how to start an essay about justice

Essays About Justice: Top 5 Examples and 7 Prompts

Discover our guide with examples of essays about justice and prompts for your essay writing and discuss vital matters relating to a person’s or nation’s welfare.

Justice, in general, refers to the notion that individuals get what they deserve. It includes fundamental moral values in law and politics and is considered an act of fairness, equality, and honesty. Four types of justice deal with how victims can solicit a verdict. They are procedural, distributive, retributive, and restorative. There are many pieces with justice as the subject. It’s because justice is a broad subject encompassing many human values.

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5 Essay Examples

1. juvenile justice system of usa essay by anonymous on ivypanda.com, 2. wrongful convictions in criminal justice system by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 3. racial profiling within the criminal justice system by anonymous on papersowl.com, 4. criminal justice: the ban-the-box law by anonymous on ivypanda.com, 5. the special needs of the criminal justice on mental illness cases by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 1. what is justice, 2. is justice only for the rich and powerful, 3. the importance of justice, 4. the justice system in mainstream media, 5. justice: then vs. now, 6. justice system around the world, 7. obstructions to justice.

“No doubt, familiarity about the nature of juvenile crimes and how juvenile justice structures function across the world will offer an insight to policy makers, social scientists and for gullible citizens. Thus, a comparative analysis will throw light on how well or how poorly one nation is exercising relative to other nations.”

The essay delves into the justice system process for teenagers who are 18 years and below who commit wrongful acts. Most teenagers involved in juvenile crimes do not have a strong foundation or parental support. The author also talks about the treatments, boot camps, and retreat houses available for teenagers serving in juvenile prisons.

The ever-increasing number of juvenile crimes in the world reflects the mismanagement and lack of juvenile courts, sentencing programs, rehabilitation, and age-appropriate treatment. The writer believes that if mistrials remain in the juvenile system, the problem will continue. They suggest that the government must initiate more system reforms and provide juvenile offenders with proper ethical education.

“The justice system is composed of various legal groups and actors, making a miscarriage possible at any stage of the legal process, or at the hands of any legal actor. Eyewitness error, police misconduct, or falsification of evidence are examples of factors that may lead to a wrongful conviction.”

In this essay, the author uses various citations that show the justice system’s flaws in the process and criteria of its rulings. It further discusses the different instances of unfair judgments and mentions that at least 1% of all convicts serving prison time were wrongfully accused.

The writer believes that changing the way of addressing different cases and ensuring that all legal professionals do their assigned duties will result in fair justice. You might also be interested in these essays about choice .

“Here in the 21st century, we don’t exactly have ‘Black Codes’ we have what is known as Racial Profiling. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) defines racial profiling as ‘the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual’s race ethnicity, religion or national origin.’”

This essay investigates the involvement of race in the criminal justice system, whether they are victims or perpetrators. The author claims that some law enforcement officers mistreat and misjudge people because of their race and presents various cases as evidence of these discriminatory actions. One example is the case of an unarmed black teenager, Jordan Edwards , who was shot because former officer Roy Oliver thought his partner was in danger.

Unfortunately, law enforcement officials use their power and position in society to deny any act of racial profiling, rendering the said law useless. The author declares that while their paper may not prove racial bias in the criminal justice system, they can prove that a person’s color plays a role and can cause harm.

“I think the Ban-the-Box law is the best way of creating employment opportunities for ex-convicts without discrimination. Criminal offenses vary in the degree of the crime, making it unfair to treat all ex-convicts the same. Moreover, some felons learn from their mistakes during detention and parole, creating a better and law-abiding citizen with the ability to work faithfully.”

The essay explains how ex-convicts or current convicts are consistently discriminated against. This discrimination affects their lives even after serving their sentence, especially in their rights to vote and work.

Regarding job hunting, the author believes the Ban-the-Box law will effectively create more employment opportunities. The law allows employers to see an ex-convict’s skills rather than just their record. The essay concludes with a reminder that everyone is entitled to a civil right to vote, while private enterprises are free to run background checks.

“Case management focuses on incorporating key elements that focus on improving the wellbeing of individuals that are being assessed. Mental illness within the criminal justice system is treated as a sensitive issue that requires urgent intervention in order to ensure that an inmate is able to recover.”

This essay pries into one of the most delicate areas of ruling in the justice system, which is leading mentally ill convicts. Offenders who were deemed mentally ill should be able to receive particular treatments for their health while serving time.

The author mentions that every country must be able to provide mental health services for the inmates to prevent conflicts inside the prison. In conclusion, they suggest that reviewing and prioritizing policies related to mental illness is the best solution to the issue.

Are you interested in writing about mental illnesses? Check out our guide on how to write essays about depression.

7 Prompts for Essays About Justice

Justice is a vast subject, and its literal meaning is the quality of being just. This process often occurs when someone who has broken the law gets what they should, whether freedom or punishment. Research and discuss everything there is to know about justice so your readers can fully understand it. Include a brief history of its origins, types, and uses.

Several situations prove that justice is only for the rich. One of the main reasons is the expensive court fees. Research why victims settle outside the court or just let their abusers get away with crimes.

Include data that proves justice is a luxury where the only ones who can ask for equal treatment are those with resources—present situations or well-known cases to support your statements. On the other hand, you can also provide counter-arguments such as government programs that help financially-challenged individuals.

Every citizen has the right to be protected and treated fairly in court. Explain the importance of justice to a person, society, and government. Then, add actual cases of how justice is applied to encourage reform or chaos. Include relevant cases that demonstrate how justice impacts lives and legal changes, such as the case of Emmett Till .

Talk about how justice is usually depicted on screen and how it affects people’s expectations of how the justice system works. Popular television shows such as Suits and Law and Order are examples of the justice system being portrayed in the media. Research these examples and share your opinion on whether movies or television portray the justice system accurately or not.

In this essay, research how justice worldwide has changed. This can include looking at legal systems, human rights, and humanity’s ever-changing opinions. For instance, child labor was considered normal before but is viewed as an injustice today. List significant changes in justice and briefly explain why they have changed over time. You might also be interested in these essays about violence .

Essays About Justice: Justice system around the world

Countries have different ways of instilling justice within their societies. For this prompt, research and discuss the countries you think have the best and worst legal systems. Then, point out how these differences affect the country’s crime rates and quality of life for its citizens.

Examine why people tend to take justice into their hands, disobey legal rules, or give up altogether. It can be because seeking justice is an arduous process resulting in emotional and financial burdens. Often, this occurs when a person feels their government is not providing the support they need. Take a look at this social issue, and discuss it in your essay for a strong argumentative.

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

Essay on Justice

Students are often asked to write an essay on Justice in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Justice

Understanding justice.

Justice is a key principle that ensures fairness and equality. It’s about treating everyone the same, regardless of their background or status. This principle is vital in maintaining peace and harmony in society.

Forms of Justice

There are different types of justice. Social justice deals with equality and fairness in society. Criminal justice involves punishing those who break the law. Distributive justice focuses on fair allocation of resources.

Importance of Justice

Justice is important because it promotes equality, creates trust, and upholds the rule of law. Without justice, there would be chaos and inequality, leading to societal unrest.

Also check:

250 Words Essay on Justice

Introduction.

Justice, a concept that has been the backbone of civilizations, is often seen as the balancing scale of society. It is a principle that ensures fairness, equality, and moral rightness, serving as the cornerstone of legal systems worldwide.

The Concept of Justice

Justice is not a one-dimensional concept; it is multifaceted and complex. It encompasses distributive justice, which deals with the fair allocation of resources, and retributive justice, which seeks to punish wrongdoers proportionately to their crimes. Justice, in essence, is about maintaining a balance, ensuring that everyone is treated equally and fairly, regardless of their social, economic, or cultural status.

Justice in Society

In society, justice plays a critical role in maintaining order and harmony. It serves as a deterrent to unlawful behavior, fostering a sense of security and trust among individuals. However, the concept of justice is not static; it evolves with societal changes and advancements. What is deemed just in one era or culture may not hold the same significance in another, reflecting the dynamic nature of justice.

In conclusion, justice is an indispensable component of any society. It is an evolving concept that reflects societal values and norms. As we continue to advance as a society, it is crucial that our understanding and application of justice evolve too, ensuring it remains a true embodiment of fairness and equality.

500 Words Essay on Justice

Justice is a multifaceted concept that provides the fundamental basis for a harmonious and equitable society. It is the cornerstone upon which legal systems, ethical theories, and social contracts are built. At its core, justice is about fairness, impartiality, and the equitable distribution of rights and responsibilities.

The Philosophical Perspective of Justice

From a philosophical perspective, justice has been a topic of discourse since ancient times. Plato, in his work ‘The Republic’, proposed the idea of justice as harmony, where each individual plays their part in society for the common good. In contrast, Aristotle saw justice as proportionate equality, where individuals receive benefits in proportion to their contribution.

Justice in Legal Systems

In legal systems, justice is the principle that guides the creation of laws and their enforcement. It aims to ensure that individuals are treated fairly and that their rights are protected. The concept of justice in legal systems is often divided into three categories: distributive justice, retributive justice, and restorative justice.

Distributive justice concerns the fair allocation of resources within a society. It argues for societal benefits and burdens to be distributed according to relevant criteria such as need, merit, or equality. Retributive justice, on the other hand, is about punishment for wrongdoing. It advocates for penalties that are proportionate to the crime. Lastly, restorative justice focuses on healing and rehabilitation. It seeks to repair the harm caused by criminal behavior through reconciliation and reintegration of offenders into society.

Justice as a Social Virtue

In conclusion, justice is a complex and multifaceted concept that permeates various aspects of human life. Whether from a philosophical perspective, within legal systems, or as a social virtue, justice is fundamentally about fairness, equity, and the protection of rights. It is a cornerstone of a harmonious society and a guiding principle for ethical behavior. As we strive to create a more just world, it is imperative that we continue to critically engage with the concept of justice, challenging and refining our understanding of what it truly means to be just.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

12 Angry Men: Sample essays (justice/jurors)

Sample Plan/Essay

Topic: “ This is one of the reasons we are strong.” Through his play, Twelve Angry Men , Reginald Rose suggest that the judicial system has more strengths than it does flaws.

In an era when America was attempting to find her identity and heal divisions wrought by Cold War hostilities, Reginald Rose, in his didactic play Twelve Angry Men, affirms the dire importance of a diverse jury’s ability to deliver justice to its people. Whilst Rose suggests that the judicial system has its imperfections, he also endorses the benefits he claims are invaluable to society. Initially, as the jurors respond to the task of judging the guilt or innocence of the 16 year old boy, charged with first degree murder of his father, shortcomings are flagrantly obvious. However, owing to the integrity and perspicacity of the 8 th juror and his insistence the principles of justice and reasonable doubt, he orchestrates a careful examination of the circumstantial evidence. As Rose clearly shows, honouring these safeguards not only empowers individuals to engage in the judicial process, but acts as the basis for a just verdict which reflects a decent, caring democratic society; diversity may hinder, but in this case it can facilitate also justice. Thus, the fundamental mechanisms of the process are what makes the system “strong”.

The flaws in the judicial system owing to the 12 “angry men”

Rose depicts a judicial system that is essentially flawed because of its dependence upon twelve “angry” Caucasian men who possess different views, personalities and personal agendas. Specifically, and through the use of a real-time deliberation process, the playwright emphasizes how the integrity of the judicial system is undermined when the jurors arrive at the table clothed in their own personal experiences and prejudices. (quote from the 10 th )

Rose deliberately constructs a parallel story for the 3rd Juror, whose broken relationship with his son, influences his decision. In the stage directions he notes how he is reeling from the pain of being “stabbed in the chest” which foreshadows his revenge agenda and his rigid, patriarchal view of parenting. Throughout the play, there are repetitive references to the “knife”, which will be critical to the evidence, but in this case the stab wounds symbolically refer to the 3 rd juror’s raw and personal emotions. Knife…

Climate of prejudice; a fault that Rose implies was a pressing issue in trials conducted during the post-war era of McCarthy-style hysteria.

Another shortcoming is the legal competence of the jurors, many of whom lack the aptitude to carry out their duties because they have a distorted or deficient understanding of their legal duties. The meek 2nd Juror’s fragmented speech conveyed through Rose’s use of ellipses and indicated in the stage directions as “nervous”, suggests he fears voicing his opinion because of his relative inexperience as a juror. As a result, he “just thinks the boy is guilty” and cannot express his reasoning, intimidated by the louder voices that dominate the early stages of the play. From the beginning, the 12th Juror, who believes that “the whole thing is unimportant”, is fixated on the “view”, the “impression” and the “drive” of the lawyers, a manifestation of his embodiment as post war materialism . The game of the tic-tac toe also becomes a figurative manifestation of their indifference as is the “doodling”. Likewise, the mindless whistling of the 7 th juror and the change of his vote to “not guilty” because he has “had enough” highlights his obvious apathy. Rose suggests this attitude, which is compounded by the heat, is counterproductive to the notion of active citizenship.

The strengths of the system because of the emphasis on the safeguards of justice

In order to overcome these innate limitations, Rose suggests that the emphasis on and adherence to the safeguards are essential assets to the deliberation process. The power of the process lies within its ability to expose their “personal prejudice” in a “locked room ”, where the men cannot escape scrutiny. The locked room also becomes a metaphoric representation of the men’s closed minds that are gradually enlightened as the trial proceeds. Furthermore, Rose uses the “harsh white light” as a device to reveal the men’s limitations, confirming that the process contributes to greater self-awareness.

8 th juror: embodiment and “architect” of justice

In this regard, the role of the 8 th juror, who believes the boy deserves the courtesy of “talking” about the evidence before arriving at hasty assumptions, is critical to the exposure of injustices and prejudices . He is the juror who most faithfully follows the disembodied voice of the judge and his reminder that the jurors must deliberate “honestly and thoughtfully”and sift “fact” from “fancy”. By focusing on the concept of reasonable doubt, he exposes the inconsistencies in the testimonies of the eye-witnesses and urges the jurors to question the “circumstantial evidence”. His probing casts doubt and his question to the jurors, “What if the facts are wrong”, also serves to whet the audience’s curiosity.

The 9th Juror, whose experience derived from his age and experience is vital, asserts that no one has a “monopoly on the truth” as “coincidences are possible.” As such, the jurors are forced to question the reliability of the evidence such as the psychiatrist’s report which indicates that the defendant had “strong homicidal tendencies,” only to conclude that these tendencies don’t always manifest as action; likewise the threat “I’m going to kill you” which becomes a humiliating experience for the third juror. The fact that the old man could not have physically walked to the door to verify the identity of escaping person and the absence of the woman’s glasses all conspire to plant doubt.

8 th juror: empowers diversity rather than conformity

In the right context and circumstances, Rose also suggests that diversity, a hallmark of democracy, can hinder, but can also facilitate justice. The gradual self-awareness and enlightenment of many of the jurors helps the collective team more effectively scrutinise the evidence. In many ways, such diversity of provides a plethora of contexts for identification which in turn helps the jurors gain an insight into the flaws of the evidence. The 5 th Juror’s “slum background” and upbringing empower him to challenge the angle of the knife wound and the 9 th Juror’s age creates doubt in the reliability of the old man’s testimony. He empathetically observes [2] that the man’s need to be “quoted just once” provides motivation to lie. The painter’s experience of apartments near an el-train also reveal the difficulty a witness would have hearing the boy. The 4 th juror recognises the woman’s impossibility of seeing clearly without glasses – another metaphoric representation of how the “facts” become increasingly blurred and murky.

Furthermore, minority groups are enfranchised as evident through the middle-European 11 th Juror, who reminds audiences that people “entitled to their unpopular opinions.” The notion that “there are no secrets in a jury room” holds its ground to both ensure that all voices are heard but also that extreme views are unveiled. Consequently, the 10 th Juror is silenced and “defeated” as them men “turn their backs” on him acting as a powerful reminder that in seeking consensus in society, we must reject the “darkening” threat posed by venomous views.

8 th juror: symbolism of democratic, social harmony

As the juror’s are freed from the “locked room” and the cathartic rain ceases to fall, the boy and thus the men are liberated by the civilising power of democracy. Indeed, in an act of social harmony, the 8 th Juror’s gesture of helping the 3rd Juror with his coat demonstrates the potential for fractured sides to find consensus in a society attempting to find her identity post war From the liberating ability of the process, Rose celebrates democracy as a powerful and enlightening asset and is accordingly the ultimate strength of the jury system.

Through the 8th juror’s gaze through the window to the New York Skyline, Rose suggests that the delivery of justice and vigilance is important to ensure the protection of democratic values and to secure justice for those most in need of it protection. Therefore, a focus on the safeguards yields benefits beyond the achievement of justice. The process can empower the disempowered and act as a resounding model for a democratic society. It is the reason we “are strong”.

Therefore, a focus on the safeguards yields benefits beyond the achievement of justice. The process can empower the disempowered and act as a resounding model for a democratic society. Through the Foreman’s “Slattery” metaphor, Rose suggests that the democratic foundation of the system is not reliant on individuals, but rather endorses the collaboration of diverse voices and experiences they bring to the “scarred table”. Indeed, self aware individuals prove useful in directing the discussion away from extreme and potentially divisive views.

In an era which was plagued by “Cold war” mentalities of relentless suspicion, Rose acknowledges that the jury system is inherently flawed. However, the play serves as a source of inspiration to the strength of the judicial process should the principles of justice be appropriately upheld. Ultimately the concept of reasonable doubt affords the best protection against the miscarriage of justice. Only when the safeguards of democracy are consciously followed, can any reward be in sight. Rose serves us with a timely reminder that we must accept our civic duties and remain self-aware and “watchful” for those who attempt to hinder the system in order witness what “makes us strong”.

‘Twelve Angry Men is less about guilt or innocence than about reasonable doubt.’ Discuss

Set in 1950s New York with a backdrop of post McCarthyism hysteria, Reginald Rose’s Twelve Angry Men explores the deliberations of a jury in a homicide trial. Although the McCarthyist witch-hunts caused a legacy of suspicion, Rose suggests that ‘reasonable doubt’ remains the best safeguard of justice. The audience are thus taken into the customary black box scenario and witness the difficulties faced by the twelve individuals when attempting to follow the judge’s instruction to “deliberate honestly and thoughtfully” as prejudice and experiences cloud their judgements. According to David Mamet’s introduction it is the fact that each individual interprets the standard of ‘reasonable doubt’ differently that is “the genius of the trial.” By staging the heated discussion, Rose exposes the difficulties that surround the legal concept of ‘reasonable doubt and its application. Eventually, if applied rigorously, Rose suggests that it is the best mean of protecting a person’s innocence. If applied insightfully, it can also expose a person’s bigoted attitude and distorted personal agendas.

Rose characterises the 8 th juror as a spokesperson for justice because he foregrounds the concept of reasonable doubt; Rose thereby suggests that this provdes the best safeguard of the legal system. The fact that he cannot “send a boy off to die, without talking about it first.” Forces the other jurors to carefully consider witness testimonies. Rose’s use of anonymous numbers depersonalises the jury members to show that their personalties should not play a factor. Ironically, the 8 th juror seems to be the only one who best abides by this nameless system. Rose thereby suggests that the emphasis must be on the boy and the irrefutable nature of his crime. Moreover, the 8 th juror’s focus on ‘reasonable doubt’ leads to insightful questioning of the eye-witnesses; the old man could not have heard the boy yell over the sound of the elevated train or made it to his front door in time, and “the woman’s eyesight is in question.” As the 8 th juror exposes the inconsistencies and false assumption associated with the evidence, Rose poses the importance of the idea that ‘reasonable doubt’ could save someone’s life.

Rose sets up the 8 th juror as a contrasting voice of dissent in order to expose the extent to which the other jurors are controlled by their preconceived notions of guilt and innocence. Despite his insistence to scrutinise the evidence, other jurors still base their votes on biases, attitudes and personal experiences. The 3 rd juror, who says, “The man’s a dangerous killer” and the 10 th , who remarks “You know what you’re dealing with” may be the most vociferous in their accusations of the boy’s guilt and it is this emphasis on guilt that threatens a fair trial. The locked room appears as a metaphoric representation of their “locked minds” and their prejudice, which may lead to a miscarriage of justice. Hence, owing to preconceived biases, jurors are too quick to arrive at hasty conclusions and are less willing to accept the apparent doubt in the circumstantial evidence.

With an emphasis on reasonable doubt, the trial changes direction and the flaws in the evidence become increasingly apparent, making it difficult for many jurors to insist on the boy’s guilt. At the exposition of the play, almost all the jurors are convinced of the defendant’s guilt. The 10 th juror flippantly states, “A kid kills his father. Bing! Just like that,” evincing that there is no element of doubt in his mind. Similarly, the 6 th juror comments, “There’s not a doubt in the world.” However as the play progresses, doubt slowly creeps into the minds of the jurors as evidence is cross-examined. The tension is diffused as ‘the sound of the rain’ is heard in the silence. The storm and the ‘flickering of harsh white light’ could be interpreted as symbols of reality and truth. Afterwards, the 4 th juror, one of the most logical and methodical jurors, (“Let’s stick to the facts.”) eventually votes ‘not guilty’ stating he now has a ‘reasonable doubt’. Likewise, the 11 th juror switches his vote as he “now has a reasonable doubt in his mind.” The jurors are aware of the importance of investigating the evidence and henceforth acknowledge that their prior certainties may have faults.

The 8 th juror, through a stage direction that mimics his state of mind and are shown that “this is the problem that has been tormenting him. He does not know and he never will.”

