Today security is a central theme in criminology; as security governs our lives, governing security becomes a priority. This important text provides an authoritative introduction to security, serving simultaneously as an introduction and as a timely reflection upon the significance, implications, and dangers of 'security'.
Just a decade ago security had little claim to criminological attention. Today a combination of disciplinary paradigm shifts, policy changes, and world political events have pushed security to the forefront of the criminological agenda. Distinctions between public safety and private protection, policing and security services, national and international security are being eroded. Post-9/11 the pursuit of security has been hotly debated not least because countering terrorism raises the stakes and licenses extraordinary measures. Security has become a central plank of public policy, a topical political issue, and lucrative focus of private venture but it is not without costs, problems, and paradoxes. As security governs our lives, governing security become a priority.
This book provides a brief, authoritative introduction to the history of security from Hobbes to the present day and a timely guide to contemporary security politics and dilemmas. It argues that the pursuit of security poses a significant challenge for criminal justice practices and values. It defends security as public good and suggests a framework of principles by which it might better be governed. Engaging with major academic debates in criminology, law, international relations, politics, and sociology, this book stands at the vanguard of interdisciplinary writing on security.
Lucia Zedner is Professor of Criminal Justice at the Law Faculty, Centre for Criminology, and Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford, and Conjoint Professor, at the Law Faculty, University of New South Wales. Her most recent books are Criminal Justice (2004) and Crime and Security (2006, co-editor).
Just a decade ago security had little claim to criminological attention. Today it is a central theme in criminology. Criminologists talk of governing security', governing through security', selling security' and tackling insecurity,' as well as making concrete reference to security management systems', private security' and the security industry'. Even before 9/11, the rise of risk assessment, actuarial justice, and prudentialism signified a marked shift away from the largely retrospective compass of the criminal justice process. The effect of 9/11 has been to promote security further still. The war on terror raises concerns about maintaining security in the face of catastrophic risk and has prompted intense political and academic debate how security should be pursued. Increased collaboration between policing and security services further erodes the distinction between security and crime control. In short, a combination of disciplinary paradigm shifts, policy change, and world political events have combined to shift security to the forefront of the criminological agenda. This book provides a brief, authoritative introduction to the subject of security. It distills the main issues, provides an accessible digest of the growing literature on security, and engages with the major academic debates. It serves simultaneously as an introduction to the concept of security in all its sundry forms and a timely reflection upon its significance, implications, and dangers. The book subjects security to rigorous critical analysis and proposes normative bases for its governance. In so doing, it situates itself at the vanguard of criminological writing on security.
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