Current Topics in Criminology and Criminal Justice (SOC*1000)

Code and section: SOC*1000*02

Term: Fall 2025

Instructor: Andrew Nevin

Details

SOC*1000: CURRENT TOPICS IN CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE

University of Guelph
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Fall 2025
Section 02: Tuesday 7:00-9:50pm, Location TBD
Instructor: Dr. Andrew D. Nevin | anevin@uoguelph.ca

SOC*1000 is a 0.50-credit introductory course that addresses some of the most pressing issues in criminology and criminal justice today. We will begin with the foundations underlying how criminologists approach defining, measuring, and explaining criminal (or deviant) behaviours, while encouraging students to adopt a critical lens toward the everyday and media-driven narratives of law making and law breaking. We will then explore a range of topics that reflect current scholarship in the field, such as mass killings, cybercrime, organized crime, policing, incarceration, and youth justice, among others. By applying a critical sociological perspective, we will also consider how the criminal justice system intersects with (and impacts people along lines of) age, gender, socioeconomic status, and race/ethnicity. Throughout the semester, we will predominantly situate our learning within the contexts of Canada and the United States.
This course has several learning outcomes. By the end of the semester, students will be able to:
• Demonstrate knowledge of core concepts and current debates in criminology and criminal justice
• Identify, compare, and contrast an array of important contemporary criminological issues
• Critically reflect on the social structure and social relations underlying current issues in criminology and criminal justice
• Cultivate skills for effective reading, studying, time management, and respectful discussion
• Communicate effectively, accurately, and professionally with clear and precise language
This course will be a lecture-based format with opportunities for participation and discussions during in-person lectures. Students are required to purchase Top Hat to facilitate (graded) engagement with the material during the lectures. Lectures and assigned readings are required core components of this course.
Course readings will be available through the UofG library’s course reserves and accessible via Perusall (which is free to use). Readings are TBD. There is no textbook for this course.
Students’ grades will be determined based on a combination of in-class participation (Top Hat), engagement with course readings (Perusall), and multiple exams (composed of multiple-choice and written response questions). The exams include two in-class midterms and a final exam scheduled during the December exam period. Other potential assessments are TBD.
Please note that this draft outline is for informational purposes only and a complete course syllabus will be provided via CourseLink on the first day of classes. The weekly topics and assessment structure are subject to change prior to finalizing the syllabus in September.