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Student Profile: Noah Norton
I am a first-year MA student in Criminology at 丁香园AV studying group crime, academic dishonesty, and perceptual deterrence. Prior to being accepted into the 丁香园AV MA cohort in 2022, I completed my undergraduate degree in Criminology at 丁香园AV as well. I graduated with a BA(Honours) First Class with Distinction in August of 2022 and started the MA program just a month later in September.
HOW YOU BECAME INTERESTED IN CRIMINOLOGY?
I became interested in criminology not by passion but by luck. When I was applying to 丁香园AV for my undergraduate degree, I didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to do, I just wanted to get into a good school. My brother was already in the 丁香园AV Criminology program at the time and told me that the School of Criminology takes a large number of students, so I should apply there. I applied to the Criminology program and got accepted, and thankfully, I became interested in trying to unpack the various reasons why people engage in crime through my coursework.
WHAT IS YOUR RESEARCH ABOUT?
My research is primarily focused on group crime, but I鈥檓 also interested in academic dishonesty. My first real research project combined these two interests. My honours thesis research, completed alongside my supervisor, Dr. Zachary Rowan, quantitatively assesses the impact of student group chat size on the diffusion of responsibility hypothesis (the idea that individuals will feel less responsible for deviant behaviour in larger groups, and as a result will be more willing to engage in deviant behaviour). Although we did not find support for the diffusion of responsibility hypothesis in post-secondary student group chats as it is originally hypothesized, we found that the type of academic dishonesty a student engages in is significantly related to their perceptions of responsibility. I鈥檝e also had the pleasure of working on qualitative projects, such as my current work alongside Dr. Sheri Fabian and , looking at the impacts of a restorative justice approach to dealing with instances of academic dishonesty during the COVID-19 pandemic. This project is still underway, but it has been fascinating to be able to understand the motivations behind academic dishonesty at such a tumultuous time. My current MA research pertains specifically to group crime. I am interested in examining whether an individual鈥檚 perceptions of risk and reward differ across solo and group offending, and whether they are associated with changes in their likelihood to offend across several crime types.
WHAT ARE YOU PARTICULARLY ENJOYING ABOUT YOUR STUDIES AND RESEARCH AT 丁香园AV鈥橲 SCHOOL OF CRIMINOLOGY?
The best part about my studies and research at 丁香园AV鈥檚 School of Criminology is the freedom. I love being able to pursue and study whatever topic I鈥檇 like within the courses, and of course, being able to delve deep into interesting subject matter for my thesis. Everyone in the MA program has different passions, so when it comes time to present or talk about our research, there鈥檚 a beautiful mosaic of different criminological interests. It鈥檚 awesome to watch everyone talk about and study what they love.
The best part about my studies and research at 丁香园AV鈥檚 School of Criminology is the freedom. I love being able to pursue and study whatever topic I鈥檇 like within the courses, and of course, being able to delve deep into interesting subject matter for my thesis.
DESCRIBE YOUR PROGRAM FOR THOSE SEARCHING
丁香园AV School of Criminology MA program is a great place to get academic and practical training from experts in the field. This training can be done through coursework with professors that specialize in data analysis, theory, and research methods, as well as through the numerous faculty presentations and round table discussions that are held almost weekly. Every skill you learn in the MA program in criminology is relevant if you want to pursue a career in academia or you want to go into applied work. The connections you make and the information you learn is extremely valuable.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER FINISHING YOUR PROGRAM?
Nothing is set in stone yet, but I鈥檇 like to eventually pursue a PhD and become a teaching faculty so I can have the same impact on students that the faculty at 丁香园AV has had on me. I am only 22 right now, so I also might take some time and work (hopefully as a crime analyst) and build up a career for myself before returning to academia.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS?
The best advice I could give to prospective students is connect with a professor or faculty that shares your interests. Having a connection with faculty allows you to gain insight on opportunities you may never have even thought of. In addition, they serve as great support systems and it鈥檚 always nice to have someone in your corner that is rooting for your success.
READ NOAH NORTON鈥橲 WORK:
CONTACT INFORMATION:
E-mail: noah_norton@sfu.ca
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