The Parts of a Thesis Proposal
Title Page: Proposed title, student’s name, complete address, phone number, and tech.
ID#.
1st Part—Introduction and Problem Statement:
• The problem or topic to be studied: explain, define, and offer examples.
• The importance of the problem, and need for the study: the effects on crime, victims,
the community, the criminal justice system, and on offenders.
• Purpose of the Study: what you intend to explore or examine; state as research
questions that you can answer, using some research method(s).
• Number of pages: 1-2 pages may adequately cover this part.
2nd Part—Review of the Literature:
• Textbook authors’ definition and discussion of this problem and topic.
• Previous studies on this problem and topic, according to research reports published in
academic, research journals.
• Government responses to this problem and topic, as published in government agency
publications, and on Internet websites.
• Criminal justice agency responses and recommendations, according to trade journals,
and popular news media publications and periodicals.
• Historical trends related to the problem or topic.
• Legal, policy, and social issues related to the topic.
• Research Methods used in previous studies, and research findings.
• Conclusions and recommendations of authors of previous research.
• Number of pages: 3-5 pages may cover this part.
3rd Part—Proposed Research Method(s):
• Research questions to be answered by this research (repeat from 1st Part).
• How you intend to gather information or data to answer these questions (may specify a
“research method” here).
• Refer to the list of research methods on the yellow Sr. Thesis sign-up form. Briefly
define and explain your proposed method(s).
• Specify a location, a CJS agency, & CJS professionals you intend to visit (may specify
a proposed “sample” and how you will select that “sample”).
• Specify a source of criminal justice data on which you may do a secondary analysis
and discussion of the crime or justice agency statistics.
• Specify how you might analyze and report the information or data that are to be
collected and discussed.
• Each student’s proposed research method will vary according to the proposed criminal
justice problem or topic to be studied. A “qualitative” method such as historical or legal
research may be more appropriate for some topics.
• Number of pages: the proposed method could be covered in 1 page.
Reference Page:
List al references cited in your proposal, in alphabetical order and following the ASA
reference style explained in Johnson, et al. (2005) listed below, OR the style used in
Justice Quarterly journal.
Your proposed research method(s) should be documented by citing one or more of the
research methods textbooks that you have used in your courses, as listed below.
• Bachman, R. and R.K. Schutt. 2003. The Practice of Research in Criminology and
Criminal Justice (2nd ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.
• Galvan, J. 2004. Writing Literature Reviews. (2nd ed.) Los Angeles: Pyrczak
Publishing
• Hagan, F. 2000. Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology
(5th ed.)Boston: Alyn and Bacon.
• Johnson, W.A., R.P. Retig, G.M. Scot, and S.M. Garrison. 2005. The Criminal Justice
Student Writer's Manual (3rd ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hal.
• Leedy, P. and J. Elis Ormrod. 2001. Practical Research: Planning and Design.
(7th ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hal.
• Maxfield, M.G. and E. Babbie. 2006. Basics of Research Methods for Criminal Justice
and Criminology (1st ed.) Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
• Maxfield, M. and E. Babbie. 2005. Research Methods for Criminal Justice and
Criminology. (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
Prevention of Cyberstalking
Prevention of Cyberstalking
Aram Christopher
Amu
Prevention of Cyberstalking
Prevention of Cyberstalking
Introduction
The increase in technological advances indicates that there is increased number of people
who have access to the internet. This increases the number of people who may be affected by
cyberstalking. Cyberstalking crime in the recent years has been on the increase in many
countries. There are many studies that have been done on the topic of how to prevent the
increased cases of cyberstalking. This study will, therefore, provide a literature review on how to
prevent the increased cases of cyberstalking both in the USA and other countries in the world.
Some of the factors that will be discussed in the literature review on the prevention of
cyberstalking include education to internet users on the issue of cyberstalking crime,
enforcement of legal policies on cyberstalking, enforcement of the practices, research on
cyberstalking victimization, and provision of information to internet users on cyberstalking.
Literature Review
Many studies have been done on how providing education on cyberstalking issue will
increase the awareness of the crime to internet users and lead to prevention. Provision of
education to the general public will enable more people to devise preventive measures on
cyberstalking crime. Notar et al, (2013) in their study on prevention of cyberstalking crime,
indicated that schools and other education institutions have a responsibility in promoting the
awareness of cyberstalking to members of the general public. This includes educating the public
on the effects of cyberstalking and how to avoid cyberstalkers on the internet. Moreover,
through education, there are governmental agencies that will join the fight against cyberstalking.
Prevention of Cyberstalking
These agencies will advocate for the increased awareness of the issue of cyberstalking to the
general public through promotional campaigns (Baum et al, 2009). Educating the public on how
to relate with people on the internet is also vital in the prevention of cyberstalking. The Internet
should be educated on the many forms that cyberstalking may be present on the internet so as to
avoid such actions whenever they occur. For example, receiving gifts, messages, and emails
from unknown persons may be ignored by many people. Through educational programs, the
ignorance of the members of the public may reduce and increase the reporting of such behaviors
to the relevant authorities. This could be achieved by incorporating of the cyberstalking crime in
the school curriculum so that children are able to learn about the effects and preventive measures
at an early stage. Furthermore, it is necessary to keep personal information and contacts secure
so as to prevent unauthorized viewing or entry. This can be achieved through educating the
public on methods of ensuring personal and organizational information safety (Kamali, 2015).
