2011-2012 - Woodsworth College - University of Toronto

Criminology 

2011/12 Undergraduate Handbook

Criminology 

2011/12 Undergraduate Handbook 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Criminology Introduction 2 

Curriculum 2 

Careers 3 

Transfer Students 5 

Information for Current Students 6 

Important Notes 8 

Criminology Students' Association (CRIMSA) 9 

Program Requirements 10 

2011-2012 WDW Course Offerings & Outlines 14 

Instructor Profiles 41 

Rules and Regulations of the Faculty of Arts and Science 45 

Official Communication 45 

Writing at the University of Toronto 45 

Academic Integrity 46 

Awards 46 

Frequently Asked Questions: 46 

-What secondary school background do I need for Criminology 46 

-What courses should I take in first year 46 

-I don't meet the minimum admission requirements - 

can I request special consideration 47 

-Are there other related programs in the Faculty of Arts and Science 47 

-Is there a graduate program in Criminology at U of T 47 

-Will studying Criminology give me an admission advantage if I want to 

apply to a faculty of law 47 

-What are my career options 47 

Contact Information 48 

Changes to Information Published in this Brochure 

The information contained in this brochure was compiled in March 2011 and is 

subject to change. In case of any changes or discrepancy, the online information 

posted on the Woodsworth College's Criminology website shall apply. 

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Criminology 


Criminology Introduction 

The undergraduate program in Criminology is an interdisciplinary program which provides 

students with a sound foundation for the understanding of crime, the administration of 

justice in Canada, and, more generally, the processes of social order and disorder. 

Criminology incorporates theory, research methods, and knowledge from a wide range of 

other disciplines such as history, political science, sociology, law, psychology, economics, 

and philosophy. 

In 1963, the Centre of Criminology and Sociolegal Studies was established as a research 

and graduate teaching institution at the University of Toronto, the first of its kind in 

Canada. Faculty members from the Centre began teaching undergraduate Arts and Science 

courses in Criminology at Woodsworth College in 1976. The major program was organized 

in 1981, and the specialist program was added in 1999. The program has evolved over the 

years, and now there are twenty undergraduate Criminology courses taught by fifteen 

instructors, with the support of teaching assistants who are graduate students at the 

Centre of Criminology or the Faculty of Law. There are more than 500 undergraduates 

enrolled in the program, many of whom register in two or three Criminology courses each 

year. 

Curriculum 

The undergraduate program in Criminology provides students with a sound foundation for 

the understanding of crime and the administration of justice in Canada and abroad, and, 

more generally, the processes of social order and disorder. Criminology incorporates theory, 

research methods, and knowledge from a wide range of other disciplines such as history, 

political science, philosophy, sociology, psychology, law and economics. 

The courses in the program examine, to varying degrees, issues of social and ethical 

responsibility. The courses frequently challenge the students' perception of how the 

interests of various groups shape the manner in which society responds to unwanted 

behaviour. The examination of issues of social and ethical responsibility is an inherent 

component in the Criminology program. 

The program explores the nature of crime and the complexities in how society responds to 

it and the conflicting values inherent in the criminal justice system. Areas of study will 

include crime and criminal behaviour, theories of crime causation, criminal justice, 

principles and themes of Canadian criminal law, and an introduction to the criminal justice 

system. Students in the major and specialist programs will have an opportunity to choose 

300 and 400 level courses based on their areas of interest, for example, youth, gender, 

mental disorders, and law. Students in the Specialist program will gain in-depth 

knowledge of theories and research methodology used in the field of criminology in 

addition to further examining major criminal justice institutions and processes for law 

enforcement and punishment. 

2 W o o d s w o r t h C o l l e g e U n i v e r s i t y o f T o r o n t o

Course Sequencing: 

In the introductory courses (WDW205H1 Introduction to Criminology, WDW210H1 Criminal 

Justice, and WDW225H1 Criminal Law) students will learn how to think critically about the 

material and set the tone for advanced courses in the program. 

In third-year courses, students are encouraged to think critically about the assumptions 

behind the various views of crime and the criminal justice system that are part of our 

everyday discussions. The focus is on going beyond simple views about crime and the 

justice system toward a more critical - and evidence-based - understanding of the general 

phenomena that relate to crime. 

In fourth-year courses, students have an opportunity to study a number of specialized 

topics in a seminar setting. These courses examine in depth topics that were covered in 

lower level courses. The seminar courses are often connected to the instructors' research 

interests. Students in 400-level courses will be required to complete extensive readings, 

research and writing assignments in addition to actively participating in seminar 

discussion. 

Careers 

Many graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Science will find challenging and rewarding 

employment in fields unrelated to their major. Many of the skills acquired at university are 

transferable in the sense that they are useful in many different situations and they are 

often the skills which employers seek. Students should regard their studies as an 

opportunity to develop and refine these skills. People with backgrounds in criminology are 

found working in variety of settings, listed below. Some careers may require additional 

education and experience beyond the undergraduate level. 

Correctional Services: 

Law Enforcement: 

Courts: 

Other: 

Criminal Investigator; Criminology Assistant; Corrections Officer; 

Child Welfare Care Worker; Child and Youth Worker; Case 

Workers; Group Home Workers; Environmental Conservation 

Officer; Probation and Parole Officer; Social Worker; 

Rehabilitation Counselor; Warden. 

Drug Enforcement Agent; RCMP Constable; Juvenile Court 

Worker; Police Officer. 

Bailiff; Court Clerk; Judge; Criminal Lawyer; Legal Researcher; 

Paralegal; Victims Advocate. 

Research Assistant; Foreign Service Officer; Public Policy Analyst; 

Paralegal Assistant; Journalist; Professor; Marketing Specialist. 

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Criminology 


Who employs Criminology graduates 

• Court Systems 

• Juvenile Court 

• RCMP & Police Services 

• Prisons, Jails, Court houses 

• Educational Institutions 

• Social Service Agencies 

• Non-Profit Organizations 

• Government 

• Private Sector 

Examples of government departments and agencies include: 

• Correctional Service Canada 

• Courts Administration Service 

• Department of Justice Canada 

• Health Canada 

• Office of the Correctional Investigator 

• The National Parole Board 

How to get experience 

Start early by seeking relevant summer, part-time and volunteer opportunities that will 

help you gain experience and develop the skills that employers want. To access the 

summer, part-time, temporary and volunteer postings, register with the Career Centre 

Online. 


Information for Transfer Students 

Admission to the Criminology Program 

Students interested in transferring from another university must first apply for admission 

the Faculty of Arts and Science (St. George Campus, Social Sciences stream) and identify 

Criminology as their preferred program of study. Admission to a specific program, such as 

Criminology, is processed as part of the transfer student's application to the Faculty of Arts 

and Science. 

For admission to the Criminology major program, transfer students require an overall 

average of 76%. Transfer students must also have been granted a minimum of four full 

transfer credits including an introductory 100-level course from the following disciplines: 

Economics, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology or Sociology. Any course 

combination is acceptable. There is no direct admission to the specialist program. 

Advance Notice: Transfer students seeking admission to the program in 2012 will be 

required to complete 2 full course equivalents from the aforementioned disciplines. The 

overall average will remain the same. 

Transfer Credits 

Transfer credits are assessed by the Faculty of Arts and Science. Instructions about the 

transfer credit assessment will be included with the offer of admission. The Faculty of Arts 

and Science will admit students to the Criminology major program provided he/she meets 

the minimum requirements listed above. 

If you have already received your transfer credit assessment letter, but did not request 

admission to the Criminology major program and believe you meet the minimum 

requirements please add your request on ROSI as soon as possible and no later than June 

30th. 

Contact Information 

The Criminology Program Office does not administer the admission and transfer credit 

process of university transfer students. For information and assistance please visit the 

following links: 

Admissions and Awards: www.adm.utoronto.ca 

Transfer Credits: www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/undergraduate/tc 

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Criminology 


Information for Current Students 

Admission Information 

1. Major (Arts Program) - Program Code: ASMAJ0826 

• 2011 Admission Requirements 

The following information applies to students registered in the Faculty of Arts and 

Science (St George Campus) in 2010/11. 

The Criminology major is a limited enrolment program that can accommodate only a 

limited number of students. Achieving the following minimum requirements does not 

guarantee admission to the Criminology Major in 2011. 

Minimum 4 FCEs including 1 FCE at the 100-level from ECO/HIS/PHL/POL/PSY/SOC 

(any course combination is acceptable) with a minimum CGPA of 2.7. 


The following will apply to students seeking admission to the Criminology Major in 

2012. 

Requests for admission to the Criminology major will be considered in the first 

subject POSt request period only. This is a limited enrolment program that can only 

accommodate a limited number of students. Eligibility will be based on a student's 

mark in the required courses listed below. The precise mark thresholds outlined below 

are an estimate of what will be required in the 2012 subject POSt admission cycle. 

Achieving the minimum mark thresholds does not guarantee admission to the 

Criminology Major in any given year 

Applying after first year: 2 FCEs at the 100-level from ECO/HIS/PHL/POL/PSY/SOC. Any 

course combination from this list is acceptable. Admission will be determined by a 

student's marks in these 2 FCEs. It is expected that a minimum combined average of 

70% in these 2 FCEs will be required for admission in 2012. 

Applying after second year: 2 FCEs at the 200+ level from HIS/POL/SOC. Any course 

combination from this list is acceptable. Admission will be determined by a student's 

mark in these 2 FCEs. It is expected that a minimum combined average of 75% in 

these 2 FCEs will be required for admission in 2012. 

2. Specialist (Arts program) - Program Code: ASSPE0826 


This is a limited enrolment program that can accommodate only a limited number of 

students. Requests for admission will be considered in the first subject POSt request 

period only. There is no admission to the specialist program after first year. Students 

have to be in the Criminology major before applying to specialist program. Eligibility 

will be based on a student's mark in the required courses listed below. The precise 

mark thresholds outlined below are an estimate of what will be required in the 2011 

subject POSt admission cycle. Achieving the minimum mark thresholds does not 

guarantee admission to the Criminology specialist in any given year. 


Applying after second year: minimum 8 FCEs and a combined average of at least 80% 

in WDW205H1, WDW210H1, WDW225H1. 