** Based on ‘reasonable doubt’, a verdict of ‘not guilty’ is reached, which Rose suggests is the only correct verdict under these circumstances. AS the evidence is not conclusive, the jurors are not able to confidently prove the boy’s guilt. Critical to the “not guilty” verdict is the capitulation of the 10 th and 3 rd jurors owing to their vociferous opposition. The 10 th juror concedes that he has been outmanoeuvred by the “smart bastards” precisely because he must recognise that his bigoted misconceptions cannot prove the boy’s guilt. Likewise, the 3 rd is forced to recognise the degree to which his personal vendetta interfered with the decision-making process. The reminder that “he’s not your boy”, finally shames him into concurring with the ‘not guilty’ verdict. The deconstruction of these obstacles finally paves the way for an honest and just outcome. The unlocking of the door and the knife in the table – which was critical to the fact-finding process – suggest that prejudice has been dispelled. Thus Rose would suggest they reach a fair and reasonable verdict.

It is unequivocal that the legal drama Twelve Angry men imparts the notion that ‘reasonable doubt’ is a portentous part of America’s judicial system and it is of greater concern than the truth. Rose demonstrates this though the jury, a microcosm representation of a cross-section of America, who works together to form a just, unanimous decision. The variety of symbolic techniques show how Rose supports the ‘not guilty’ verdict and his view that ‘reasonable doubt’, if applied rigorously and insightfully, can expose personals aspects and agendas that may conspire to affect a fair trial. Ultimately, Rose reveals he is less concerned about the guilt or innocence of the accused but that a vote of ‘reasonable doubt’ is better than wrongly putting an innocent man to death and acts as a safeguard in the justice system.

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D istinctive

October 17, 2021
Distinctive College Consulting
1,920 views

By Nora Lessersohn, A.M.

In the past few years, social, political, environmental, financial, and medical crises have made it abundantly clear that one’s race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or disability status directly affect/s their health, finances, work, education, and ability to live life itself. In response, colleges have started to ask their applicants to reflect on how they themselves have contributed to creating equitable and just outcomes for all. The following three prompts are exemplary:

Villanova : St. Augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” How have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities?

Princeton : Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals.

University of Richmond : Please share one idea for actions or policies that you think would begin to address an issue of racial or social injustice.

Such prompts may feel difficult for students who don’t consider themselves “political” (or those who simply understand how massive these problems are). But working towards equity and justice doesn’t begin and end with a protest or a social media post. In fact, you’ve probably worked towards these goals without even realizing it! Here are three questions to ask yourself to help you write a social justice essay.

1) How and when have I tried to be inclusive of others? Inclusion is an important element of working towards equitable social outcomes, whether it happens at a policy level, or at school with your peers. Have you made an effort to incorporate people from different backgrounds into an activity or conversation, whether in a sport, a club, or a social setting? This act could form the basis of a solid social justice essay in which you talk about the value of inclusion to your community.

2) How and when have I tried to help others? While not all assistance relates to issues of equity and justice, thinking about the times you have worked to help people will help you reflect on how your actions may have contributed to these goals. Have you worked as a tutor or mentor? Have you volunteered at a hospital? Have you organized a food drive? While you may not have thought about the macro effects of your service at the time, thinking now through the lens of equity and justice, how do you understand the work that you did? Is there something you could have done better (and will do in the future)?

3) How and when have I tried to ask difficult questions? For many, the first step in working for equity and justice is developing the awareness that there is systemic and racial inequality everywhere we look. When have you been most aware of these issues in society, and what questions did this awareness prompt you to ask? Who did you ask, or did you keep those questions to yourself (and why)? Reflecting on your own process of understanding could be a powerful way to engage with the topic of social justice, and a jumping off point for discussing how you would work towards a more equitable social world in college and beyond.

Hopefully, asking yourself these questions will help you realize that, even if you’ve never protested, posted, or even just “talked politics,” you may still have made an important effort to make the world a better place to live.

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Inspiring human rights essays everybody should know

Can Human Rights Bring Social Justice? 12 Essays

Technically this is a collection of 12 separate essays, but all of them address the same topic: the intersection of human rights and social justice.

Do you want to pursue a career in human rights?

Our eBook “ Launching Your Career in Human Rights ” is an in-depth resource designed for those committed to pursuing a career in the human rights field. It covers a wide range of topics, including the types of careers available, the necessary skills and competencies, and the educational pathways that can lead to success in this sector. Whether you’re considering a master’s degree, looking for your first job, or exploring specific human rights issues, this guide offers valuable insights and practical advice. It’s a helpful tool for anyone looking to understand the complexities of working in human rights and how to effectively navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with this important work. Learn more .

Scholars from countries around the world discuss what human rights and social justice actually mean, the potential for human rights to lead to social justice (or not), and what the role of human rights organizations like Amnesty International is in the conversation and practice of human rights law and social justice. Each author offers a unique perspective, some positive and some critical, on the topic and covers a specific aspect of the topic to help create a whole picture.

Women’s Rights are Human Rights

In this publication from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the contributors explore one of the most fundamental and essential human rights: the rights of women. From the perspective of the United Nations, this publication is a comprehensive overview of the issue of human rights, including the international human rights laws and UN practices related to the topic. Additionally, it talks about specific issues relating to women’s rights, such as reproductive health, standard of living, conflict, violence against women, access to justice, and more. Through each of these specific areas, this report gives examples of the human rights framework in action through real-life cases.

Part 1: So Software Has Eaten the World: What Does It Mean for Human Rights, Security and Governance ; Part 2: Digital Disruption of Human Rights

This two-part article from Eileen Donahoe, Director of Global Affairs for Human Rights Watch, discusses the intersection of technology and human rights in an increasingly digital age. Donahoe’s experiences serving with UNHCR, Human Rights Watch, International Service for Human Rights, and Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation provide a unique and informed perspective on the challenges that technology brings the progression and implementation of human rights. The first article addresses issues related to governance and globalization, and the second article talks about the disparity in human rights that technology can cause and has caused already. For human rights professionals, her articles provide important insight to consider in the implementation and practice of human rights law.

The Perils of Indifference

Although this essay was originally a speech from Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, it is important reminder of where the world has been in terms of human rights violations, as well as where we should strive to be. While the tenants of the speech are ones that most human rights professionals know, they are also tenants that can be easy to forget in the day-to-day work and the seemingly endless fight for justice. Wiesel reminds human rights professionals, along with the rest of the world, why they shouldn’t give in to indifference when the struggle for human rights is long and difficult. Beyond being an inspiring piece, this speech, and Wiesel’s writings in general, have been key pieces to human rights theory and practice, shaping the ideas and ideals we have today.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

Another important historical piece in the human and civil rights movements is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” In addition to defending the practice of nonviolent protest, the letter also serves as a call to action for people to take direct action against unjust laws rather than to rely or wait on the courts to serve justice. King’s letter is a reminder for all human rights professionals that the road to human rights practice is not easy and is not always black and white. As an essay addressing one of the most fundamental and long-standing human rights issues, racial inequality, this letter is an inspiring and historical reminder for all human rights professionals.

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About the author, allison reefer.

Allison Reefer is a young professional living in Pittsburgh, PA. She works with a refugee resettlement agency to help refugees and immigrants in the city, and she volunteers with a local shelter for human trafficking victims. She obtained her Master in International Development from the University of Pittsburgh and a BA in Writing from Geneva College, focusing most of her academic work on human trafficking and migration in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In her free time, she loves to write, read, sing and play bass guitar, practice Russian, and explore her city.

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Writing Guides / How to Start an Essay: Tips for Writing a Strong Introduction

How to Start an Essay: Tips for Writing a Strong Introduction

Introduction

The first place you lose a reader is right at the very start. Not the middle. Not the second paragraph. The very first line.

It’s the first impression that matters—which is why the essay hook is so big a deal. It’s the initial greeting, the smile, the posture, the body language. It tells all, reveals all. If your hook has meat on it, you’ll get the bite you desire. If it doesn’t, your essay is going to sink like a log.

Writing an essay introduction doesn’t have to be hard. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll go over all the ins and outs of how to start an essay. We’ll cover all the essay introduction sins you might be tempted to commit.

We’ll show you how to launch right into it with a compelling fact, quote or question.

Stick with us and you’ll be a paragon of essay-writing virtue.

The goal of this article is to help readers craft effective essay introductions.

Understanding the Essay Introduction

Definition of an essay introduction.

An essay introduction is like welcome center when you enter a new state on the expressway. You can see your location on the map, get an idea of all the neat things to do and see, get some refreshment, and head out. In an essay, the introduction sets the course, establishes the tone, pulls the reader in, and conveys the main idea or point.

Importance of a Good Introduction

Obviously, introductions matter. If you show up at a party and no one is there to receive you or introduce you to others, you might spend an uncomfortable evening sitting alone. A good essay introduction brings two minds together—yours (the writer) and theirs (the reader). It shows the reader that you have thoughtfully considered him as a guest in the house of your mind, and are prepared to deliver a reasonable greeting, show him around, get him seated, and make him comfortable. It shows you know how to make what you have to say appear relevant to your audience.

Overview of What a Strong Introduction Should Achieve

A strong introduction should create in the reader a desire to read on. The intro is like the “hors d’oeuvres”—which is French for “outside the main work”—which is to say: the intro is not the meat but rather the morsel before the main dish. It should give a sense of what’s to come and whet the appetite for more. When writing an essay introduction, the goal is to conclude with a thesis statement , which conveys the precise purpose of the essay. The whole idea of how to start an essay is found in this simple analogy of the appetizer as prelude to the main course.

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Key Elements of an Essay Introduction

The hook: different types of hooks.

The hook is the first sentence of your essay . It is usually something as simple as a quote, statistic, or question designed to pique the reader’s interest. With longer essays it could be all right to tell an anecdote as a hook.

The point is that a well-chosen hook will stir your reader’s imagination.

Quotes: Starting with a relevant quote can add authority and context to your essay. For example, “ Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere ,” is a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. that can be used to establish a powerful moral tone for an essay on social justice.
Anecdotes: A brief, interesting story or personal experience can draw readers in by making the topic relatable, human, humorous or dramatic.
Statistics: Presenting a surprising or shocking statistic can instantly capture attention. For example, “ Nearly 70% of adults experience imposter syndrome at some point in their careers. “
Questions: Asking a thought-provoking question encourages readers to think critically and engage with the topic. For example, “What would you do if you knew this was your last day on earth?”

types of essay hooks for your essay introduction

Background Information: How to Provide Context and Relevance

After the hook, your reader will need some background information that puts your subject into its proper context. You might share historical background, definitions, or an overview of the current state of the topic. Basically, this section of the introduction should bridge the gap between the hook and the thesis statement which is to come.

When sharing background information, be mindful not to overwhelm your reader with too much detail. Remember: the body paragraphs are the meat—the intro is just the appetizer. You can use the body to give more background and context if needed. The introduction should be brief and focused—a few short steps from the hook to the thesis. Done!

Thesis Statement: Crafting a Clear and Concise Thesis

The thesis statement is really the distillation of the point of the essay—and therefore it has great importance in your introduction. It presents the main argument or claim of your essay, so that the reader has an idea what to expect. A strong thesis statement is clear, precise, confident, and direct. It may even preview the points that will be discussed in the essay.

For example, in an argumentative essay on healthcare, a strong thesis might be: “Healthcare today is controlled by a cartel of corporations that put profits before people because they know that if they actually healed people and prevented disease their entire industry would go out of business.”

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing an Essay Introduction

Step 1: start with a hook.

Start with a hook that makes your reader want to read on. The hook should be relevant and allow you to get from point A (“Hey, look at this!”) to point B (“Here’s what I have to say now!”). A good hook also sets the tone for the rest of the essay—so a humorous anecdote about barracks life is probably not appropriate for a serious essay on trench warfare.

Step 2: Provide Background Information

After the hook, you’ll need to give some background information. Help the reader understand the context of your essay. By letting your reader know where you are coming from, the reader can orient himself and make quicker sense of what you have to say.

Step 3: State Your Thesis Statement

Say what your point is and how you intend to show it. Simple as that.

Step 4: Preview the Main Points

Don’t go into too much detail here: just quickly—in a few words—list your reasons that support your thesis. For example, “Hamlet is a tragic hero according to Aristotle’s definition , because he is good (virtuous), realistic (flawed), and experiences a fall.”

Step 5: Revise and Refine

Once you have written your introduction, take the time to revise and refine it. This is actually the most important step. Great intros don’t happen by themselves—they take skill, effort, and practice. Look to see that it all flows smoothly and that each element (hook, background information, thesis statement, and preview) is effectively linked. Take out any extraneous information or unnecessary clichés. Keep it sweet and to point.

Examples of Essay Introductions

To help illustrate these concepts discussed, here are examples of introductions for different types of essays and topics.

Essay Types

Argumentative Essay Example: “Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a progressive policy that proposes providing all citizens with a guaranteed income regardless of their employment status. Advocates argue that UBI can reduce poverty, boost economic security, and provide a safety net in an increasingly automated world. However, two major problems with UBI are how to fund it and how it might hinder stimulating productivity. This essay contends that implementing UBI is a misstep to addressing income inequality and adapting to the future of work, and that instead free education, training, and child care should be offered to people who need it so that they can work.”
Expository Essay Example: “Renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, are becoming increasingly popular as the world seeks to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. This essay explores the various types of renewable energy, their benefits for the environment and economy, and the challenges posed in transitioning to a sustainable energy future.”
Literary Analysis Essay Example: “In George Orwell’s ‘1984,’ the concept of totalitarianism is explored through the dystopian society of Oceania, where the government holds absolute control over every aspect of its citizens’ lives. This essay shows how Orwell uses the symbol of the omnipresent and omnipotent figure of Big Brother, and the concept of ‘Newspeak,’ to describe a regime that operates totally on lies.”

Essay Topics

Air Pollution Example: “Air pollution is cited by the World Health Organization as the main cause of death for 6.7 million people worldwide . Clearly, the consequences of air pollution are far-reaching, with smog, smoke, and toxins filling the air. This essay looks at the causes, effects, and potential solutions to the problem of air pollution.”

Drug Abuse Example: “Drug abuse is on the rise all over the world, thanks in no small part to the Sackler family and its development of opioids like Oxycontin and Fentanyl. While the courts are having their say regarding the extent to which the Sackler’s Purdue Pharma must pay for this crisis, victims of drug abuse still have to struggle to put their lives back together again. This essay explores the social factors contributing to drug abuse, its impact on families, and the strategies for prevention and treatment.”

Save Water Example: “Have you ever thought about how water is a precious resource that is essential for life, yet is often taken for granted? It may seem odd to think of it, considering that the earth is literally covered with water, but the fact is that water conservation is a serious problem in the world. This essay discusses the reasons why saving water is important, the challenges we face, and the steps that can be taken.”

Social Media Example: “Social media has democratized information and stood legacy media on its head. In that respect, it is a win for the people. On the other hand, it has totally seduced young people and become the whole center of their existence, causing depression and isolation. This essay describes the pros and cons of social media, and discusses how to balance it through moderation and self-control.”

Technology Example: “Technology has literally transformed the planet: even the Amish are using modern tools! As for the rest of us, we engage with smartphones and artificial intelligence on a daily basis, and it is changing our lives, our work, our social interactions, and our ability to think and be productive. This essay shows the benefits and drawbacks of technology, as we move through the 21 st century.”

Sports Example: “Sports! It’s the one topic that gets everyone giddy at trivia night. But more than that—it offers great opportunities for physical health, teamwork, and discipline. However, the world of sports is not without its problems, including issues related to doping and over-commercialization. This essay examines the significance of sports in society, its potential for positive change, and the dangers that surround it.”

Inflation Example: “Inflation is an economic phenomenon that affects the purchasing power of money and the overall stability of an economy. In a nutshell, goods get more expensive while wages remain the same. But what is the cause of inflation? Why does it go away and then come back? The fact is, a lot of it has to do with the central bank’s tendency to print a lot of new money in a short amount of time. This essay goes into the nitty-gritty details of the causes and consequences of inflation, and what people can do to control it.”

Healthcare Example: “Healthcare is an industry that has gotten a free pass for far too long. For all the sickness and poverty in America, you would think we didn’t have any healthcare system at all—yet our country spends more money on healthcare than anywhere else in the world. Do we have healthy people to show for it? Not at all! We have obesity off the charts, opioid epidemics, and the most expensive care ever. This essay will explain how healthcare became a corrupt member of the family of corporate cartels, and what people can do to regain their health holistically and naturally.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When writing an essay introduction, it’s important to avoid certain common mistakes (these are what we call the three deadly sins of writing an introduction). Avoid them if you want a successful intro.

Overloading with Information

One of the most common mistakes is overloading the introduction with too much information. While it’s important to provide context, the introduction should not be mistaken for the body (the meat) of the essay. Be concise and focused. If something needs or deserves more explanation, reserve a section of the body for that purpose (and say so). Don’t burden your reader with too much detail up front.

Starting with Clichés

Using clichés or overused phrases in your introduction is tedious as all get out. It makes you look unpolished, unprofessional, and immature. Phrases like “Since the dawn of time…” or “In today’s modern world…” are tired and trite. Don’t use them!

Being Too Vague or Too Detailed

Striking the right balance between being too vague and too detailed is a challenge—but it’s one you have to rise up to. A vague introduction lacks direction and focus. An overly detailed introduction can lack the same things, though. Shoot for a clear and precise introduction that provides enough information to gear up the reader for the topic but leaves room for further exploration in the body of the essay.

common mistakes in an essay introduction

Tips for Writing an Engaging Introduction

To write an introduction that is engaging, follow these tips:

Keeping it Concise

A good introduction is concise and to the point. Just get rid of unnecessary words or phrases that add no value to your essay. There should be no room in your essay for fluff. If the sentence adds nothing, scrap it!

Using Powerful and Relevant Language

The language you use in your introduction should be powerful and relevant to your topic. Don’t be generic: be vivid and alive, and your reader will thank you for it.

Ensuring Alignment with the Rest of the Essay

Your introduction should align with the rest of your essay in terms of tone, content, and structure. It is all one: intro, body, conclusion. They should go together like bones in a body. A well-aligned introduction starts off the logical flow of ideas throughout the rest of the essay.

How Long Should an Essay Introduction Be?

The length of an essay introduction will vary depending on the length of the essay. As a general rule, the introduction should be about 10% of the total word count. For a standard five-paragraph essay, the introduction should be one paragraph long, or a third of one double-spaced page. Longer essays may benefit from a more detailed introduction.

Can You Use Questions in Your Introduction?

Yes, using questions in your introduction can be a great way to hook your reader. Questions get people to think critically. A well-placed question can inspire curiosity and guide the reader towards your way of thinking.

How Do You Revise an Introduction?

Revising an introduction involves reviewing it for clarity and consistency. Once finished with your first draft, step away for a bit, and come back with fresh eyes. Read the whole thing and note any parts that seem lacking. Revise them to address their flaws. Re-read the whole thing again to see if it flows more smoothly now. Repeat again until perfect.

How to Start an Argumentative Essay?

To start an argumentative essay, begin with a hook that relates to some controversy related to the topic you will be arguing. You can use a relevant quote or stat, or just pose a provocative question. Toss in some background information to establish context. Then, state your thesis to articulate your position on the issue and show the main arguments that you will discuss in the essay.

How to Start Off an Essay?

Introduce the topic with a fact, a stat, a question, a statement of interest, a story, or some other tidbit that might call the reader to mind. Once you have the reader’s attention, give some background info on the topic. Follow that up with your point—i.e., your thesis statement (what you intend to show in the body of your essay).

How to Start an Essay About Yourself?

Personal essays let you talk about yourself. So, since it’s an essay about you, start off with what you’re doing or thinking as it pertains to the main point of the essay. A personal reflection, a personal anecdote, a personal struggle—all of it is fair use. From there, give some background information about yourself, and then tell the main point of your essay.

How to Start a Paragraph in an Essay?

Starting a paragraph in an essay involves introducing a new idea or point that supports your thesis. Begin with a topic sentence : this will be the main idea of the paragraph. Next, give evidence or examples to support the main idea, and link it back to the thesis of your essay. Conclude with some transition words that let the reader know what to expect in the next paragraph.

Writing an essay introduction is one of the most important things to learn. Knowing the key elements of an essay introduction, avoiding common mistakes, and following a step-by-step approach, will help students succeed more easily in their academic endeavors. Keep it clear, keep it simple, and keep it on point.

With practice and attention to detail, you will soon master the art of writing essay introductions and create essays that win over readers with ease.

If you’re looking for more tips and resources on essay writing, be sure to check out our other articles and guides [insert links here]. Happy writing!

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673 Justice Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best justice topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on justice, 📃 interesting topics to write about justice, 💡 simple & easy justice essay titles, 📌 writing prompts about justice, 🥇 most interesting justice topics to write about.