The television and radio stations may also play a vital role in educating the public on
cyberstalking prevention.
In addition, enforcement of laws concerning cyberstalking is necessary to reduce the
number of cyberstalkers. Both the federal and state government has put in place laws to protect
the public from cyberstalking crime. It is, therefore, important to ensure that the laws put in place
are operational so as to reduce cyberstalking. Studies done by Hazelwood & Koon-Magnin
(2013), found out that there are limited legislations that are put in place to control the issue of
cyberstalking. This is because there is different definition of actions that constitutes
cyberstalking crime. However, the majority of the states have either amended the law to include
cyberstalking and cyber harassment in their statutes. This has encouraged more law enforcement
officers to be able to protect citizens by engaging in the investigation on any aspect of
Prevention of Cyberstalking
cyberstalking on the internet. This may be done through officers engaging in an undercover
mission to determine any form of cybercrime that may occur, more so involving the minors
(Mitchell, Wolak & Finkelhor, 2005). Such information may act as evidence against any
offender who engages in the cyberstalking crime. Moreover, it is necessary that individual
person reports all forms of cyberstalking crimes to the relevant authorities as soon as they
happen so that legal action may be taken to the offenders so as to prevent any future occurrence.
It is also necessary that laws are put in place to regulate the relationship of different people on
the internet. Increased social media platforms require that actions of people are regulated by
specific laws so that cyberstalking and cyber harassment is reduced through the continuous
review of privacy policies so that it covers all the aspects of cyberstalking. The government may
also put in place regulations that require different social media to display code of ethics that
contains information on how to reduce cyberstalking.
Providing information about victim internet usage and cyberstalkers is vital in the
prevention of cyberstalking crime. Such information may help the law enforcement officers in
tracking the victims and offenders on the internet (Griffiths, 2010). Internet users can easily
identify cyberstalkers if the information is provided online. This will facilitate managing the
behaviors of cyberstalkers hence reducing their actions. A study done by Donegan (2012), shows
that provision of the cyberstalkers information on the internet will facilitate the coordination
between different stakeholders such as family members, schools, organizations, and agencies
among others hence increasing awareness. Furthermore, setting up a department to investigate
and deal with cyberstalking may reduce cyberstalking crime. The forensic investigation
department will provide the relevant information on the rate of cyber harassment and
cyberstalking crime. Moreover, it will enable the behavioral evidence analysis of the
Prevention of Cyberstalking
cyberstalking crime scene, offender, and the victim (Al Mutawa, 2016). It was also evident that
behavioral evidence analysis that may be conducted by the forensic department will provide
information on the motives of cyberstalkers hence preventing any future occurrence.
Conclusion
The study concludes that due to the increasing technological advances, there is need to
prevent the increasing cyberstalking crime. To ensure effective prevention of cyberstalking crime
there is a need for both the stakeholders such as schools, government agencies, and organizations
to work together as a unified group towards the achievement of common goal. Moreover, the
study concludes that effective prevention of cyberstalking does not only involve the
identification and punishing of cyberstalkers but also determining the motives behind the
offender’s behavior so that prevention of any future occurrence. Furthermore, cyberstalkers
should also be taught about the social effects of their behaviors on internet users. In addition, it is
evident from the study that creation of awareness through education to the public and law
enforcement is among the major preventive strategies that can be used in the prevention of
cyberstalking crime.
Prevention of Cyberstalking
References
Al Mutawa, N., Bryce, J., Franqueira, V. N., & Marrington, A. (2016). Forensic investigation of
cyberstalking cases using Behavioural Evidence Analysis. Digital Investigation, 16, S96S103.
Baum, K., Catalano, S., Rand, M., & Rose, K. (2009). Stalking victimization in the United
States. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice
Statistics. (NCJ224527). Retrieved from U.S. Government website:
http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=1211
Donegan, R. (2012). Bullying and Cyberbullying: History, Statistics, Law, Prevention and
Analysis in the Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications Vol. 3, No.
1.
Griffiths, M. (2010). Internet abuse and internet addiction in the workplace. Journal of
Workplace Learning, 22(7), 463-472.
Hazelwood, S. D., & Koon-Magnin, S. (2013). Cyber stalking and cyber harassment legislation
in the United States: A qualitative analysis. International Journal of Cyber Criminology,
7(2), 155.
Kamali, A. (2015). Assessing Cyber-bullying in Higher Education. Information Systems
Education Journal, 13(6), 43.
Mitchell, K. J., Wolak, J., & Finkelhor, D. (2005). Police posing as juveniles online to catch sex
offenders: Is it working? Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 17(3),
241-267
Prevention of Cyberstalking
Notar, C. E., Padgett, S., & Roden, J. (2013). Cyberbullying: Resources for Intervention and
Prevention. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 1(3), 133-145.
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