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Criminal Justice Resources

This guide provides information on accessing Jacobs Library resources related to criminal justice, policing, and criminology. Find articles, web resources, books, and ebook resources related to criminal justice, policing, and criminology by navigating tab

Criminal Justice Web Resources

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives: U.S. Department of Justice law enforcement agency

Department of Homeland Security: U.S. department dedicated to securing the nation from threats

Department of Justice: federal executive department responsible for enforcement of law and administration of justice in the United States 

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): domestic intelligence community and security service of the United States

Justice Technology Information Center: information hub for the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center System for "evaluation, selection, and purchase of proven and tested methods, equipment, and technology."

National Criminal Justice Reference Service: "federally funded resource offering justice and drug-related information to support research, policy, and program development worldwide"

National Institute of Corrections: "the only federal agency with a legislative mandate (Public Law 93-41 5) to provide specialized services to corrections from a national perspective"

National Institute of Justice: the research, development and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice

Supreme Court of the United States: highest court in the United States, responsible for equal justice under law

United States Marshal Service: federal law enforcement agency

United States Secret Service: federal law enforcement agency for criminal investigations and protection of the nations leaders

Illinois Attorney General: the state's chief legal officer, responsible for protecting the public interest

Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority:  state agency of key state leaders addressing critical issues facing the criminal justice system

Illinois State Police: promoting public safety in Illinois; values: integrity, service, pride

Illinois Supreme Court: highest court in the State of Illinois

The Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences: international association fostering professional and scholarly actives

American Bar Association: supports the legal profession with practical resources for legal professionals while improving the administration of justice, accrediting law schools, establishing model ethical codes, and more.

American Academy of Forensic Sciences: multidisciplinary professional organization to advance science and its application to legal system; values: professionalism, integrity, competency, education, research, quality practice, and collaboration

American Civil Liberties Union: "founded to ensure the promise of the Bill of Rights and to expand its reach to people historically denied its protections"

American Correctional Association: "professional organization for all individuals and groups, both public and private that share a common goal of improving the justice system"

The American Society of Criminology: "international organization whose members pursue scholarly, scientific, and professional knowledge concerning the measurement, etiology, consequences, prevention, control, and treatment of crime and delinquency"

Illinois State Bar Association: assists Illinois lawyers in the practice of law and promotes improvements in the administration of justice

Midwestern Criminal Justice Association: regional association affiliated with the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

National Criminal Justice Association: "represents state, local, and tribal governments on crime control and crime prevention issues

Chicago Crime Commission: represents the Chicago business community’s efforts to reduce crime and support law enforcement

Death Penalty Information Center: provides recourses related to the death penalty

PoliceOne.comprovides law enforcement information and resources

Prison Policy Initiative: provides research and data on the criminal justice system

Evaluate Webpages

In order to determine information on the web is credible and usable for course work, take time to evaluate the who, what, and when. Use the information on the Who, What, and When tabs to help determine if a web source is credible and usable for your research.

  • Is there a named author?
  • Is there information about their background?
  • Is the author qualified to write abut the subject?
  • Does the author cite or list other sources on the information?
  • What organization or group is responsible for the web site?
  • Is there information about the submission process for the content on the web site?
  • Can anyone publish on the web site?
  • What audience is the web site targeting?
  • Is the organization of the web site logical and credible?
  • Is recent information on the subject required?
  • Is it clear when the web site was last updated? If so, how recently?
  • Are the facts consistent with other recent resourcs?

The checklist below provides a structured method to test the credibility of any website. Use this when evaluating the credibility of web resources and determining whether or not to use the resources in an assignment. If you need additional tips, check out the Digging Deeper resource.