This is a really awesome professor who offers a unique insight to the Sociology department. Some of his assigned readings were a bit lengthy and dense, but the professor and T.A. helped me in understanding the material. The class consisted of two written exams (mid-term and final), weekly question and answer homework, and one research paper.
The pandemic did begin at the end of this class which disrupted everything. However, the professor was very considerate and lenient. Definitely would take a class with this professor again!!

Dr. Sexton is one of my favorite lecturers in the sociology department at UCLA. The assigned readings are very interesting (learning about prison gangs, ideas about Black on Black crime). The final is based mostly on lecture content, and is easy to do as long as you show up to lecture and take a few notes. It was nice that Sexton provides a list of 8-10 possible questions, and on the final provides you 3 of these to choose from––you can come in perfectly prepared. The final research paper allowed us to select any topic in crime and the discussion sections were helpful for writing this!

With regards to the other reviews, my friends in this class and I were really confused why people were freaking out about the final and research paper because Sexton is really clear on how he grades & what he wants from his students. I've taken 2 courses with him and I feel like the people complaining literally just didn't show up to lecture. Sexton legit gives you the exact questions that will be on the final and the research paper is just a 'pick ur own adventure' sort of thing that is graded pretty leniently by the TAs. The prof is a super nice guy and is understanding, so will give accommodations or extensions if needed.

There was one girl in my section who complained every week about having to write a 10-12pg research paper, and it really made me question how/ why she was a sociology major at UCLA. Like I said above, we literally got to choose any topic we wanted and the TAs were extremely supportive & easy graders. I think she is one of the people who left a hate review lol. So take that as you will. Overall, Sexton is a nice professor who has a lot of interesting experiences and stories to share, and you will come out of his class having learned a lot. It is not hard at all to get an A.

i personally really didn't like this class. i found that sexton mumbles a lot and his lectures aren't really engaging. maybe his lectures just don't fit my learning style - i was able to do well on the final by watching his exam review video but i didn't feel like i learnt much from this class class. structure of the class doesn't really make sense - discussion section covers the readings but not lecture content, even though lecture content is what you are tested on for the exam. your grade is comprised of weekly reading responses + section participation, a research paper, and an in-person final essay. sexton was very nice, my TA Daniel Ramos was funny and engaging, and the readings were really interesting but i probably wouldn't recommend this class.

I'm senior and this is the first and Last time taking class with professor Sexton. While his lesson and course material may be fun then only problem is the grading. It's the horrendous TA that he has especially Daniel Ramos, Please avoid him at all cost and this class. A refresh you have to read 1500 pages (3 books total pages) which are not part/helpful not for the final nor the 14 pages research paper. The workload is insane for a 4 units class. However, if you do not agree on the grading and you clearly have proof, good luck finding justice! TA pretends to be helpful, he's gonna be all smiley and then put you a C, even though he emailed me "you're doing a great job on research, just work on final detail" I did work, yet put me a C. So moral of the story if you just want to pass the class take this class.

I love this professor! I took this course during the summer, it was very fast paced when it came to the lectures so his presentation of them were a bit confusing at times, but his final exam was easy; very straightforward questions. He requires two weekly summaries about lecture content but you can view the lecture later if you missed it since he records them all and the summary is very easy to do (10 min limit). Other than that he has 3 kind of book report type assignments due every 2 weeks, but they are easy readings and very interesting ones so the assignments are easy to do. He is also very understanding as I had a family emergency and allowed me to submit a lot of my work late and I thank him for that greatly.

Professor Sexton is one of the best professors I’ve taken at UCLA. His lectures are extremely engaging and boosts curiosity. I had him this summer for a 8:30AM class which is normally a time I find dreadful but I found myself excited to attend these lectures. The workload isn’t too intense but does take some effort. The class consists of attendance summaries for each class. As long as you engage with his lecture, it’s nothing too crazy. We had three essays (personal reading summaries) for three books. All of the books were extremely interesting if your interesting in crime. The grading is not harsh at all on these essays. We also had one final exam. Take the leap and you won’t regret it!

Every single class requires attendance - which is graded. He gave 3 book summary assignments that were required to be four pages SINGLE SPACED. However, this style did force me to really go through the books and take in the concepts. I came to every class, took notes, and somehow found the final super challenging. I feel like the class wasn't really THAT interesting because the repeating message was that the prison system is poor and needs to be reformed. There were a lot of off topic tangents that had me lose focus. I felt like the class was disorganized and confusing. I was expecting this class to be a 10/10 given the incredible reviews for this professor. I mean, he is a cool guy, but I was disappointed going in with high expectations. I would give this class and professor a 6/10. I also expected this class to be easier than it was. The assignments are very time-consuming, and you have to work on them well in advance to not feel overwhelmed. I recommend this class if you are passionate about the subject of crime, but don't go in with expectations of this being the best class ever.

Professor Sexton was my favorite professor of this quarter. He is really funny/engaging with the material and makes the 8 am much more tolerable. There are three book reviews, a final research paper, and final exam for this class which is a relatively manageable work load. Definitely take this prof if you’re a sociology major!

Professor Sexton's class at UCLA was truly exceptional and stands out as the best. The content of the class was incredibly interesting, and Professor Sexton's teaching style captivated my attention every time. Not only did he possess a wealth of academic knowledge, but he also exuded kindness and warmth towards his students. Despite my natural propensity towards laziness, I eagerly anticipated each class session and reveled in the opportunity to engage with the professor during office hours.
What struck me the most about Professor Sexton was his ability to connect with and understand students from diverse backgrounds. He fostered an inclusive and supportive environment that allowed for open discussion and learning. As such, I hold him in the highest regard among the professors at UCLA.
Taking Professor Sexton's class is an experience I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had. It has undoubtedly been one of the highlights of my academic journey, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from such an exceptional educator.

I was quite shocked going into this class after reading the reviews. This is my first sociology class but I am amazed at how biased and opinionated the material is in this class. If you are not a radical liberal, I do not recommend taking this class. As you will constantly hear about how you should feel white guilt, and all of the opinions of someone who is left-wing radical in their views. This class is based on the opinions of the professor, who seems like a very nice guy, but I am not attending UCLA to be persuaded into specific political views. Listening to the very first lecture and hearing the professor say how murderers and rapists should not be referred to as such because it dehumanizes them, I knew I was in for a ride. Writing papers on the assigned books merely consists of catering to radical left-wing viewpoints in order to get an A, in fear of disagreeing with the opinions being presented for the sake of my grade.