The following is a collection of items that provide a brief glimpse into the early history of the Centre for Criminology under Professor J.LI.Edwards’ Directorship. Scroll through to learn more

CENTRE OF CRIMINOLOGY REPORT 1963-1966, Includes history, activities and future for the Centre of Criminology.

Report on the early years of the Centre

The Centre of Criminology Report 1963-1966 was created as a report on The Centre’s progress on various initiatives during the first three years of its conception. In the first half, the report includes a directory of the Centre’s staff, addresses, and telephone numbers. Some of the primary initiatives as listed in this report are the recruitment of faculty members from various departments with interests in criminology, as well as the development of an extensive criminology library collection. The report begins with a list of six core objectives including:

• The development of an effective approach to study crime in the Canadian context and involving an interdisciplinary collaboration with other departments
• The study of problems regarding the administration of criminal justice
• Provide graduate teaching courses
• Create plans for teaching courses at the undergraduate level
• Offer seminars, lectures, and conferences allowing for the exchange of ideas between members of the Centre of Criminology and external parties.
• Build a comprehensive library devoted to criminology in all its aspects (Centre of Criminology Report 1963-1966, 1966)

The content of the report ranges from the chapters covering the Centre of Criminology’s objectives, a list of faculty, responsibilities of the Director, members of the Advisory Committee, and then shifts to more academic matters concerning research project proposals, an overview of the graduate seminars and teaching courses at the undergraduate level, as well as a list of public lectures that took place during the three year period since the Centre’s founding. One noteworthy event in this report is the inauguration of the Certificate Program in 1966 which marked the first path to the Centre’s expansion into criminology program offerings directed at undergraduate students. This report provides a useful account of the scope of operations conducted at the Centre of Criminology. Additionally, this report is important for conceptualizing the current achievements of The Centre, sixty years since its founding.

Contact Proofs, Photos of 607-609 Spadina Avenue by Robert Lansdale Photography

New Beginnings

Robert Lansdale, also known as the “UofT Photographer” took a series of panoramic-style photographs of the Spadina houses located at 607-609 Spadina Venue. According to Professor Tony Doob, the Spadina houses were mostly used as an office space, with a seminar-style room where the Centre of Criminology’s masters students would be able to sit down and learn (Doob). It also housed its own library “devoted to criminology in all of its aspects” (Memorandum, 1965). Additional photographs of the interiors of the office space can be found in the Centre for Criminology’s archival materials. Some photographs feature Professor John Edwards. This particular contact proof is especially relevant for visualizing the journey from a Criminology Centre which represented just thirty masters students to a Centre that now represents hundreds of undergraduate, masters and doctoral students.