Crime is a source of endless fascination and fear. Yet behind the
apparent consensus that crime must be fought, there is considerable
conflict about what should or should not be treated as criminal, and
even the most shocking crimes can inspire divisive debate.
This concise book explores the seemingly simple, common-sense concept of
crime revealing the huge complexities, ambiguities and tensions that lie
beneath it. Criminal law is often at odds with different moral
perspectives and the practices of different cultures. The mass media
distort the picture profoundly, as do politicians in pursuit of law and
order votes. The criminal justice system tackles only a limited range of
crimes - almost entirely ones committed by the poor and relatively
powerless - while often neglecting the most dangerous and harmful
activities of corporations and states, from the carnage of unjust wars
to the tragedies engendered by austerity. It is only by examining the
multiple and varied perspectives on crime that we can begin to
understand and respond appropriately to this social phenomenon.
Written by a world-leading criminologist, this insightful book will be
an invaluable and captivating introduction for students and interested
readers of criminology, law, sociology and politics.