Gorazd Meško – författare

Policing in Central and Eastern Europe has changed greatly since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Some Central and Eastern European countries are constituent members of the European Union, while others have been trying to harmonize with the EU and international requirements for a more democratic policing and developments in accordance with Western European and international policing standards, especially in regard to issues of legality and legitimacy.

Changes in the police training system (basic and advanced), internationalization of policing due to transnationalization of crime and deviance, new police organizational structures and agencies have impacted new cultures of policing (from exclusively state to plural policing).    This timely volume examines developments in the last two decade to learn the nature of these changes within Central and Eastern Europe, and their impact on police culture, as well as on society as a whole.

The development of police research has varied widely throughout Central and Eastern Europe: in some countries, it has developed significantly, while in others it is still in its infancy. This work will allow for a transfer of ideas and models of police organization and policing is also need to be studies closely, with an aim to provide consistent and comparable data across all of the countries discussed. For the twenty countries covered, this systematic work provides: short country-based information on police organization and social control, crime and disorder trends in the last 20 years with an on policing, police training and police educational systems, changes in policing in the last 20 years, police and the media, present trends in policing (public and private, multilateral, plural policing), policing urban and rural communities, recent research trends in research on policing – specificities of research on police and policing (researchers and the police, inclusion of police researchers in policymaking and police practice) and future developments in policing.

This timely collection crosses international boundaries to highlight criminological issues with a rural focus. Using a variety of different perspectives, the contributors offer lessons from research on rural crime, justice and security from the seven continents with a macroscopic perspective on issues of international concern.

The book identifies the global context in which rural crime takes place, presenting insights on crime prevention, safety and security to students, researchers, policymakers and practitioners.

Chapters 2 and 8 available open access digitally under CC-BY-NC-ND licence.

This timely collection crosses international boundaries to highlight criminological issues with a rural focus. Using a variety of different perspectives, the contributors offer lessons from research on rural crime, justice and security from the seven continents with a macroscopic perspective on issues of international concern.

The book identifies the global context in which rural crime takes place, presenting insights on crime prevention, safety and security to students, researchers, policymakers and practitioners.

Chapters 2 and 8 available open access digitally under CC-BY-NC-ND licence.

This book explores the dual nature of legitimacy in prison. It examines the inter-connectivity between audience perception of legitimacy (the prisoners’ perception) and the power-holders’ perception of legitimacy (the prison staff perception). It defines legitimacy in this scenario as the ability of prison workers to implement their authority in an honest, lawful, and just manner, while prisoners acknowledge their status as eligible power-holders who deserve to be obeyed and comply with their decisions.

Using mixed methods of qualitative and quantitative research, data were collected in all Slovenian prisons as well as a correctional home. The volume discusses the various factors influencing prisoner''s perspective of legitimacy, and recommends avenues for further research.

This work will be of interest to researchers in criminology and criminal justice, particularly with an interest in prison and incarceration, or with an interest in Eastern Europe. It will alsobe of interest to those studying legitimacy within the criminal justice system more generally, and related fields such as sociology, law enforcement, and organizational psychology.

-Rosemary L. Gido, Professor Emerita, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, USA

This book studies legitimacy in prisoners and among prison staff through the lens of procedural justice theory, focusing on the context of Slovenia. The book is a must–read for scholars who are theoretically and methodologically interested in testing and applying procedural justice theory. Rarely, both prison staff and prisoners are studied in the same inquiry. This is the added value. The results have value for prison policy. This book will be of interest to scholars in criminology and criminal justice, as well as political science and public policy.

The now global epistemic community for the study of criminal justice and criminology requires that scholars everywhere be in frequent communication, and that they engage in the testing of concepts that are of potential universal application in democratic countries seeking to build just and efficacious public institutions. The time is here for comparative criminal justice research of high quality to be undertaken, and this book represents exemplary scholarship in this regard.

For those scholars from around the world interested in determining the potential and limitations of the theory of procedural justice as applied in the corrections setting, this book represents a “must read” for you. It presents findings from a comprehensive, mixed–methods study of how the core concepts of the theory of procedural justice can be insightfully explored within correctional institutions. The study done in the progressive, highly regarded setting of the Slovenian prison system – carried out with inmates, prison staff (corrections officers and rehabilitation services personnel) and administrators – serves as an excellent template for replication in other countries. The interpretation of findings made by two scholars of remarkable experience and profound knowledge add greatlyto the value of this book. For scholars doing worthwhile research into the challenges of building and maintaining just and capable criminal justice systems in democratic countries, this book will inform and inspire you.