Importance of Math in the Field of Criminal Justice The work of police officers and other personnel in criminal justice requires proof and accuracy in determining the cause and effects of a crime.
Indian Criminal Justice System Reforms In as much as some human rights activists often complain of the violation of the rights by the justice system, India’s criminal system has faced significant changes since colonial times to the present.
Justice and Vengeance: What Is the Difference? The difference between these two deeds is that justice is administered according to the society’s law, but with a vengeance, one tends to take the law into their own hands, and rage controls those deeds […]
Love and Justice Love and justice are intertwined and this essay will explain the Christian understanding of love and justice. It is worth noting that love and justice are important virtues in human life and as such should […]
Ethical Dilemmas in Criminal Justice If one is to discuss the issue with the senior management of the organization in which the crime occurred, there is a high chance that the issue will not be taken as seriously due to […]
Peace and Justice Revolving around a prominent hotel in Kigali, George features Don Cheadle as the manager of the hotel and a representative of the majority Hutus, the wealthy tribe that enjoys majority of the country’s resources.
Aristotelian Defense of Justice: Strengths and Weaknesses The first aspect of Aristotelian defense of justice, which is crucial to discuss, is the fact that, according to the philosopher, justice is relative to others.
Guardians and Justice in Plato’s “The Republic” The books begin with the discussion of the ideal city and more importantly, the concept of justice. As a result, justice of the soul and the individual is achieved.
Application of Probability and Statistics in Criminal Justice In criminal justice system, the assessment of the evidence adduced by witnesses determines the innocence or the guilt of the accused.
Relation Between Justice and Inequality The structure of institutions needs to be changed in that everyone can relate hence creating a rift in the judgment delivered between the rich and the poor is unproductive.
Social Values: Freedom and Justice It is evident that freedom and justice are mutually exclusive, as “the theory of justice signifies its implications in regards to freedom as a key ingredient to happiness”.
Justice Favors the Rich Michael Vick’s case displayed just how long the legal system had take long to act on high-profile persons as it would to the rest of the population.
Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development in Justice System Burglars, whose predominant level of morality is conventional, tend to consider the opinion of the society on their actions. Kohlberg’s stages of moral development help to identify the problems and find solutions to them.
Sandel’s “Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?” From this point, the criteria for judging the book are the following ones: the author’s approach to discussing the theories of justice and attractiveness of the proposed form of narration to the reader.
Retributive Justice vs. Rehabilitation of Criminals The aim of the criminal justice system is to convert an offender into a law-abiding citizen, and thus rehabilitation is the best approach in various ways.
Violence and Justice in Mahabharata The intelligent man should advocate for non-violence as it is a show of one’s value for one’s life and seeing that life in the life of the others.
Theories Required to be Successful in Supervisory Practices in the Criminal Justice Field In the field of criminal justice, it is necessary to understand whether failure to satisfy the following needs may result to the criminal acts.
Theories of Justice: Utilitarian theory With utilitarian theory being one of the theories of justice, the need to know how the theory offers justice to people, how it determines the conduct between individuals and the challenges the theory is facing […]
Criminal Justice Internship Report The primary goals of the course are to expose students to new contexts and environments, broaden and deepen knowledge of key concepts and theories relevant to the field, and improve an overall learning experience.
Justice in the Old and New Testament As such, it is prudent to compare the two definitions in detail to understand the overt and underlying differences between the two halves of the Christian canon better. Both the Old and the New Testaments […]
Financial Management in Criminal Justice Systems Criminal justice departments are touted to be one of the most inefficient and morally impaired sectors of the government. Therefore, discipline in law enforcement officers and other members of the criminal justice system is essential […]
Socrates’ Conception of Law and Justice Socrates advocated the idea that justice was good, and that meant that injustice was equal to evil. The point he makes here is that justice is the cure for evil, and that a man who […]
Justice and Social Equity In a nutshell, the concept of justice and social equity is inevitable when it comes to public administration and thus of high importance.
The Promotion of Justice The actual question in justice is whether the consideration to be made is first of all for the overall justice of the society or the individual.
The Instrumental Theory in Criminal Justice In criminal justice, the instrumental theory is based on the idea that criminal justice and criminology is one of the main tools which help to control the poor.
Global Justice in Modern World The Concept of Globalization Globalization can be defined as the minimization of the differences between people of the world and the maximization of their similarities through interactions, cooperation and communication.
A Defence of Thrasymachus Concept of Justice As they argue with Socrates on the issue of injustice, Thrasymachus says that justice “is nothing more than the advantage of the stronger”. According to them, the cardinal aim of Thrasymachus is to prove that […]
Administration of Justice Organizations It can provide helpful knowledge for understanding the legal system of the state and how this aspect affects the development of the country and society.
Net Widening in the Juvenile Justice System Thus, net widening can be a rather problematic phenomenon as more and more people are placed under the control of the justice system.
The Cab Rank Rule and Access to Justice In light of the fact that the rule aims to support the right of every person to be eligible for representation, Fountain Court Chambers adds that the choice of a lawyer should also be respected […]
Comparative Criminal Justice System Advantages The central values of the US criminal justice system are to protect the rights of citizens and ensure the safety of a society in which everyone is equal before the law.
Social Justice in Education With a clear distinction between justice taught in class and justice allowed to thrive in the school environments, teachers can be able to observe how their students perceive and response to social injustices in the […]
Community Corrections and Criminal Justice Community corrections are the topic that has been the easiest to understand because, unlike other aspects of criminal justice, this is the area of the administration of punishment that is the most familiar to me.
Ethics and Professional Behavior in Criminal Justice One of the most important components of the criminal justice system is a code of ethics, which governs the behavior and conduct of professionals working within the system.
Violence and Justice in The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell Considering this, the novel conveys the overall impact of the brutality on the minds of human beings, as part of society, by raising a question of the justifiable murder.
Justice in Errol Morris’s The Thin Blue Line Film Harris was able to convince the court that Adams was in the car with him on that night, and moreover, that he was the driver and the shooter.
Conventional Food System: Justice and Security While food justice deals with the working conditions of the farmers, equal access to healthy food, and with the issues of the consumption and distribution of food around the globe, the concept of food security […]
Organizational Justice Theory and Its Application Regardless of the situation where this theory is applied, it is important to try and strike a balance between successfully applying the organizational justice theory, meeting the organization’s set objectives, and passing the right information […]
Stereotyping Individuals in the Criminal Justice System Cultural Deviance theory is based upon two other theories, which are: Social Disorganization Theory Strain Theory Social disorganization theory focuses on the environment and places it as the main reason for crime.
Cybercrime Impact on Global Criminal Justice System Reports show that the crime is on the rise because more people have access to computers and the internet than ever before.
The Concept of Economic Justice The idea behind procedural justice is that, for those involved in decision-making processes, the steps taken to reach conclusions are important predictors of satisfaction independent of the impact of the results.
Psychologists’ Role in Criminal Justice In addition to research, the accumulation, and application of knowledge, psychologists can also participate in assessing the effectiveness of legislation. In this setting, basic scientists conduct theoretical research on the effectiveness of police and court […]
Justice and Injustice in Genesis 4: The Story of Cain and Abel According to the Bible, both Cain and Abel brought their offerings to the Lord, but only the latter gained respect, provoking such feelings as envy and anger in the former, which made the Lord an […]
Effective Communication in Criminal Justice Settings The officer should also package information in a way that it is easy to decode and understand. Such communication enables police officers in charge of the inmates to access important information from them.
A Critique of John Rawls’ Theory of Justice These principles are the principles of social justice; they provide a way of assigning duties and privileges in the basic institutions of society and they define the appropriate distribution of the benefits and burdens of […]
Juvenile Justice and status offence: enforcement, sentencing and prosecution The role of the intake worker is to find the reason for the minor behavior and to determine whether the case should be dismissed, go for full trial or handle by the social worker and […]
Justice Through the Lenses of Social Science and History In both social sciences and history lenses, the human factor predominates, that is, a person acts as the main source of both injustice and justice.
“The Quest for Peace and Justice” by Martin Luther King King states that poverty is one of the main problems for the global community, both in developing and economically developed countries.
Report Writing for Criminal Justice Professionals The fifth one includes the targeted issues while the sixth indicates the decisions and actions. It is also appropriate to be aware of the speech mode of the individual being interviewed.
Criminal Justice Ethics of Traffic Police Officers The police officer had the choice to take the children to a juvenile center home and arrange for a person to take care of the baby and then take the woman to jail as she […]
Society’s Response to Crime Impacts on Justice True, the decisions of the court are generally based on nature of the crime, evidence and the manner of the plaintiff and defendant.
Justice: a Natural Fact or a Social Construction? Although both viewpoints seem very legitimate, Hobbes’s idea that the state of nature is the state of war and, therefore, all people are free to pursue their desires, is more credible, seeing how in nature, […]
Ecological Consciousness, Justice and Science In particular, people should bear in mind that they are a part of the planet; more importantly, their survival can depend on the preservation of the environment. This is one of the principles that can […]
Justice and Leadership as Expressed by Plato and Ibn Khaldum The political idea compared is justice and equality, the paper tries to describe the ideas of the two scholars as far as justice is concerned.
“Death and Justice” by Edward I. Koch Although the issue of the death penalty is quite controversial, it is the most effective deterrence and the fairest justice that can be done to the victims of the most serious offenses.
Forensic Linguistics: An Introduction to Language in the Justice System The legal processes indicated above ranges from proceedings in the courts to investigations conducted by the police and also to the management of prisoners.
Jay-Z’s Contribution to Hip-Hop and Fight for Social Justice One should admit that the crime rate among black people in some poor areas is really quite high, and that is another problem Jay-Z covers in his music.
Crime Scene Investigation in Criminal Justice In the process of controlling the crowd and maintaining order with the aid of the police officers, I took some photographs of the surrounding and then approached the main spot of event. I managed to […]
Justice and Society: Meritocracy The notion of Meritocracy can be challenged as the cause of structural inequalities in society in the sense that the socially disadvantaged are never given a chance to reorganize in also becoming competitive like the […]
The Philosophical Problems Behind Annette Bayer’s Article ‘the Need For More Than Justice’ Whereas males take moral decisions according to the idea of justice, women are ruled by the sense of trust and caring. The problem of care is considered by many feminist philosophers and is the characteristic […]
Criminal Justice as an Open System The same society and government also receive the output of the law enforcement organizations, meaning that the activity of the criminal justice system is never focused unto itself.
Organizational Justice: Identical Treatment for All Employees This paper will study the concept of organizational justice in Saudi Arabian Oil and Gas Company. The research project is valuable as it may help to understand the concept of organizational justice and its components.
Criminal Justice: Punishment and Sentencing The representatives of the general public got used to the fact that one party is to be punished, and another one is to provide punishment.
Juvenile Justice System and Recommendations The above problems represent some of the problems that the juvenile justice system faces in the current world. First, it is the role of the leaders of different democracies to ensure that they have a […]
Logical Fallacies in Criminal Justice The misrepresentation of the original argument is not taken into account, and the key objective of this fallacy is to confuse the opponent and form one’s opinion on the wrong argument.
Forensic Psychology in the Criminal Justice System To evaluate the competency of a defendant, the forensic psychologist is guided by the scientific principles espoused in the field of psychological science.
David Miller’s Theory of Desert in Social Justice The dependence of rewards on the variety of external and conditional factors makes the public and scholars question the idea of the desert and its use for justice.
Justice in Dante’s Poem “Inferno” It is possible to consider three sins and the way the sinners are punished to see Dante’s idea of justice and the way it is similar to the contemporary concept of justice.
The Criminal Justice System On the other hand, the executive branch is mandated with the role of furnishing the criminal justice system with judges and heads of law-enforcing agencies.
Collective Responsibility for Climate Justice Being part of the team that contributed to the formulation of the climate adaptability plan, the policy also outlines the strategies for the protection of critical infrastructure.
Pretrial Procedures in Criminal Justice Therefore, studying the processes that take place before the trial is important for understanding the overall delivery of criminal justice. Before the trial begins, the defense attorney and the prosecutor must prepare for it.
European Court of Justice Case Analysis Therefore, the company’s vehicles that featured the defeat device in the engine were prohibited per Article 5 of Regulation No 715/2007.
Social Justice Arts as a Remedy for People The work led to the formation of the movement called Black Lives Matter which calls for an end to oppressing black people through law enforcement.
Norwegian Versus Texan Criminal Justice Systems Despite accounting for a small population of the world, the US has the highest number of prisoners globally. As a result, the number of prisoners under solitary confinement is higher than in other states.
United States Department of Justice The first steps towards the development of the Department of Justice were taken with the creation of the First United States Congress when the Judiciary Act became accepted.
Justice in “Latin Night at the Pawnshop” by Espada One of them is justice, which is indicated by the setting, the imagery, the symbolism, and the effective simile. The juxtaposition of the time and the place highlights the injustice experienced by the former.
Key Elements of Criminal Justice System It is the combination of all the administrative, operational, and technical divisions that are part of the law enforcement agencies. This essay will describe the key elements of law enforcement agencies, the key elements of […]
Guilt and Justice in Lord Byron’s Manfred Neither the details of the tragedy nor the identity of Astarte are disclosed in the novel, but most scholars agree that the nature of the events, as well as the feelings of the protagonist, are […]
Challenges in the Juvenile Justice System Therefore, the juvenile justice system was established which was aimed at diverting the children from the trauma of going through the adult court and the influences of adult prisons.
Justice as Fairness By John Rawls The question of justice will mostly arise when the interests of individuals are self-centered and none of them is willing to give it up for the benefit of the other.
Uniform Code of Military Justice The Uniform Code of Military Justice is the corner stone of military law in the armed forces of the United States.
The Concept of “Justice” in All Its Manifestations It is one of the most important aspects of one life to do justice and to get justice. When the technical aspects of justice are discussed justice is divided into two groups – distributive justice […]
The World Court or International Court of Justice All of the cases of the Court are submitted to the Registrar and when the Registrar receives the case, it is dated based on the date of receipt by the Registrar.
Advocating for Social Justice in Healthcare However, health care is also often related to the idea of social justice a term that describes the allocation of resources and benefits to people according to their needs and abilities.
Retributive Justice vs. Restorative Justice I believe that the concept of retributive justice is more realistic for the justice system as it dwells on the idea of crime as a malfunction in a governmentally-controlled human social system.
American and Russian Justice Systems and Legislation That is why the comparison of the Russian and American justice systems could help to improve the comprehending of the way the law functions in different states.
Ethical Decision Making: Restorative Justice Thus, the restorative justice process offers the victims a meeting with the offender to determine the validity of the judgment based on the involved moral grounds.
Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? by Sandel The book “Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?” by Michael Sandel is a masterpiece trying to explore the major ethical and moral issues affecting humanity. The purpose of this essay is to describe the […]
Justice and Inequality in Oedipus Rex and Antigone For instance, in the case of Oedipus Rex, the origin behind the tragedy can be traced to the belief of King Laius in the words of an oracle.
Step to Justice in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by H. Beecher It is necessary to note that the book is a piece of fictional writing and it is aimed at evoking readers’ emotions and make them think about the society and its cruelties.
Urban Environmental Justice The concept evaluates the increasing differences in economic, health, and the environment among ethnic groups and socioeconomic groups toward the end of the 20th century and in the beginning of the 21st century.
Literature Studies: Justice and Guilt in Hrafnkels Saga Hrafnkell is a man of his time, he has his own image of justice and punishment and under such conditions it is impossible to call him guilty.
Domestic Violence Ethical Dilemmas in Criminal Justice Various ethical issues such as the code of silence, the mental status of the offender, and limited evidence play a vital role in challenging the discretion of police officers in arresting the DV perpetrators.
Discretion in Decision Making in Criminal Justice The role of discretion is to provide the capacity to make official judgments based on logic and judgment in the criminal justice system.
Future of the Juvenile Justice System The juvenile justice system was established in 1899 for the purpose of providing a lenient atmosphere where juveniles could be tried.
System of Justice in Kaplan’s Movie “The Accused” In the movie, the conventional retributive system of justice is used to deal with the case of sexual assault. Taking into consideration the seriousness of the crimes, it seems not relevant to apply the restorative […]
Justice and Ethical Responsibility in Society The concepts of social justice and ethical responsibility are closely connected with each other; the promotion of responsibilities among the population with the purpose of establishing and supporting the atmosphere of general justice and ethics.
Aspects of Justice in Plato’s Republic Or to put it the other way around: For the moneymaking, auxiliary, and guardian classes each to do its own work in the city is the opposite.
Criminal Justice Ethics Definition Criminal justice ethics involves all the codes as well as standards that apply to all the concerned parties in the criminal justice system for example attorneys, prosecutors, and the other entire professionals in the criminal […]
Justice and Conflict & Cooperation and Competition Interdependence on the goals of the parties involved in conflicts perhaps aids in understating the nature of the conflicts. On the other hand, in practical scenarios where the parties involved in conflicts have similar goals […]
Justice in “The Trial” by Franz Kafka One of the central themes in The Trial is the theme of bureaucracy, law, and an individual’s utter powerlessness against them.
Juvenile Justice System Challenges Ignoring the facts does not change them, and whether the juvenile justice system acknowledges it or not; there are numerous challenges and unique issues facing the juvenile justice system, in the 21st century regarding the […]
The Trial by Franz Kafka and Its Reference to Current Justice System The novel offers a distorted version of the court system, where the readers focus on the trial process, although the opening part of the story already focuses on the ambiguity of the situation.
Epicurus’ Perception of Pleasure and Justice Pain which is brought about by harm is the main source of injustice, pursuing pleasure involved refraining from doing what does not bring pleasure to oneself but ensuring that obtaining utmost personal pleasure would be […]
Cosa Nostra and Transnational Criminal Justice As a result of the criminal allure it exudes, the Cosa Nostra maintains connections with all of the major criminal groups, both in Italy and across the world.
Ethical Behavior in Criminal Justice In the CJS, judges are the determinants of the sentencing and verdict of a criminal. Wilson that considers the health of the defendant and the safety of the community.
Restoring Justice Through the French Revolution However, the role of breakthroughs, which spurred the rise of capitalism and the bourgeoisie with its intentions to change order within the country, led to the French Revolution, which restored justice.
Domestic Trials and Amnesties: Peace vs. Justice The examples of Argentina, Spain, and Brazil illustrate the complex nature of amnesties and the potential consequences they may have. The pardon sparked a public outcry and led to a push for accountability and the […]
Stress Among Criminal Justice Workers The criminal justice system is aware of the seriousness of the current problem and is trying to adapt to the emerging trend.
Measures Addressing the Principle of Justice It can be concluded that the authors of the article adhered to the established ethical principles of fairness in conducting their research.
Freedom and Social Justice Through Technology These two remarkable minds have made significant contributions to the debates on technology and how it relates to liberty and social justice.
The Issue of Racial Justice in the Media In conclusion, this study aimed to understand the impact of media portrayals of racial justice protests on public perception and attitudes toward the movement.
Professional vs. Personal Life Dilemma in Criminal Justice As a member of a police force, Badpenny belongs to the soldier class in Plato’s classification, making courage her virtue. Overall, Badpenny’s decision to hide her boyfriend’s identity can only be morally justified from the […]
Virtue and Stoic Ethics in Criminal Justice The lack of ethical grounds for the behavior of criminal justice officials makes the application of the law unreliable. As an employee of a juvenile correctional colony, I will be guided by the principles of […]
Police Culture: Criminal Justice Ethics The set of values and standards in police culture shapes the perceptions of law enforcement officers about policing and the delivery of services. Therefore, police culture is similar to other customs and habits that guides […]
The Juvenile Justice System Evolution Process The notion of due legal process, in turn, implies the maturity and autonomy of the person involved in the due process.
Human Rights and Justice Sector: Article Review The central problem is the complex of new African American control institutions made up of the carceral system and the ruins of the dark ghetto.
Factors of Strategic Management of Social Justice Starting to talk about economic and technological changes that affect the sector of social justice, it is possible to observe tendencies of the level of development of the country from social policy.
The Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program The policy reflects social control, ensuring that members of society are compliant and follow the rules to ensure community safety and sustainability.
Technology and Learning in Criminal Justice It is a two-way avenue that includes both the student and the educator and leads to knowledge and capacity growth. A third and somewhat uncommon motivating method is the inclusion of a genuine chance for […]
Philosophy: Justice Through Two Lenses However, the matter of justice must be perceived as an amalgamation of the two points. The only similarity of the lenses is their emphasis on the role of the government.
Justice Through Educational Lenses However, the question arises of how significant the social contribution to the development of justice is. To maintain the political and social system, justice must be universal.
“Letter from a Birmingham Jail” in Support of Contemporary Social Justice Efforts Martin Luther King Jr’s letter provides a timeless and invaluable model for contemporary social justice efforts by emphasizing the power of nonviolence, unity, and coalition building to bring about lasting change.
Justice Through Both Lenses: Conceptions of Justice From Earliest History to Islam However, justice can be analyzed through the lenses of assumptions made by these philosophers, who share certain similarities and yet tend to be opposite in beliefs due to the extent to which the masses are […]
Social Justice from a Philosophical Perspective Although their theories of justice were significant, they would not have existed without Plato’s influence and the contribution that their ideas of justice have made to political philosophy.
Justice Through Social and Natural Sciences Lenses In the case of justice, the application of history, natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences lenses presents different points of view on the topic of justice and its meaning.
Social Justice in the Modern World The main link in social relations is a measure of social justice, a derivative of the equality of people’s opportunities to realize their potential.
