Navigating between criminological concerns about control and governance and social theories about culture and identity, this book explores what is meant by crime, community and morality and puts this meaning to the test. Discussion of a new theory of rule-breaking, combined with an analysis of how our justice system is becoming maladapted, makes this essential reading for criminologists around the globe, as well as those general readers interested in the causes of crime.

Introduction 1. Crime and the Community 2. Punishment and the Community 3. Community, Ideology and Utopia 4. The Politics of Moral Degeneration 5. Getting a Sense of Community 6. Late-modernity, Insecurity and Identity 7. Community, or Intimacy? Conclusion.

Simon Green is a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Hull. He teaches and researches in the areas of restorative justice, crime and politics, criminological theory and reducing reoffending.