- Nicholas Lovrich, Research Professor Emeritus, Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Washington State University, Pullman, USA

This book provides an overview of crimes involving water, including pollution, illegal dumping, and supply chain disruption from a criminological perspective. It examines a multifaceted issue from a comparative policy perspective supplemented with individual case studies to provide insights on the magnitude of the problem as well as possible solutions and policy recommendations. As growing populations and economic sectors continue to put unprecedented pressures on water supplies, the book aims to contribute to a better understanding of the problem in order to ensure the sustainability, long-term viability, and equitable use of this essential resource.

The first part of the volume examines criminological and policy perspectives, including an overview of regulatory approaches, privatization of water resources, and the scope of the criminal problem in this area. The second part presents informative case studies from a variety of different regional and social contexts. Finally, the editors present an outlook in policy and enforcement improvements. This work will be of interest to researchers in criminology, criminal justice, public policy, and comparative law, as well as those studying environmental regulations and sustainability.

Water, Governance and Crime Issues is a much needed addition to the growing original contributions of green criminology. This volume captures the complex landscape of water crimes, including the numerous disparities and inequalities of there being too much water in some places and too little in others amongst the many complexities. The edited collection also covers conceptual issues (i.e. water as a human right) as well as practical hurdles (i.e. the challenges in keeping statistics on offences) and real world examples. Many of the chapters are likely to introduce readers to new issues and the interplay with a myriad of traditional problems – corruption, organised crime, privatisation, and terrorism. I agree with the editors and authors that water crime issues deserve further scientific study and this provides a solid starting point.

-Dr. Tanya Wyatt, University of Northumbria

Population growth and urbanization, more frequent droughts due to climate change, the privatization of and unequal access to water resources and increasing water pollution are just some of the contemporary and future challenges relating to water crimes. Water, Governance and Crime Issues speaks to the scientific relevance of water for (green) criminology as well as the policy implications of water crimes. Several of the cases in this edited book refer to countries and regions we do not usually hear about and yet are perfect illustrations of the challenges faced in governing and studying water crimes.

-Dr. Lieselot Bisschop, Erasmus School of Law

This book dives deep into the intricate realm of prison workers'' self-legitimacy within Slovenia''s non-Western prison system. It uncovers how their perceptions of authority significantly influence their interactions with prisoners, especially regarding different approaches to treatment of prisoners, including the use of force. Unlike traditional Western models, this study adapts to the unique challenges present in Slovenian prisons, offering fresh insights and approaches.

Through a longitudinal study comparing data from 2016 to 2022, the book illuminates the evolving nature of self-legitimacy among prison workers, shedding light on the impact of changing social contexts. It provides a bridge between theoretical understanding and practical application, contributing valuable knowledge to the fields of criminology and penology. The chapters that follow include comprehensive discussions on theoretical frameworks, methodological intricacies, and the practical implications of these findings for Slovenia''s penal system.

Ultimately, this book serves as an indispensable resource for those interested in understanding and improving the dynamics of authority and legitimacy within correctional environments.

The book explores police legitimacy and crime control, with a focus on the European region. Using comparative case studies, the contributions to this timely volume examine the effects of a transition to democracy on policing, public attitudes towards police legitimacy, and the ways in which perceptions of police legitimacy relate to compliance with the law.

Following these case studies, the authors provide recommendations for improving police legitimacy and controlling crime, in these particular sociopolitical environments, where the police are often associated with previous military or paramilitary roles. The techniques used by these researchers may be applied to studies for policing in other regions, with potential applications within Europe and beyond. Chapters present topical issues of crime, crime control and human emotions regarding crime, criminals, law enforcement and punishment in contemporary societies.

This book will be of interest to researchers in criminology and criminal justice, as well as political science and public policy.  

This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in procedural justice and legitimacy, encounters between citizens and the state, the effectiveness of governmental institutions, and democratic development. It stands alone in its broad, cross-national contributions to understanding these issues.

-Wesley G. Skogan, PhD, Professor of Political Science, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA