O. Nicholas Robertson Headshot

O. Nicholas Robertson

Associate Professor

Department of Criminal Justice
College of Liberal Arts

5854752083
Office Location

O. Nicholas Robertson

Associate Professor

Department of Criminal Justice
College of Liberal Arts

Education

BA, State University College at Geneseo; MA, State University College at Brockport; Ph.D., State University of New York at Buffalo

Bio

Professor Robertson received his B.A. in Sociology from SUNY Geneseo, his M.A. in American History from SUNY Brockport and his Ph.D. in Sociology from SUNY Buffalo. Professor Robertson's research and teaching interests are in crime, law, deviance; race, ethnicity, immigration; urban sociology; and the African Diaspora.

5854752083

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Select Scholarship

Journal Paper
McQuiller-Williams, Laverne, Judy Porter, and O. Nicholas Robertson. "Dating Violence Perpetration among College Students: The Effects of Child Maltreatment and Auditory Status." Athens: ATINER’s Conference Paper Series. (2022): 1 - 19. Web.
McQuiller-Williams, Laverne, Judy Porter, and O. Nicholas Robertson. "Exposure to Childhood Maltreatment as Related to Adult Intimate Partner Victimization among College Students: The Contribution of Childhood Polyvictimization." Psychology 12. (2021): 25 - 42. Web.
Smith, Tony R., et al. "An Integrative Assessment of Self‑Control, Deviant Friendships, and Fraudulent Behavior." American Journal of Criminal Justice. (2021): 1 - 21. Print.
Robertson, O. Nicholas and Robert M Adelman. "Race, Ethnicity, and the American Criminal Justice System: The Perceptions and Experiences of West Indian Men." Race and Justice: An International Journal 9. 4 (2019): 434-453. Print.
Book Chapter
Robertson, O. Nicholas. "The Myth of Immigrant Criminality: Early Twentieth-Century Sociological Theory and Trump’s Campaign." Nasty Women and Bad Hombres: Historicizing the 2016 Presidential Election. Ed. Christine Kray, Hinda Mandell, and Tamar Carroll. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press, 2017. 74-87. Print.
Invited Keynote/Presentation
Robertson, O. Nick. "The Impact of Incarceration on Communities." Presentation for Professional Development to Teachers, Social Workers, and Administrators, for the Rochester City School District. Rochester City School District. Rochester, NY. 25 Feb. 2014. Conference Presentation.
Robertson, O. Nick. "Power to the Peoples of Color: Challenges and Triumphs of the Professional World." II First World Diasporas of Color Undergraduate Conference: Globalizing Identities and Migration across Diasporas. SUNY Geneseo. Geneseo, NY. 1 Apr. 2014. Conference Presentation.

Currently Teaching

CRIM-110
3 Credits
This course provides an introduction to criminal justice. One of the primary goals of this course is to provide a general understanding of how the criminal justice system responds to crime in society. The main component parts of the criminal justice system (i.e., police, courts, and corrections) will be examined with a particular emphasis on developing an understanding of the behavior and interactions among the main actors in the criminal justice system. To accomplish this goal, we will examine how criminal cases are processed in the criminal justice system. We will also consider how external forces, such as political decisions, public opinion, and the media influence criminal justice decision-making. Students will also formulate, argue, and evaluate ethical perspectives regarding criminal justice systems, individual-level decisions, and recognize relationships with other ethical problems in society. Finally, throughout the course we will emphasize how the societal response to crime has evolved over time.
CRIM-285
3 Credits
This course will investigate the roles played by racial minorities- African-Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans-- at each level of the criminal justice system in the United States of America and globally. The experience of African Americans will be emphasized since this group has been the subject of more extensive research by criminologists and criminal justice practitioners.
CRIM-489
3 Credits
Focuses on contemporary issues and topics not otherwise distinctly incorporated in established criminal justice courses. Concentrates on student discussion and interaction surrounding required readings on topics such as crime prevention and issues in the prosecution/court system. Recent examples include cyberlaw, prisoner re-entry restorative justice, wrongful convictions, crime mapping, crime analysis, non-traditional courts, legal controversies in the law, substance abuse, and legal research.
CRIM-702
3 Credits
This seminar will focus on the principles and techniques of research with a special focus on evaluation research. The course will cover research conceptualization and design, development of appropriate measures, collection and analysis of data using a wide range of methods. Students will gain a thorough understanding of the research process as well as the policy implications and consequences of research and evaluation. Students will also begin to develop a thesis research proposal.
CRIM-705
3 Credits
This course will focus on theory and research regarding the effectiveness of broad anti-crime strategies and specific intervention efforts at the local, state, national and international level. Theoretical explanations of crime and ideological orientations towards crime will be linked with the crime control and prevention strategies associated with those perspectives. Each strategy of crime control/prevention (including deterrence, incapacitation, rehabilitation, and community crime prevention) will be assessed in terms of research findings on its effectiveness. Detailed attention will be given to prevention/control strategies aimed at both juvenile and adult offenders. Programs will also be examined in the broader context of the ideology and philosophy of justice. Students will become familiar with the state of the art in crime and justice related interventions by studying the theory, practice and evaluation of contemporary crime and justice interventions.
CRIM-706
3 Credits
This course provides an examination of current issues in criminal justice with an emphasis on the application of evaluation, management, theory and ethics to analysis of criminal justice policy, The goal is to engage students in discussion of current issues with their peers and with experts in the field.

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