Applying after third year: minimum 12 FCEs and a combined average of 80% in 2 

WDW300-level Criminology FCEs and 1 FCE from 

WDW205H1/WDW210H1/WDW225H1. 


Same as 2011. 

3. Application Deadlines 

Round 1: Major and Specialist 

Apply to round 1 only if you expect to meet the minimum admission requirements by 

the end of the 2011 winter session. 

Round 2: Major only 

Apply to round 2 only if you expect to meet the minimum admission requirements by 

the end of the 2011 summer session. 

Note: 

If you are applying for admission to the Criminology major during round 2 you must enroll 

in a backup program or programs. Registration for Fall/Winter courses starts well before 

the subject post results are made available on SWS. During your registration window, enroll 

strategically in other courses. This could include courses that are listed in the Criminology 

major as electives (non "WDW" courses) or courses that may count for other programs. For 

assistance contact your college registrar's office. 

Students invited to the Criminology major program during Round 2 are guaranteed 

enrolment in WDW205H1, WDW210H1 and WDW225H1. If your request is not approved, 

you will be covered by your backup plan. 

Round 1 

Round 2 

July 4 - August 31 

On Rosi (www.rosi.utoronto.ca) 

Students request subject POSt on ROSI 

(status will show as REQ) 

Criminology Program Office will invite 

(INV) or refuse (REF) requests 

Students accept invitations on ROSI (INV 

changes to ACT) 

1 

April 1 - May 23 

2 

By June 30 

By September 14 

3 

July 4 - August 4 

September 15 - 25 

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Criminology 


IMPORTANT NOTES 

CR/NCR 

A course taken on a CR/NCR basis may not be used to satisfy major or specialist program 

requirements. 

Electives (non-WDW courses) 

Some electives may be available only to students who have completed specified 

prerequisites or who are enrolled in a subject POSt sponsored by the department offering 

the course. Not all courses are offered every year. For detailed information please check the 

enrolment controls and timetable on the Arts and Science website. Prerequisites, 

corequisites and exclusions are published in the Calendar. 

WDW Courses 

Not all courses are offered every year. Please check the Faculty of Arts and Science's 

timetable for the list of courses offered in 2011-12. Almost all WDW courses have 

prerequisites. Enrolment in WDW Criminology is restricted to students in the Criminology 

subject POSt. We are unable to accommodate non-program students. Students without 

course prerequisites will be removed at any time they are discovered. 

Program Requirements 

The program requirements published in this brochure apply to students admitted to the 

subject POSt in 2011. 

Part-time Study 

It is possible to complete the major program on a part-time basis but course options are 

limited. 

College Sponsored Programs 

Criminology is a program sponsored by Woodsworth College and the Faculty of Arts and 

Science. It is not necessary to be registered at Woodsworth College but it is necessary to be 

registered at one of the seven colleges on the St. George Campus. 

Program Changes 

It takes two years to complete the Criminology major program. Prerequisites will not be 

waived. Students are advised to carefully weigh the impact a program change may have 

on their studies. Exemptions or prerequisite waivers in order to 'fast track' the program 

requirements will not be granted. 

Program Check 

If you are planning to graduate in 2012, you should request a Criminology program check 

well before the start of classes. Send your request, along with your student id number to 

the Undergraduate Coordinator. Program checks will be mailed to UTOR email addresses 

only. 


Appropriate subject post combinations for your Degree Program 

& Double Counting Courses 

Once you have completed 4.0 full-course equivalents, you will not be able to enrol in 

further courses until you have enrolled in the minimum appropriate combination of 

programs. While you are waiting for the results of your limited enrolment subject POSt 

request (s) – such as Criminology, you must enrol in interim backup programs and courses. 

Any program combination (2 majors or 1 major and 2 minors) must include at least 12 

different courses. Please review the Degree and Program Requirements listed in the 

Calendar. 

If you have any questions please contact your college registrar's office for assistance. 

Criminology Students' Association (CRIMSA) 

CRIMSA is an organization of undergraduate Criminology students at the University of 

Toronto. It is an official member of the Arts and Science Students' Union (ASSU). Its 

purpose is to extend the learning experience for Criminology students beyond the 

classroom by broadening the students' participation in the life of the Criminology program 

and at the University of Toronto. 

CRIMSA organizes career seminars, special lectures, interesting excursions and tours, as well 

as exciting social events that are designed to help foster new friendships among fellow 

Criminology students. The association also serves as a Criminology information service for 

Criminology graduate schools, volunteer positions and career opportunities (i.e. positions in 

corrections, probation, law enforcement and rehabilitation programs, as well as positions in 

administration and research within a variety of Social and Judicial Agencies). In exchange 

for your contribution, you will find opportunities to meet interesting new people in the 

field of Criminology and you will establish networks that will be useful in your future 

careers. For more information visit the CRIMSA link on the Criminology website. 

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Criminology 


Program Requirements 

The following program requirements apply to students admitted to the Criminology subject 

POSt in 2011. 

MAJOR 

7 FCEs including at least 2 WDW Criminology FCEs at the 300+ level, 0.5 of which must be 

at the 400-level. 

Important: A course taken on a CR/NCR basis may not be used to satisfy program 

requirements. 

1. Required Courses 

One 100-level FCE from ECO/HIS/PHL/POL/PSY/SOC 

WDW205H1 Introduction to Criminology (formerly WDW200Y1) 

WDW210H1 Criminal Justice (formerly WDW200Y1) 

WDW225H1 Criminal Law (formerly WDW220Y1) 

2. At least 2.0 FCEs from this group, 0.5 must be at the 400-level: 

WDW300H1 Theories of Criminal Justice 

WDW325H1 Criminal Procedure (formerly WDW220Y1) 

WDW335H1 Policing 

WDW340H1 Punishment: Theory and Practice 

WDW343H1 Comparative Criminal Justice 

WDW365H1 Crime & Mind 

WDW370H1 Youth Justice 

WDW380H1 Crime, Gender & Sex 

WDW383H1 Immigration & Crime 

WDW385H1 Representing Crime and Authority 

WDW387H1 Legal Regulation of Morality 

WDW389Y0 Topics in Criminology Abroad 

WDW390H1 - 394H1 Topics in Criminology 

WDW395H1 Independent Study 

WDW396H1, 397Y1 Research Participation 

WDW415H1 Crime and Politics 

WDW420H1 Current Issues in Criminal Law 

WDW425H1 The Prosecution Process (formerly WDW320H1) 

WDW427H1 Organized Crime and Corruption 

WDW428H1 Neighbourhoods and Crime 


WDW429H1 Youth Culture, Racialization & Crime in the Global Context 

WDW431H1 Mental Disorders, Morality and Legal Controls 

WDW445H1 International Criminal Law 

WDW450H1 Criminology Research Project 

WDW480H1 Interpersonal Violence 

WDW490H1, 491H1 Advanced Topics in Criminology 

3. At least 0.5 FCE from this group: 

POL242Y1 Introduction to Research Methods 

POL419Y1 

Quantitative Methods and Data Analysis 

PSY201H1 Statistics I 

PSY202H1 Statistics II 

SOC200H1 Logic of Social Inquiry 

SOC202H1 Quantitative Analysis 

SOC204H1 Qualitative Analysis in Social Science Research 

WDW350H1 Understanding Criminological Research 

4. At least 2.0 FCE from this group or additional courses from #2: 

ANT444Y1 Quantitative Methods and Data Analysis 

ANT463H1 Native Rights, Canadian Law 

HIS411H1 

Great Trials in History 

PHL271H1 Law and Morality 

PHL370H1 Issues in Philosophy of Law 

PSY220H1 Introduction to Social Psychology 

PSY328H1 Introduction to Abnormal Psychology 

SOC205H1 Urban Sociology 

SOC212H1 Deviance and Control 

SOC306Y1 Sociology of Crime and Delinquency 

SOC313H1 Social Control 

SOC315H1 Domestic Violence 

SOC413H1 Sociology of Punishment 

TRN412H1 Seminar in Ethics, Society and Law 

WDW215H1 Introduction to Socio-legal Studies 

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Criminology 


Specialist 

10 FCEs including at least 4 FCEs at the 300+ level, including 1.0 FCE at the 400-level. 

At least 7 FCEs must be WDW Criminology courses. 

Important: A course taken on a CR/NCR basis may not be used to satisfy program 

requirements. 

1. Required Courses: 

One 100-level FCE from ECO/HIS/PHL/POL/PSY/SOC 









2. At least 2 FCEs from: 

WDW343H1 Comparative Criminal Justice 

WDW365H1 Crime and Mind 


WDW380H1 Crime, Gender and Sex 

WDW383H1 Immigration and Crime 



WDW389Y0 Topics in Criminology Abroad 

WDW390H1 - 394H1 Topics in Criminology 


WDW396H1, 397Y1 Research Participation 



3. At least 1 FCE from: 

WDW420H1 Current Issues in Criminal Law 




WDW429H1 Youth Culture, Racialization and Crime in the Global Context 



WDW480H1 Interpersonal Violence 

WDW490H1, 490H1 Advanced Topics in Criminology 

4. At least 2 FCEs from this list or additional courses from #2 and #3: 

ANT444Y1 Quantitative Methods and Data Analysis 

ANT463H1 Native Rights, Canadian Law 

HIS411H1 

Great Trials in History 

PHL271H1 Law and Morality 

PHL370H1 Issues in Philosophy of Law 

POL242Y1 Introduction to Research Methods 

POL419Y1 

Quantitative Methods and Data Analysis 

PSY201H1 Statistics I 

PSY202H1 Statistics II 

PSY220H1 Introduction to Social Psychology 

PSY328H1 Introduction to Abnormal Psychology 

SOC205H1 Urban Sociology 

SOC212H1 Deviance and Control 

SOC306Y1 Sociology of Crime and Delinquency 

SOC313H1 Social Control 

SOC315H1 Domestic Violence 

SOC413H1 Sociology of Punishment 

TRN412H1 Seminar in Ethics, Society and Law 


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Criminology 


2011 - 2012 WDW COURSE OFFERINGS & OUTLINES 

This information is subject to change. For up-to-date information please check the timetable 

on the Faculty of Arts and Science's website. 

Do not purchase books until after the start of classes. Students enrolled in courses for which 

they do not have the published prerequisites may have their registration in those courses 

cancelled at any time without warning. Students must also observe exclusions. 

