What are White Papers and Policy Briefs?
White Papers
Originally, the term "White Paper" designated an official British document printed on white paper; specifically, "a parliamentary consultation or Command Paper outlining proposals for future policy or legislation on a particular subject" (OED). "White Paper" was shorthand for a government report, authoritative and informative in nature.
The definition has broadened and today it include documents issued by companies and organizations, as well as government agencies.
According to Purdue OWL, "A white paper is a concise report that often informs readers about an issue or an authoritative report that talks about a specific proposal. A white paper usually contains proposals for a specific policy or talks about an issue in detail. This document can be used in various industries—ranging from business to politics to science."
Policy Briefs
According to the FAO, "A policy brief is a concise summary of a particular issue, the policy options to deal with it, and some recommendations on the best options. It is aimed at government policymakers and others who are interested in formulating or influencing policy."
How to Write White Papers & Policy Briefs
- White Papers PowerPoint Presentation (Purdue OWL) The PowerPoint deck in this resource discusses the basics of writing White Papers and can be used for classroom instruction or self-study.
- Policy Briefs (Writing Center, UNC Chapel Hill) This handout will offer tips for writing effective policy briefs
Finding White Papers & Policy Briefs: Databases
- National Criminal Justice Reference Service Abstracts This link opens in a new window The NCJRS Abstracts Database contains summaries of U.S. and international publications, including federal, state, and local government reports, books, research reports, journal articles, audiovisual presentations, and unpublished research.
- Gray Literature Database, Rutgers Law Library This database contains gray literature publications on all aspects of crime and criminal justice that are available online or in the Don M. Gottfredson Library of Criminal Justice. This database supplements the Rutgers School of Law Library Catalog and Criminal Justice Abstracts. Gray literature is a term applied to sources of information that are not commercially published and is typically composed of technical reports, working papers, government and agency reports, and conference proceedings.
- govinfo govinfo provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government.
- TechRepublic TechRepublic's Resource Library is the web's largest directory of free vendor-supplied technical content. Take advantage of the library's white papers on an array of topics, from Big Data to cloud computing, mobility to security.
- CIAO: Columbia International Affairs Online This link opens in a new window A full text database covering working papers, policy briefs, interviews, journal articles, and e-books in the field of international relations.
Find White Papers & Policy Briefs: Policy Centers, Nonprofit Organizations & Government Agencies
Policy Centers & Nonprofit Organizations
- Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. We conduct public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. We do not take policy positions.
- The Sentencing Project Founded in 1986, The Sentencing Project works for a fair and effective U.S. criminal justice system by promoting reforms in sentencing policy, addressing unjust racial disparities and practices, and advocating for alternatives to incarceration.
- National Center for Juvenile Justice The National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ), located in Pittsburgh, PA. is the research division of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and is the oldest juvenile justice research group in the United States, having conducted national and sub national studies on crime and delinquency since 1973
- Prison Policy Initiative The non-profit, non-partisan Prison Policy Initiative produces cutting edge research to expose the broader harm of mass criminalization, and then sparks advocacy campaigns to create a more just society.
- Police Executive Research Forum The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) is an independent research organization that focuses on critical issues in policing. PERF produces publications that summarize its research findings and development of policy guidance and best practices.
- Urban Institute Justice Policy Center Our scholars conduct research and evaluations to improve justice policy and practice at the national, state, and local levels. We examine the development, implementation, and impact of policing, crime prevention, and gang disruption initiatives. As America’s prisons and jails face unsustainable growth and dangerous overcrowding, we are finding ways to reduce the prison population while preserving public safety. And we are assessing whether new and emerging criminal justice technologies are effective, how they are used, and what their implications are for privacy and civil liberties.
- Urban Institute Crime and Justice The Urban Institute helps identify solutions for neighborhoods, cities, states, and national criminal justice systems. We analyze crime trends and evaluate prevention initiatives. A core component of our work is studying how to protect vulnerable people and communities from violence and abuse. And we take a close look at new and emerging criminal justice technologies. Our work combines quantitative and qualitative methods to provide objective data grounded in the experiences of victims, offenders, and practitioners.
