Community and the Problem of Crime

The relationship between crime and community has a long history in criminological thought, from the early notion of the criminogenic community developed by the Chicago sociologists through to various crime prevention models in research and policy. This book offers a useful theoretical overview of key approaches to the subject of crime and community and considers the ways in which these have been applied in more practical settings.

Written by an expert in the field and drawing on a range of international case studies from Europe, North America, Australia and Asia, this book explores both why and how crime and community have been linked and the implications of their relationship within criminology and crime prevention policy. Topics covered in the book include:

• the different crime prevention paradigms which have been utilised in the 'fight against crime',
• the turn to community in crime prevention policy, which took place during the 1980s in the UK and US and its subsequent development,
• the particular theoretical and ideological underpinnings to crime prevention work in and with different communities,
• the significance and impact of fear of crime on crime prevention policy,
• different institutional responses to working with community in crime prevention and community safety,
• the ways in which the experience of the UK and US have been translated into the European context,
• a comparison between traditional Western responses to the growing interest in restorative and community-based approaches in other regions.

This book offers essential reading for students taking courses on crime and community, crime prevention and community safety, and community corrections.