Dr. Sexton is a dope professor. His lectures challenge you to think critically and to judge multiple experiences of a subject matter. I would say that this class sparked my interest in sociological research and creative inquiry. We read 3 books, none which were meant to actually be remembered word for word but as long as you pick up the concepts you're good. A lot of students made it out to be the longest workload ever. It's an upper division bruh step your game up. The lectures and readings aren't the exact same but relate in content. I liked to think of the lecture content as having provided me a sociohistorical lens to read the books which are all written in modern English (not difficult at all to read).

Test was cumulative but literally as long as you went to lectures and took basic notes, you'd be good. I took notes every lecture and didn't study at all for the final to still earn a 95. Professor Sexton also really encourages discussion among the class and values different perspectives, so he'll often allot time at the end of lecture to pick our brains. Unlike other professors in the department, I'd say it's easier to engage with professor Sexton because it doesn't feel like he's dodging students or just plain condescending.

Anyways, I'd definitely take Dr. Sexton's class again and plan to in the future.

Great professor! Loved the topic, turns more into a topic secularization of crime. Discussions were mandatory. Separate readings assigned for discussions. You created your own 10 questions of the assigned readings as part of your grade. He has a final which is all based on his lectures so its pretty much an A if you attend or grasp the concept. His exam is blue book, just written. He provides you what the potential topics will be for the essay question , so helps you prepare. One main written signalment for the quarter and thats it. He is helpful and kind towards students. He's supper engaging and open for questions even not related to his topics. I would definitely take another course with him, and next time would not stress about the 10 weekly questions I created based on the readings.

Sociology 147A is one of my favorite course taken so far at UCLA. I would definitely recommend this course to other students who are interest in topics on crime and want to challenge themselves with reading and writing skills. This course is not an easy course to take but you can really expand your knowledge after you have taken this course. This course has three components that I really liked. First is the engaging lectures and course contents. Second is the interesting books and reading materials. Third is the helpfulness of the Professor.
First, I think the lecture and the course contents are very interesting to me because I personally really enjoy learning about deviance and crime , but also Professor Sexton gave very engaging lectures that often relate current events to our lectures. He also would throw out some questions at the end of class, allowing us to engage in discussions.
Second, I really like the books Professor Sexton assigned us to read. There are three books we have to read and do homework on, and every one of them is very interesting. I personally really like "Smile Now Cry Later" by Freddy Negrete. The books are not boring and too academically sound, they are rather interesting but also contains useful knowledge.
Lastly, Professor Sexton is very helpful. Definitely recommend going to his office hour! He is a highly intellectual professor and very approachable. He knows a lot and is always very supportive. The course contains a research project where you get to pick the topic. Professor Sexton is very open to giving advice and resources to students regarding their projects.
Overall, it is a reading and writing dense course, but it is also a course very worth taking!

Long overdue review but Professor Sexton's SOC147A class is one of my favorite and most memorable classes! I have never been more intrigued by the material required from a class than this one. Professor Sexton is very approachable, open, and willing to answer your questions. He engages the class in a respectful and passionate manner. I actually looked forward to reading the books and materials that were assigned in this class because they were so insightful and brought new perspectives that I found enlightening. The class atmosphere was open and receptive, and every discussion in class was filled with diverse opinions and ideas.

Prof. Sexton and his sociology class on crime is one of the most influential classes I have ever taken at UCLA. He not only taught on the subject matter, but also how to critically think on how this subject may relate to other sociological matters. His lecturing skills and ability to connect to an individual student are a welcoming surprise; especially in a class of 300 students. The material he gave the class is knowledge I still use today and has shaped how I perceive the world. I think everyone, despite their major, should attend this class as it opens your perception of the world around you.

Sociology of Crime with Professor Sexton was a fantastic course. The lectures and reading were very interesting and engaging. Professor Sexton is clearly very knowledgable on the topic and cares deeply about his students' learning and engagement with the content. Some of the readings were lengthy (very typical of most Sociology courses at UCLA I'd say) but I found that if I did the reading and showed up to lecture I was very prepared for the tests/other course assignments. Would absolutely take this class (and really any class!) with Professor Sexton again. Easily one of the best Sociology courses I took during my time at UCLA.