Crime, policing, and place

Spiraling crime rates and growing public concern about police-community relations have given crime and policing a high priority on the social and political agenda. The awareness of crime continues to affect the lives of ordinary people and to stimulate policy-makers who recognize that crime rates form one of the standards by which their effectiveness is judged. Of the many agencies involved in the battle against crime, the police in their various roles constitute the most obvious front line. Drawing on case study material from the United States, Britain, Europe, and Canada, Crime, Policing and Place examines the significance of spatial patterns of crime and the processes which produce them. The book analyzes the implications of theoretical and methodological innovation in the study of crime and policing, the processes which underlie the uneven distribution and impact of crime, and the success of recent policies aimed at preventing crime and enhancing police-community relations. The contributors are drawn from a variety of academic disciplines which include criminology, geography and social policy, and police and government agencies with direct input into policy.