Eric A Johnson – författare

Along with most of the restof Western culture, has crime itself become more "civilized"?This book exposes as myths the beliefs that society has become more violentthan it has been in the past and that violence is more likely to occurin cities than in rural areas.The product of years of studyby scholars from North America and Europe, The Civilization of Crimeshows that, however violent some large cities may be now, both rural andurban communities in Sweden, Holland, England, and other countries werefar more violent during the late Middle Ages than any cities are today.Contributors show that thedramatic change is due, in part, to the fact that violence was often toleratedor even accepted as a form of dispute settlement in village-dominatedpremodern society. Interpersonal violence declined in the seventeenthand eighteenth centuries, as dispute resolution was taken over by courtsand other state institutions and the church became increasingly intolerantof it.The book also challenges anumber of other historical-sociological theories, among them that contemporaryorganized crime is new, and addresses continuing debate about the meaningand usefulness of crime statistics.CONTRIBUTORS: Esther Cohen,Herman Diederiks, Florike Egmond, Eric A. Johnson, Michele Mancino, EricH. Monkkonen, Eva Österberg, James A. Sharpe, Pieter Spierenburg,Jan Sundin, Barbara Weinberger

This 1995 book contributes to both modern German history and to the sociological understanding of crime in modern industrial and urban societies. Its central argument is that cities, in themselves, do not cause crime. It focuses on the problems of crime and criminal justice during Germany's period of most rapid urban and industrial growth - a period when Germany also rose to world power status. From 1871 to 1914, German cities, despite massive growth, socialist agitation and non-ethnic German immigration, were not particularly infested with crime. Yet the conservative political and religious elites constantly railed against the immoral nature of the city and the German governmental authorities, police, and court officials often overreacted against city populations. In so doing, they helped to set Germany on a dangerous authoritarian course.

This 1995 book contributes to both modern German history and to the sociological understanding of crime in modern industrial and urban societies. Its central argument is that cities, in themselves, do not cause crime. It focuses on the problems of crime and criminal justice during Germany's period of most rapid urban and industrial growth - a period when Germany also rose to world power status. From 1871 to 1914, German cities, despite massive growth, socialist agitation and non-ethnic German immigration, were not particularly infested with crime. Yet the conservative political and religious elites constantly railed against the immoral nature of the city and the German governmental authorities, police, and court officials often overreacted against city populations. In so doing, they helped to set Germany on a dangerous authoritarian course.

Written by leading scholars from the Americas and Europe, this is a thorough assessment of state-supported murder and violence in Latin America. Examines the trajectory of murder and violence in the region over the past two centuries and elucidates theories and trends regarding violence since the end of colonial rule Covers topics such as “the disappeared,” the rise of drug cartels and narco-violence, physical violence against wives, the judging and sentencing of violent crimes, genocide, and state terrorism Explains and applies macro-level theories regarding the rise of civilization, state building, and violence to contemporary Latin America Demonstrates the complexity of an issue at the forefront of life and politics in the region today