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Richard V. Ericson Memorial Information

Richard V. Ericson - In Memoriam

Richard V. Ericson died Tuesday, October 2, 2007 in his 59th year after a long, difficult struggle with multiple health problems. He was appointed Professor of Criminology, University of Toronto 2004, and since 2005 served as Director of the Centre of Criminology, University of Toronto. Between 1993 and 2003, he was Principal of Green College and Professor of Law and Sociology, University of British Columbia. Prior to that he was Director of the Centre of Criminology and Professor of Criminology and Sociology, University of Toronto. He had held visiting positions at the University of Cambridge, Churchill College Cambridge, the University of Oxford, Green College Oxford, All Soul's College Oxford, University of Edinburgh, London School of Economics and Political Science, University of Paris X , and Arizona State University. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a Canada Council Killam Research Fellow 1998-2000.

Richard's research interests encompassed areas as diverse as young offenders, police work, crime reporting in the media, risk and regulation, insurance and governance, the regulation of financial institutions, and the role of coroners in death investigation and public safety. Even in illness he continued to strive for excellence in his scholarship. His proudest achievement was Green College, UBC, where he fully came into his role as a builder. It was in the development of a positive, nurturing and creative environment where young scholars and university faculty came together to share ideas and enjoy friendship that he felt he had made his greatest contribution. He cherished the role of enabler and derived great pleasure from watching young scholars grow in intellect and confidence, discovering talents they didn't know they possessed. Richard's integrity, dedication and intellectual leadership will be sorely missed.

The Richard V. Ericson Scholarship Fund has been established. Donations would be greatly appreciated. There is no more fitting tribute than to continue to support young scholars in his name.

Richard V. Ericson Scholarship Fund

Richard Ericson was a faculty member in the Centre of Criminology at the University of Toronto. In his memory, the Richard V. Ericson Scholarship Fund has been created to support graduate students in his field. A pledge form for donations can be found here or cheques for the Ericson Scholarship may be made payable to the University of Toronto and can be sent to:

  • Rita Donelan
  • Centre for Criminology & Sociolegal Studies
  • University of Toronto
  • 14 Queen's Park Crescent West
  • Toronto, ON
  • M5S 3K9