The comma (,) the semi-colon (;) the ampersand (&) and the plus sign (+) all mean “AND”. 

The slash (/) means “OR”. 

Summer 

WDW394H1 Topics in Criminology: Managing Dissent 

WDW389Y0 Topics in Criminology: Legal Rights (Summer Course Abroad) 

Fall 

WDW205H1 Introduction to Criminology 

WDW225H1 Criminal Law 










WDW490H1 Advanced Topics in Criminology (Distributing Justice: Current Sentencing Issues 

in Canada 

Winter 

WDW210H1 Criminal Justice 



WDW325H1 Criminal Procedure 






WDW425H1 The Prosecution Process 






Professor Scot Wortley 

An introduction to the study of crime and criminal behaviour. The concept of crime, the 

process of law formation, and the academic domain of criminology. Theories of crime 

causation, methodologies used by criminologists, and the complex relationship between 

crime, the media and modern politics. 

Prerequisites: Available to students enrolled in the Criminology major 

Exclusion: WDW200Y1 

Distribution Requirement Status: Social Science 

Breadth Requirement: Society and its Institutions (3) 

Themes and Format 

This course is designed to introduce students to the study of crime and criminal behaviour. 

The course is divided into four distinct sections. The first section of the course will be used 

to define the concept of crime and discuss the process of law formation. Emphasis will be 

placed on explaining why some behaviours are identified as "crimes" by the State and 

other behaviours avoid this label. The second section of this course will describe the 

academic domain of criminology. Focus will be placed on reviewing the various 

methodologies used by criminologists in their research and how these methodologies 

inform the development of criminological theory. 

The third - and largest - section of the course is devoted to various theories of crime 

causation. Lectures and readings provide an overview of the various ideas scholars have 

developed to explain why some people engage in criminal behaviour and others do not. 

The policy implications of various perspectives will be discussed. The final section of the 

course will explore three special topics that have received considerable attention from 

criminologists over the past decade: 1) gender and crime; 2) age and crime; and 3) 

race/ethnicity and crime. Throughout the course, focus will be placed on the complex 

relationship between crime, the media and modern politics. Specific lecture topics include: 

defining crime and the criminal law; criminology and criminological research methods; 

rational-choice theories; biological theories; economic/strain theories; social learning 

theories; social control theories; conflict theories; integrated theories; gender and crime; 

age and crime; race/ethnicity and crime. 

Requirements 

Course evaluation will consist of a mid-term test, one written assignment and a final test. 

Details will be announced in class. 

Text 

To be announced in class. 

15

Criminology 



Professor Anthony Doob 

An introduction to the Canadian criminal justice system. The institutions established by 

government to respond to crime and control it; how they operate, and the larger function 

they serve; including the role of the police, the trial process, courts and juries, sentencing, 

imprisonment and community corrections. 

Prerequisites: WDW205H1, 225H1 





Canada's criminal justice system can be seen as being comprised of a set of loosely linked 

organizations set up by the federal, provincial, and municipal governments to respond to 

crime. These organizations have explicit functions defined, typically, in legislation. 

Nevertheless, the manner in which they operate is, only in the broadest sense, described by 

legislation. And the purposes that the various parts of the system serve are themselves 

often contested. This course will examine these institutions in the context of Canadian and 

international research. The goal of the course is to understand not only how these 

institutions operate, but to understand the larger functions that they serve. 

This course will, then, examine the manner in which the criminal justice system in Canada 

operates, going beyond the simple description that is often offered. For that reason, we 

will be focusing on a wide range of different types of research findings - from Canada and 

from elsewhere in the world - that should help provide a more complete picture of the 

operation of the Canadian criminal justice system and, to some extent, how it is similar to, 

and sometimes quite different from, the systems that operate in other countries. 

Specific topics covered in the course will include the following: policing; bail and pretrial 

processes; courts and juries; the role of defence counsel, the crown attorney, and the 

judge; sentencing; dangerousness in criminal law; corrections - imprisonment and 

community corrections; conditional release; the youth justice system; approaches to the 

control of crime. 

Requirements 

Course evaluation will consist of a mid-term test, one written assignment and a final test. 

Details will be announced in class. 

Readings 

To be announced in class. The material in the readings will supplement the material that 

will be covered in lectures. Hence, there will be relatively little overlap between lectures 

and the readings. 



Dr. Kerry Taylor 

The course covers several major issues that will help prepare students for advanced courses 

in the criminology major: the meaning of law, the production of laws and legal 

institutions, law in action, comparative legal traditions, and the methodology of socio-legal 

studies. 

Prerequisite: Open to students in the Criminology program 




Scholars in the field of socio-legal studies use methods and approaches derived from the 

social sciences to understand legal phenomena. This class introduces students to some 

important issues in contemporary socio-legal studies. In the course, we examine the 

concept of “law,” and ask how law is embedded in social institutions. We consider how 

Canada and other contemporary and historical societies have structured their approach to 

law in the form of legal traditions. Finally, the course introduces students to basic 

methodological tools that they can use in advanced criminology courses. 

The course covers several major issues that will help prepare students for advanced courses 

in the criminology major: the meaning of law, the production of laws and legal 

institutions, law in action, comparative legal traditions, and the methodology of socio-legal 

studies. 

Requirements 

Attendance: 5% 

Essay/Article Assignment: 30% 

Midterm Exam: 25% 

Final Exam: 40% 

Text 


17

Criminology 



Breese Davies, Adjunct Professor 

The main principles and themes of Canadian criminal law; legal definitions of crime, 

requirements of a criminal act (actus reus), criminal intention (mens rea), causation and 

defences. The origins, goals and functioning of criminal law, and limits on the power of the 

state to criminalize behaviour. 

Co-or Prerequisite: WDW205H1 





This course covers the main principles and themes of Canadian criminal law. The focus of 

the course is on the legal definitions of crime – the "law on the books," more so than the 

"law in action" – with an emphasis on the requirements of a criminal act (actus reus) and 

criminal intention (mens rea). Special attention will be placed on understanding the limits 

of the state's authority in choosing to criminalize behaviour. The course relies on a range 

of cases and crimes (including offences such as assault, homicide, indecency and obscenity) 

to teach students the doctrinal rules that require a criminal act, criminal intention and 

causation; while also providing them with background in potential defenses, justifications, 

or excuses for crime (such as necessity, provocation, or involuntariness). Attention is paid 

to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and its influence on the rules and principles of 

Canadian criminal law. In addition to reading primary legal materials, students will engage 

with research and analytical perspectives on the origins, goals, functioning, and limits of 

criminal law. 

Learning Goals 

1) Students learn to read case law and interpret statutes. 

2) Students learn doctrinal principles of the criminal law, how they are derived and 

changed over time, and how to apply legal principles to new situations. 

3) Students learn how to think broadly about the authority, power, and limits of the state 

to criminalize behaviour, and the legal framework through which crimes must be proven. 

4) Students are asked to engage, throughout, with the question of what the doctrinal rules 

of the criminal law tell us about the society in which we live. 

Requirements 

An essay (35%); a mid-term test (25%); and a final exam (40%). 

Texts 

A casebook prepared by the instructor. 



Professor Matthew Light 

Major philosophical, social and political theories of crime, law and justice. The origins of central 

ideas that influence criminological theory, seen in an historical context. Students are encouraged 

to develop the analytical skills needed to think critically about criminal justice issues. 

Prerequisites: WDW205H1, 210H1, 225H1/ WDW200Y1, 220Y1 




This course examines several related questions. As a descriptive or empirical matter, what is 

the function of criminal law What explains the different forms that criminal justice 

institutions have taken in different historical societies As a normative matter, what are 

the justifications for criminal prohibitions and punishments To a lesser extent, the course 

also examines a question that has animated much of classical criminology: what are the 

causes of crime and criminal behaviour 

The readings covered in the course can be divided roughly into three thematic blocks, as 

follows. 

First we will read about the efforts of Early Modern and Enlightenment philosophers 

(Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and others) to derive principles to govern legitimate criminal 

justice and penal institutions based from first principles of social organization, i.e., 'social 

contract theory.' We conclude this block with readings on reform of penal institutions by 

two major authors, Beccaria and Bentham. Next, we turn to a very different intellectual 

tradition, that of social science, which broadly focuses on interpreting the evolution of 

criminal justice institutions based on empirical observations of historical and contemporary 

reality. We read extracts from Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Foucault, and others to understand 

how criminal law and criminal justice fits into the theories of these major figures in 

nineteenth- and twentieth-century social scientists. We also briefly examine directions in 

contemporary approaches to criminal justice. Finally, we explore theories of criminal justice 

beyond the western tradition. We examine the impact of Confucian and Legalist doctrines 

on the development of criminal justice in imperial China, and conclude the course with an 

introduction to the underpinnings of criminal jurisprudence in Islam and its application in 

some contemporary Islamic societies. 

Throughout the course, rather than concentrating on detailed textual exegesis, we instead 

make it our goal to integrate the theories that we will be covering into an ongoing 

dialogue, both among the authors we will be reading, and among the members of the class. 

For this purpose, texts by the major theorists are supplemented by other readings that 

either apply or in some cases, critique their theoretical insights to some empirical problem. 

You should expect approximately 55 pages of required readings each week (sometimes a bit 

less, sometimes a bit more), in addition to which there will be additional suggested 

readings of approximately 20 to 30 pages. 

Requirements 

Attendance: 5% 

Midterm: 25% 

Take-home essay: 30% 

Final Examination: 40% 

Texts 


19

Criminology 




The main principles and themes of Canadian criminal procedure, and the role of state 

officials and institutions in investigating and prosecuting crime. Doctrinal and statutory 

frameworks governing the administration and enforcement of criminal law in Canada, and 

the role of constitutional rights in the criminal process. 

