Student paper awards recognize outstanding undergraduate, Master’s and PhD student research. Faculty co-authorship or advisement is allowed though the student must be the lead author on the paper, completing the majority of the research and writing. Full details can be found here, including eligibility and submission  requirements. Students should submit their entries with this submission form to 
mcja@mcja.org by July 15 and the winner in each division will be announced during the General Business Meeting at the annual conference. 

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 three divisions (Phd, Master’s, 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. To learn more about the Undergraduate and Graduate Student Paper Competition, please contact Lisa Bostaph or the MCJA Board. 

2025 Student Paper Competition Awardees