Instructional Expectations for Book Reviews
The first and most important step in completing your book reviews is the thoughtful selection of your reading material. I strongly encourage you to approach this assignment strategically by establishing a thematic focus for your course readings. Developing a consistent theme allows you to build depth, coherence, and ultimately subject matter expertise (SME) in an area of criminal justice that aligns with your academic or professional interests. Your readings should be intentionally geared toward expanding your knowledge base within that theme.
Examples of potential themes include, but are not limited to:
· Criminological Theories
· Juvenile Justice
· Public Safety Leadership
· Job Burnout in Police Organizations
· Toxic Work Environments
· Emergency Management
· U.S. Courts and Administration
· Constitutional Law
· Drug Abuse and Rehabilitation
· Police Abuse and Brutality
· Ethics and Corruption
· Corrections and Institutional Management
· Private Prisons
· Forensics and Evidence
These themes represent only a snapshot of the many areas available for exploration within criminal justice. As you read, you may also benefit from the snowball effect—discovering additional relevant books and sources through the bibliographies of authors you engage with. While you are welcome to explore a diverse mix of topics, you should ensure that at least four of your selected books fall within a common theme to demonstrate focused intellectual development.
To support effective reading and comprehension, the following short videos are recommended as helpful refreshers on how to retain and synthesize complex material:
1. 10 Tips to Improve Your Reading and Comprehension – Brian Dempsey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgbG5lo5Usg
2. 3 Simple Hacks to Remember Everything You Read – Jim Kwik https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTip4HCO2Lk
Book Review Assignment (From the Syllabus)
For each approved book, you will complete a critical analysis rather than a simple summary or book report. While a concise overview of the book’s main arguments is required, the core of your review must focus on critical evaluation. This includes assessing how the book contributes to the broader criminal justice literature, its relevance to contemporary issues, and its practical or theoretical value.
Where appropriate, you should also comment on the author’s credibility, use of sources, research methodology, and whether the work reflects current scholarship in the field. Book reviews must be 3–6 pages in length, written in Microsoft Word, and formatted according to APA style. Each submission must include your name, assignment number, and the title of the book reviewed.
All book reviews must be submitted to the appropriate Dropbox folder by the assigned due date. Submissions must be original work created specifically for this course. Work previously submitted in whole or in part for another course will not be accepted.