- National Commission on Correctional Health Care The mission of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care is to improve the quality of health care in jails, prisons and juvenile confinement facilities.
- Vera Institute of Justice We work with others who share our vision to tackle the most pressing injustices of our day—from the causes and consequences of mass incarceration, racial disparities, and the loss of public trust in law enforcement, to the unmet needs of the vulnerable, the marginalized, and those harmed by crime and violence.
- National White Collar Crime Center NW3C is a nonprofit, membership-affiliated organization comprised of state, local, federal and tribal law enforcement and prosecutorial and regulatory agencies. In an effort to provide information about trends related to white collar crime, NW3C’s Research section periodically produces issue briefs and whitepapers for general and law enforcement audiences.
- RAND Justice Policy Program With broad cross-disciplinary expertise, the RAND Justice Policy Program addresses public safety and the performance of the civil and criminal justice system for federal and state agencies, local police departments, and the private sector. Policy and research areas include policing, law enforcement, and corrections; crime, gangs, and violence prevention; drug abuse and drug policy; administration of justice, law, courts, and governance; and occupational and transportation safety.
- Institute for Law and Justice The Institute for Law and Justice (ILJ) is a private, nonprofit corporation dedicated to consulting, research, evaluation, and training in criminal justice. Our mission is to bring the best of research and practice to the criminal justice and public safety field.
Government Agencies
- U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration The mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and bring to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States, or any other competent jurisdiction, those organizations and principal members of organizations, involved in the growing, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances appearing in or destined for illicit traffic in the United States; and to recommend and support non-enforcement programs aimed at reducing the availability of illicit controlled substances on the domestic and international markets.
- Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention OJJDP, a component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, accomplishes its mission by supporting states, local communities, and tribal jurisdictions in their efforts to develop and implement effective programs for juveniles. The Office strives to strengthen the juvenile justice system's efforts to protect public safety, hold offenders accountable, and provide services that address the needs of youth and their families.
- ATF Online: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives ATF is a law enforcement agency in the United States’ Department of Justice that protects our communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, the illegal use and trafficking of firearms, the illegal use and storage of explosives, acts of arson and bombings, acts of terrorism, and the illegal diversion of alcohol and tobacco products. We partner with communities, industries, law enforcement, and public safety agencies to safeguard the public we serve through information sharing, training, research, and use of technology.
- Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) provides federal leadership in developing the national capacity to reduce violence against women and administer justice for and strengthen services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
- Federal Bureau of Investigation The FBI is an intelligence-driven and threat-focused national security organization with both intelligence and law enforcement responsibilities. It is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Justice and a full member of the U.S. Intelligence Community. The FBI has the authority and responsibility to investigate specific crimes assigned to it and to provide other law enforcement agencies with cooperative services, such as fingerprint identification, laboratory examinations, and training. The FBI also gathers, shares, and analyzes intelligence, both to support its own investigations and those of its partners and to better understand and combat the security threats facing the United States.
- U.S. Department of State, Trafficking in Persons Report The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report is the U.S. Government’s principal diplomatic tool to engage foreign governments on human trafficking. It is also the world’s most comprehensive resource of governmental anti-human trafficking efforts and reflects the U.S. Government’s commitment to global leadership on this key human rights and law enforcement issue
- National Institute of Justice NIJ — the research, development and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice — is dedicated to improving knowledge and understanding of crime and justice issues through science. NIJ provides objective and independent knowledge and tools to inform the decision-making of the criminal justice community to reduce crime and advance justice, particularly at the state and local levels.
- U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime UNODC is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime. Established in 1997 through a merger between the United Nations Drug Control Programme and the Centre for International Crime Prevention, UNODC operates in all regions of the world through an extensive network of field offices.
