The rationale for, and workings of, the ‘systems’ of criminal justice in Australia are issues that need constant attention. One of the challenges for students, academics, policy-makers and practitioners in this field is the need to become familiar with approaches, theories and methods emanating from a wide range of difference disciplines. Criminologists, legal theorists, philosophers, psychologists, political scientists, historians, behavioural scientists and sociologists have all made important contributions to this field. This book provides a broad, accessible introduction to the study of criminal justice, while giving an overview of contemporary thinking and presenting a range of empirical findings.

The topics covered include: the recording of crime; notions of justice; policing; privatisation; sentencing; punishment; Indigenous people’s experiences within the system; victimology and white-collar crime; psychological intersections; evaluation; and strategic policy-making.

This text is designed to attract justice studies and behavioural science students and professionals especially, to apply their theories, findings and skills to the challenging questions and problems posed by the six authors.