Justice Studies Research Guide

Print and e-books are valuable sources for academic research. They will help you to gain an overview of your topic and often contain in-depth information about the scholarship or history of research on a subject. Some books are written by single authors, while others include essays or chapters by multiple scholars within a discipline. Don’t let the length of books intimidate you because you don’t need to read them from cover to cover. Look at the table of contents and index to find the sections that are relevant to your work.

Find Books Using GriffinSearch

GriffinSearch is a good starting place if you are looking for books, journal articles, films, and other materials available in the library. In addition to searching the Giovale Library catalog for physical materials, GriffinSearch finds e-books and articles from several of our databases. To get started, search by keyword or type in the title of a book here:

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Academic Videos Online (AVON)

Academic Videos Online (AVON) provides unlimited access to a comprehensive selection of videos curated for the educational experience.

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WorldCat

WorldCat lets you search for books, articles, videos, and other material that are available in libraries worldwide. If you are doing in-depth research on a topic and are considering requesting resources through Interlibrary Loan, WorldCat can help you discover resources that might not be in the Giovale Library collection.

Search WorldCat

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

Interlibrary Loan is a service where patrons of one library can borrow books and other materials, and access journal articles that are owned by another library.

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Utah Academic Library Consortium

Giovale Library participates in the Utah Academic Library Consortium (UALC) and Westminster University students have reciprocal circulation privileges at UALC partner libraries. Each UALC library has different circulation policies, but all require a current, valid, legal photo identification and proof of current enrollment at Westminster University. Some libraries may also require other verification methods, so it is recommended that you contact the member library you are interested in for details.

Explore the Consortium

Popular Titles and Featured Texts

 

The Giovale Library provides access to several subject databases that you can use to find journal articles on topics within a specific discipline or field of study. The databases listed on this page are most useful for finding research published in Justice Studies.

HeinOnline

HeinOnline is a legal research collection of current and historical materials, including full-text law journals and texts; U.S. laws, regulations, cases and Congressional materials; international treaties and constitutions, foreign and comparative law materials, United Nations and League of Nations publications.

Search HeinOnline

Criminal Justice

This database provides access to academic journals and magazines on topics in criminal justice and related fields. Key subjects covered in the database include law, law enforcement, security, and terrorism.

Search Criminal Justice (Gale)

Criminal Justice Database

Criminal Justice Database supports research on crime, its causes and impacts, legal and social implications, and litigation and crime trends. It bridges theory with practice by providing information to scholars and other researchers who study the causes, trends, and societal impacts of crime. Criminal Justice Database includes correctional and law enforcement publications and other material relevant for researchers or those preparing for careers in criminal justice, law enforcement and related fields.

Search Criminal Justice Database (ProQuest)  

JSTOR

Open Data Science is a community for big data practitioners.

Search Justice Studies in JSTOR
 

Utah Justice Coalition

The Utah Justice Coalition works to promote reforms to the criminal justice system within Utah. The core mission is to reduce incarceration and recidivism. The coalition also strives to make an impact in civil asset forfeiture reform, prosecutorial integrity reforms, the repeal of the death penalty, and the general over criminalization of activities in Utah and nationwide. 

Utah Investigative Journalism Project

The Utah Investigative Journalism Project was founded in 2016 as a non-profit, public service journalism and educational resource for the state and region. By partnering with newspapers and broadcast media on difficult in-depth stories, their mission is to help these institutions continue their historic role as government watchdogs and defenders of the poor and oppressed.

Food Justice Coalition

 The Food Justice Coalition works to increase food security for all Utahns by providing direct relief in the form of nutrient-dense ready to eat meals, engaging in advocacy, and educating the community about healthy eating. They engage key leaders and stakeholders in government and the general community on issues related to food access and injustice. Justice in food means making healthy food available for everyone regardless of income, skin color, or zip code.

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Utah Housing Coalition

Through Education, Advocacy, and Community Partnerships, the Utah Housing Coalition is dedicated to promoting equitable and sustainable communities to ensure all Utahns have a safe and affordable place to live.

Brennon Center for Justice

The Brennon Center for Justice is an independent, nonpartisan law and policy organization which conducts research to identify problems and to provide in-depth empirical findings and compelling analyses of legal and policy issues.

Citation Resources

Properly citing your sources shows that you’ve done research to become knowledgeable about your topic and helps you avoid plagiarism. Explore citation resources to learn how to correctly cite sources based on style.