John Rawls’ Theory of Justice Analysis One of the questions to ask Rawls would be whether non-social goods and ills ought to be included in the distributional profiles that establish justice judgments, as well as whether it is possible to create […]
Restorative Justice and the Death Penalty Draft thesis: The death penalty, when viewed under the retributive justice framework and as a part of the existing justice system, is an effective deterrent and punishment measure irrespective of impractical and irrelevant restorative justice […]
New Imaginings in Racial Justice from Perceptive of Erased African History As in Figure 2, The African Slave Trade Account portrays the attitude of the Europeans to the dehumanization of Africans in the slave trade.
Domestic Violence: Criminal Justice In addition, the usage of illegal substances such as bhang, cocaine, and other drugs contributes to the increasing DV in society.
Ethical Dilemma Analysis: Criminal Justice Case The publicity of the case added another layer of complexity to the decision, as either verdict would alienate a part of the population.
Racial Discrimination and Justice in Education An example is the complaint of the parents of one of the black students that, during the passage of civilizations, the Greeks, Romans, and Incas were discussed in the lessons, but nothing was said about […]
The Issue of Economic Justice John Rawls argued that in order to have justice there must be fairness in all levels of society. It can be achieved without resorting to socialism.
Social Justice in Counseling Psychology The other barrier which is likely to arise in the process of integrating social justice in the workplace is legal and ethical issues.
Social Justice and Vulnerability Theories When the country’s economic analyzers assess the status of the economy, the older people are regarded as the first group of the population that is pulling the economy backward because they are entirely dependent.
The Climate Justice Movement The main contribution to the increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere was made by the developed countries, who exchanged damage to the environment for their rapid industrial development.
Categories of Crime in Current Justice System A stable and effective legal system work is one of the fundamental aspects necessary for the evolution of society. The severity of the crime is determined by the damage done to a person and the […]
Social Justice in Social Work Practice The moral approach of social work is fundamentally based on the idea of social justice. Despite the numerous risks associated with advocating for social justice, criticizing injustice is one of the few courageous ways to […]
Solving Problems of Criminal Justice For example, the theory can be applied to better understand the problem of social inequality problem described in the cited documentary.
Juvenile Justice: The Role of Empathy He reported the incident to the police and the county attorney’s office, who got in touch with him if the offender was found; there were criminal law experts who interacted with the victim in this […]
The Criminal Justice System Practitioner The practitioner relied on the presented professional values, worldview, and philosophy to identify, handle, and support the rights of the identified clients.
The H.O.L.L.A Healing Justice Movement Racism and sexism are the major issues faced by the youths featured in the film. The trauma led to drug abuse by the affected youths and increased hatred against other races in the U.S.
Texas Justice System and the Cameron Todd Willingham Case The majority of states support the ability to condemn someone to death on specific occasions, while Texas is one of the states that use the death penalty the most.
Researching the Concept of Social Justice A special kind of justice is social justice, the subjects of which are large social groups, society as a whole, and humanity.
Contemporary Criminal Justice Issues When it comes to the dependent variable, it means the effect, and that means the reduction of infectious diseases will be the effect that the independent variable will determine.
Negligence in the Criminal Justice System The last category of negligence is the most dangerous, and essentially stems to injury or death caused by the actions or lack thereof by the employees of the criminal justice system.
The Youth Criminal Justice Act in Teresa Robinson’s Case 1 of the YCJA is relevant to the article since the offender’s name is still unreported despite the evidence of his involvement in the homicide.
Ethical Obligations in Criminal Justice These criteria also include those that promote the values of honesty and compassion and the rights to life, bodily integrity, and privacy, all of which are defined as ethical standards. Empathy for others is the […]
Research in Criminal Justice: Crime Solvability Factors In the sphere of criminal justice, inquiry can doubtlessly assist in the formulation of improved and more progressive laws and institutions.
Criminal Justice in Relation to the Number of Criminals The main goal of my work is to build evidence that the number of criminals is not proportional to the severity of the crime and that despite a large number of crimes, not all of […]
The Youth Justice Strategy Action Plan 2019–21 The Youth Justice Strategy Action Plan 2019 21 marks a crucial turning point in our effort to improve the juvenile justice system and lower the number of juvenile offenders and repeat offenders in Queensland.
Restorative Justice Aspects Analysis When considering the adult criminal court, it is not recommended to be applied in lieu of a sentence. In conclusion, restorative justice should only be applied in these circumstances: the offender is a minor, and […]
“The Role of Virtual Reality in Criminal Justice Pedagogy” by Smith The journal is titled “The role of virtual reality in criminal justice pedagogy: An examination of mental illness occurring in corrections”.
Crime Problems and Criminal Justice Notably, except for the last one, all listed procedures can be applied to crime issues discussed above and seem practical in preventing law violations.
COVID-19 and Juvenile, Criminal Justice Legislation The measures may help to reduce overcrowding in prisons, prevent the spread of the disease, and decrease federal and state expenses on COVID-19 preventive measures and protective equipment in correctional facilities.
Sustainable Partnerships with Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions However, they will focus on the relations with the public in order to reinforce achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 16 and 17.
David Lammy on Climate Change and Racial Justice However, Lammy argues that people of color living in the global south and urban areas are the ones who are most affected by the climate emergency.
Criminal Justice Intervention in Case of Elderly However, the government has not been able to respond effectively to the abuse of older adults, with little information and statistics available to show the vulnerability of the elderly to abuse.
Goals of Workers’ Justice vs Environmental Justice
Police-Minority Relations: Criminal Justice
Alexander & Ferzan’s Arguments on Criminal Justice
Rawls’s Conception of Economic Justice
Criminal Justice: Burglary, Theft, and Criminal Trespass
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act
Global Issues, Climate Justice, and Human Overpopulation
Code of Criminal Justice: False Imprisonment
Cultural Identity and Justice in Early Learning Space
Promoting Social Justice Through Serving God
Social Justice and Importing Foreign Nurses Evaluation
The Crime and Justice Impact on New Media
Leadership in the Criminal Justice System
The Criminal Justice Core Competency
Criminology and Its Significance in Criminal Justice Fields
Criminal Justice System Development
Promoting Social Justice With Head Start Program
Civil Justice Legal Case: Tanzin v. Tanvir
Global Economic Justice: The Natural Law and Virtue Ethics Theories
California’s Criminal Justice Realignment
Environmental Impact Assessment as a Tool of Environmental Justice
Social Justice and Mental Health
Criminal Justice System Deterring Illicit Drug Use
Department of Justice Project on Organized Crime
The Influence of Wealth and History of the Criminal Justice System
Criminologists’ Views on Crime and Justice Issues
Religion, Politics, and Social Justice
Social Justice and Its Relevance in This Century
Punishment and Justice: The Arizona Department of Corrections
Plato’s “Republic” and the Issues of Justice
Criminal Justice & Security: Measuring Crime Statistics
Social Justice, Diversity and Workplace Discrimination
Social Justice: Why Do Violations Happen?
Motivation for Juvenile Justice System
Hypothesis Testing in Criminal Justice and Criminology
The Modern Criminal Justice System: Discriminatory Practices
Statistics in Criminal Justice and Criminology
Statistics for Criminology and Criminal Justice
Deterrence: Reflections on the Economics of Criminal Justice
Jones Girls Juvenile Justice Facility
Social Justice From the Biblical Point of View
Media and Gender Stereotypes Against Females in Professional Roles Within the Criminal Justice
Impacts of the Overlaps Between Communication and Criminal Justice for Police-Suspect Interactions
American Justice System and Christianity
Justice Department Seeks to Enjoin Merger Between WorldCom and Sprint Corporation
King’s Letter From Birmingham Jail on Justice
Faith and Justice in the City. Seek for Justice
Criminal Justice Inequality in Conflict Theory
Restorative Environmental Justice and Its Interpretation
Justice Research in the News
Humanities and Justice Studies
The Practice of Judicial Justice: The Courts
Management of Criminal Justice Agencies
The Federal Grand Jury in the Criminal Justice System
The Feminist Theory, Prostitution, and Universal Access to Justice
Criminal Justice Agency Accountability and Liability
Juvenile Justice System of USA
Ethics of Elected Officials: Keeping Politics Out of Justice
US Criminal Justice System Analysis
Environmental Justice Movement
Ethical Issues in Criminology and Criminal Justice Research
Criminal Justice: The Ban-the-Box Law
Definition of Social Justice and Social Justice in Leadership
Employment Practices of the United States Department of Justice
Racial Politics of Urban Health and Environmental Justice
Environmental Worldviews & Environmental Justice
Criminal Justice Career
Tort of Negligence Law and Balance of Justice
The Effects of the Criminal Justice System
Euthyphro: Plato’s Notion of Justice in Stratified Societies
Punishment and Restitution: Models of Justice
Criminal Justice System: Child Abuse
Criminal Justice Standards for the Defense Function
Liberty Upsets Patterns: Justice Approach
Medical Anthropology: Teammates in the Support of Justice, Diversity, and Inclusion
Social Justice Leadership and Supervision
Rawls’ Theory of Justice and the Veil of Ignorance
The Food Justice Social Movement
Ethics of Justice: Making the Right Decision
Criminal Justice & Criminology Research Methods
Restorative Justice for Juveniles: Ethical Guidelines
Uganda’s Economic Planning and Social Justice
Ideal Theory as a Practical Component of Global Justice Theory
Theories of Justice: Rawls Attitude
Special Corrections Issues in the Justice System
Rise of Mental Social Justice
Social Justice in the US Healthcare System
Conceptualizing Supervision in Search of Social Justice
The Expanding Role of the Prosecutor in Juvenile Justice
Building a Career in Criminal Justice
The Impact of Performance Appraisals on Job Satisfaction of Criminal Justice Personnel
Meta-Analysis of the Ethics of Risk Assessment and Risk Management in Juvenile Justice
Risk Assessment and Risk Management in Juvenile Justice
The Pitfalls of Criminal Justice Budget Cuts: An Administrator’s Perspective
Future of the Juvenile Justice System
Juvenile Justice Process and Corrections: The Case of Colleen M.
Researching HIV, AIDS and Social Justice
Policing Duties: Criminal Justice
Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and Consumer Contracts
Justice Miscarriages Negative Impacts on Individuals and Society
Equal Pay Convention Ratified by New Zealand and Ensuring Social Justice
Criminal Justice Research: Homicide
Communication Within the Criminal Justice System: Probation Organisation
Criminal Justice: Racial Prejudice and Racial Discrimination
Criminal Justice Ethics: Kant’s and Bentham’s Views
“Ethics in Criminal Justice: In Search of the Truth” by Souryal
To Make Things Right: Restorative Justice Process
New Technology & Criminal Justice
Significant Issues in Criminal Justice
Criminology: Modern Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Professionals: What They Should Know
Historical Justice Policy Comparison
Neuroscience and Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice: Prosecution & Judicial Proceedings
Criminal Justice: Cases of Offenders in Trafficking
The Juvenile Justice System: Corrected Perpetrators
Essentials of Criminal Justice
Leadership Fostering Collaboration Within the Department of Juvenile Justice
Ethical Observations of Criminal Justice System
Juvenile Justice and Defence Attorney’s Role
Criminal Justice Ethics: Ethical Observations
Criminal Justice Policies and Theories
Response Paper on Book “Criminal Justice Management”
Bribery as a Critical Criminal Justice Violation
An Ethical System in Criminal Justice
Need for Policy Reform in the Criminal Justice System
Inclusion in the Justice System of Elements of Correction
Criminal Law: Reforms in the Judicial Justice
Criminal Law: Media and Its Influence on Criminal Justice Policy
Public Opinion and Criminal Justice Policy
Jury System in Different Criminal Justice Contexts
An Application of the Criminal Justice System
Influence of Socioeconomic Status and Social Justice on Health in the US
Criminal Justice: Over Institutional Organization
Learning Theory Implications on Criminal Justice Practices
Criminal Justice Workplace Observation
Deterrence in Criminal Justice Practices
Administration of Criminal Justice – Elements of Planned Change Administrators
Police, Justice and Law: Knights in Shining Armor
Research Process and Terminology: Criminal Justice
Between the Social and the Medical Justice
Suicide in People With a Criminal Justice History
Criminal Justice System: “Lucky” by Alice Sebold
Positive and Negative of Evidence-Based Criminal Justice Policymaking
Achieving Real Justice: Funding Criminal Justice Reform
The Criminal Justice System in the US
Ethics Behind Technology Implementation in Justice System
Impact of Diversity on Criminal Justice
Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice
A Criminal Justice Approach to Suppressing Terrorism
Web Research in Criminal Justice
Expected Changes in the Criminal Justice Field Over the Next 50 Years
Juvenile Justice Systems and Processes
Cultural and Racial Prejudices in the Criminal Justice System
Criminal Justice Leadership: Strategies and Practice
Court Decisions that Influence Juvenile Justice System
Restorative Justice Program
Technical Communication Methods and Practices of Criminal Justice
Can Writing Really Do Justice to the Experience of Violence?
Youth Justice Conferencing as a Government Hybrid Technique
Leadership Issue in the Criminal Justice Field
Changes Introduced to the Inquisitorial Criminal Justice in Italy
Procedures in the Justice System in Maryland
Social Justice Perspective
Hacking Government Website From the View of Right and Justice
Criminology: Bring Community Justice To Corrections
Rape and Its Justice Literature Reference
Global Justice and Africa in the Contemporary World
The Concept of Justice Reinvestment
Organizational Justice and Its Three Components
The Justice Manifesto: The Environmental Security
Communication Databases and Criminal Justice System
Mapping Environmental Justice: Water and Waste Management
Violence, Gender and Justice Review
Deaf Youth: Social Justice Through Media and Activism
Remedies, Legal Way of Getting Justice for Criminals
Truth, Justice and Reconciliation in Latin America
Plato’s Concept of the State: The Philosophy of Justice
Law. Women and the Justice System
Girls and the Juvenile Justice System
Judgment and Social Interaction in “The Lady Justice”
How the Lady Justice Has Defeated a Silver Chinese Dragon
The Definition of Universal Justice
Justice in America: Constitution, Laws and Reality
Providing Justice for Victims, Offenders and Community
Lynching History of African Americans: An Absurd Illegal Justice System in the 19th Century
The Philosophy of Justice and Its Complete Analysis
Order, Freedom, Equality, & Justice
Natural Law & Justice and Good Governance
Relevance of Gender to Global Justice: Gender, Sexuality, Nationality and Cultural Variations in Concepts of Justice
Socrates` Defense of Justice in the Context of a Human Being
Justice in Society in the Movie “The Ox-Bow Incident”
“The Republic”: Socrates Defense of Justice
The Criminal Justice Ethics Principles
The Problem of Justice Highlighted in American Literature
Problem Analysis in the Criminal Justice System
Criminal Justice for Physically Injured Crime Victims
Justice in America Based on Famous Speeches
Risk Management in Justice and Security Organizations
Washington County Court Services
The Theory of Justice Need a Theory of Citizenship
Effects of Technology in Criminal Justice Systems
Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology
The Best Principle in Distributive Justice
European Union & Court of Justice
Criminal Justice: Race, Age, and Gender Factors
Social Justice and Feminism in America
Equality of Opportunity and Social Justice: Affirmative Action
Criminal Justice Agency Organizational Behavior
Justice in America: “It Is Not Fair”
Money and Justice: High-Profile Cases
Administration of Justice: America History
The Management of Organizational Justice by Cropanzana et al.
Justice of Execution of R. Ludman & King Louis XVI
Truth and Justice in “Anil’s Ghost” by Michael Ondaatje
Theory of Justice According to Plato
Christianity Religion and Asian World: Social Justice
Ethical Issues of the Juvenile Justice Policy Reform
Relationship Between the Supreme Court and the High Court Justice
Crime of Genocide: Justice and Ethical Issues
Justice and Injustice in Medea’s and Socrates’ View
Correctional Education: An Incomprehensible View on Justice?
Determination of Professionalism in Criminal Justice Organizations
Social Justice for Indigenous Women in Canada
The Code of Hammurabi: The King of Justice
In the Pursuit of Justice: Dale and Mike Parak’s Case
Appiah’s Ideas of Racism, Equality, and Justice
The State of American Juvenile Justice
Justice in Islamic and Western Societies
Forensic Science in the Criminal Justice System
Kafka’s “The Trial” Compared to the Justice System
Ethics in Criminal Justice
House Arrest in Juvenile Justice
Environmental Justice in Different Communities
Criminal Justice System Representation in Media
The United States Juvenile Justice System
Applied Research in Criminal Justice Profession
Politics and Justice Challenges in American Society
Criminal Justice Policy Development and Implementation
Social Justice in Quality Health Care
Community Psychology: Social Change and Justice
Diversity Training for Criminal Justice Employees
Criminal Justice Employees’ Rights and Laws
Empathy, Equality and Justice as Reflective Values
What Is Social Justice?
Public Shaming and Justice
Administration of Criminal Justice Agencies
Policy and Criminal Justice
Military Justice Issues: People’s Rights and Freedoms
Social Justice: Philosophy of Employment
Juvenile justice: Redeeming Our Children
Justice: A Natural Law or a Social Construction?
The Relation Between Poverty and Justice
Regional and International Justice Mechanisms
Criminal Justice Administration and Police Functions
Crime and Criminal Justice News
Cancer Alley: Environmental Justice Analysis
Women Working in the Criminal Justice System
“Climate Justice: Vulnerability and Protection” by Henry Shue
Criminal Justice System and Inequilty in America
American Women’s Movements for Social Justice
Justice and Ideal Society in Plato’s Republic
Juvenile Justice and Punishment in Public Opinion
Criminal Justice Systems: Saudi Arabia, Germany and the US
Restorative Justice in the Criminal Justice Process
Justice in “Letter From Birmingham Jail” by King
Social Justice Group Work for Homeless Young Mothers
Gang Violence: Criminal Justice Research
Criminal Justice: Balancing in Philosophy and Practice
Juvenile Justice Agencies, Their Challenges and Solutions
Racial Disparities in American Justice System
Women and Minorities Recruits in Criminal Justice
Readings for Diversity and Social Justice: An Anthology
Health Care Services: Social Justice Analysis
Criminal Justice Careers in the Modern Society
Criminal Justice Process in the US
Military Trials: The Criminal Justice Procedures Violations
Modern Justice System Peculiarities
Criminal Justice Administration Issues
Johnnie Cochran’s Leadership in the Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice System: Racial Policy Change
Leadership Issues in the Criminal Justice System
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
Pretrial Detention and Trial Outcome
Criminal Justice System Enforcement Issues
Key Criminal Justice Issues
Criminal Justice From the Historical Perspective
US Criminal Justice System, Theories and Methods
Juvenile Justice in Brazil, India, South Africa
Criminal Justice in the Film “Gideon’s Trumpet”
Restorative Justice Programs’ Criticisms
Justice in “Letter to Ren An” by Sima Qian
Criminal Justice Policy in Action
”Crime and Justice in the United States” by Bohm & Haley
Black Lives Matter and Social Justice
Ethics in Criminal Justice: Moral Aspects
Ethics, Media and Criminal Justice
Psychology in Criminal Justice
Domestic Violence in International Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Systems in the US, the UK, Norway
Juvenile Justice: Major Principles and Problems
The American Juvenile Justice System
Mental Health: Challenge of the Juvenile Justice System
Mental Health as the Juvenile Justice System Challenge
Juvenile Justice and Race
Juvenile Justice Process and Corrections
Stanford Prison Experiment and Criminal Justice
Media Influence on Criminal Justice and Community
Criminal Justice Process and Investigation Changes
Reintegrative Shame Theory in the US Justice System
Psychologist’s Roles in Criminal Justice System
Justice in “Ultimate Punishment” by Scott Turow
Ethics and Social Justice in Education Policies
Criminal Justice: Discipline, Liability and Labor Relations
Administrative Constitutionalism and Social Justice
Criminal Justice Policy Formulation Participants
Criminal Justice in Fisher vs. University of Texas
Bureaucracy and Criminal Justice Policies
Illicit Drugs Policy and Criminal Justice
Counselors as Social Justice Advocates
International Criminal Justice and Atrocity
Post-Apartheid Restorative Justice Reconciliation
International Justice for Human Rights Violation
The International Fields of Justice
Justice Responses to Sexual Harassment Cases
The Environmental Justice Concept
Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Trends
Criminal Justice From a Global Perspective
U.S. Postal Service’s Ethics and Social Justice
Antiterrorism Response Unit in Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Administration
Rawls and Marx on Distributive Justice
Justice in Ethics: Thomas Hobbes and John Rawls
US Criminal Justice Information System
European Court of Justice and Regional Integration
Technologies in Canadian Criminal Justice System
“Justice, Gender and Family” by Susan Okin
Justice in War: Arguments For and Against
Martin Luther King and Thomas Hobbes on the Subject of Justice
The Criminal Justice System Network
First Amendment in the US Modern Justice System
What Is the Difference between Justice and Vengeance?
The Criminal Justice System Effective Communication
Criminal Justice in Canada
Philosophy Terms: Justice, Happiness, Power and Virtue
Justice of Immigration in the United States
Human Justice in All Religions
Justice in Human Gene Transfer Therapy: Plato Views
Supreme Court and State of the U.S. Justice System
Price Gouging and Virtue: “Justice” by Michael Sandel
Environmental Justice and Air Pollution in Canada
Religion View on Compassion and Justice
Justice Kennedy: Writing for the Majority Opinion
Criminal Justice Workplace Management
”Reform Without Justice” by Alfonso Gonzalez
United States Government and Infinite Justice
Organizational Behavior Concepts in the Criminal Justice
Justice in the Education System in the US
Economic Justice for All in the United States
Informal Justice Systems in England and Wales
Ethics Issues: Social Justice
Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation
Mental Health Issues in the Criminal Justice System
Innocence and Justice: The Comparison of Characters from Shen Congwen and Huang Chun-ming’s Works
Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?
Law and Justice in Ancient Societies
Criminal Justice System. Deterrence and Incarceration
Faith, Justice, War – and Human Rights in the Realm of the Present-Day World
BHP Waste Managements: Environmental Justice
Cultural Anthropology Article: A Balance Between the Social, Political, and Environmental Justice
Forensic Psychology Guidelines for Criminal Justice
Death Penalty Role in the Criminal Justice System
Criminal Justice System Role in Curbing Crime Rates
Education and Social Justice
‘International Institutions’ Contribution to Justice After War or Political Violence’
Structural Violence Theory and the Role of Justice in the Reconciliation Process
Adr Impact on the Substance of Justice
The Justice System: Prison Congestion
Occupy Wall Street – Movement for Social and Economic Justice
Social justice and the black – white achievement gap
People With Disabilities and Abuse of People With Disabilities and Criminal Justice
Economic Justice versus Political Participation
Restorative Justice regarding current Egypt situation
Do Justice Perceptions Influence Styles of Handling Conflicts With Supervisors?
Politicization of Criminal Justice & its Influence on Penal Policy: A Critical Discussion
Sandel’s Proposals on Justice
Poor, Minorities & Justice
Setting an Agenda for Social Justice
The Justice Process for a Felony Criminal Charge
Environmental Justice and Water: Quality, Affordability and Sustainable Use. Facing the Dilemmas of the XXI Century
The Language of Justice to Excuse the Violence of Those in Power
Environmental Justice Concern Of Groundwork Lawrence
Prosperity and Social Justice
Social Justice: Wray’s Essential Aspects of Biblical Law and Justice
Social Justice: The Catholic’s Social Teachings on Justice
First Nations/Aboriginal People and Justice System
Does the Death Sentence Offer Justice to the Criminal?
The Death Penalty in the US Criminal Justice System
Social and Criminal Justice Responses to Sex Work
Juvenile Justice Case Management
The Justice System: the Case Carroll vs. United States
Procedures in the justice system
The Justice System: the Right to Counsel
Procedures in the Justice System: Plea Bargaining
Foster Care in the Criminal Justice System
Social Justice and the Australian Indigenous People
Organizational Justice and the Psychological Contract
Extent to Which the UN Can Shape Order and Ensure Justice in World Politics
Death Penalty: Every For and Against
The Supreme Court: Justice Clarence Thomas
The Concept of Justice
Justice Theories and American Immigration System
Racism in U.S. Criminal Justice System
International Court of Justice in Hague
Is Social Justice the Same Thing as Political Egalitarianism? An Analysis from a Theory of Justice Perspective
Justice as the Advantage of the Stronger: Thrasymachus’s Ideas (plato’s the republic) vs. Charles Darwin’s Principle of Natural Selection: a Comparison
The Many Faces of Criminal Justice: What Concerns Students Face Most Often
Islam, Modernity, and Justice for Women
Environmental Justice Issues Affecting African Americans: Water Pollution
Techniques for Influencing Criminal Justice System Change
All three levels of justice
Justice and Vengeance in Films
Living Justice: Catholic Social Teaching in Action
Socrates on the Justice and Injustice
Justice for Socrates and Augustine
Sacco-Vanzetti Case: Justice on Trial
Nozick Entitlement Theory of Justice
Criminal Justice Department
Statements about Justice
Young Offenders and the Criminal Justice System
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement
Running Head: Juvenile Justice System and Rehabilitation
Justice on guns control
A Theory of Justice: Society and Individual
A Short Guide to the Criminal Justice System
John Rawls’ A Theory of Justice
Delphi Survey Method in the Criminal Justice System
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Justice in Law: Treating People Justly and Fairly
Criminal Justice
Juvenile Justice System in “Sleepers” Film by Barry Levinson
Anarchy Titles
Civil Disobedience Essay Topics
Bureaucracy Paper Topics
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Chicago (N-B)

