The goal of the policy proposal is to develop a working draft of your criminal justice topic. Specifically, a policy proposal presents a precise and accurate synopsis of your research topic and methodology. The policy proposal summarizes a comprehensive framework of the introduction and methodology. In your research proposal, you will need to (1) introduce your research topic and (2) provide a detailed account of your research design.
B. Rationale and Design
In a policy paper, the rationale explains why you choose your topic. For example, why is your research topic important; or what practical solutions/lesson can we learn from your research topic? The research design describes the methodology, or how you gathered your information.
C. Outline
1. Introduction (500 words)
a.) What is the problem?
b.) Who are the actors involved in the problem?
c.) Why is the problem important? Why should we care?
d.) You must include at least two peer-reviewed sources to support your position.
2. Research Design (150 words)
a.) What community/policy will you study?
b.) How will you collect your data?
c.) Whom will you interview? How will you gain access to your participants?
3. Interview Guide (15 questions)
a.) What questions will you include in your survey or interview? Please provide a detailed account of your research questions. If you are interviewing multiple people, you will need to provide an interview guide for each participant.
b.) Avoid yes or no questions. Rather, you should ask open-ended questions
E. Resources