This is a major new reference and text in a subject which has lacked such a work for many years. It combines the talents of an unusually powerful group of writers who together cover the entire spectrum of subjects now referred to collectively as criminology. From the history of the discipline and its present organization in the United Kingdom, the book goes on to deal with topics as diverse as policing, alcohol and crime, juvenile crime, crime statistics, drugs and crime, custodial and non-custodial sentences, prisons, victims, and the organization of professional crime in Britain. As a whole, it constitutes the most comprehensive and up-to-date single-volume reference work in criminology and criminal justice. It is the definitive work in the field and will be essential for all students and scholars of criminology and professionals working in the criminal justice system.