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104 Criminal Justice Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Criminal justice is a broad and complex field that encompasses various aspects of law enforcement, corrections, and the judicial system. If you are studying criminal justice or planning to pursue a career in this field, you will likely be required to write essays on various topics related to criminal justice. To help you get started, here are 104 criminal justice essay topic ideas and examples:

The evolution of criminal justice systems over the years.
The role of technology in modern law enforcement.
The impact of media on public perception of criminal justice.
The relationship between poverty and crime rates.
The effectiveness of community policing in reducing crime.
The ethical implications of using artificial intelligence in criminal justice.
The use of body cameras by police officers and its impact on accountability.
The role of forensic science in solving crimes.
The challenges of investigating and prosecuting white-collar crimes.
The impact of mandatory minimum sentencing on the criminal justice system.
The causes and consequences of wrongful convictions.
The role of rehabilitation in the criminal justice system.
The effectiveness of drug courts in reducing recidivism.
The relationship between mental illness and criminal behavior.
The ethical considerations of capital punishment.
The impact of racial profiling on minority communities.
The role of restorative justice in repairing harm caused by crime.
The challenges of addressing cybercrime in the digital age.
The impact of the war on drugs on criminal justice policies.
The role of victim services in the criminal justice system.
The effectiveness of probation and parole in reducing recidivism.
The relationship between poverty and overrepresentation in the criminal justice system.
The impact of the criminal justice system on marginalized communities.
The role of criminal profiling in solving serial crimes.
The challenges of addressing domestic violence within the criminal justice system.
The impact of the "war on terror" on civil liberties.
The role of eyewitness testimony in criminal trials.
The effectiveness of alternative dispute resolution methods in reducing court congestion.
The relationship between drug addiction and criminal behavior.
The impact of mandatory reporting laws on child abuse cases.
The role of private prisons in the criminal justice system.
The challenges of addressing human trafficking within the criminal justice system.
The impact of social media on criminal investigations.
The role of forensic psychology in criminal profiling.
The effectiveness of anti-gang initiatives in reducing gang-related crimes.
The relationship between gun control laws and crime rates.
The impact of the "three strikes" law on recidivism rates.
The role of community-based corrections programs in reducing incarceration rates.
The challenges of addressing police misconduct within the criminal justice system.
The impact of DNA evidence on criminal investigations and convictions.
The relationship between immigration policies and crime rates.
The effectiveness of sex offender registration laws in protecting communities.
The role of social programs in preventing juvenile delinquency.
The challenges of addressing hate crimes within the criminal justice system.
The impact of surveillance technologies on privacy rights.
The role of criminal justice policies in addressing the opioid crisis.
The effectiveness of rehabilitation programs for incarcerated individuals.
The relationship between mental health treatment and recidivism rates.
The impact of mandatory sentencing for drug offenses on minority communities.
The role of community-based organizations in reducing gang violence.
The challenges of addressing police brutality within the criminal justice system.
The impact of globalization on transnational crimes.
The role of forensic anthropology in identifying human remains.
The effectiveness of diversion programs for first-time offenders.
The relationship between poverty and juvenile delinquency.
The impact of the Fourth Amendment on law enforcement practices.
The role of victim impact statements in sentencing decisions.
The challenges of addressing elder abuse within the criminal justice system.
The impact of technology on the privacy rights of individuals.
The role of criminal justice policies in addressing human rights violations.
The effectiveness of drug education programs in preventing substance abuse.
The relationship between mental health courts and recidivism rates.
The impact of the "school-to-prison pipeline" on marginalized communities.
The role of forensic entomology in estimating time of death.
The challenges of addressing child exploitation within the criminal justice system.
The impact of mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients on poverty rates.
The role of community supervision in reducing recidivism.
The relationship between police presence and crime rates.
The effectiveness of victim-offender mediation in addressing the harm caused by crime.
The impact of the Fifth Amendment on interrogation practices.
The role of criminal justice policies in addressing human trafficking.
The challenges of addressing cyberbullying within the criminal justice system.
The impact of surveillance cameras on crime prevention.
The role of forensic linguistics in analyzing written evidence.
The effectiveness of gun buyback programs in reducing gun violence.
The relationship between mental health treatment and criminal behavior.
The impact of mandatory arrest policies on domestic violence cases.
The role of criminal justice policies in addressing environmental crimes.
The challenges of addressing police corruption within the criminal justice system.
The impact of eyewitness misidentification on wrongful convictions.
The relationship between substance abuse and child neglect.
The effectiveness of reentry programs for formerly incarcerated individuals.
The role of criminal justice policies in addressing hate crimes.
The impact of predictive policing on law enforcement practices.
The challenges of addressing human rights violations within the criminal justice system.
The role of forensic odontology in identifying human remains.
The effectiveness of community-based drug treatment programs.
The relationship between poverty and gang involvement.
The impact of the exclusionary rule on the criminal justice system.
The role of criminal justice policies in addressing environmental justice.
The challenges of addressing cyberstalking within the criminal justice system.
The impact of community surveillance programs on crime prevention.
The role of forensic accounting in investigating financial crimes.
The effectiveness of gun control policies in reducing gun-related crimes.
The relationship between substance abuse treatment and recidivism rates.
The impact of mandatory reporting laws on elder abuse cases.
The role of criminal justice policies in addressing animal cruelty.
The challenges of addressing corruption within the criminal justice system.
The impact of false confessions on wrongful convictions.
The relationship between substance abuse and intimate partner violence.
The effectiveness of diversion programs for mentally ill offenders.
The role of criminal justice policies in addressing cybercrime.
The impact of community-based restorative justice programs on crime reduction.
The challenges of addressing international crimes within the criminal justice system.

These essay topics provide a starting point for your research and analysis in the field of criminal justice. Remember to choose a topic that interests you and aligns with your academic goals and career aspirations. Good luck with your essays!

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Beyond Intractability

The Hyper-Polarization Challenge to the Conflict Resolution Field We invite you to participate in an online exploration of what those with conflict and peacebuilding expertise can do to help defend liberal democracies and encourage them live up to their ideals.

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By Michelle Maiese

(Originally published July 2003, updated by Heidi Burgess June 2013 and again in April, 2017 and yet again in July, 2020.)

Current Implications

You can tell by the number of times I have updated this essay, that the notion of "justice" keeps on coming up in the news. In the "Core Concepts" unit of our Conflict Fundamentals Massive Open Online Seminar (MOOS), we introduced the notion of "reconciliation" and examined John Paul Lederach's notion that reconciliation occurs through the meeting of 'peace, justice, truth, and mercy." But as becomes very clear in his exercise exploring these ideas, none of them are easy to understand. More...

Justice Versus Fairness

In the context of conflict, the terms 'justice' and 'fairness' are often used interchangeably.

This post is also part of the

exploration of the tough challenges posed by the
.

Taken in its broader sense, justice is action in accordance with the requirements of some law.[1] Some maintain that justice stems from God's will or command, while others believe that justice is inherent in nature itself. Still others believe that justice consists of rules common to all humanity that emerge out of some sort of consensus. This sort of justice is often thought of as something higher than a society's legal system. It is in those cases where an action seems to violate some universal rule of conduct that we are likely to call it "unjust."

In its narrower sense, justice is fairness. It is action that pays due regard to the proper interests, property, and safety of one's fellows.[2] While justice in the broader sense is often thought of as transcendental, justice as fairness is more context-bound. Parties concerned with fairness typically strive to work out something comfortable and adopt procedures that resemble rules of a game. They work to ensure that people receive their "fair share" of benefits and burdens and adhere to a system of "fair play."

The principles of justice and fairness can be thought of as rules of "fair play" for issues of social justice. Whether they turn out to be grounded in universal laws or ones that are more context-bound, these principles determine the way in which the various types of justice are carried out. For example, principles of distributive justice determine what counts as a "fair share" of particular good, while principles of retributive or restorative justice shape our response to activity that violates a society's rules of "fair play." Social justice requires both that the rules be fair, and also that people play by the rules.

People often frame justice issues in terms of fairness and invoke principles of justice and fairness to explain their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the organizations they are part of, as well as their state or government.[3] They want institutions to treat them fairly and to operate according to fair rules. What constitutes fair treatment and fair rules is often expressed by a variety of justice principles.

Deserts, Equity, Equality, and Need

The principles of equity, equality, and need are most relevant in the context of distributive justice , but might play a role in a variety of social justice issues.[4] These principles all appeal to the notion of desert, the idea that fair treatment is a matter of giving people what they deserve. In general, people deserve to be rewarded for their effort and productivity, punished for their transgressions, treated as equal persons, and have their basic needs met. However, because these principles may come into conflict, it is often difficult to achieve all of these goals simultaneously.

Equity

Equality

Neutrality

Consistency

Deserts

Need

"Fair Share"

"Fair Play"

Standing

Trust

According to the principle of equity, a fair economic system is one that distributes goods to individuals in proportion to their input. While input typically comes in the form of productivity, ability or talent might also play a role. People who produce more or better products...either by working harder, or by being more talented, this argument goes, should be paid more for their efforts than should people who produce less. Note that this sort of distribution may not succeed in meeting the needs of all members of society.

In addition, the idea that justice requires the unequal treatment of unequals is in tension with the principle of equality. This principle of egalitarianism suggests that the fairest allocation is one that distributes benefits and burdens equally among all parties. If there are profits of $100,000, and 10 people in the company, the principle of equality would suggest that everyone would get $10,000. This principle, however, ignores differences in effort, talent, and productivity. Also, because people have different needs, an equal initial distribution may not result in an equal outcome.

A principle of need, on the other hand, proposes that we strive for an equal outcome in which all society or group members get what they need. Thus poor people would get more money, and richer people would get less. This principle is sometimes criticized because it does not recognize differences in productive contributions or distinguish between real needs and purported needs.

Some have suggested that equity, equality, and need are not principles adopted for their own sake, but rather ones endorsed to advance some social goal.[5] For example, while equity tends to foster productivity, principles of equality and need tend to stress the importance of positive interpersonal relationships and a sense of belonging among society members.

Impartiality, Consistency, Standing, and Trust

Principles of justice and fairness are also central to procedural , retributive, and restorative justice. Such principles are supposed to ensure procedures that generate unbiased, consistent, and reliable decisions. Here the focus is on carrying out set rules in a fair manner so that a just outcome might be reached. Fair procedures are central to the legitimacy of decisions reached and individuals' acceptance of those decisions.

To ensure fair procedures, both in the context of legal proceedings, as well as in negotiation and mediation, the third party carrying out those procedures must be impartial. This means they must make an honest, unbiased decision based on appropriate information.[6] For example, judges should be impartial, and facilitators should not exhibit any prejudice that gives one party unfair advantages. The rules themselves should also be impartial so that they do not favor some people over others from the outset.

An unbiased, universally applied procedure, whether it serves to distribute wealth or deliver decisions, can ensure impartiality as well as consistency. The principle of consistency proposes that "the distinction of some versus others should reflect genuine aspects of personal identity rather than extraneous features of the differentiating mechanism itself."[7] In other words, the institutional mechanism in question should treat like cases alike and ensure a level playing field for all parties.

The principle of standing suggests that people value their membership in a group and that societal institutions and decision-making procedures should affirm their status as members.[8] For example, it might follow from this principle that all stakeholders should have a voice in the decision-making process. In particular, disadvantaged members of a group or society should be empowered and given an opportunity to be heard. When decision-making procedures treat people with respect and dignity, they feel affirmed. A central premise of restorative justice , for example, is that those directly affected by the offense should have a voice and representation in the decision-making process regarding the aftermath of the offense--be it punishment and/or restitution.

Related to issues of respect and dignity is the principle of trust. One measure of fairness is whether society members believe that authorities are concerned with their well being and needs. People's judgments of procedural fairness result from perceptions that they have been treated "honestly, openly, and with consideration."[9] If they believe that the authority took their viewpoints into account and tried to treat them fairly, they are more likely to support and engage in the broader social system.

What is So Important about the Principles of Justice

It may seem to be a simple matter of common sense that justice is central to any well-functioning society. However, the question of what justice is, exactly, and how it is achieved are more difficult matters. The principles of justice and fairness point to ideas of fair treatment and "fair play" that should govern all modes of exchange and interaction in a society. They serve as guidelines for carrying out justice.

Not surprisingly, each of the principles of justice and fairness can be applied in a variety of contexts. For example, the principle of desert applies not only to the distribution of wealth, but also to the distribution costs and of punishments. "Environmental justice" is a relatively new term that examines and challenges the social tendency to site noxious facilities (such as landfills or polluting industries) in poor areas, but not affluent areas. An unjust distribution of punishments is suggested by the statistics that people of color are disproportionately represented in prisons and on death row. (In 2012, people of color made up about 30 percent of the United States’ population, but accounted for 60 percent of those imprisoned.) [10] Likewise, the principles of impartiality and consistency might apply to both an economic system and a decision-making body. And the principle of need plays a central role in both distributive and restorative justice.

In addition, we can also understand conflict in terms of tension that arises between the different justice principles. Conflict about what is just might be expressed as conflict about which principle of justice should be applied in a given situation or how that principle should be implemented.[11] The ways of thinking about justice can have conflicting implications, leading to disputes about fairness. For example, some believe that an equitable distribution is the most fair, while others insist that a society's assets should be allocated according to need. A conflict may thus arise surrounding whether to base an economic system on productivity (those who work hardest should earn the most), identity (the rich are "job makers" and thus should get richer) or social welfare (the poor need help more, so the rich should get taxed to help raise the income of the poor). Similarly, some believe that those who violate the rights of others should receive their just deserts (paying a fine or going to prison), while others believe that our focus should be on the needs of victims and offenders (which can be protected through a restorative justice system).

When principles of justice operate ineffectively or not at all, confidence in and organization's or the society's institutions may be undermined. Citizens or group members may feel alienated and withdraw their commitment to those "unjust" institutions. Or, they may rebel or begin a revolution in order to create new institutions. This was the essence of the "Arab Spring" uprisings that began in 2010 and continue today (2013); it is also the essence of uprisings that have occurred off and on (though with much less intensity and violence) in Europe over the same time period. If justice principles are applied effectively, on the other hand, organizations and societies will tend to be more stable and its members will feel satisfied and secure.

Justice is often taken to mean "fairness." But fairness to whom? Determined by whom? In Western cultures, "justice" is usually seen as "just deserts"—or getting what you deserve. If you break a law, you should be punished. If you work hard, you should be rewarded. Eastern cultures are more likely to embrace the notion of restorative justice, or restoring order to relationships, rather than punishment for misdeeds.

Different understandings of the meaning of justice underlie a lot of the disagreements we see in the United States right now regarding topics such as immigration, taxes, and health care. In the summer of 2020, the focus is on race. What is "fair?" "Who should get what, and why?" "Who should pay for it?" "What should happen when people break the law (for instance, enter or stay in the US illegally)? What should happen when police break the law? Who has a voice? Who doesn't?

Understanding the different definitions of justice is a start to sorting out what you think about these questions—and what is likely to create the outcomes you want and need.

-- Heidi Burgess. July, 2020.

Back to Essay Top

[1] James. W. Vice, "Neutrality, Justice, and Fairness," (Loyola University Chicago, 1997).

[2] Nicholas Rescher, Distributive Justice . (Washington, D.C.: University Press of America, Inc., 1982), 5. < http://books.google.com/books?id=KCm4QgAACAAJ >. See also Rescher's Fairness: Theory & Practice of Distributive Justice (Transaction Publishers, 2002). < http://www.amazon.com/Fairness-Theory-Practice-Distributive-Justice/dp/0765801108 >.

[3] Tom R. Tyler and Maura A. Belliveau, "Tradeoffs in Justice Principles: Definitions of Fairness," in Conflict, Cooperation, and Justice , ed. Barbara B. Bunker and Jeffrey Z. Rubin, (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc. Publishers, 1995), 291. < http://www.amazon.com/Conflict-Cooperation-Justice-Inspired-Deutsch/dp/0787900699 >.

[4] For a discussion of justice in a recent, global context, see: Chris Armstrong, Global Distributive Justice: An Introduction (Cambridge University Press, 2012). < http://books.google.com/books?id=LJU0djAZ1osC >.

[5] Robert Folger, Blair H. Sheppard, and Robert T. Buttram, "Equity, Equality, and Need: Three Faces of Social Justice," in Conflict, Cooperation, and Justice , ed. Barbara B. Bunker and Jeffrey Z. Rubin, (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc. Publishers, 1995), 262. < http://www.amazon.com/Conflict-Cooperation-Justice-Inspired-Deutsch/dp/0787900699 >.

[6] Folger, Sheppard, and Buttram, 272.

[7] Folger, Sheppard, and Buttram, 272.

[8] Folger, Sheppard, and Buttram, 273.

[9] Tyler and Belliveau, 297.

[10] Kerby, "The Top 10 Most Startling Facts About People of Color and Criminal Justice in the United States: A Look at the Racial Disparities Inherent in Our Nation’s Criminal-Justice System." Center for American Progress. Published March 13, 2012. Accessed June 4, 2013 at http://bit.ly/PMeeAG.

[11] Morton Deutsch, "Justice and Conflict," in The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice , ed. Morton Deutsch and Peter Coleman (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, Inc., 2000), 54. More recent edition (2011) available here .

Use the following to cite this article: Maiese, Michelle. "Principles of Justice and Fairness." Beyond Intractability . Eds. Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess. Conflict Information Consortium, University of Colorado, Boulder. Posted: July 2003 < http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/principles-of-justice >.

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Individual and Society — Social Justice

Essays on Social Justice

Prompt samples for crafting a social justice essay.

Starting with the right prompt can set the tone for a powerful social justice essay. Prompts such as "Analyze the impact of systemic racism on education" or "Explore the role of social media in social justice movements" encourage critical thinking and provide a clear direction for your research and argumentation.

Brainstorming and Selecting a Compelling Social Justice Essay Topic

Choosing an impactful topic is crucial for writing an engaging social justice essay. Consider the following points during your brainstorming session:

Relevance: Select a topic that is timely and resonates with current social justice issues.
Passion: Choose an issue you are passionate about. Authentic interest will enhance your writing.
Originality: Aim for a unique angle or perspective to stand out.
Researchability: Ensure there are ample resources and research available on your chosen topic.