Prerequisites: WDW205H1, 225H1/WDW200Y 





This course covers the main principles and themes of Canadian criminal procedure. The 

focus of the course is on the rules that apply to state officials in seeking to investigate or 

prosecute crimes. The emphasis is on the legal limits placed on the state, and the doctrinal 

and statutory frameworks that govern the administration of criminal law in Canada. The 

course will cover the history and theory of the criminal process (including the goals and 

principles on which it is built), and then consider limits on state power, such as the 

doctrines of entrapment and abuse of process. We will then examine the doctrinal rules for 

investigating and prosecuting crime (including the rules on search and seizure, surveillance, 

police powers of interrogation, detention, and arrest). Next we discuss the rules for bail 

and the role played by pre-trial release, the goals of preliminary hearings, the framework 

for jury trials in Canada, the limits of the adversarial process through cases on disclosure, 

guilty pleas and plea bargaining, and the waiver of constitutional rights. These rules 

highlight competing goals of "due process" and "crime control." Throughout the course, 

significant attention will be paid to the role of constitutional rights in the criminal process, 

and the limits that these rights place on state officials. 

Learning Goals 

1) Students learn to read case law and interpret statutes. 

2) Students learn doctrinal principles of criminal procedure, and the limits placed on the 

authority of state institutions. 

3) Students learn how to think broadly about the relationship between individual rights, 

state authority, and the power of the state to investigate and prosecute crime. 

Requirements 

A research paper (35%); a mid-term test (25%); and a final exam (40%). 

Texts 

A casebook prepared by the instructor, and a pocket Criminal Code. 



Dena Demos 

A theoretical framework is developed to examine the nature of policing, its structure and 

function. Attention is given to the history of policing and to its public and private forms. 

An examination of the objectives and domain, as well as the strategies, powers, and 

authority of contemporary policing; including decision-making, wrong-doing, 

accountability, and the decentralization of policing. 

Prerequisites: WDW205H1, 210H1, 225H1/WDW200Y1, 220Y1 




This course is designed as a survey of key developments, themes and issues in the study of 

'policing'. It focuses historically on the various ways in which the task of 'policing' has 

been thought about, legitimized and organized, in terms of its objectives, institutional 

arrangements, and strategies. Attention is given to key issues and developments in public 

policing and private policing, but also other forms of policing occurring outside traditional 

institutional boundaries. 

This course is designed to provide students with a basic theoretical framework for locating 

key empirical developments in policing, evolving from contexts of modern state and 

society to late modern or post-welfarist concepts. Throughout the course, students will be 

encouraged to question commonplace assumptions about policing and crime and develop 

the capacities to not only evaluate competing perspectives in the study of policing, but 

also to understand the implications of these perspectives for social and criminal justice 

policy. While theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence from the United Kingdom, 

Australia and the United States will be considered, the focus of the course will be distinctly 

Canadian. 

Requirements 

Policing and Media Reflection paper (10%) 

Midterm test (25%) 

Research essay (40%) 

Final examination (25%) 

Texts 

A course reader is available at the University of Toronto Bookstore. Additional required 

readings are available online. 

21

Criminology 


WDW340H1 Punishment: Theory and Practice (formerly Penology) 

Dr. William Watson 

The study of punishment from historical and philosophical perspectives, with a focus on 

contemporary Canadian policy issues. Topics covered include penal theory, prisons and 

noncarceral forms of punishment, and the goals of penal reform. 





Punishment can be defined as intentional infliction of suffering on a person in response to 

perceived wrongdoing. Penal theorists describe punishment as serving a number of 

purposes. This course is primarily concerned with court-ordered punishments administered 

by the State, or by private agencies on behalf of the State, with a focus on Canada. 

Consideration will be given to punishments which occur outside the criminal justice 

system, wider forms of social regulation, and various kinds of State action not undertaken 

as punishment but perhaps very similar, such as incarceration for a person's 'own good' and 

some forms of clinical psychological treatment. 

The philosophical, historical and sociological analyses of punishment will be used to 

illuminate contemporary issues affecting the Canadian penal system, including: the 

situations of women prisoners and prisoners from visible, ethnic and religious minorities; 

contemporary just deserts theory and the challenge to rehabilitation and correctional 

psychology; the Parole system; indefinite sentences for Dangerous Offenders; privatization 

of punishments; movements for radical reform; and the establishment of distinct First 

Nations systems for dealing with offenders. 

Requirements 

Two take-home tests, the first of approximately four double-spaced pages worth 10%, 

and the second of approximately five double-spaced pages worth 40%. 

Two in-class tests (one hour, single essays), worth 25% each. 

Texts 

A set of readings will be available from the University of Toronto Bookstore. 



Professor Anthony Doob 

An introduction to social science research methods used by criminologists. An 

understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of published criminological research is 

developed. Specific technical issues such as sampling and measurement are taught in the 

context of examining alternative ways of answering research questions. 

Prerequisites: WDW205H1, 225H1/WDW200Y1, 220Y1 

Exclusions: SOC200Y1, SOC200H, WDW350Y1 




Social science methods can be thought of as being tools to answer questions. If one is 

interested in understanding whether a question has been adequately answered, one has to 

understand the process by which a researcher arrived at an answer. In criminology, a 

number of methods are used which are similar to those used in other social sciences. 

However, the issues that arise, and the specific problems that criminological researchers 

face are, to some extent, specific to the criminological questions that are being asked. For 

example, many of the problems of measurement in criminology cannot be adequately 

understood without understanding something about crime and the criminal justice system. 

The course will address the manner in which criminological research is carried out 

beginning at the point where a research question is formulated. Alternative ways of 

answering questions will be explored. A fair amount of the time will be spent in 

understanding the strengths and weaknesses of published criminological research. Specific 

technical issues of sampling, measurement, statistical inference, etc., will be taught in the 

context of answering research questions. Students who complete the course should have a 

better understanding of criminological research and they should be more intelligent 

"consumers" of criminological research. 

Requirements 

There will probably be three tests, and two written critiques of published work. The exact 

timing and weighting of these will be determined. 

Texts 


23

Criminology 




Legal, psychological and sociological understandings of issues in the criminal justice 

system, through a consideration of topics including: criminal intent, the insanity defence, 

the concept of 'psychopathy', the use of 'battered woman syndrome' as part of a selfdefence 

defence, issues of transcultural psychiatry, and jury screening for bias. 

Prerequisites: WDW205H1, 225H1/WDW200Y1, 220Y1 




Contemporary judges, juries and legal theorists are required to consider a variety of 

different kinds of theory and data when dealing with individual cases, and more general 

issues of criminal law. Where cases or issues turn on the mental elements required for 

criminal conviction, competing theories of Mind may have to be comparatively evaluated. 

These include traditional legal concepts of voluntary and rational intent, individual 

psychological explanations of thought and action, and sociological understandings which 

highlight both the social context in which 'criminal' action occurs and the social context in 

which courts make their determinations. The purpose of this course is to explore the 

complexity of comparatively evaluating these competing conceptions. 

The course begins with a general consideration of the different orientations, and then 

proceeds through 'case studies' of six issues: criminal intent, the insanity defence, 

infanticide law, the use of 'battered woman syndrome' as part of a self-defence defence to 

a charge of murder or attempted murder, issues in transcultural psychiatry, and jury 

screening for bias. 

Requirements 

Three in-class tests (one hour, single essays), the first worth 10% and the second and third 

worth 25% each; a term paper plan worth 10%; and one term paper of approximately 

eight double-spaced pages worth 30%. 

Texts 




Professor William O'Grady 

The course will examine what is known about offending by youths and the various 

purposes that have been attributed to youth justice systems. The course will focus, in large 

part, however, on the nature of the laws and youth justice systems that have been 

designed in Canada and elsewhere to respond to offending by youths. 


Exclusion: WDW375H1 



Note: Due to recommendations made in the Criminology's recent program review, the 

content in WDW370H1 has been revised and incorporates material covered in WDW375H1 

Young Offenders. WDW375H1 is no longer offered in the program. 


This course is designed to introduce students to selected topics on youth justice in Canada. 

The course will cover the origins of youth justice legislation in Canada and later legislative 

developments, with a focus on how and why youth justice in Canada differs from adult 

justice. Statistical trends and patterns about the level and character of youth crime will 

explored in addition to questions surrounding the politics and empirical literature of youth 

justice within the context of the police, courts and the correctional system. 

Classes are designed to be a mixture of lecture and class discussions led by the instructor. 

Requirements 

Brief Written Assignment: 10% 

Midterm Test: 25% 

Term paper: 40% 

Final in-class test: 25% 

Texts 

Bell, Sandra. (2007). Young Offenders and Youth Justice: A Century After the Fact. 3rd 

Edition. Toronto: Thomson Nelson. 

Other required readings will be available online. 

25

Criminology 



Professor Rosemary Gartner 

Theory, research and policy related to the ways in which gender shapes criminal behaviour, 

the administration of criminal justice, and the criminal law. How notions of different types 

of masculinity and femininity are embedded in and influence both the operation of the 

criminal justice system as well as criminal behaviours. The regulation of gender and 

sexuality through the criminal law and through crime. 





This course examines crime and criminal justice as gendered phenomena; and explores how 

notions of different types of masculinity and femininity are embedded in and influence 

criminal behaviour, the operation of the criminal justice system, and our understandings of 

both. An important theme in the course is that focusing on gender and gendered processes 

is not simply about studying women, because gender is a relational concept, and both men 

and women are gendered. Course readings and lectures draw from historical and 

contemporary research and from a variety of theoretical perspectives, some of which 

present very different - and at times conflicting - ways to think about the relationship 

between gender, crime and criminal justice. Students are encouraged to think critically 

about - and to consider the strengths and limitations of - all of the perspectives covered in 

the course. 

The class will primarily consist of lectures and class discussion, with occasional guest 

speakers and films. Students should come to class prepared to participate in discussions 

about the assigned readings. 

Requirements 

A mid-term exam, worth 25%; three in-class quizzes, each worth 5%; an outline of the 

essay applying course themes to a movie, worth 5%; a completed essay worth 25%; and a 

final exam, worth 30%. 

Texts 

A package of photocopied readings will be available for purchase. 



Professor Sandra Bucerius 

The connection between immigration and crime, the effect of immigration on crime rates, 

discrimination against immigrants, the representation of immigrants in crime statistics, 

public perception of risk and security, and criminal justice policy changes which affect 

immigration. We consider research conducted in Canada, the United States, Germany and 

the Netherlands. 


