Tony Jefferson – författare

Originally published in1988, Introducing Policework offered a new and concise overview of the controversial subject of policework at the time. The authors provide critical evaluations of the contributions made by psychologists, social psychologists, historians, sociologists, and political scientists, and an assessment of how these fit within an overall understanding of policework.

Among the issues considered are: the process of socialization that lead to a ‘cop culture’; the historical evolution of police working practices and their current impact upon the social divisions of age, gender, race and class; problems with the present system of accountability; the prospects for success of recent (post-Scarman) initiatives, such as community consultation.

The achievement of this book is that it provides lively and consistent discussion of key issues in the consideration of policework: race and crime, the question of gender, victimization and the ‘new realism’, police monitoring, Neighbourhood Watch, and police training initiatives. Today it will provide an interesting look back at a critical evaluation of policework in the 1980s.

In the 1980s there existed wide and often acrimonious disagreement over the purposes and objectives of police organizations, the ways in which their activities were structured, and their relations with the wider society. Interpreting policework requires a rounded conception of policing, based on both a thorough critique of the main theoretical trends in police sociology, and close familiarity with actual patterns of policing, on the streets, in the stations, and inside the police headquarters where key policies are formulated.

Originally published in 1987, the achievement of this book is that it combines rigorous theoretical analysis with a wealth of descriptive material drawn from first-hand observation of policing and decision making at all levels, and thus relates sociological theory to practice and political debate at the time. The introduction provides a careful analysis of central theoretical and political strands in police sociology, and proposes a new general conception of policework. The authors go on to provide vivid illustrations of this conception from the worlds of uniformed unit beat patrols and resident beat officers, and from the fora in which policy for operational practice is considered. A final section draws the wider lessons of these concrete analyses for sociological theory and for our understanding of past policy shifts from one form of beatwork to another, and spells out the radical implications of the study for the political debate on the future of policing.

Interpreting Policework thus had relevance to students and researchers in police studies, sociology, public policy and the law at the time and will still be of historical interest today. The authors are experienced researchers, practised in investigating a wide range of criminological and social control issues.

In the late 1980s, the conventional wisdom informing the policing of public order events was that of paramilitarism: militarily trained and equipped units with a special responsibility to deal quickly and effectively with outbreaks of disorder. The philosophy behind the paramilitary response suggested that the training, discipline and specialization entailed ensured that the response was maximally effective and most in line with the tradition of ‘impartial policing by consent’. The argument of this book, originally published in 1990, demonstrates the reverse: not only that police impartiality was chimerical and policing by consent was a viewpoint that did not include the consent of the routinely policed: but that paramilitarism, far from being maximally effective, substantially contributed to the very problem it claimed to minimize. The evidence for this argument is drawn from: concrete analyses of a range of public disorder events – political, industrial and social; a comparative look at similar work in USA and Australia; and substantial fieldwork observations and interviews undertaken with a police special patrol group and its supervising officers.

Jefferson argues further that solutions need to be sought for public order policing in making the police politically accountable, ensuring that such accountability is also just (in accordance with the viewpoint of the routinely policed) and in reversing the drift toward paramilitarism.

Originally published in1988, Introducing Policework offered a new and concise overview of the controversial subject of policework at the time. The authors provide critical evaluations of the contributions made by psychologists, social psychologists, historians, sociologists, and political scientists, and an assessment of how these fit within an overall understanding of policework.

Among the issues considered are: the process of socialization that lead to a ‘cop culture’; the historical evolution of police working practices and their current impact upon the social divisions of age, gender, race and class; problems with the present system of accountability; the prospects for success of recent (post-Scarman) initiatives, such as community consultation.

The achievement of this book is that it provides lively and consistent discussion of key issues in the consideration of policework: race and crime, the question of gender, victimization and the ‘new realism’, police monitoring, Neighbourhood Watch, and police training initiatives. Today it will provide an interesting look back at a critical evaluation of policework in the 1980s.

In the 1980s there existed wide and often acrimonious disagreement over the purposes and objectives of police organizations, the ways in which their activities were structured, and their relations with the wider society. Interpreting policework requires a rounded conception of policing, based on both a thorough critique of the main theoretical trends in police sociology, and close familiarity with actual patterns of policing, on the streets, in the stations, and inside the police headquarters where key policies are formulated.

Originally published in 1987, the achievement of this book is that it combines rigorous theoretical analysis with a wealth of descriptive material drawn from first-hand observation of policing and decision making at all levels, and thus relates sociological theory to practice and political debate at the time. The introduction provides a careful analysis of central theoretical and political strands in police sociology, and proposes a new general conception of policework. The authors go on to provide vivid illustrations of this conception from the worlds of uniformed unit beat patrols and resident beat officers, and from the fora in which policy for operational practice is considered. A final section draws the wider lessons of these concrete analyses for sociological theory and for our understanding of past policy shifts from one form of beatwork to another, and spells out the radical implications of the study for the political debate on the future of policing.

Interpreting Policework thus had relevance to students and researchers in police studies, sociology, public policy and the law at the time and will still be of historical interest today. The authors are experienced researchers, practised in investigating a wide range of criminological and social control issues.

In the late 1980s, the conventional wisdom informing the policing of public order events was that of paramilitarism: militarily trained and equipped units with a special responsibility to deal quickly and effectively with outbreaks of disorder. The philosophy behind the paramilitary response suggested that the training, discipline and specialization entailed ensured that the response was maximally effective and most in line with the tradition of ‘impartial policing by consent’. The argument of this book, originally published in 1990, demonstrates the reverse: not only that police impartiality was chimerical and policing by consent was a viewpoint that did not include the consent of the routinely policed: but that paramilitarism, far from being maximally effective, substantially contributed to the very problem it claimed to minimize. The evidence for this argument is drawn from: concrete analyses of a range of public disorder events – political, industrial and social; a comparative look at similar work in USA and Australia; and substantial fieldwork observations and interviews undertaken with a police special patrol group and its supervising officers.

