The phenomenon of organized crime has long captured the public imagination, sustaining fascination across generations. The Godfather film trilogy (1972, 1974, 1990) and the television series The Sopranos (1999–2007) attest to this enduring interest, continuing to intrigue audiences both young and old. Yet, one may ask: does the Hollywood portrayal offer an accurate representation of organized crime as it exists in reality? Daniel Renaud and Valentin Pereda contribute to a deeper understanding of this phenomenon by addressing some of the most persistent myths surrounding it, particularly those concerning the profiles of members, organizational structures, and the illicit activities that take place within criminal groups and networks.
Speakers :
Daniel Renaud, journalist specializing in organized crime and criminal affairs, La Presse.
Valentin Pereda, Assistant Professor at the School of Criminology, Université de Montréal, and regular researcher at the International Centre for Comparative Criminology (CICC).
Further Reading
Lamp, K. V. (2025, March 28). Definitions of Organized Crime. Organized Crime Research. http://www.organized-crime.de/organizedcrimedefinitions.htm
Renaud, D. (2025, January 13). Rébellion contre les Hells Angels: La fin du crime organisé tel qu’on le connaît. La Presse. https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/justice-et-faits-divers/rebellion-contre-les-hells-angels/la-fin-du-crime-organise-tel-qu-on-le-connait/2025-01-13/un-monopole-conteste.php
Renaud, D. (2016). Cellule 8002 vs Mafia: L’histoire jamais racontée. Éditions La Presse.
Richer, I. (2025, June 12). Opération policière antimafia d’envergure: le clan Rizzuto sera-t-il anéanti?. Radio-Canada Info. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eK4zGqWILs
Richer, I. (2024, August 30). Le crime organisé raconté par deux experts. Radio-Canada. https://ici.radio-canada.ca/info/videos/1-10163172/crime-organise-raconte-par-deux-experts
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (n.d.). Teaching Module Series: Organized Crime. SHERLOC. https://sherloc.unodc.org/cld/en/education/tertiary/organized-crime.html?lf_id=
Varese, F. (2010). What is organized crime? In Federico Varese (Ed.), Organized crime: Critical concepts in criminology (Vol. 1, pp. 27–55). Routledge. https://federicovarese.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/varese-2017-redefining-organised-crime-03.pdf
(En)quête de criminologie is a science communication podcast that aims to demystify key themes in criminology. In each episode, a guest from the research community and a guest from the professional field help us move beyond popular beliefs by discussing the latest practical and academic knowledge in the discipline.
Audrey Deschênes, Host and Co-coordinator
Audrey is a PhD candidate in criminology at the School of Criminology at Université de Montréal. Her dissertation, supervised by Professor Stéphane Guay (collaborator at the International Centre for Comparative Criminology, CICC), focuses on the experiences of victims of sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Violette Prignac Merle, Co-coordinator
Violette is a Master’s student in criminology at Université de Montréal. Under the supervision of Professor Jo-Anne Wemmers (School of Criminology, regular researcher at the CICC), her research focuses on the experiences of victims of environmental crimes, with particular attention to their perceptions and expectations of justice.
Alice Brosse, Episode Preparation and Editing
Alice is a PhD candidate in criminology at Université de Montréal and in psychology at Université Rennes 2. Supervised by Professor Frédéric Ouellet (regular researcher at the CICC) and Professor Benoit Testé, her dissertation explores the desistance process among individuals who have committed sexual offenses.
Andrada Maria Dinescu, Social Media
Andrada is an undergraduate student in criminology at Université de Montréal. She works as a research assistant for Professor Marianne Quirouette and serves as Vice-President of the Criminology Student Association at Université de Montréal.
Gabrielle Fréchette, Social Media
Gabrielle is a Master’s candidate in criminology at Université de Montréal. Her research, supervised by Professor Marie-Marthe Cousineau (regular researcher at the CICC), examines the experiences of professionals working within Quebec’s specialized court for cases of sexual and domestic violence.
Guillaume Masson, Episode Preparation and Editing
Guillaume is a Master’s student in criminology at Université Laval. Under the supervision of Professor Patrick Lussier, his thesis focuses on the dynamic nature of sexual recidivism among individuals convicted of sexual offenses.
Roxane Perrin-Plouffe, Funding
Roxane is a PhD candidate in psychoeducation at Université de Sherbrooke. Supervised by Professors Nadine Lanctôt and Katherine Pascuzzo, her dissertation examines the sexual exploitation of minors and its consequences on cognitive functioning and core beliefs. She is also a research coordinator with the Groupe de recherche et d’intervention sur les adaptations sociales de l’enfance (GRISE) at Université de Sherbrooke.
Vincent Mousseau and Marie-Ève Duvois, Co-founders and Research Supervisors
Vincent Mousseau is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Technology Sydney and at the École nationale d’administration publique. He is also an adjunct professor at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and an associate researcher at the Forensic Science Research Group. His research focuses on decision-making, training, culture, and new technologies in policing and forensic contexts.
Marie-Ève Duvois is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology at Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO). Her work focuses on social reintegration, criminal trajectories, and the desistance process.
Vincent and Marie-Ève co-founded the podcast in fall 2020 during their doctoral studies in criminology at Université de Montréal. Vincent hosted the podcast until 2023.
To contact the (En)quête de criminologie team: enquetedecriminologie@cicc.umontreal.ca
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