Exclusion: WDW390H1 in 2008 




Whether or not an immigrant-crime connexus exists has been a long discussed topic in 

criminology. Though European welfare states seem to face disproportionally high crime 

rates among second generation immigrants, many research efforts in other countries have 

shown that immigrants are not involved in more crimes than native-born people. In fact, 

recent findings show that immigrants contribute to a decrease of the over all crime rate. In 

the public mind, however, the post 9/11 period has illuminated immigration and religion in 

the context of terrorism. As a result, many countries have begun to control immigration in 

the name of safeguarding their nations against terrorism. At the same time, religious 

profiling and discrimination - especially against Muslim immigrants - seem to be 

increasing. 

This course will explore whether the public perception that immigrants are more prone to 

crime (and terrorism) is actually true. We will analyze the links between immigration and 

crime by looking at studies performed in Canada, the United States, Germany, and the 

Netherlands. The course will not only explore if and why immigrants commit more crimes, 

but will also look at the victimization of immigrants in the discussed countries. Moreover, 

by looking at the examples of Germany, and the Netherlands, we will carefully analyze why 

second generation immigrants seem to be overrepresented in criminal statistics. 

The course will consist mainly of lectures and class discussions. Students should come to 

class having read all required materials and should be prepared to engage in class 

discussions. 

Requirements 

A take-home assignment (4 pages) worth 15% of the final grade; 

a midterm exam worth 30% that will cover the readings and lectures; 

a research paper (7-9 pages) worth 30%, and a final exam worth 25%. 

Texts 

The course readings will be posted on blackboard. 

27

Criminology 




Cultural constructions of crime, disorder, dangerousness and risk are integral parts of the 

criminal justice system. A critical analysis of how police, crown attorneys, judges and the 

media construct their authority through symbols and images, in order to “explain” and 

manage crime, and how these representations are regarded in public discourse. 





Crime and criminal justice are ever-present topics in the news and fictional media. 

Representations of crime and criminal justice are also part and parcel of official media, 

including statutes, policy discussions, and the visible operations of the various elements of 

the criminal justice system itself. In addition, many non-state agencies concerned with 

security maintenance and the management of risk produce their own self-promoting 

imagery. In these various ways, contemporary western societies are characterized by the 

circulation of a complex and fluid matrix of representations of crime and authority, with 

significant impacts on the perceptions and actions of criminal justice stakeholders (police, 

prosecutors, judges and juries, correctional staff, policy makers, victims of crime), as well as 

the general public. 

The course introduces students to methods for analyzing these representations and their 

effects. While a great deal of attention has been paid by criminologists to whether these 

various media misrepresent the facts about crime and criminal justice, the course will 

primarily focus on understanding how various kinds of imagery operate to influence public 

perceptions of, public discourse about, and political and commercial responses to, the 

identified problems of crime and other threats to public safety, and the apparent strengths 

and weaknesses of current criminal justice practice. 

Requirements 

Four brief independent analyses of representations of crime: of newspaper coverage of 

crime and police work (approximately three double-spaced pages, worth 10%); of webbased 

representations of danger and safety (approximately five double-spaced pages, 

worth 25%); of police self-representations (approximately five double-spaced pages, worth 

25%); of students' safety perceptions (approximately 6 double-spaced paged, worth 40%). 

Texts 

Mariana Valverde (2006): Law and Order: Images, Meanings, Myths. Routledge/Cavendish, 

and a set of readings. Both will be available from the University of Toronto Bookstore. 



Professor Mariana Valverde 

Moral regulation through criminal law, and the role of legal texts and procedures in 

promoting certain values while marginalizing others. The decriminalization of 

homosexuality and abortion, the censorship of pornography, the key role of administrative 

law mechanisms, and the transformation from direct to indirect forms of regulation. 

Prerequisites: UNI255H1/256H1/WDW205H1, 225H1/WDW200Y1, 220Y1 

Exclusion: WDW391H1 in 2002 




Despite the decriminalization of some activities in recent years (homosexuality, abortion), 

moral and cultural norms continue to be embedded in legal texts and practices. This course 

will examine how law imagines and manages the 'risks' of immorality, focusing mainly but 

not exclusively on questions of embodiment and sexuality. The main theme of the course 

will be the shift from the direct regulation of bodily acts and personal behaviour to the 

more indirect regulation of morality through categories such as 'harm to society'. Students 

will learn to analyze legal texts and legal processes but from an interdisciplinary 

perspective, not from the point of view of legal doctrine. 

Students should note that in this course the lectures will rarely repeat or even explain the 

readings. This is not a textbook-based first year course. There is a complementarity 

between readings and lectures, but attendance at lectures is extremely important because 

much material presented in class is not contained in the readings. Some lecture notes will 

be made available on Blackboard, but all class discussions (along with films, guest speakers 

etc) are relevant and important for doing assignments, and not just the final test. Students 

who due to work or other commitments know they will miss a number of lectures should 

probably not take this course. 

Requirements 

Reading reflection: 20% 

Midterm: 20% 

Policy paper: 30% 

Final test: 30% 

Texts 

Two required texts will be used: Alan Hyde, Bodies of Law, and Debi Brock, Making Work, 

Making Trouble. A few additional required articles and reports will be made available 

through Blackboard. The books will be sold through the Toronto Women's Bookstore on 

Harbord Street. 

29

Criminology 


WDW389Y0 Topics in Criminology: Legal Rights 


Shifts in the rights, freedoms and responsibilities of legal subjects in England and Canada, 

from the Medieval period to the present day. Close attention will be paid to recent 

developments that challenge traditional doctrines. 

Prerequisites: None 

Exclusion: None 



The course is held in Oxford, England as part of the University of Toronto Summer Abroad 

Program. WDW389Y0 counts towards the major or specialist program in Criminology. 


Rights, Freedoms and Responsibilities in Criminal Law: England and Canada 

The English legal system has recently adopted a number of innovations and proposals that 

have not been tried in Canada, including new ideas in community policing, and new laws 

regarding speech supporting terrorism and jury trials. In all these cases, there is significant 

modification of established legal doctrines regarding the relationship between the state 

and its subjects. Canada has been at the forefront of other developments which modify 

that relationship, most notably in approaches to preventive detention and the punishment 

of women offenders. 

For detailed information please visit http://summerabroad.utoronto.ca/. 


WDW394H1 Topics in Criminology: Managing Dissent 

Dena Demos 

Topics vary from year to year, but the objective of the course is to explore emerging issues 

in Criminology, and their social, legal, ethical and political implications. 





Which individuals and groups have been identified as 'threats' to national security, and 

what have been some of the consequences of this identification This course will examine 

laws around dissent and the way in which the state - as the centre of security discourse - 

has defined and dealt with dissent. It is structured as a survey-style course and is designed 

to familiarize students with the historical operation of the law in its social, legal, cultural 

and political contexts. It will provide students with the critical tools to assess the ways in 

which the Canadian state has defined security and taken measures to maintain security 

against 'threats' and 'enemies' and will introduce students to critical ideas about the ways 

in which law governs social behaviour. 

This course will examine the use of state legal and/or extra-legal power to counter 'threats 

to security.' We will begin by examining scholarly trajectories around the study of national 

security and the ways in which discourses around threats to security have been deployed. 

From there, we will move to look at examples of specific state responses to activities such 

as insurrection and rebellion, labour unrest, political opposition, religious dissent, student 

radicalism, terrorist activity, and popular protest. Through the prism of national security 

measures, this course will endeavour to closely examine several related areas including: the 

use of law as an ideological force; the incongruity between formal claims invoked about 

the law (for example its 'impartiality'), and discretionary repressive practices; the ways in 

which race and ethnicity, economic and class conflict, gender and sexuality and politics 

have overlapped. 

Requirements & Texts 


31

Criminology 



Professor Peter Solomon 

An advanced seminar examining the development of criminal justice and penal policies 

in Canada, the United States, Western Europe and Russia; the way authorities in those 

countries define and manage political deviance, and the intrusion of politics into the 

administration of justice, especially in non-democratic settings. 

Prerequisites: Minimum 75% average in 4 WDW Criminology FCEs and a CGPA of 

at least 3.0. 



NOTE: This is a graduate seminar to which a small number of senior undergraduates may 

be admitted with special permission. Students requesting this course are advised to select 

an alternative undergraduate course until the status of their enrolment is confirmed. 

Enrolment requests must be emailed to the Silvia Cocolo, Undergraduate Coordinator no 

later than July 21. Ms Cocolo's email address is silvia.cocolo@utoronto.ca. 


Specific topics include: the nature of criminal policy-making; the symbolic dimension of 

criminal law; the causes of innovations in penal policy; the role in policy-making of policy 

analysts in government and of criminologists; the varieties of political deviance; political 

justice and policing; criminal justice in non-democratic settings; Soviet criminal justice; 

and the reform of criminal justice in post-Soviet states. 

Requirements 

Students will be expected to read and be prepared to discuss the required readings each 

class. In addition, every student will choose at least one class in which he or she has a 

particular interest and take on some extra responsibility. Usually, this will mean reading 

one or two items in addition to the required readings and being ready to bring them into 

discussion. In some instances, the student might lead the discussion of one of the required 

items. Taken as a whole, class participation will count for one third of the final grade. 

Written work for the course will consist of one essay (15-20 pages, typed) counting for 

two-thirds of the final grade. Students will be urged to try one of the following kinds of 

topics: (1) a study of the political history of a reform or attempted reform in criminal 

justice or penal policy in Canada or elsewhere; or (2) a brief written by you as a consultant 

to a government minister on a particular policy problem, which makes recommendations, 

relates them to available research findings, and takes into account political feasibility. But 

other topics are also acceptable (e.g., dealing with the political deviance or Soviet criminal 

justice or politics in the administration of justice), as long as they relate to the course. All 

specific paper topics must be cleared with the instructor. 

Texts 

A broad range of articles and chapters in books written by historians, sociologists, political 

scientists and legal scholars. Most will be on reserve at the Criminology Centre library. 




A critical examination of the process by which certain conduct is identified, prosecuted 

and punished as “crime”, and the process by which individuals become “criminals”. The 

evolution of the modern prosecution system, including the exercise of prosecutorial 

discretion, rules of evidence, socially constructed defences, disparity in sentencing, and 

wrongful convictions. 

