Race is one of the most controversial topics in law enforcement because it deals with inequality, racially motivated arrests, and racial profiling. Racially motivated crimes as well as arrests spark controversy within the legal system, especially since the prison population is primarily African American and Hispanic. Some research paper topic ideas are: "Race and the Prison System," "Cause and Effects of Hate Crimes," "Racial Profiling in the Courtroom When it Comes to Sentencing and Punishment," "Race and the Death Penalty," "Strategies for Police Profiling When Making Arrests and How it Affects People of Color."
Since crime is an unfortunate part of society, it produces delinquents which are talked about through highly publicized trials and news reports. In your research paper, focus on a particular criminal and how their actions and the outcome of their crime has changed law enforcement. For example: "The Rise and Prevention of School Shootings Post Columbine," or "Has the Outcome of the O.J. Simpson Trial Changed the Way Society Perceives the Justice System?"
Prison is an institution considered to be one of the harshest punishments for wrongdoing, which locks up individuals with intent to prevent future crime by attempting to rehabilitate the offender, administer justice with respect to the victim(s) and society, and somehow scare the public by letting people know what could happen if they choose to break the law. A possible research paper topic: "Theories of punishment: Effective or Ineffective," could generally look into the prison system and whether it deters crime.
One of the most unique aspects of law enforcement within the justice system is the involvement of laypersons in its legal proceedings through jury trials. When it comes to settling legal suits, jurors stand out as agents of fact finding, checking government tyranny, resolving disputes and properly dispensing justice. Some possible topics for a research paper could look into the jury system, its purpose, and/or effectiveness: "Jury Trials vs. Bench Trials: Letting Ordinary People Decide the Law."