Midwestern Criminal Justice Association
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STUDENT PAPER AWARDS

Student paper awards recognize outstanding undergraduate and graduate student research. Eligibility is limited to full time, enrolled undergraduate and graduate students at the time of the annual conference in September who present their research papers at a panel or as a poster at the annual conference. Papers written with faculty are not eligible for this award, though multiple student co-authorship is permitted. Author(s) are limited to a single entry per year.

Students should submit their entries with this submission form to [email protected] by August 1 and the winner in each division will be announced during the General Business Meeting at the annual conference. ​The MCJA Student Paper Competition Award Committee will judge entries based on the following criteria: the significance of the topic; contribution to the area of study; command of the relevant work in the field of study; appropriate use of methodology; and quality of the writing. 

Submissions should not exceed 7,500 words, and formatting that aligns with the Journal of Crime & Justice is preferred. Include author(s) name, department, and university only on the title page. The next page of the manuscript should include the title of the paper and a 100 word abstract. 

The best paper from each of two divisions (graduate and undergraduate) will receive $150.00.  Other notable papers may receive an honorable mention. Outstanding submissions will also receive consideration for publication in the Journal of Crime and Justice, a publication of the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association. At the discretion of the Association Officers, if no paper is deemed worthy of recognition, during any given year, no award will be made.
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To learn more about the Undergraduate and Graduate Student Paper Competition, please contact Lisa Bostaph or the MCJA Board. 
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Outstanding Paper Awards



Previous Award Winners

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​2022
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​2021


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2020

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​2019

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2018

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​2017

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​2016



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​2015



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​2014



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​2013


Outstanding Graduate Paper


​Jayden Richards
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
A Spatial Analysis of Homicides
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Beca Chalit Hernandez
Colorado State University
Hunger Strikes and Differential Consciousness: Impure Contestation, Hunger, and the Building of Symbolic Futures​

Yongjae (David) Nam
Michigan State University
Deterrence Theory and Intention of Offending:
Assessing the Role of Anticipated Shaming

Bryan Holmes
School of Criminal Justice
University of Cincinnati 
Judicial and Prosecutorial Decision Making: Assessing the Effects of Race, Gender, and Age on Federal Downward Sentencing Departures, 2013-2016

​Daniel Abad and Matthew G.  Almanza
Michigan State University
A Modified Approach to In-School Victimization, Authoritative School Climate, and Student Feelings of Safety

Yongjae Nam
Michigan State University
A Study of the Moderating Effect of Self-Esteem on the Relationship between ​Domestic Violence, School Violence, and Dating Violence among College Students

Alicia Jurek
Sam Houston State University
Correctional Institutions as Organizations and Their Influence on Inmate Assaults​


Alicia Jurek
Sam Houston State University
Police Agency Response to Human Trafficking​




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LeAnn Cabage
Iowa State University
Incarcerated Veterans, their Crimes, and Length of Sentence: A Comparison of State and Federal Inmates by Gender

Michael Deckard
University of Missouri-St. Louis
Reducing Violent Firearm Crime Through Targeted Police Patrol: Assessing the Efficacy of Specific Enforcement Mechanisms  
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Outstanding Undergraduate Paper


​Danielle LaPradd
Southern Illinois University
Gender Disparity and Sentencing Severity:
​The Role of Gender in Criminal Sentencing



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​Kendra Zipperer
Lakeland University
Sexual Assaults on College Campuses: The Overlooked Problem
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Rachael L. Falgout
Sam Houston State University
Police Chiefs' Tolerance of Officer Misconduct: An Empirical Inquiry
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Michaela Otto
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Women in Law Enforcement: An Examination of Female Interest in Policing 
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Huda Zaidi
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
A Textual Analysis of Fratricide Cases in the Quran
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David Fountain
Iowa State University
The Extension of the Sixth Amendment and Proving
Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
 
Derek Brown
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh 
The Effects of Lineup Instructions on Eyewitness Accuracy ​

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  • Home
    • Executive Board
    • Meetings and Minutes
    • Photo Galleries
  • Join/Sponsor MCJA
    • Sponsors and Supporters
  • Annual Meeting
  • Awards
    • Tom Castellano Award
    • Practitioner Award
    • Student Paper Competition
    • Student Poster Competition
  • Journal of Crime and Justice
  • News and Employment