Prerequisites: WDW205H1, WDW210H1, WDW225H1, WDW325H1/WDW200Y1, 220Y1 

Exclusion: WDW320H1 




This course examines the modern prosecution system as a dynamic, continuously evolving 

process. The course proceeds from the premise that the Canadian criminal justice system is 

the product of a series of social policy choices. Its structure and rules are not automatic or 

inevitable or even just. The criminal justice system can be best understood by looking at 

points of conflict throughout the process, including selective policing, selective 

prosecutions, disparity in sentencing and wrongful convictions. Particular attention is paid 

to attempts to hold the existing prosecution system to account for its failures. A final 

emphasis will be on identifying alternatives to the dominant approach to crime and its 

prosecution. 

The course seeks to build on introductory material taught in WDW325H1, successful 

completion of which is a prerequisite for this course. The course is taught through a 

combination of lectures and classroom discussions. Films and guest speakers may be 

employed. Students will be expected to have completed recommended readings before 

attending classes and be prepared to participate actively in classroom discussions. A 

teaching assistant will be available to assist students on a regular basis. 

Requirements 

Three written assignments: a case comment worth 20% of the final grade, a research paper 

worth 35% of the final grade, and a final examination worth 25%. Class participation will 

be worth 20% and will include two short written comments on the class readings. 

Texts 

A sourcebook of readings, prepared especially for this course, will be available from the 

University of Toronto Bookstore. Students enrolled in the course should also have access to 

an up-to-date copy of the Criminal Code. 

33

Criminology 



Professor Matthew Light 

An advanced seminar exploring the history and characteristics of organized crime and 

corruption. 

Prerequisites: 13 FCEs including 1.0 WDW300-level Criminology FCE 




An advanced seminar exploring the history and characteristics of organized crime and 

corruption, including recent scholarly approaches to the conceptualization of OC and 

corruption, a historical survey on the development of modern ideas of probity in 

government administration, the history and scholarly analysis of the Italian mafia, OC in 

Canada and other countries in the contemporary period, transnational OC, varieties of 

political corruption in Canada and other countries, and terrorist financing. 

The class will be taught in class discussion format, with the goal of helping students 

develop ideas through discussions rather than lectures. 

Requirements 

• Midterm exam (20 percent) 

• Final exam (20 percent) 

• Essay assignment (60 percent), consisting of either two short analytic essays (30 

percent each) or one longer research paper (60 percent) 

Text 




Professor Sandra Bucerius 

An advanced seminar exploring the connection between neighbourhoods and the 

perpetuation of poverty, social marginalization, segregation and crime. 


Distribution Requirement Status: This is a Social Science course 



Neighbourhoods provide an important geographic and social context for their residents 

and can affect their lives in multiple ways: with respect to their health, their prospects for 

employment and education, their relationships, their personal safety (both real and 

imagined) and much more. Various studies in criminology (both quantitative and 

qualitative) have enriched our understanding of how the characteristics of local 

neighbourhoods play a role in the perpetuation of poverty, social marginalization, 

segregation and crime. 

This seminar will focus on the role of neighbourhoods in shaping experiences with crime. It 

is often readily assumed that all so called “at risk neighbourhoods” also experience high 

crime rates. In reality, however, some “at risk” neighbourhoods seem to be resilient to high 

crime rates. We will look at various factors that may serve as “protection” or “risk factors” 

for crime/vcitimization to neighbourhoods like community organizations, resident 

involvement in neighbourhood life, the strength of inter- and intra-ethnic ties, local street 

codes etc. We will also explore stereotypes that are associated with certain 

neighbourhoods, and how they come to be criminalized and represented in the mass 

media; the impact that punishment has on community-level social control, cohesion, and 

quality of life; and the problems that gangs and the availability of guns pose to residents 

of urban neighbourhoods. 

Requirements 

Course requirements include a variety of written assignments, a seminar presentation and 

reading assignments. Students will be expected to actively participate in class discussions. 

The seminar will offer a learning format component using a service-learning placement 

with a community-based agency or organization. Participating students will contribute a 

number of hours per week (usually 2) to an agency or organization that she/he has been 

matched to. Participation in the service-learning placement is compulsory. 

Details will be made available on the first day of class. 

Texts 


35

Criminology 



Professor Scot Wortley 

An advanced seminar exploring youth culture and its possible connection to criminality 

from an international perspective. 





Youth culture and its possible connection to criminality is a concern in the majority of 

Western nations. Social critics are also concerned with how youth - especially minority 

youth - interact with the criminal justice system and how such interactions contribute to 

both social alienation and reduced life chances. This seminar will explore a variety of 

issues related to youth culture, crime and criminal justice from an international 

perspective. The experiences of Canadian youth shall be compared with the experiences of 

youth from other developed and developing nations. The course will begin by defining the 

concepts of youth, youth culture and youth criminality. Subsequent lectures will address 

specific topics including: 1) The age-crime curve and the normalcy of youth deviance; 2) 

Canadian youth gangs in both urban and rural contexts; 3) Youth gangs in Europe and the 

developing world; 4) Youth substance use and abuse; 5) Issues in youth sexuality; 6) Youth 

immigration, marginalization and crime; 7) Youth religious radicalization; 8) Music, movies 

and videogames: The source of Youth Crime; 9) Race and the policing of youth; 10) The 

politics of youth crime; and 11) Evaluating youth crime prevention strategies. It should be 

stressed that this is not a course on the legal aspects of the youth justice system. However, 

emphasis is placed on how the State and the criminal justice system may impact the lives 

of young people. 

Requirements 

Students will be expected to actively participate in class discussions, presentations and 

complete a variety of written assignments. Details will be made available on the first day 

of class. 

Texts 

Information will be made available on the first day of class. 




A critical exploration of contemporary debates in criminology, and legal and moral 

philosophy concerning the diagnostic and criminal justice labeling of mental disorders such 

as psychopathy and paedophilia, and their representation in popular culture. 



Breadth Requirement: Thought, Belief and Behaviour (2) 


During the last two decades, the diagnosis of psychopathy - the identification of 

psychopaths - has acquired a crucial significance within the Canadian criminal justice 

systems, leading to enhanced sentencing, enhanced security designation within corrections, 

denial of parole and release from psychiatric hospitals, increased likelihood of a Dangerous 

Offender designation, and hence the possibility of an indeterminate prison sentence. In 

the United States, it leads to increased likelihood of a death penalty in capital cases. This 

greater legal significance of the diagnosis is associated with a marked increase in academic 

and scientific interest in the diagnostic construct, from a broad range of approaches. 

Neuroscience research on psychopathy has been of particular significance to these debates. 

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the range of these debates, which 

engage the full range of approaches in contemporary criminology, and to compare the 

diagnosis with that of 'paedophilia', which raises similar issues. 

The class will critically examine the history of psychopathy and psychopathy-related 

diagnoses, current diagnostic and treatment methods, aetiological theories, the use of the 

diagnosis on risk assessment, critical analyses of the psychopathy construct, key cases and 

statutes, the representation of 'psychopaths' in the fictional and news media, the 

expansion of the diagnosis to youth and women psychopaths, the concept of the corporate 

or white-collar psychopath, the current debates in moral and legal philosophy about 

psychopathy. Where relevant, similar debates about paedophilia will be discussed. 

Requirements 

One paper proposal presented to the seminar class (20%). 

One response to another student's proposal (10%). 

One paper presented to the seminar class (40%). 

One final draft of the paper presented to the seminar class (worth 30%). 

Texts 


37

Criminology 



Professor Ron Levi 

An advanced seminar focusing on the legal and conceptual framework for responding to 

state violence and war crimes, and the challenges faced by various international legal 

institutions. Legal doctrines of sovereign immunity and universal jurisdiction, the history of 

international criminal prosecutions, and substantive international criminal law are 

examined. 


Exclusion: WDW425H1 International Criminal Law taken in 2008-2009 




This course is an introduction to international criminal law, and to the various institutions 

that have been developed for responding to state violence and war crimes. The course will 

explore the purpose and objectives of international criminal law, and its relation to politics 

and to domestic criminal law. In so doing, the course will examine the historical origins of 

international criminal law and of institutions designed to adjudicate state violence and war 

crimes: this will include readings on the emergence of international criminal tribunals and 

prosecutions, but also readings on other legal models such as political amnesties, national 

trials, and truth commissions. A focus of the course will be on international criminal 

prosecutions, with an emphasis on the legal bases for these prosecutions, the social 

organization of this field of law, the development of substantive international criminal law 

(including the crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity), and the capacity of these 

prosecutions to promote peace or societal reconciliation, or provide benefits to victims. 

Readings will include legal judgments and trial transcripts from current and past 

international criminal tribunals, as well as social science research articles that provide 

insight into how this legal field is structured, comparisons between different legal 

responses to war crimes, the relative efficacy of different legal institutions, and the costs 

and benefits that different legal approaches might offer for victims and for states. Because 

of the nature of the topic, readings will provide students with some background on a range 

of war crimes and related forms of state violence, while generally focusing on the legal 

and institutional responses that have been developed to adjudicate and document 

atrocities. 

Requirements 

Course requirements include a variety of written assignments, a seminar presentation and 

reading assignments. Students will be expected to actively participate in class discussions. 

The seminar will offer a learning format component using a service-learning placement 

with a community-based agency or organization. Participating students will contribute a 

number of hours per week (usually 2) to an agency or organization that she/he has been 

matched to. Participation in the service-learning placement is voluntary, and participation 

may be limited by the number of placements available. 

Text 



WDW490H1 

Nicole Myers 

Advanced Topics in Criminology - Distributing Justice: Current 

Sentencing Issues in Canada 

Topics vary from year to year. The objective of the course is to explore emerging issues in 

Criminology, and their social, legal, ethical and political implications. Consult the Program 

Office website or Criminology brochure for current course offerings. 


Distribution Requirement Status: This is a Social Science course 



Sentencing is perhaps the most visible, controversial stage of the criminal process. Often 

criticized for being too lenient, it seems politicians, the media and the general public are 

constantly calling for sentencing reform and the need to limit judicial discretion. Despite 

the appearance of simply picking the 'right' punishment, there are a multitude of factors 

that play into the sentencing decision. Judges are expected to balance a number of 

philosophical goals and legal considerations in crafting a sentence. In this course, students 

will be encouraged to think critically about the visible and covert implications of being 

criminally sentenced. We will discuss such topics as sentencing philosophy, judicial 

discretion, plea bargaining, credit for time-served, mandatory minimums, victim 

involvement and parole. Though we will be focusing primarily on the Canadian context, 

some empirical research from other countries will be used to demonstrate the multinational 

nature of these issues and to compliment the work that has been conducted on 

this issue in Canada. 

