Crime and Social Policy

Over the last three decades, crime policy has been increasingly dominated by attention to the reformation of the individual offender and their ownership of responsibility, with less attention paid to the social causes of crime. More recent research has returned to an examination of the social causes of crime, with a specific focus on the social context of offending and rehabilitation. Crime and Social Policy studies the critical relationship between social policy and crime management through an in-depth review of current trends, and a look at the potential contribution of social policy initiatives to both crime causation and cessation. Particular attention is paid to existing social policy trends and their impact on crime causation, crime rates, and crime management. The text also researches the role social policy can play in promoting more effective reintegration of offenders into the community, its role in promoting social capital and the creation of positive networks to prevent reoffending. Throughout the text, contributors include a range of illuminating case studies highlighting the impact of social policies on offenders, and draw on recent empirical research ranging from youth crime, anti-social behaviour, 'problematic families', and social security fraud.