Crime is always part of a social process. In many cases that process determines the form the crime takes. In this ground-breaking book, a wide range of crimes are examined in terms of the social psychological processes that influence the participants and their relationships with each other. Crimes as diverse as fraud and hostage taking are examined from a range of social science perspectives, including broad anthropological perspectives on differences in the structure of criminal cultures as well as the detailed consideration of the roles offenders play in groups and teams of criminals. This book opens up a new area of empirical study of relevance to students of crime as well as law enforcement officers. It will also be of value and interest to all those social scientists who wish to understand how their disciplines can contribute more effectively to the investigation of crime.

David Canter, The University of Huddersfield and Laurence Alison, The University of Liverpool, UK.

Contents: The social psychology of crime: groups, teams and networks, David Canter and Laurence Alison; Culture and crime, Gerald Mars; The structural analysis of criminal networks, Duncan McAndrew; Investigating fraud, Alan Doig; Rules and roles in terrorist hostage taking, Margaret Wilson and Alaster Smith; Riot by appointment: an examination of the nature and structure of seven hard-core football hooligan groups, Lynne Johnston; Ram raiding: criminals working in groups, Ian Donald and Angela Wilson; The social structure of robbery, Karyn McCluskey and Sarah Wardle; Criminology, desistance and the psychology of the stranger, Shadd Maruna; Destructive organizational psychology, David Canter.