Requirements 

Reaction Papers 30% 

Midterm 20% 

Participation 10% 

Term Paper Assignment 40% 

Texts 

A set of readings will be made available on Blackboard. 

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Criminology 



Independent study under the direction of a Criminology faculty member. Approval of the 

Undergraduate Coordinator is required. It is the responsibility of the student to propose an 

independent study topic, and obtain the agreement of an instructor who is willing to 

supervise the project. 




Deadline to Apply: At least one week before the start of term 

WDW396H1 and WDW397Y1 Research Participation 

Credit course for supervised participation in a faculty research project. Offered only when a 

faculty member is willing and available to supervise. Available to students only upon 

invitation by a faculty member. Open only to third and fourth year students enrolled in a 

Criminology program. 

Prerequisites: Completion of at least nine full courses. A CGPA of at least 3.0 is 

recommended. Approval of the Undergraduate Coordinator is required. 





An individual research project under the direction of a Criminology faculty member. 

Approval of the Undergraduate Coordinator is required. It is the responsibility of the 

student to propose a research topic, and obtain the agreement of an instructor who is 

willing to supervise the project. 

Prerequisites: An average of at least 75% in four WDW Criminology FCEs, and a CGPA of at 

least 3.0. 




Application forms are available on the Criminology website at www.wdw.utoronto.ca. The 

Undergraduate Coordinator will review the proposal and if necessary consult with faculty 

before the result is communicated to the student via email (utor account). For this reason, 

students are advised to submit proposals in a timely manner. 


Instructor Profiles 

Sandra Bucerius is Assistant Professor of Criminology at the University of Toronto. She 

received her B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Frankfurt. For five years Professor 

Bucerius conducted ethnographic and qualitative research on fifty-five young male second 

generation Muslim immigrants who specialized in drug trafficking in Frankfurt, Germany. 

She is currently working on the monograph of her ethnographic research, under contract 

with Oxford University Press. In addition, she is working on two new projects in the GTA: 

one project examines risk and protective factors for gang involvement among 1st, 1.5 and 

2nd generation immigrants in Regent Park, the other one looks at the Almighty Latin King 

and Queen Nation, a Latino street group/gang. 

In collaboration with Professor Michael Tonry from the University of Minnesota, Professor 

Bucerius is also working on the The [Oxford] Handbook of Race, Ethnicity, Immigration, and 

Crime. Her publications include "Immigrants and Crime" in M. Tonry (ed.) Oxford Handbook 

of Criminology. New York: Oxford University Press. Forthcoming. “Fostering Academic 

Opportunities to Counteract Social Exclusion”, in: Natasha A. Frost, Joshua D. Freilich, and 

Todd R. Clear (Eds.), Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice Policy. Belmont, CA: 

Cengage/Wadsworth,"What else should I do - Cultural Influences on the Drug Trade of 

Young Migrants in Germany" in the Journal of Drug Issues, 37 (3). 

Breese Davies received her B.A., M.A. and LL.B. degrees from the University of Toronto. Ms. 

Davies is an Adjunct Professor at Woodsworth College and a partner in the firm Di Luca 

Copeland Davies LLP, specializing in criminal defence work. She is involved in Avocats sans 

frontières doing volunteer work in Nigeria. She served as President of the Board of 

Directors of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Toronto. She is one of the authors of Sentencing 

(6th edition, with C. Ruby, J. Copeland, D. Doucette and R. Litkowski, 2004) and Wilson on 

Children and the Law (with Jeffery Wilson), and serves as Assistant Editor of Canadian 

Rights Reporter and is co-editor of For the Defence magazine. 

Dena Demos received her BA (Political Science) and MA (Criminology) from the University 

of Toronto. She worked as a Researcher for the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General 

and Correctional Services and other provincial ministries before enrolling in the Ph.D. 

program at the Centre of Criminology (University of Toronto). Her doctoral research 

examines the role of public inquiries and other investigative committees as techniques of 

hegemonic renegotiation following ideological disruptions. Her academic interests include 

national security legislation, laws regarding speech supporting terrorism, policing public 

order, innovations in community policing, the use of deadly force, deaths while in police 

custody, and youth justice policy in Canada. Most recently she wrote several background 

reports for the Ipperwash Inquiry's Research Advisory Committee including "Policing in 

Ontario: A Profile of the OPP." She has taught in the Criminology program since 2005. 

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Criminology 


Anthony N. Doob received his A.B. from Harvard University and his Ph.D. from Stanford 

University. He is Professor of Criminology at the University of Toronto. His major research 

interests centre around policies related to imprisonment in Canada, youth crime and the 

youth justice system, and the operation of the criminal courts. 

Rosemary Gartner, Anthony N. Doob, and Franklin E. Zimring (In Press:2011) The Past as 

Prologue Decarceration in California Then and Now. Criminology and Public Policy. 

Sprott, Jane B. and Anthony N. Doob (2010). Gendered Treatment: Girls and Treatment 

Orders in Bail Court. Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 52, 427-441. 

Doob, Anthony N. and Jane B. Sprott. Understanding the Principled Arguments for 

Criminalizing Misbehaviour by Youths Under Twelve. In Anand, Sanjeev (ed). Children and 

the Law: Essays in Honour of Professor Nicholas Bala. In press: Irwin Law (In press: 2011). 

Webster, Cheryl Marie, Anthony N. Doob, and Nicole Myers (2009). The Parable of Ms. 

Baker: Understanding Pre-Trial Detention in Canada. Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 

21(1), 79-102. 

Sprott, Jane B. and Anthony N. Doob (2009). Justice for Girls Stability and Change in the 

Youth Justice Systems of the United States and Canada. University of Chicago Press. 

Rosemary Gartner received her B.A. from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and her 

M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She is Professor of Criminology 

and Sociology at the University of Toronto. Her research interests include historical and 

cross-national variation in serious interpersonal violence, violence by and against women, 

and gender and punishment. She has published three books: Marking Time in the Golden 

State: Women's Experiences of Imprisonment in California (with Candance Kruttschnitt); 

Murdering Holiness: The Trials of Franz Creffield and George Mitchell (with Jim Phillips); 

and Violence and Crime in Cross-National Perspective (with Dane Archer) and articles in a 

number of journals, including American Sociological Review, Law and Society Review, 

Crime and Justice: An Annual Review of Research, Criminology, and Resources for Feminist 

Research. Among her current research projects are an analysis of homicide in two Canadian 

cities (Toronto and Vancouver) and two American cities (Buffalo and Seattle) over the 20th 

century; and a study of the experiences of violent victimization and offending of women 

in conflict with the law. 

Matthew Light Light is Assistant Professor of Criminology at the University of Toronto. 

Professor Light is a specialist in post-Soviet Russian politics. His dissertation and postdoctoral 

research has focused on the regulation of migration, law enforcement, and 

religious freedom in contemporary Russia. He received his B.A. from Harvard, his M.A. from 

the University of Chicago, his J.D. from Yale Law School, and his Ph.D. from Yale. Dr. Light's 

recent articles include the following. 

• "Policing Migration in Soviet and Post-Soviet Moscow." Post-Soviet Affairs 26 (4): 

275-313. 

• Forthcoming: "What Does It Take to Control Migration Lessons from the USSR," in 

Law and Social Inquiry. 

• Forthcoming: "Regulation, Recruitment and Control of Immigration," in International 

Handbook of Migration Studies, eds. Steven Gold and Stephanie Nawyn (Routledge). 

He is also working on a new project involving reform of the police force in post-Soviet 

Georgia. 


Ron Levi is the George Ignatieff Chair of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of 

Toronto, where he is Associate Professor of Criminology and Sociolegal Studies, and is 

cross-appointed to the Departments of Political Science and Sociology. Levi is also Deputy 

Director (Academic Programs) for the Munk School of Global Affairs, and Director of its 

Trudeau Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies. 

Levi's research focuses on law and internationalization. His current research includes: (1) 

the fields of international criminal law and human rights, with an emphasis on legal and 

institutional responses to mass atrocities; (2) how urban and criminal justice policies reflect 

the politics of modern states (such as neoliberalism); and (3) immigration and transnational 

experiences of legality, crime, citizenship, and the state. 

Levi attended law school at McGill University, where he was trained in civil law and 

common law. After completing his master's degree in law at the University of Toronto, he 

pursued graduate study in sociology at Northwestern University and completed his doctoral 

dissertation in law at the University of Toronto, where he was awarded the Alan Marks 

medal. In 2008-2009, he was awarded the UTSU/APUS Undergraduate Teaching Award for 

Teaching Excellence. 

Nicole Myers received her B.A. in Criminal Justice Public Policy and Sociology at the 

University of Guelph, and her M.A. in Criminology at the University of Toronto. Her 

research interests include bail and pre-trial detention, criminal law policy, criminal court 

processing and sentencing. Nicole Myers is currently a senior doctoral student at the 

Centre of Criminology at the University of Toronto and has served as a teaching assistant 

in the undergraduate Criminology program since 2007. For her doctoral research, she is 

examining the use of sureties and conditions of release in bail court and the implications 

these have for the growing remand population. 

William L. O'Grady received his B.A. and M.A. from Carleton University, and his Ph.D. from 

the University of Toronto. His main area of academic interest is in the study of youth 

homelessness. Dr. O'Grady is co-author of Violence and Public Anxiety: a Canadian Case 

(2000) and is author of Crime in Canadian Context: debates and controversies (2007) 

published by Oxford University Press. He has also contributed to several book chapters, 

technical reports and refereed journals. His most recent publication (with Patrick Parnaby, 

University of Guelph) entitled, "Guns, Gangs and the Underclass: a constructionist analysis 

of a school shooting in Toronto," appears in the Canadian Journal of Criminology and 

Criminal Justice (January, 2010). He is currently working on a project, funded by Justice for 

Children and Youth (with Steve Gaetz, York University), on the enforcement of Ontario Safe 

Streets Act and homeless youth in Toronto. 

