Security and Crime: Converging Perspectives on a Complex World

Security and Crime is an authoritative and multidisciplinary analysis of the relationship between security and crime, addressing much of the confusion about its nature and meaning, clarifying its relevance to criminological analysis, and giving due attention to the interdisciplinary nature of the topic. Providing an historical and prospective look at issues within security the book will:

• trace the development of ′security′ across disciplines
• situate this contested concept within criminological discourse and concerns
• explore the rising attention in politics and academic scholarship to ′security′ issues as they relate to crime
• examine the nature and organisation of interventions to deliver security
• establish clearly the relationship between security, crime and criminology.

International in scope, and broad in coverage, Security and Crime sets out the need to broaden the study of security in a clear, concise style that is easy for students to digest. With comprehensive pedagogical feature including chapter overviews, key terms, study questions, further reading and a glossary, this book is essential for students studying security in criminology, criminal justice, international relations, and related disciplines.

Alison Wakefield is Professor of Criminology and Security Studies at the University of West London, and a member of the executive of UWL’s Cybersecurity and Criminology Centre. She is also an Associate Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute and was until recently Chair of the Security Institute, the UK’s largest member association for security professionals.

Alison’s recent honours and awards include ranking third in the thought leadership category of IFSEC Global’s Top Influencers in Security and Fire for 2020, featuring in SC Media UK’s 50 Women of Influence in Cyber Security 2019, earning an Emerald Outstanding Paper 2018 award for the co-authored paper ‘Confronting the “fraud bottleneck”’ in the Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice, and receiving the Association of Security Consultants Imbert Prize 2017 for her contribution to the security profession.

Her other publications include The Sage Dictionary of Policing (Sage, 2009, edited with Jenny Fleming), Selling Security: The Private Policing of Public Space (Willan Publishing, 2003), and Ethical and Social Perspectives on Situational Crime Prevention (Hart Publishing, 2000, edited with Andrew von Hirsch and David Garland).