: the Black Lives Matter riots and the COVID-19 pandemic, and they forced police, courts, and legislators to deal with unusual cases and work in extraordinary circumstances. I want to choose the coronavirus emergency to study because the research outcomes can be then compared to the other countries, and the changes seriously affected all surveillance and protection structures. The primary question is, “How has the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the criminal justice processes in the United States?”
Research Questions
Multiple research questions can help explore the topic and generate actionable results for the study. Were the patterns of crime declining similar in different societies based on their economic conditions? What is the systematic variation of crimes that declined during the COVID-19 lockdown? How does the emergency regime in the affected regions influence their crime rates? What obstacles were faced by the criminal justice system in their investigations due to the pandemic?
Hypothesis
There is a significant correlation between the crime rates and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Null Hypothesis
There is no statistical difference between the crime rates in the period before the pandemic and after it.
Research Design
The research about criminal cases during the COVID-19 pandemic must begin with data collection, and primary sources like police records are needed to gather the necessary information. Criminal rates from the pre-pandemic period can be collected to test the null hypothesis and discover any statistical differences. Besides, at least three types of violations can be selected for the research to make it more detailed. After the information is gathered, it is crucial to find data to answer the research questions, such as the socioeconomic situation in multiple regions or the emergency regime limitations. Moreover, interviews with criminal justice workers can become a valuable source to study how the pandemic affected the system.