Peter H. Solomon received his B.A. from Harvard University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from 

Columbia University. He is Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto. 

Professor Solomon specializes in Soviet and post-Soviet politics and in the politics of 

criminal justice in various countries. He is the author of Soviet Criminologists and Criminal 

Policy (1978), Criminal Justice Policy, From Research to Reform (1983), Soviet Criminal 

Justice under Stalin (1996); Courts and Transition in Russia: The Challenge of Judicial 

Reform (with Todd Foglesong, 2000) and editor of Reforming Justice in Russia, 1864-1996 

(1997). His current research includes judicial and legal reform in contemporary Russia; 

courts, law and politics in authoritarian and transitional regimes; and the history of 

criminal justice in the USSR. 

43

Criminology 


Kerry Taylor received her B.E.S. from York University and her L.L.B. and D.Jur. from Osgoode 

Hall Law School. Her doctoral dissertation focused on the effects of criminal regulation of 

female genital 'mutilation' and circumcision in the Canadian context. Dr. Taylor also 

teaches at York University in the Law and Society Program. Her academic interests include 

human rights in the socio-legal context, and intersections of law, health and the body. 

Mariana Valverde received her B.A. from Brock University, and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Social 

and Political Thought from York University. She is Professor of Criminology at the 

University of Toronto and is cross-appointed to the Faculty of Law, as well as the Sexual 

Diversity Studies programme. Professor Valverde's research interests include criminal law 

and moral regulation, especially in relation to drinking and sexuality. Her main theoretical 

interests are Foucault and governmentality, and contemporary social and legal theory, 

especially that influenced by Nietzsche and Derrida. Her publications include Sex, Power 

and Pleasure; The Age of Light, Soap and Water: Moral Reform in English Canada 1885- 

1925; Diseases of the Will: Alcohol and the Dilemmas of Freedom; and Law's Dream of a 

Common Knowledge. 

William Watson received his B.Sc. from the University of Leicester, and his Ph.D. from the 

University of Cambridge. Dr. Watson is Assistant Professor at Woodsworth College. His 

academic interests include the practice of forensic psychiatry, psychopathy, the provision of 

services to sub-populations of mentally disordered offenders who are identified, or selfidentified, 

as having special needs, and the place of critical social science in public policy 

making. His publications include The Mentally Disordered Offender in an Era of Community 

Care: New Directions in Provision (co-edited with A. Grounds), and articles in Sociology, The 

International Journal of Comparative Sociology, History of Psychiatry, The Journal of 

Forensic Psychiatry, Social and Legal Studies, Canadian Journal of Sociology, and The 

Canadian Journal of Psychoanalysis. Dr. Watson has served as a consultant for the Ontario 

Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of the Solicitor General, Canada. He is currently 

completing research on the relationship between social science epistemologies and political 

philosophies, and on the relationship between the social and psychological sciences, 

especially as this is relevant to psychopathy. 

Scot Wortley received his Ph.D. from the Department of Sociology, University of Toronto. 

He is now an Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of Toronto. His research 

interests include: the treatment of racial minorities by the police and criminal courts in 

Canada; public perceptions of the justice system; criminal offending, substance abuse and 

victimization among Canadian youth; diversion programs within Canadian corrections; 

youth gangs and gang prevention; media depictions of crime and criminal justice issues; 

and crime and victimization in the Caribbean. Professor Wortley has published articles in 

various academic journals including the Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal 

Justice, the British Journal of Criminology, Law and Society Review, Social Forces, the 

British Journal of Sociology and the American Journal of Sociology. He also recently 

published a book on Crime and Criminal Justice in the Caribbean with researchers from the 

University of the West Indies. 


Rules and Regulations of the Faculty of Arts and Science 

The University has several policies that are approved by the Governing Council and which 

apply to all students. Each student must become familiar with the policies. The University 

will assume that he or she has done so. The rules and regulations of the Faculty of Arts and 

Science are listed in the calendar. Students taking courses in the Faculty assume certain 

responsibilities to the University and shall be subject to all rules, regulations and policies 

cited in the calendar, as amended from time to time. 

Additional information visit the Program Office website. For a complete set of guidelines 

including important deadlines visit the Faculty of Arts and Science website. 

Your instructor is your first step for advice regarding issues that relate to your studies in a 

particular course. The Criminology Program Office can provide you with advice on 

academic issues and problems that relate to or affect your Criminology studies. Your 

Registrar's office can help you with advice on your degree studies and/or personal 

problems that affect your performance in your studies. You are expected to manage your 

studies and this includes asking for help and advice! 

Official Communication 

As a student at the University of Toronto, you have automatic access to the Information 

Commons, which is your passport to e-mail, the library and the Internet. 

Once you have your TCard, you must activate your University of Toronto e-mail account. 

Setting up a UTORmail account is mandatory. Failure to do so may result in a student 

missing important information and will not be considered an acceptable rationale for 

failing to receive official correspondence from the University. All official communication 

from the Program Office will be emailed to UTOR accounts only. 

Writing at the University of Toronto 

The ability to think critically and to write well-organized, clear, grammatical prose is 

important to your work in many courses. It will improve your chances if you apply to 

graduate or professional schools and will also give you an advantage in the workplace. To 

help you develop your writing skills, the university provides a range of instructional 

resources. 

The Writing Centres, provided free of charge at undergraduate colleges, will help you 

develop the writing skills needed throughout your university studies. They offer both 

individual and group instruction. See www.utoronto.ca/writing/news.html for 

announcements about group workshops and non-credit courses. 

45

Criminology 


In individual consultations, trained writing instructors help you improve your ability to 

plan, write, and revise, using your assignments from any subject as examples. Some 

instructors specialize in the needs of students using English as a second language. You are 

entitled to use the writing centre of the college where you are registered or living in 

residence, or the department where you are taking a course. 

For more information, please visit www.utoronto.ca/writing/. 

Academic Integrity 

"The University and its members have a responsibility to ensure that a climate which might 

encourage, or conditions which might enable, cheating, misrepresentation or unfairness 

not be tolerated. To this end, all must acknowledge that seeking credit or other advantages 

by fraud or misrepresentation, or seeking to disadvantage others by disruptive behaviour is 

unacceptable, as is any dishonesty or unfairness in dealing with the work or record of a 

student." (Section B, Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters) For additional information, 

please visit www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/. 

Awards 

Please visit the Criminology Program Office website. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

What secondary school background do I need for Criminology 

There are no specific secondary school courses required as prerequisites for first year 

courses leading to the Criminology program. However, you must meet the admission 

requirements for the Faculty of Arts and Science (St George Campus). 

Contact Information: 

Admissions and Awards 

172 St. George Street 

Toronto, Ontario M5R 0A3 

416-978-2190 

www.adm.utoronto.ca 

What courses should I take in first year 

Faculty of Arts and Science students do not choose their program of study until the end of 

their first four courses. If you wish to study Criminology, you should enrol in two full 

course equivalent introductory course in economics, history, philosophy, political science, 

psychology or sociology in your first year. 


I don't meet the minimum admission requirements - can I request special 

consideration 

Enrolment the Criminology program is restricted because the demand for the program 

exceeds the number of spaces available in the program. For this reason, students have to 

meet the minimum admission guidelines listed in this brochure. The CGPA requirement is a 

minimum which at times may have to be increased depending on the number of enrolment 

requests. 

While we appreciate that there are any number of extenuating factors that may impact a 

student's academic performance we regret that we are simply unable to consider requests 

for special consideration. 

Are there other related programs in the Faculty of Arts and Science 

Yes. The Faculty of Arts and Science offers a major program in Ethics, Society and the Law 

through Trinity College. In addition, Sociology offers a number of criminology related 

courses. 

Is there a graduate program in Criminology at U of T 

Yes. The Centre of Criminology and Sociolegal Studies offers both an M.A. and a Ph.D. in 

Criminology. The program is administered by the Centre of Criminology and Sociolegal 

Studies. For information, please visit www.criminology.utoronto.ca. 

The University of Toronto also offers a combined J.D. (Faculty of Law) and M.A. (Centre of 

Criminology) program. The program permits the completion of both degrees in three years 

rather than the four years it would take to acquire them independently. For more 

information please visit www.law.utoronto.ca. 

Will studying Criminology give me an admission advantage if I want to apply to a 

faculty of law 

There is no one particular program of study required at the undergraduate level before 

applying to law schools. Courses in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences are 

all of value in developing the analytical skills and writing skills necessary to excel in the 

study of law. The requirements vary for each law school; however, the basic requirements 

usually include a combination of a candidate's GPA and the LSAT score. Most law schools 

also consider candidates' extracurricular activities and past work experiences. Ontario's law 

schools present at various educational fairs in the fall. For more information visit the 

OLSAS website at www.ouac.on.ca/olsas/. 

What are my career options 

See page 3. 

47

Criminology 


Contact Information 

Criminology Program Office 

Woodsworth College, Room 236 

University of Toronto 

119 St. George Street Toronto, ON M5S 1A9 

t: 416.978.5783 

e: crim@utoronto.ca 

w: www.wdw.utoronto.ca 

Reception Office & Telephone Hours 

Monday – Wednesday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (4:30 p.m. in July and August) 

Undergraduate Coordinator 

Monday – Wednesday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (4:30 p.m. in July and August) 

Thursday and Friday by appointment 

Links 

Faculty of Arts and Science 

www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/undergraduate 

Services and Links 

www.students.utoronto.ca/servicesandlinks.htm 

Ulife 

https://ulife.utoronto.ca/ 

Career Centre 

www.careers.utoronto.ca 

Summer Abroad Program 

www.summerabroad.utoronto.ca/ 

GOT UTOR 

As a student at the University of Toronto, you have automatic access to the Information 

Commons, which is your passport to e-mail, the library and the Internet. 

Once you have your TCard, you must activate your University of Toronto e-mail account. 

Setting up a UTORmail account is mandatory. Failure to do so may result in a student 

missing important information and will not be considered an acceptable rationale for 

failing to receive official correspondence from the University. 

All official communication from the Program Office will be emailed to UTOR 

accounts only. 


Woodsworth College 

119 St. George Street 

Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A9 

Website: www.wdw.utoronto.ca

2011-2012 - Woodsworth College - University of Toronto

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