Innovative Social Justice Essay Topics

Avoid common and broad topics by focusing on specific issues. Here are several thought-provoking essay topics:

The Intersectionality of Gender, Race, and Class in Education Disparities
Critical Analysis of Environmental Justice in Urban Planning
The Influence of Art and Culture in Propagating Social Justice Movements
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Restorative Justice in Criminal Justice Reform
The Role of Technology in Enhancing Accessibility and Advocacy

Inspirational Phrases and Paragraph Samples for Your Social Justice Essay

Here are examples of paragraphs and phrases to inspire your writing and help structure your essay:

Analyzing the Role of Social Media in Amplifying Social Justice Movements

Social media platforms have emerged as powerful tools for social justice advocacy, enabling grassroots movements to gain global attention. This section explores how digital activism transforms public discourse and mobilizes support for social justice causes.

The Critical Impact of Environmental Injustice on Marginalized Communities

Environmental injustice perpetuates inequality, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. This analysis delves into case studies where environmental policies have failed these communities and proposes solutions for equitable environmental governance.

Exploring Intersectionality as a Framework for Social Justice

Intersectionality provides a comprehensive approach to understanding the multifaceted nature of oppression. By examining the intersections of race, gender, and class, this essay highlights the importance of an inclusive social justice movement.

Black Lives Matter: Addressing Racial Injustice in America

Rectifying injustice: empowering native american communities, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

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Urgent Reforms Against Police Brutality: a Call for Justice

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Death Penalty and Social Justice in The United States

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The Biblical Prophets' Teachings on The Love of God in Social Justice

The issues of death penalties and social justice in the united states, social justice orientation and multicultural environment, my attitude towards plato’s republic and the idea of state’s justice, romanticism and realism's approach to social justice, the connection of "station eleven" and other books to concepts of social justice, the importance of resistance to injustice in just mercy, social justice as the elusive goal of the communist manifesto, the issue of american racism in stevenson’s just mercy, importance of rebellion in the world, tension between benevolence and morals, why the approach by richard spencer on white nationalism and social justice is wrong, the topic of eugenics and church's view on social justice, the poverty and social justice folklore in appalachia, a region in the eastern united states of america, the role of canadian charter of rights and freedoms, the major projects, success, and orientation towards social justice of the organization samaritan's purse, overview of advantages and disadvantages of confidentiality, an overview of history and definition of mob lynching, "environmental and social justice movement" in the book blessed unrest by paul hawken, overview of social control theories.

Social justice is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society.

In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has often referred to the process of ensuring that individuals fulfill their societal roles and receive what was their due from society. In the current movements for social justice, the emphasis has been on the breaking of barriers for social mobility, the creation of safety nets, and economic justice. Social justice assigns rights and duties in the institutions of society, which enables people to receive the basic benefits and burdens of cooperation.

The relevant institutions often include taxation, social insurance, public health, public school, public services, labor law and regulation of markets, to ensure distribution of wealth, and equal opportunity.

The five main principles of social justice include access to resources, equity, participation, diversity, and human rights.

1. Tyler, T. R. (2000). Social justice: Outcome and procedure. International journal of psychology, 35(2), 117-125. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1080/002075900399411) 2. Zajda, J., Majhanovich, S., & Rust, V. (2006). Introduction: Education and social justice. International Review of Education/Internationale Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft/Revue Internationale de l'Education, 9-22. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/29737064) 3. Capper, C. A., Theoharis, G., & Sebastian, J. (2006). Toward a framework for preparing leaders for social justice. Journal of educational administration. (https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/09578230610664814/full/html) 4. Leach, M., Stirling, A. C., & Scoones, I. (2010). Dynamic sustainabilities: technology, environment, social justice (p. 232). Taylor & Francis. (https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/52748) 5. Kluegel, J. R., Mason, D. S., & Wegener, B. (1995). Social justice and political change. De Gruyter.. (https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110868944/html) 6. Duff, W. M., Flinn, A., Suurtamm, K. E., & Wallace, D. A. (2013). Social justice impact of archives: a preliminary investigation. Archival Science, 13, 317-348. (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10502-012-9198-x) 7. McKenzie, K. B., Christman, D. E., Hernandez, F., Fierro, E., Capper, C. A., Dantley, M., ... & Scheurich, J. J. (2008). From the field: A proposal for educating leaders for social justice. Educational administration quarterly, 44(1), 111-138. (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0013161X07309470?journalCode=eaqa) 8. Nussbaum, M. (2002). Capabilities and social justice. International Studies Review, 4(2), 123-135. (https://academic.oup.com/isr/article-abstract/4/2/123/1794864) 9. Apple, M. W. (2009). Global crises, social justice, and education. In Global crises, social justice, and education (pp. 9-32). Routledge. (https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780203861448-5/global-crises-social-justice-education-michael-apple) 10. Jost, J. T., & Kay, A. C. (2010). Social justice: History, theory, and research. (https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2010-03506-030)

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What ‘Justice’ Really Means

The word has taken a beating in the past few weeks. But what role does it truly play in our lives?

By Paul Bloomfield

Mr. Bloomfield is a professor of philosophy at the University of Connecticut.

It’s a staple of common sense that we don’t let judges try their own cases. Yet if we are to gain self-knowledge, we all must do just that: We must judge ourselves to know ourselves. While we typically think of justice as a virtue of social arrangements or political institutions, the United States has recently bore witness to this virtue in its first-person aspect — self-regarding justice — while watching the confirmation hearings of a Supreme Court Justice.

The virtue of justice requires not only that we judge others fairly, but also that we judge ourselves fairly. This is no mean feat. The trouble is that if a person is a poor judge of him or herself, it is hard to imagine that person being a good judge of others. Bias toward the self often leads to bias against others. Justice begins within ourselves.

While justice is important for each of us in our personal lives, it becomes strikingly important when we think of those in positions of power. We need leaders motivated by a love of justice and not merely self-aggrandizement. Leadership without an inner moral compass reliably pointing toward justice inevitably ends in the abuse of power.

Philosophically, all virtues are ideals that we can only approach without fully attaining them. So, we can always aspire to do better. Given this, what role does the virtue of justice play in our personal lives? What role ought it to play?

In fact there are two roles: Justice functions both in our epistemology, or how we form and justify our beliefs, as well as in practical morality, informing our private and public behavior. These ought to be entwined in our lives since we ought not only think in a fair and just manner but also act accordingly.

The apotheosis of justice is the courtroom judge, interpreting the law and ruling on evidence concerning innocence and guilt. Model judges are epistemically just: Their cognitive processes are never biased or unduly swayed, their conclusions are not prejudged, and their verdicts reliably correspond to the facts. Truth is their goal. Not only must there be no thumb on the scale, the evidence must be balanced while wearing a blindfold. The rulings of judges, however, are also undeniably moral, bearing as they do on issues of justice, restitution and the execution of punishment.

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How to write an essay introduction | 4 steps & examples

How to Write an Essay Introduction | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on February 4, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A good introduction paragraph is an essential part of any academic essay . It sets up your argument and tells the reader what to expect.

The main goals of an introduction are to:

Catch your reader’s attention.
Give background on your topic.
Present your thesis statement —the central point of your essay.

This introduction example is taken from our interactive essay example on the history of Braille.

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

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Step 1: hook your reader, step 2: give background information, step 3: present your thesis statement, step 4: map your essay’s structure, step 5: check and revise, more examples of essay introductions, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about the essay introduction.

Your first sentence sets the tone for the whole essay, so spend some time on writing an effective hook.

Avoid long, dense sentences—start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

The hook should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of the topic you’re writing about and why it’s interesting. Avoid overly broad claims or plain statements of fact.

Examples: Writing a good hook

Take a look at these examples of weak hooks and learn how to improve them.

Braille was an extremely important invention.
The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

The first sentence is a dry fact; the second sentence is more interesting, making a bold claim about exactly why the topic is important.

The internet is defined as “a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities.”
The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education.

Avoid using a dictionary definition as your hook, especially if it’s an obvious term that everyone knows. The improved example here is still broad, but it gives us a much clearer sense of what the essay will be about.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a famous book from the nineteenth century.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement.

Instead of just stating a fact that the reader already knows, the improved hook here tells us about the mainstream interpretation of the book, implying that this essay will offer a different interpretation.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Next, give your reader the context they need to understand your topic and argument. Depending on the subject of your essay, this might include:

Historical, geographical, or social context
An outline of the debate you’re addressing
A summary of relevant theories or research about the topic
Definitions of key terms

The information here should be broad but clearly focused and relevant to your argument. Don’t give too much detail—you can mention points that you will return to later, but save your evidence and interpretation for the main body of the essay.

How much space you need for background depends on your topic and the scope of your essay. In our Braille example, we take a few sentences to introduce the topic and sketch the social context that the essay will address:

Now it’s time to narrow your focus and show exactly what you want to say about the topic. This is your thesis statement —a sentence or two that sums up your overall argument.

This is the most important part of your introduction. A good thesis isn’t just a statement of fact, but a claim that requires evidence and explanation.

The goal is to clearly convey your own position in a debate or your central point about a topic.

Particularly in longer essays, it’s helpful to end the introduction by signposting what will be covered in each part. Keep it concise and give your reader a clear sense of the direction your argument will take.

As you research and write, your argument might change focus or direction as you learn more.

For this reason, it’s often a good idea to wait until later in the writing process before you write the introduction paragraph—it can even be the very last thing you write.

When you’ve finished writing the essay body and conclusion , you should return to the introduction and check that it matches the content of the essay.

It’s especially important to make sure your thesis statement accurately represents what you do in the essay. If your argument has gone in a different direction than planned, tweak your thesis statement to match what you actually say.

To polish your writing, you can use something like a paraphrasing tool .

You can use the checklist below to make sure your introduction does everything it’s supposed to.

Checklist: Essay introduction

My first sentence is engaging and relevant.

I have introduced the topic with necessary background information.

I have defined any important terms.

My thesis statement clearly presents my main point or argument.

Everything in the introduction is relevant to the main body of the essay.

You have a strong introduction - now make sure the rest of your essay is just as good.

Argumentative
Literary analysis

This introduction to an argumentative essay sets up the debate about the internet and education, and then clearly states the position the essay will argue for.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

This introduction to a short expository essay leads into the topic (the invention of the printing press) and states the main point the essay will explain (the effect of this invention on European society).

In many ways, the invention of the printing press marked the end of the Middle Ages. The medieval period in Europe is often remembered as a time of intellectual and political stagnation. Prior to the Renaissance, the average person had very limited access to books and was unlikely to be literate. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century allowed for much less restricted circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.

This introduction to a literary analysis essay , about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein , starts by describing a simplistic popular view of the story, and then states how the author will give a more complex analysis of the text’s literary devices.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale. Arguably the first science fiction novel, its plot can be read as a warning about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, and in popular culture representations of the character as a “mad scientist”, Victor Frankenstein represents the callous, arrogant ambition of modern science. However, far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to gradually transform our impression of Frankenstein, portraying him in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

The “hook” is the first sentence of your essay introduction . It should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of why it’s interesting.

To write a good hook, avoid overly broad statements or long, dense sentences. Try to start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

It gives your writing direction and focus.
It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

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Justice as a Virtue

The notion of justice as a virtue began in reference to a trait of individuals, and to some extent remains so, even if today we often conceive the justice of individuals as having some (grounding) reference to social justice. But from the start, the focus on justice as a virtue faced pressures to diffuse, in two different ways.

First, “justice as a virtue” is ambiguous as between individual and social applications. Rawls and others regard justice as “the first virtue of social institutions” (1971, p. 3), but Rawls is not the first to think of justice as a virtue of social institutions or societies — Plato was there long before him. However, justice as a virtue of societies, polities, and their institutions is addressed elsewhere , so the focus in this essay will be on justice as a virtue in individuals. That said, individuals typically live as members of political communities, so the societal dimension of justice as a virtue will never be long out of view (Woodruff 2018).

Second, from the start the effort to analyze the virtue of justice has led to attempts to formalize the requirements (or norms) of justice, and at times the latter project has threatened to swallow the first in ways that make thinking of a virtue of justice gratuitous or otiose. We might be tempted to think that the virtue of justice consists simply in compliance with the norms of justice our theory specifies: a just person will be one who complies with the norms of justice, whether those are narrowly interpersonal or more broadly social or political in scope. In this way the virtue becomes subsidiary to norms of justice independently specified (Anderson 2010, p. 2; LeBar 2014). Doing so threatens to lose the force that the notion of virtue had in the earliest thinking about justice.

A further complication is that even the idea of justice as a virtue of individuals seems ambiguous in regard to scope. Plato in the Republic treats justice as an overarching virtue of both individuals and societies, so that almost every issue he (or we) would regard as ethical comes in under the notion of justice. But in later usages justice covers only part of individual morality, and we don’t readily think of someone as unjust if they lie or neglect their children — other epithets more readily spring to mind. Individual justice first and most readily regards moral issues having to do with distributions of goods or property. It is, we say, unjust for someone to steal from people or not to give them what he owes them, and it is also unjust if someone called upon to distribute something good (or bad or both) among members of a group uses an arbitrary or unjustified basis for making the distribution. Discussion of justice as an individual virtue often centers on questions, therefore, about property and other distributable goods, though the broader sense broached by Plato never entirely disappears. Still there is disagreement over whether the broader distributive questions associated with political morality have subordinated or obscured the earlier Greek concerns with justice as a virtue of individual character (Hursthouse 1999, pp. 5–6; Coope 2007; Lu 2017).

1.1 Ancient

1.2 medieval and modern, 2. social psychology and justice, 3. justice as a virtue of societies.

4. Justice and other Virtues

5. Recent Developments

6. conclusion, other internet resources, related entries.

Philosophical discussion of justice begins with Plato, who treats the topic in a variety of dialogues, most substantially in Republic . There Plato offers the first sustained discussion of the nature of justice ( dikaiosune ) and its relation to happiness, as a departure from three alternatives receiving varying degrees of attention. First, there is a traditionalist conception of justice (speaking the truth and paying your debts). Second, Plato has Socrates rebut the Sophist conception of justice which built on a distinction between nature ( phusis ) and convention ( nomos ) As Plato has this conception articulated by Thrasymachus in Book I, justice is simply the “advantage of the stronger,” not tracking anything like the sort of value attributed to it by traditionalists. Finally, Plato has Socrates confront a conventionalist conception of justice that anticipates modern contractarian views, in which justice — forbearing preying on others in exchange for not being preyed on by them — is a “second-best alternative,” not as good as being able to prey at will upon others, but better than being the prey of others. These last two challenges give rise to the central question of the book: to whose advantage is justice? Would we really be better off being unjust if we could get away with it? Plato’s negative answer to that question is the project of the balance of the work.

Plato’s method involves the provocative idea that justice in the city ( polis ) is the same thing as justice in the individual, just “writ large.” There are good reasons to worry about that assumption (Williams 1973; Keyt 2006). But in Plato’s sociology of the city, there are three classes engaged in a kind of division of labor. There is a guardian class which rules, a class of “auxiliaries” that provide the force behind the ruling, and the class of merchants that produce to satisfy the needs and desires of the city. Similarly, the psyche of the individual has three parts: a reasoning part to rule, a “spirited” part to support the rule of reason, and an appetitive part. Plato finds justice in the city to consist in each part “having and doing its own,” and since the smaller is just like the larger, justice in the individual consists in each part of the psyche doing its own work. (This grounds the idea, later enshrined by Justinian, that justice is “giving every man his due;” Justinian I.i). Further, Plato argues, justice is a master virtue in a sense, because in both the city and the psyche, if each part is doing its own job, both city and psyche will also have wisdom, courage, and moderation or self-discipline. This conception of justice sustains the contrast with the conventionalist view advocated by the Sophists. On the other hand, at least initially it leaves it an open question whether the just individual refrains from such socially proscribed actions as lying, killing, and stealing. Plato eventually seeks to show that someone with a healthy, harmonious soul wouldn’t lie, kill, or steal, but it is not clear that argument succeeds, nor, if it does, that that is the right understanding of why we ought not to lie, kill, or steal (Sachs 1963; LeBar 2013, ch. XII).

Plato gives a somewhat different treatment of justice in Crito , in which Socrates’ eponymous friend attempts to persuade Socrates to accept his (Crito’s) offer to bribe a way out of the death sentence Socrates is waiting to have executed. Here Plato’s arguments first associate the just life with the good life, thus the life Socrates has most reason to live. And justice, he then argues, requires not only not inflicting wrong or injury on others, even in response to wrongs from them, but fulfilling one’s agreements, and — in particular — abiding by one’s (tacit or explicit) agreement to abide by the laws of the city unless one can persuade it to change them. Of course, justice cannot require one to abide by laws that require one to act unjustly, as Socrates’ own case (as characterized in Apology ) shows (Kraut 1984).

It is worth noting (as Johnston 2011 observes) that even if Plato’s is the first philosophical discussion of justice, a concern with what an individual is due as a matter of justice is a driving issue in Homer’s Iliad , though there is no counterpart concern there with justice as a property of a society or tribe. So even Plato’s philosophical concerns are building on well-established questions about what justice requires of us in our treatment of one another.

Aristotle does not see the virtue of justice in quite the comprehensive sense Plato does; he treats it as a virtue of character (in the entirety of one of the ten books of the Nicomachean Ethics , also common to the Eudemian Ethics ), and as a virtue of constitutions and political arrangements (in Politics ). The question naturally arises as to the relation between these forms of justice. Aristotle seems to think they are closely related, without being synonymous applications of the same concept. As the latter is a conception of political justice, we will focus here on the former. Justice as a personal virtue follows Aristotle’s model for virtues of character, in which the virtue lies as an intermediate or mean between vices of excess and defect ( Nicomachean Ethics V). While he grants that there is a “general” sense of justice in which justice is coincident with complete virtue, there is a “particular” sense in which it is concerned with not overreaching ( pleonexia ). It is not clear, however, exactly how Aristotle understands this arrangement, or the nature of the vices of excess and defect which this “particular” justice is to counteract. One very plausible reading has it that justice is opposed to a desire for maldistribution of “goods of fortune” such as money, fame, or honor (Williams 1980; Curzer 1995). On another it is opposed to an insufficient attention to others’ rights (Foot 1988, p. 9). On still another it focuses on the goods of others, or common goods (O’Connor 1988; Miller 1995).

These issues remain open in part because Aristotle seems most interested in establishing a conception of the formal structure of “particular” justice, which seems to reflect a conception of desert. He distinguishes between justice in distribution and justice in rectification. The former, he claims, adheres to a kind of proportionality, in which what each deserves is proportional to the relationship between the contributions. If A contributes twice as much as B (of whatever the metric of merit is relevant in some particular case), then A’s return ought also to be twice B’s. This conception of distributive justice obviously lends itself to “goods of fortune” — and to some goods, like wealth, more obviously than others — but it need not in principle be confined to such goods, although the examples Aristotle provides suggest such applications. Similarly, justice in rectification involves a sort of “arithmetical proportion.” If C defrauds D by amount X, then justice requires depriving C of X and restoring X to D, as a matter of reestablishing a kind of equality between them. These structural devices are elegant and attractive, but they leave open a number of questions (LeBar, forthcoming). First, as indicated, to what are we to suppose they apply? Second, in what way do they figure into the nature of the person who is just in the particular sense? (That is, how are they related to justice as a virtue?) Does a model of particular justice as a virtue fit the general model of virtue as a mean, and if so, what sort of mean is it? Aristotle seems torn between a conception of justice as a virtue in his distinctive understanding of what a virtue is — with a requirement that one have all the virtues to have any ( Nicomachean Ethics VI.13), and rooted in the doctrine of the mean — and justice as having the form of a formal normative structure, to which the virtue threatens to become subsidiary. All this is to leave aside questions of the relation between this “particular” sense of justice and political justice, and the role of the virtue of justice in the individual as it contributes to justice in the polis.

Epicurus’ conception of the role of justice was more central to his eudaimonism perhaps than its counterpart in Plato and Aristotle, but that reflects in part his distinctive understanding of eudaimonia , or happiness. For Epicurus this consisted in ataraxia — tranquility, or freedom from disturbance. Given that the good life is the life without disturbance, justice plays a key instrumental role. One might, Epicurus thinks, withdraw entirely from human society to avoid disturbance, but the alternative is to live socially under terms which secure the avoidance of disturbance. This is the structure of the ideal Epicurean community, in which each forbears aggression (Armstrong 1997, Thrasher 2013). Justice is a matter of keeping agreements generally, and in particular the agreement not to harm or transgress social norms.

In this way Epicurus offers a conception of the virtue of justice that harmonizes both its personal and its political dimensions. The personal virtue consists in the motivation to abide by a contract not to aggress or harm others. The political virtue inheres in a polity in which such norms regulate the conduct of its citizens, and these two dimensions of justice as a virtue reinforce each other.

The other great ethical tradition of antiquity (Stoicism) had remarkably little to say about justice (Annas 1993, p. 311), so we pass on to the medieval and modern periods.

The legacy of the ancients — Aristotle in particular — continued into the medieval period, notably in the work of Thomas Aquinas, who appropriated much of Aristotle’s philosophy while setting it into a Christian theological framework. As in Aristotle, virtue and virtues are prominent parts of his ethical theory. And, like Aristotle justice is an important virtue, though for Aquinas it less important than the virtue of charity, a Christian virtue that did not appear among the virtues recognized by Aristotle. There are other elements of his account that situate it in an interesting way in the transition from ancient eudaimonist accounts of virtue, to virtue as it appears in the modern era, before it recedes from prominence in ethical theory.

But to the extent Christian writers allied themselves with Plato and Aristotle, they were downplaying another central element in Christian thought and morality, the emphasis on agapic love. Such love seems to be a matter of motivationally active feeling rather than of being rational, and some writers on morality (eventually) allowed this side of Christianity to have a major influence on what they had to say about virtue.

Significant elements of the Aristotelian account of justice reappear in Aquinas’. First, justice is first and foremost a virtue of character rather than institutions, although Aquinas draws a distinction among such virtues not found in Aristotle. For Aquinas, justice as a virtue is a matter of perfection of the will, rather than the passions (ST II-II 58.4). Aquinas offers no account of justice as a virtue of societies or institutions, though he interprets the “general” sense of justice he borrows from Aristotle as being a matter of individual willing and action for the common good. “Particular” justice, which as in Aristotle’s account is most of his focus, has to do with relationships -- in particular but not limited to exchange -- between individuals as individuals (ST II-II 58.8).

Second, Aquinas grounds the norms for these exchanges in the ancient formula of Justinian, which hearkens back to Plato: justice is giving each his own. But his interpretation of this formula situates him astride a deep but subtle divide between ancient and modern thought. To some extent this effect is an upshot of his inheriting not only the Greek eudaimonist tradition, but also a Roman jurisprudential tradition in which notions like standing and right as claim (rather than, say, fairness) had begun to emerge (Porter 2016, p. 143). As a result, Aquinas’ synergistic account has some novel complications.

One major complication, relative to the ancient accounts, is that what is ours by right is a recognition of a kind of status, as an effect of the order among people ordained by God ( ST I-II 100.8). As Jean Porter points out, this establishes a normative standard for justice that does not grow out of the agent’s own perfection or eudaimonia (Porter 2016, p. 157). There are two significant follow-on implications.

First, the fabric of the eudaimonist approach to practical reasoning and life — inherited from the Greeks — begins to fray. For better or worse, on the Greek eudaimonist views (including here Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, and Epicurus) our reasons for action arise from our interest in a happy life. If the reason-giving nature of others arises from a different source, as this reading of Aquinas suggests, then practical reason seems to have a duality of ultimate sources, with the complications that kind of duality brings.

Second, this is the first step in the diminution of the theoretical significance of the virtues — a process that will not begin to be reversed until the middle of the 20th century. On Aristotle’s view, for example, the virtuous person sees reasons for acting that the non-virtuous do not (and that arguably are not there to be seen absent the effects of virtue — LeBar 2013; Berryman 2019). Virtue is no longer the normative epicenter of the theory, as it was for the Greeks. To the extent that this aspect of Aquinas’s view has virtue responsive to value or reasons that is accounted for in some way other than the work of virtue, it is the leading edge of process that will result in a much-reduced role for virtue in later ethical accounts

Hume is an excellent exemplar of this point, in both the Treatise and the Enquiries . Virtue, Hume maintains, is a matter of “some quality or character,” produced in one by “durable principles of the mind” ( T III.iii.I, p. 575). We deem such qualities virtues not, as on the ancient Greek view, because they conduce to the happiness of the person who has them, but because they have a “tendency to the good of mankind” or society. ( T III.iii.I). This service renders them pleasing to our “moral tastes:” our approbation, Hume tells us, has its source in “view of a character, which is naturally fitted to be useful to others, or to the person himself, or which is agreeable to others, or to the person himself” ( T III.iii.I, 591). We can think of that as the criterion some quality of character must have to be deemed a virtue. In consequence, what counts as virtuous is an upshot of, and not the source of, the normative foundations of this view.

By Hume’s time the content of justice as a virtue has shifted as well. In Hume’s treatment, the focus of justice is property — relations of “mine and thine.” It is a “cautious, jealous” virtue in the sense that it is focused on the sorts of exclusionary powers that are characteristic of property rules and relations. We may always be aspiring for more but justice aims at the preservation and security of what one has already ( E III.1, p. 184). So the virtue of justice, as Hume thinks of it, will in the main consist of a quality in one which disposes one to observe and uphold these rules.

What Hume wants to show is, first, that we can have such a disposition or quality (that is, that it is possible for us to have a quality or character to observe the rules of justice), and, second, that such a quality would count as a virtue, given his criteria. His approach to these questions in the Treatise is framed by a problem he has set up himself. To appreciate that problem, we have to step back to Hume’s broader view about moral motivation. Hume had argued that moral principles “are not conclusions of our reason” ( T III.i.I); instead, they are “more properly felt than judg’d of” ( T III.i.II). Morality, and virtue, is a matter of sentiments or passions. Why? Hume marshals a number of arguments to this effect which are not relevant to our purposes. The basic reason is that the functional roles of reason and the passions are markedly different, in Hume’s view. The task of reason is to discover truth or falsehood, in “relations of ideas” or “matters of facts” ( T III.i.I); as such, it utterly lacks the capacity to move us to action. Only the passions can do that ( T II.iii.III). The passions, on the other hand, have no representational content whatsoever; they are “original existences” ( T II.iii.III; III.i.I). Virtue is paradigmatically a practical matter: it is a property of what we do, and to act we must be motivated. That means any successful account of virtue must find it in our passions, not in any aspect of our reason ( T III.i.I). So far so good.

However, when we come to justice, we look in vain for a passion that can supply motive power for us to act justly. If anything, our natural motives move us away from justice ( T III.ii.II). Self-love requires “correcting and restraining” ( T III.ii.I). And only a passion can do that. But which? Hume himself dismisses the possibilities of public or private beneficence or universal love. In the end he concludes that there is no natural passion to explain it. Instead, it is in a certain crucial sense artificial ( T III.ii.VI). Under certain conditions, given that we are sensible of the advantages of living in human society, our self-love or self-interest may be given an “alteration of its direction,” and induce us to respect the rules of justice. These Hume thinks of primarily as involving honesty and “particular” property rules ( T III.ii.II). That “alteration” needs explanation.

Two facts about the conditions in which we act — one about us, one about our environment — set this alteration in motion. First, Hume maintains, we are limited in our generosity or benevolence. And second, we live in conditions of scarcity ( T III.ii.II). We have to work to make a go of it, and we cannot count on others to do so for us. We need control of our world to meet our needs, but we are vulnerable to the selfishness and predation of others.

The solution, Hume argues, is that we naturally fall into a “convention” by which we observe that rules of property — the observance of which is key to the virtue of justice — is good for all of us. This convention is no formal agreement; Hume argues that it cannot be something like the product of promise or compact ( T III.ii.II). Instead, “it arises gradually, and acquires force by a slow progression, and by our repeated experience of the inconveniences of transgressing it” ( T III.ii.II, p. 490). Much as two men pulling the oars in a boat together need no explicit agreement to find they prosper by such an arrangement, so do we generally. (Wilson 2018 explores support for Hume’s hypothesis through work in experimental economics.) So in the end it is self-interest that drives us to comply with the requirements of justice, though Hume adds that sympathy with the public interest induces our endorsement of it once justice has become established. This endorsement, however, is reserved for a scheme of property rules taken generally; as Hume observes, individual instances of compliance may frequently be “contrary to public interest,” though such compliance is still required of us. Hume believes the benefit of the system overall, both to society and to individual, requires that rules not admit of exceptions ( T III.ii.II, E Appendix III, §256). Self-interest accounts for the possibility of our being motivated to act as the virtue of justice requires, and both the utility and the agreeableness, both to ourselves and others, of a resulting social order with respected property rules, leads to our approbation of that motivation as a virtue.

In fact, this point — that “public utility is the sole origin of justice” — is the point of Hume’s discussion of justice in the Enquiries (III.I, ¶145). Scarcity imposes a need for us to distinguish mine from thine, and we have not sufficient generosity in our natures to do without property rules (as we might, say, in our families). And once again Hume argues that our recognition of the utility and necessity of justice provides “entire command over our sentiments” ( E III.II, ¶163).As David Johnston observes (Johnston 2011, p. 138), Hume’s understanding of the value of justice as instrumental in the promotion of utility marks a sharp shift from earlier understandings which invoked various forms of reciprocity in understanding that value.

Such a sentimentalist account of justice is also found in Adam Smith; in fact, a focus on the sentiments almost completely swamps concern for virtue. Our judgments of virtue and vice, he says, are compounded by consideration of two different “relations” in a sentiment: “the cause or object which excites or causes it, and … the end which it proposes” (TMS II.i.introduction). His focus on those two “relations” obviates any independent discussion of virtue per se. He does however explicitly countenance a virtue of justice, developed in contrast with the virtue of beneficence. In Smith, even more clearly than in Hume, one can see that this virtue consists in conformity to “rules” or “laws” of justice that appear to exist antecedently to the realization of the virtue itself, unlike ancient accounts. Smith indicates that justice merits resentment when absent, that it may be “extorted by force,” and that in the main it requires forbearing from harming others.. Smith calls justice a “negative virtue” in this respect: often all it requires is that we sit still and do nothing (Smith 1759, II.ii.I.5, 9). It is essential to the subsistence of society, Smith tells us (Smith 1759, II.ii.3.3-4), but — in contrast to Hume — is not reducible in its motivational basis to regard for society. Instead, our just concern for “multitudes” is compounded of our concern for individuals, which arises from “fellow-feeling,” which is yet short of “love, esteem, and affection” (Smith 1759, II.ii.3.7).

In Kant, finally, along with a movement away from sentimentalism we see the completion of the distinction between justice as a virtue and justice as a norm to which a virtue may or may not correspond. While Kant has a theory (or “doctrine”) of virtue, he distinguishes that theory precisely against a counterpoised theory of justice. The two are complementary elements in the “metaphysics of morals.” Moreover, the doctrine of justice itself has two parts, roughly corresponding to the distinction present since Plato’s work, between the role of justice in the individual and the role of justice in the state. Kant calls these “private right” and “public right,” respectively. But right in either case is not how Kant at least conceives of virtue; instead, right is a “condition” that can obtain between the moral agents comprising a moral or legal community, in virtue of their principles of choice in acting (Kant 1797). Little remains here of the notion of justice as a virtue of individuals as it began with the ancient Greeks.

20th-century developmental psychology drew deeply on the Kantian legacy. Piaget (1932/1948) treated moral development as principally involving increasing cognitive sophistication. More particularly, Piaget saw that sophistication as a matter of taking more and more general or universal views of moral issues, and endorsed the Kantian and rationalist idea that morality rests on and can be justified in terms of considerations of justice. Piaget saw a “law of evolution” in moral development, from an understanding of rules (including moral rules) as being “heteronomous” impositions of authority, to which one is objectively responsible, to a grounding in mutual respect, accompanied by subjective responsibility to others (Piaget 1932/1948, p. 225). This transition is fostered through social interaction, and attention to norms of equality and reciprocity replace those of mere obedience.

Educational psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg was inspired by Piaget to propose a conception of moral development that postulated six stages of human moral development. In his earliest work, Kohlberg identified the highest stage of such development with a concern for justice and human rights based on universal principles. Concern for relationships and for individual human well-being was embedded in a framework of conformity to social norms, at lower stages of the process. Moreover, he saw the ordering of the different stages in Piagetian fashion as basically reflecting differences in rational understanding: those whose moral thinking involved the invoking of universal principles of justice and rights were thought to show a more advanced cognitive development than those whose moral thought appeals primarily to the importance of relationships and of human well-being or suffering. The paradigm of moral development involves judgments that are “reversible,” in the sense that each party to the issue can accept the correct judgment by reversing his or her perspective and taking up the viewpoint of the other (Kohlberg 1981). The sophisticated moral reasoner will engage in a process of “moral musical chairs,” taking up the positions of the parties to the conflict successively. It is, on this version of Kohlberg’s thought, that formal feature of the deliberative process that is characteristic of greatest moral development. As his research and thought progressed, however, Kohlberg increasingly acknowledged that these formal features were less characteristic of overall moral development and thought than of the deployment of specifically justice-based concepts. In fact, Kohlberg was impressed by the work of Rawls, and thought that the nature of Rawls’ “original position of equality” exemplified the kind of reversibility that is paradigmatic of the highest form of moral thought (Kohlberg 1981, p. 204). However, his approach treats utilitarianism as less cognitively advanced (more primitive) than rationalist views like Kant’s, and utilitarians (like R.M. Hare) naturally called into question the objectivity and intellectual fairness of Kohlberg’s account.

More significantly, perhaps, the evidence for Kohlberg’s stage sequence was drawn from studies of boys, and when one applies the sequence to the study of young girls, it turns out that girls on average end up at a less advanced stage of moral development than boys do. In her 1982 book In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development , Carol Gilligan responded to Kohlberg’s views by questioning whether a theory of moral development based solely on a sample of males could reasonably be used to draw conclusions about the inferior moral development of women. Gilligan argued that her own studies of women’s development indicated that the moral development of girls and women proceeds and ends in a different fashion from that of boys and men, but that that proves nothing about inferiority or superiority: it is merely a fact of difference. In particular, Gilligan claimed that women tend to think morally in terms of connection to others (relationships) and in terms of caring about (responsibility for) those with whom they are connected; men, by contrast and in line with Kohlberg’s studies, tend to think more in terms of general principles of justice and of individual rights against (or individual autonomy from) other people. But Jean Hampton, among others, responded that Gilligan’s critique was itself a distortion, and that concerns for justice and individual rights are as significant for and in the moral lives of women as for men (Hampton 1993).

In recent years, a variety of social sciences have intensified investigation into aspects of our natures that are plausibly important for a virtue of justice. For example, Widlok 2018 surveys cross-cultural anthropological work examining the development of “ethical skill” in rightful and just sharing practices.

For a variety of reasons, many ethical thinkers have thought that justice cannot be based in sentiment but requires a more intellectually constructive rational(ist) basis, and in recent times this view of the matter seems to have been held, most influentially, by John Rawls in A Theory of Justice . Rawls makes clear his belief in the inadequacy of benevolence or sympathetic human sentiment in formulating an adequate conception of social justice. He says in particular that sentiment leaves unanswered or indeterminate various important issues of justice that a good theory of justice ought to be able to resolve.

Rawls’s positive view of justice is concerned primarily with the justice of institutions or (what he calls) the “basic structure” of society: justice as an individual virtue is derivative from justice as a social virtue defined via certain principles of justice. The principles, famously, are derived from an “original position” in which (very roughly) rational contractors under a “veil of ignorance” decide how they wish to commit themselves to being governed in their actual lives. Rawls deliberately invokes Kantian rationalism (or anti-sentimentalism) in explaining the intellectual or theoretical motivation behind his construction, and the two principles of justice that he argues would be agreed upon under the contractual conditions he specifies represent a kind of egalitarian political liberalism. Roughly, those principles stress (equality of) basic liberties and opportunities for self-advancement over considerations of social welfare, and the distribution of opportunities and goods in society is then supposed to work to the advantage of all (especially the worst-off members of society). He also says that the idea of what people distributively deserve or merit is derivative from social justice rather than (as with Aristotle and/or much common-sense thinking) providing the basis for thinking about social justice.

According to Rawls, individual justice is theoretically derivative from social justice because the just individual is to be understood as someone with an effective or “regulative” desire to comply with the principles of justice. However, it is not merely social justice that Rawls understands in (predominantly) rationalist fashion. When he explains how individuals (within a just society) develop a sense and/or the virtue of justice, he invokes the work of Piaget. Rawls lays more stress than Piaget does on the role our affective nature (sympathy and the desire for self-mastery) plays in the acquisition of moral virtue. But, like Piaget, he stresses the need for a sufficiently general appreciation and rational understanding of social relations as the grounding basis of a sense of duty or of justice and he explicitly classifies his account of moral development as falling within the “rationalist tradition.”

4. Justice and Other Virtues

Few would doubt that justice is a virtue of character. But there are other moral virtues. How is justice related to them? Is it more important? Even in Republic , in which Plato makes justice a “master virtue” of sorts, there are other virtues (wisdom, courage, and self-discipline), and elsewhere (notably Gorgias ) Plato makes self-discipline ( sophrosune ) the “master virtue,” so it is not clear that justice has any sort of priority over these other virtues. Likewise, though the texts we have show Aristotle devoting more space to justice, it is not clear that the particular form of the virtue of justice has any sort of pre-eminence. On the other hand, Cicero claims that justice is the “crowning glory” of the virtues ( De Officiis I.7). If we take virtue of character to have the moral centrality the ancients (perhaps in contrast to the moderns), how much importance should we accord to justice among the virtues?

Aquinas cites Cicero as a target in developing a sophisticated view of the relationships among the virtues ( ST II-II 58.12). On Aquinas’ view, Cicero is half right, for Aquinas distinguishes between virtues as responsive to appetites of our animal nature (moral virtues) and as responsive to appetites of our intellect (virtues of the will). He takes it that justice is preeminent over the moral virtues because it inheres in the rational part of the soul, and because its object is more noble (the good of others, or the common good, rather than the individual good). On that point he can agree with Cicero. However, these virtues themselves are not as excellent as the theological virtues, of which the greatest is love (or charity -- caritas; ST II-II 23.6). There are several arguments for this claim but it is grounded in Paul’s admonition to the Corinthians, that love is the greatest among the virtues of faith and hope (1 Corinthians 13:13).

In recent decades there have been secular challenges to the primacy of justice among virtues. Recall that Carol Gilligan had argued for a “different voice” for women in coming to grips with moral problems. Instead of a rights-based understanding of morality that gave special consideration to the individual, women saw relationships between people as primary (Gilligan 1983, pp. 19, 29). Kohlberg had offered a thought experiment about a man (“Heinz”) tempted to steal a life-saving drug to save his sick wife (Kohlberg 1981, p. 12). Whereas boys are more likely to think of Heinz’ dilemma in terms of what is the right thing to do, girls, Gilligan argues, see the world as “a world of relationships and psychological truths where an awareness of the connection between people gives rise to a recognition of responsibility for one another” (Gillian 1983, p. 30). Gilligan carefully frames this contrast as one between voices, not a matter of ranking of dispositions or virtues, but her work can and did provide a basis for making that sort of assessment between virtues, one on which (as in Aquinas’ case) love and care for others turns out to be more important than considerations of justice.

In some ways, Nel Nodding’s pioneering work in laying out an “ethic of care” takes such a step. Following Gilligan, she sees much ethical theory as missing a feminine voice, one which grounds moral concern for the concrete other in caring for them and their needs, and thus as relational rather than individualistic (Noddings 1983, 1999). Yet some caution is required before seeing her as taking up something like a Thomistic stance on the priority of love over justice. For one thing, to a significant degree she wants to emphasize the importance of the concrete and particular as opposed to the abstract and general (or the reliance on universal principles) in thinking and acting morally. But that is an emphasis which animates some particularistic forms of virtue ethics, and does not distinguish justice from love or other virtues. Moreover, where she explicitly argues that care “‘picks up’ where justice leaves off” (Noddings 1999, p. 12), she is thinking of justice as a property of institutions (e.g. Rawls’ theory of justice as fairness), and institutional implementations of those theories, not a virtue of character. She is clearly concerned about the limits of “rights-talk,” but that at least historically has not been a prominent part in thinking about justice as a virtue of character. Thus she does not clearly take a side in this matter.

Like Noddings, Virginia Held frames much of the point of the ethics of care against a historical theoretical backdrop of attention to justice (Held 1995, 2004, 2006). To some extent, like Noddings, for Held the relevant notion of justice is not a virtue of character but a concern with fairness, equality, and individual rights, or perhaps more generally impartial universal principles (Held 2004, p. 144; 2006, p. 14). In fact, Held more clearly poses an ethics of care as an alternative to virtue ethics (Held 2004, 143; 2006, 14). This is for two reasons. First, virtue ethical theories focus on dispositions and traits of individuals, whereas an ethics of care focuses on relations between individuals. Second, an ethics of care sees people as partially constituted by their relations with others, as opposed to the individualism characteristic of virtue ethics. Held does not think an ethics of care can do without a concern for justice as a value, however (Held 1995, 129). More generally, she believes, caring provides a “wider network” within which concerns for justice and virtue (as well as utility) should be fitted (2004, 147; 2006, 72). Margaret McLaren (2001), on the other hand, responds on the basis of commonalities between care ethics and virtue ethics that care ethics actually is most attractive when situated as an ethics of virtue. Marilyn Friedman (1987) similarly seems accepting of the general framework of virtue ethics, and of crucial places for virtues of both caring and justice within such a framework, responsive to different degrees and in different ways to gender differences she believes actually do hold, though not falling along a caring/justice fault line.

Michael Slote also accepts care ethics as well-situated as a virtue ethical theory, but argues for the necessity of conceiving such a theory as “agent-based” -- holding that motivation or motives are “the ultimate bases for evaluation of action, institutions, laws, and societies” (Slote 1998, p. 173). As he has developed his view, empathic motivation has come to take an increasing role (Slote 2010, p. 124). As with Noddings and Held, for Slote the relevant questions about justice are about forms of social organization, the allocation of rights, and so on. If there is a vestige of the Platonic/Justinian model of justice as a virtue, it would appear to figure in only as a rationale for the shape of some social policies reflecting e.g. social (or perhaps global) distributive justice. But empathy is the focal normative concern throughout. The justice of a society constitutively depends on the motives of the individuals who make it up (Slote 1998, p. 187; 2010, p. 128). If the relevant motives are caring or empathic ones, then Slote’s analysis would seem to collapse the distinction between caring and justice as virtues of individual character (or motivation). That is, individuals would count as just exactly to the degree that their motivations are empathic, and they thus contribute to the laws, policies, institutions, and so on in ways that are reflective of similar motivations across society. But that is just to say that they are caring motivations as well.

A somewhat different feminist critique of a focus on a virtue of justice comes from Robin Dillon. Like Slote, her concern is more with social institutions, structures, and hierarchies than with traits of character, and in fact these priorities lead her to be critical of virtue ethical theories which, she believes, cannot ask the right questions about virtues and vices (Dillon 2012, p. 86). However, she does accept the point that character traits matter, though she believes attending to the vices that allow and support social structures that allow for oppression and domination is more pertinent to feminist moral philosophy.

Lisa Tessman, on the other hand, accepts the basic framework of Aristotelian thinking about virtues of character, and with it the virtue of justice (Tessman 2005). However, she argues that oppressive social conditions can interfere in ways Aristotle did not anticipate with the formation of virtues of character and consequently (given Aristotle’s framework) with prospects for happiness (eudaimonia). One point of amendment, then, to Aristotelian thought is to recognize that oppressive social conditions may make other traits — traits that are important for liberatory struggle — into virtues. Another, congruent with other lines of feminist critique, is that Aristotle is insufficiently appreciative of the need for sensitivity to and response to suffering, so that something like the kind of supplementation recommended by care ethics is appropriate. A different model of response to the development of the virtue of justice specifically under non-ideal or unjust social conditions, one modeled on Kohlberg’s original architectonic understanding of the virtue, is defended by Jon Garthoff (Garthoff 2018).

Finally, in recent work Talbot Brewer has argued that a “revisionist” version of Aristotelian virtue ethics does a better job than competitors (including Kantian and contractualist theories) at recognizing the “irreplaceable value” of each human being (Brewer 2018). Brewer believes that a robust conception of the virtue of justice does important work for such a theory, not just focusing on distribution and allocation, but more generally establishing the space for virtuous recognition of ways that others can demand that we treat them (Brewer 2018, p. 25). Still, Brewer invokes Aquinas to argue that such justice is not enough, that that what is required is a recognition of a virtue of love to unify and perfect the other virtues of character.

While Rawls’ work has sparked an explosion of work in distributive justice and social justice more generally, in recent years a variety of strategies to return to a focus on justice as a personal virtue has emerged. These strategies vary across both dimensions we have considered, taking with various degrees of seriousness the connection between institutional and personal forms of justice, and focusing on the latter as a virtue, among (and like) other virtues.

One such strategy is that of Jon Drydyk, who builds on the “capability approach” to human welfare to make a case for a capabilities-based account of the justice of individual agents, in particular as against an “Aristotelian” approach that stresses justice as a matter of response to merit. Acting justly involves “striving to reduce and remove inequalities in people’s capabilities to function in ways that are elemental” to a truly human life (Drydyk 2012, pp. 31, 33). This is a “subsidiary” virtue account, in that we begin with a prior conception of the content of the requirements of justice, and conform the virtue to this conception. However, Drydyk emphasizes justice as a virtue of individuals, rather than institutions or societies. Drydyk’s strategy offers a counterpoint both to the Rawlsian way of thinking about just societies and to the ancient Greek way of thinking about justice as a virtue of individuals.

John Hacker-Wright argues that what is needed to replace a “legalistic” concern with moral status (as on modern liberal conceptions of justice) is instead an ethic of virtue with a different conception of the virtue of justice. Instead of a concern for the resolution of claims in something like reciprocal, contractual relations, Hacker-Wright’s conception of the virtue of justice is a matter of sensitivity to “vulnerability of value” in things, animate and otherwise. Thus, the threat of unjust — vicious -- wronging hangs not only over people who are sufficiently cognitively impaired so as not to perceive insults, but also corpses, animals, and even rare and valuable rock formations (p. 463). This counts as a sense of justice in that, on Hacker-Wright’s view it is not merely that we can act wrongly or viciously toward such entities, but (following Midgley 1983) that they can be wronged by us by our doing so. However, while Hacker-Wright claims that on a virtue ethic “The character of the agent is recognized as ineliminable in picking out facts as they figure in our moral deliberation,” this does not strictly speaking seem to be true, as prior to virtue there is value which it is up to the just or virtuous person to respond with sensitivity (Hacker-Wright 2007, pp. 461, 463, 464).

David Schmidtz and John Thrasher suggest rethinking the relationship between social justice and individual justice (Schmidtz and Thrasher 2014). Turning Plato’s account of justice in Republic on its head, they depict justice as a bridge between a virtue of the soul and of the polis : because we are essentially social, we need community, and justice is a matter of harmony with the community. On their view this is (largely) a matter of compliance with rules and institutions that enable people to live in harmony and flourish together.

An alternative proposal for thinking of the justice as a personal virtue ties it intimately to the experiences we have as emotional creatures. On this approach, instead of justice standing as distinct from “natural virtues” motivated by passions (as on Hume’s account), or needing to be replaced by sentimentally-driven attitudes such as care or compassion, justice is to be seen as a virtue largely constituted by emotion (Solomon 1994, Roberts 2010). The virtue amounts to a stable disposition of character to respond in the relevant ways to instances of injustice, perhaps consisting in those occasions in which one does not receive his or her due, and on the other hand to be disposed to a “will to give each his due” (Roberts 2010, p. 38). For Roberts, this is a will to realize “objective justice,” and as on other recent accounts, the virtue (and the passion) are theoretically subsidiary to this primary notion of “objective justice.”

There are also recent ventures in the spirit of the ancient Greek thinking about the individual virtue of justice. Rasmussen and Den Uyl (2005) argue for two interpersonal senses of justice (pp. 160-63). One is the familiar Aristotelian virtue. The second is a “metanormative” principle governing the institutions and legal frameworks in which individual agents (just and otherwise) live their lives and exercise their practical agency. The second of these senses of interpersonal justice does not draw its content from the exercise of virtue, but rather makes a place for it. The former does depend on virtue overall (including the exercise of practical wisdom) for its demands, but these are construed broadly in the traditional way of rendering to each his due. Bloomfield (2011) similarly suggests extending the Aristotelian virtue of justice, but in an inward direction, arguing that self-respect is necessary for happiness, and treating oneself fairly requires treating oneself fairly, as one treats others fairly, as a property of justice as individuals.

On the other hand, Wolterstorff (2008) argues that the eudaimonism of Greek thought prevents a proper appreciation for the nature and significance of justice and rights. Whether there is theoretical space remaining for a virtue of justice is not a question Wolterstorff considers, but he does believe there is no hope for an adequate grip on justice in an Aristotelian or Stoic framework.

Recent thinkers have grappled with the question of priority between formal principle and virtue that vexed Aristotle, and offered solutions that for the most part subordinate the virtue of justice to the prior notion of the justice of distributions, as Aristotle himself seems to have suggested. Bernard Williams claims explicitly that this is so (Williams 1980, p. 197), as does David Wiggins, in an attempt to bring a “pre-liberal,” Aristotelian conception of justice to bear on modern liberal conceptions, a la Kant and Rawls (Wiggins 2004). To do so, Wiggins distinguishes three senses of justice: (A) a matter of outcomes or states of affairs in which each gets what is due; (B) a disposition to promote justice (A); (C) a condition of the polis in virtue of which (A) is realized. Wiggins claims that the proper outcome of this collision of conceptions is one that recognizes a form of logical priority of justice (A) over justice (B) (p. 489). At the same time, against Williams he insists that the normative demands of justice (A) are “comprehensible” only within the perspective of a person with justice (B). And in fact he claims that a necessary condition on acts and outcomes satisfying the norms of justice (A) is that they be recognized to be so by those with the virtue of justice (B). Wiggins’ thinking here is not transparent, but perhaps the thought is that the logical point is purely formal: someone with justice (B) must, in act or judging justly, be responding to some norm which counts as justice (A). But, as merely formal, that tells us nothing about the substantive content of that norm. To get that, we have ineliminable need to refer to the judgment of the person with justice (B). That marks a way perhaps of restoring Aristotle’s focus on virtue in coming to understand the virtue of justice.

LeBar (2013, 2014) takes a similar tack in attempting to incorporate Kantian and post-Kantian insights into just demands on the treatment of others into an Aristotelian virtue framework. On his view, there is no way to specify the contents of the demands of justice, or to spell out its norms, independently of the wider possession and exercise of the virtues, including the virtue of practical wisdom. At the same time, what the virtuous and just person sees, in inhabiting a social world with equals in moral standing, are the norms which have become associated with the liberal conception: the standing to obligate others and hold them accountable, for example.

Finally, all of these are Western treatments of an individual virtue of justice. May Sim (Sim 2007, 2018) makes the case that there are informative parallels between the Confucian treatment of the virtues (in particular, yi) and the virtue of justice as adumbrated in Plato and Aristotle.

There are many different conceptions of the virtue of justice, and only some of them are distinctively virtue ethical. Many non-virtual ethical approaches put forward theories of virtue, and what distinguishes them from virtue ethics is that the given theory of virtue comes later in the order of explanation, rather than itself serving as the basis for understanding (all of) morality. This is especially the case with justice, where (as we have seen) it is naturally tempting to account for the norms of justice first and derive an account of the virtue in light of those norms. The question of the priority of norms of justice or the virtue of justice is likely to continue to generate exploration and debate, as is the question of how our lives as social and political animals contributes to understanding the virtue of justice. These vexed questions have inspired a profusion of views and no doubt will continue to do so.

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Criminal Justice Guide for Graduate Students
Write a Reflective Essay

Criminal Justice Guide for Graduate Students: Write a Reflective Essay

Introduction
Select Topic/Find Policy Resources
Find Articles and Books
Evaluate Sources
Find Data/Statistics
Write a Literature Review
Write a Thesis
Use APA Style
Instructor Teaching and Learning Resources

Writing a Reflective Essay

A reflective essay is a critical examination of a life experience. For students pursuing a Master of Science in Criminal Justice with a Concentration in Theory and Research, a reflective essay means writing about connections between experiences and theoretical concepts learned, and considering future implications. Below are some resources that may help students understand how to write a reflective essay.

Reflective writing articles and websites

Scheidegger, A. R. (2020). Incorporating reflective writing into criminal justice courses. Reflective Practice, 21(1), 122-131. If you want to understand WHY reflective essays are powerful learning tools, this essay will explain. In the process of explaining the WHY, the article also helps to demystify HOW to write a reflective essay.
USC Libraries Research Guides -- Writing a Reflective Paper
Critical Reflection by University of Waterloo -- Writing and Communication Centre
The Purpose of Reflection: Why is Reflection Important in the Writing Classroom? by Purdue University Department of English
A Complete Guide to Writing a Reflective Essay - -Oxbridge Essays

Reflective writing videos

Reflective writing books

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Next: Write a Thesis >>

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Guide to the master’s essay in criminal justice

A master's essay is a scholarly paper demonstrating a student's understanding of the issues and research surrounding a particular topic in criminology and criminal justice. The essay follows the completion of all coursework and is guided by a faculty advisor. The finished product is an essay that displays a thorough understanding and mastery of the research topic.

After consultation with your faculty essay advisor, you should submit the master's essay form to the academic services officer, who will then complete an override allowing you to register for three essay credits (CRJ 7999).

Choosing an essay topic and advisor

Students choosing the essay option should approach a faculty member regarding essay advising the semester prior to beginning work on the essay. Choose up to three areas of criminology/criminal justice that you would like to investigate in-depth. You will eventually choose only one and narrow that topic in consultation with your essay advisor. Think about topics in your classes that interest you and begin reading articles and books on the topics.

Knowledge of current research in the area will help you narrow your topic and present a more coherent proposal to prospective advisors. Students who wish to pursue a topic on which they have had no coursework should consider working with a faculty member on the topic through a Directed Study (CRJ 7990) before beginning the essay.

Contact a faculty member whose area of specialization most closely matches your preferred topic. Describe your plans and ask if he or she would be willing to work with you on the project. If he or she accepts, you will begin negotiating the terms of the essay. After submitting your essay form you will be able to register for CRJ 7999 for three credits. If the faculty member declines, contact another professor or begin the process again with a different topic. Students unsure of whom to approach should consult with the graduate director regarding potential faculty advisors.

The essay advisor-student relationship is an agreement between the student and the faculty member. You will negotiate the topic, scope, approximate length, due dates, and any other aspects of the essay deemed necessary.

Writing your essay

Researching and writing the essay typically requires students' complete commitment without other coursework for at least one full semester. Follow the plan agreed upon with your essay advisor. Keep in contact, letting your advisor know of your progress, difficulties, and successes. Work on the essay requires intensive research and writing, revision, and refinement. Follow the American Psychological Association (APA) style guidelines for formatting your essay. The essay is complete when the essay advisor determines that the finished product displays a thorough understanding and mastery of the research topic and is of sufficient quality to warrant the awarding of a master's degree.

You must receive a grade of B- or better on the essay.

Important deadlines/submitting your essay

Be sure to apply for your degree on Academica by no later than the fourth week of classes in the semester you expect to complete your essay.

Check with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (313-577-5188) regarding their deadline for submission of the essay . Then contact your essay advisor to determine his/her deadline, allowing sufficient time for him/her to read and grade the essay by the college deadline. The deadline is usually several weeks before the end of the semester, so you must work with your advisor to plan your timeline accordingly.

Make sure your essay conforms to the American Psychological Association (APA) style guidelines.

Make sure your essay's format, binding and cover page conform to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences guidelines for the master's essay .

Submit two copies of your essay (one for the college and one for the department) to your essay advisor.

Your essay advisor will grade your essay.

Other resources

If you have difficulties with your writing, you may want to work with a copy editor or visit The Writing Center .

The department recommends the following book as a guide to writing an essay: W.A. Johnson, Rettig, R.P., Scott, G.M., and Garrison, S.M. (2005). The Criminal Justice Student Writer's Manual (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Sample essays are available for review by arrangement with the academic services officer at 313-577-0772.

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Community Justice: An Essay

The concept of community justice involves a basic rethinking of the justice model to make justice more responsive to and more inviting of the community being served; thus, it is not a special project attached to the everyday operations of the formal justice system.

Community justice can be illustrated by means of a scenario involving the fictional inner-city neighborhood of Jackson Heights (JH). JH consists of about 100 square blocks that contain public housing complexes, a small business section, and a public school complex. The JH Community Justice Center (CJC) is located across the street from the police precinct and is operated by a nonprofit organization. It operates varied programs, including crime prevention, recreation, victim awareness, offender community service, after-school activities, and dispute settlement. These project operate through partnerships with existing organizations and citizen volunteers. The CJC provides assessment and structured supervision services for all offenders in JH. Offenders must take responsibility for the offense, perform restitution and symbolic acts to undo the effects of the offense on the victim and the community, and make affirmative actions that give other citizens a reason to believe that the offender's crimes will not recur. The victim has a central role, but has less burdensome tasks. The community clarifies local standards. The CJC assists victims, offenders, and communities in performing their tasks. The CJC also works closely with the criminal justice system. This scenario is only one of several options; all involve a professional organization, a participating community, a sympathetic justice system, sufficient crime to make the arrangement financially feasible, and imagination and a willingness to experiment. 1 reference

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Essays About Justice: Top 5 Examples And 7 Prompts
Countries have different ways of instilling justice within their societies. For this prompt, research and discuss the countries you think have the best and worst legal systems. Then, point out how these differences affect the country's crime rates and quality of life for its citizens. 7. Obstructions to Justice.
Essays on Justice
Justice is not only an essential human aspiration but also a basic prerequisite for any society to function normally. Justice essay topics are very broad - some of the subtopics found in this category include: social justice, restorative and retributive justice, justice in various literature or pop culture works, justice systems in various countries, various topics in criminal justice (e.g ...
Essay on Justice
500 Words Essay on Justice Introduction. Justice is a multifaceted concept that provides the fundamental basis for a harmonious and equitable society. It is the cornerstone upon which legal systems, ethical theories, and social contracts are built. At its core, justice is about fairness, impartiality, and the equitable distribution of rights ...
8 Tips For Writing A Social Justice Essay
Freewriting is a good exercise because it helps you decide if there's any substance to a topic or if it's clear there's not enough material for a full essay. #2. Sharpen your topic's focus. The best essays narrow on a specific social justice topic and sharpen its focus, so it says something meaningful and interesting.
PDF FIVE STEPS TO WRITING EFFECTIVELY ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE
AL JUSTICE:(Note: Order may vary, depending on genre. The below steps are organized for nonfiction persuasive writing, but wil. trigger ideas and. larify thinking for other genres.) Brainstorm widely. Sometimes what you alread. think you know well is most difficult to write about.Don't limit yourself to topi.
12 Angry Men: Sample essays (justice/jurors)
Sample Plan/Essay. Topic: "This is one of the reasons we are strong.". Through his play, Twelve Angry Men, Reginald Rose suggest that the judicial system has more strengths than it does flaws. In an era when America was attempting to find her identity and heal divisions wrought by Cold War hostilities, Reginald Rose, in his didactic play ...
150 Social Justice Essay Topics & Examples
Social justice essays are an excellent tool for demonstrating your awareness of the current issues in society. Inequality in society should be addressed, and social justice advocates are at the forefront of such initiatives. Everyone should be able to achieve their goals and dreams if they put in the effort, assuming of course that reaching ...
How to Write A Social Justice Essay (Even If You're Not Political
Here are three questions to ask yourself to help you write a social justice essay. 1) How and when have I tried to be inclusive of others? Inclusion is an important element of working towards equitable social outcomes, whether it happens at a policy level, or at school with your peers. Have you made an effort to incorporate people from ...
10 Tips for Writing a Human Rights Essay
5. Create sub-headings for the body of your essay. Regardless of the length of your essay, you should divide the body of your essay into paragraphs and/or brief chapters. Each paragraph or chapter should have an overarching theme, something that unites your sentences. It could be a whole argument, a certain issue, or a group of examples aimed ...
Inspiring human rights essays everybody should know
King's letter is a reminder for all human rights professionals that the road to human rights practice is not easy and is not always black and white. As an essay addressing one of the most fundamental and long-standing human rights issues, racial inequality, this letter is an inspiring and historical reminder for all human rights professionals.
How to Start an Essay: Tips for Writing a Strong Introduction
Quotes: Starting with a relevant quote can add authority and context to your essay. For example, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," is a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. that can be used to establish a powerful moral tone for an essay on social justice.
673 Justice Topic Ideas to Write about & Essay Samples
1 This is a classless principle calling for justice equality promoting mutual understanding; nevertheless, taken the way it is, this principle would confuse people on some issues and this is why Rawls compliments it with […] We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts.
104 Criminal Justice Essay Topic Ideas & Examples
To help you get started, here are 104 criminal justice essay topic ideas and examples: The evolution of criminal justice systems over the years. The role of technology in modern law enforcement. The impact of media on public perception of criminal justice. The relationship between poverty and crime rates.
Principles of Justice and Fairness
Principles of justice and fairness are also central to procedural, retributive, and restorative justice. Such principles are supposed to ensure procedures that generate unbiased, consistent, and reliable decisions. Here the focus is on carrying out set rules in a fair manner so that a just outcome might be reached.
On the Connection Between Law and Justice
that justice is only a judgment about law or has offered no reason to support a conclusion that justice is somehow part of law. This Essay attempts to reason toward such a conclusion, arguing that justice is an inherent component of the law and not separate or distinct from it. Given the history of the topic, I start with a disclaimer.
Social Justice Essays
Prompt Samples for Crafting a Social Justice Essay. Starting with the right prompt can set the tone for a powerful social justice essay. Prompts such as "Analyze the impact of systemic racism on education" or "Explore the role of social media in social justice movements" encourage critical thinking and provide a clear direction for your research and argumentation.
Opinion
The virtue of justice requires not only that we judge others fairly, but also that we judge ourselves fairly. This is no mean feat. The trouble is that if a person is a poor judge of him or ...
Essay Topics on Justice
Essay Topics on Justice. Clio has taught education courses at the college level and has a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction. Justice can be an incredibly tricky concept to unravel, yet it is at ...
How to Write an Essay Introduction
Step 1: Hook your reader. Step 2: Give background information. Step 3: Present your thesis statement. Step 4: Map your essay's structure. Step 5: Check and revise. More examples of essay introductions. Other interesting articles. Frequently asked questions about the essay introduction.
Justice as a Virtue
The notion of justice as a virtue began in reference to a trait of individuals, and to some extent remains so, even if today we often conceive the justice of individuals as having some (grounding) reference to social justice. But from the start, the focus on justice as a virtue faced pressures to diffuse, in two different ways.
Write a Reflective Essay
A reflective essay is a critical examination of a life experience. For students pursuing a Master of Science in Criminal Justice with a Concentration in Theory and Research, a reflective essay means writing about connections between experiences and theoretical concepts learned, and considering future implications.
Guide to the master's essay in criminal justice
A master's essay is a scholarly paper demonstrating a student's understanding of the issues and research surrounding a particular topic in criminology and criminal justice. The essay follows the completion of all coursework and is guided by a faculty advisor. The finished product is an essay that displays a thorough understanding and mastery of ...
Community Justice: An Essay
Community Justice: An Essay. The concept of community justice involves a basic rethinking of the justice model to make justice more responsive to and more inviting of the community being served; thus, it is not a special project attached to the everyday operations of the formal justice system.