Jefferson argues further that solutions need to be sought for public order policing in making the police politically accountable, ensuring that such accountability is also just (in accordance with the viewpoint of the routinely policed) and in reversing the drift toward paramilitarism.

In the early 1980s, the question of how far the police should be accountable for their actions had become extremely vexed. The impending new Police Bill, the Scarman report and the pressure from many sides for an independent complaints machinery hinged on this issue, and a careful review of the problem was badly needed.

The Cobden Trust commissioned Tony Jefferson and Roger Grimshaw to research into the matter, and Controlling the Constable, originally published in 1984, is the result of their findings. The authors examine closely the concept of constabulary independence at the time. They look at the relevant legal history and at how this independence was used by chief constables from day to day. On this basis, they then re-assess two of the most controversial policing operations of modern times – Brixton prior to the 1981 Riots and Southall on 23 April 1979, a day which resulted in hundreds of arrests and the death of Blair Peach.

They conclude that the concept embodies a fundamental incoherence: the reliance on the law to guide the chief constable, and the failure of the law to do so. They show that all the current proposals for reform, which entailed greater emphasis on the democratic system as a guide, could result in similar incoherence. A new approach to the conflict between legal authority and democratic authority was urgently needed. Controlling the Constable points the way to the only satisfactory resolution – and this included a concept of justice which was coherent and which could serve as a real guide for the chief constable in using his discretion. The book was controversial, but quite clear on one point: however independent any new complaints procedure may become, and however much committees were ‘consulted’ by chief constables via ‘Scarman-type’ liaison committees, until the problem was tackled on this fundamental level, there could be no significant change in police behaviour.

In the early 1980s, the question of how far the police should be accountable for their actions had become extremely vexed. The impending new Police Bill, the Scarman report and the pressure from many sides for an independent complaints machinery hinged on this issue, and a careful review of the problem was badly needed.

The Cobden Trust commissioned Tony Jefferson and Roger Grimshaw to research into the matter, and Controlling the Constable, originally published in 1984, is the result of their findings. The authors examine closely the concept of constabulary independence at the time. They look at the relevant legal history and at how this independence was used by chief constables from day to day. On this basis, they then re-assess two of the most controversial policing operations of modern times – Brixton prior to the 1981 Riots and Southall on 23 April 1979, a day which resulted in hundreds of arrests and the death of Blair Peach.

They conclude that the concept embodies a fundamental incoherence: the reliance on the law to guide the chief constable, and the failure of the law to do so. They show that all the current proposals for reform, which entailed greater emphasis on the democratic system as a guide, could result in similar incoherence. A new approach to the conflict between legal authority and democratic authority was urgently needed. Controlling the Constable points the way to the only satisfactory resolution – and this included a concept of justice which was coherent and which could serve as a real guide for the chief constable in using his discretion. The book was controversial, but quite clear on one point: however independent any new complaints procedure may become, and however much committees were ‘consulted’ by chief constables via ‘Scarman-type’ liaison committees, until the problem was tackled on this fundamental level, there could be no significant change in police behaviour.

Praise for the first edition:

‘No one seriously interested in youth mass culture or style can afford to ignore this work.’ - Stanley Cohen, The Times Higher Education Supplement

‘The Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies deserves our gratitude for having begun to locate the real areas of discussion.’ - New Society

‘…affords an authoritative perspective of society’s subcultures amongst the young since the war. What it has to say about that legacy of rebellion deserves to be read by all involved with and seeking to understand young people.’ - ILEA Contact

This revised and expanded edition of Resistance through Rituals includes a new introduction to bring the reader fully up-to-date with the changes that have happened since the work’s first release in the double issue of Working Papers in Cultural Studies in 1975.

The work of the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at Birmingham has been noted as historically leading the field in new areas of enquiry within the field of cultural studies, and the papers from the Centre are canonical reading for many cultural studies students. This revised edition includes all the original, exceptional papers, and enhances these with the reflections of the editors thirty years after the original publication.

At a time when youth culture had been widely publicised, but few people understood its significance as one of the most striking and visible manifestations of social and political change, these papers redressed the balance. Looking in detail at the wide range of post-war youth subcultures, from teds, mods and skinheads to black Rastafarians, Resistance through Rituals considers how youth culture reflects and reacts to cultural change.

This text represents the collective understanding of the leading centre for contemporary culture, and serves to situate some of the most important cultural work of the twentieth century in the new millennium.

Praise for the first edition:

‘No one seriously interested in youth mass culture or style can afford to ignore this work.’ - Stanley Cohen, The Times Higher Education Supplement

‘The Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies deserves our gratitude for having begun to locate the real areas of discussion.’ - New Society

‘…affords an authoritative perspective of society’s subcultures amongst the young since the war. What it has to say about that legacy of rebellion deserves to be read by all involved with and seeking to understand young people.’ - ILEA Contact

This revised and expanded edition of Resistance through Rituals includes a new introduction to bring the reader fully up-to-date with the changes that have happened since the work’s first release in the double issue of Working Papers in Cultural Studies in 1975.

The work of the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at Birmingham has been noted as historically leading the field in new areas of enquiry within the field of cultural studies, and the papers from the Centre are canonical reading for many cultural studies students. This revised edition includes all the original, exceptional papers, and enhances these with the reflections of the editors thirty years after the original publication.

At a time when youth culture had been widely publicised, but few people understood its significance as one of the most striking and visible manifestations of social and political change, these papers redressed the balance. Looking in detail at the wide range of post-war youth subcultures, from teds, mods and skinheads to black Rastafarians, Resistance through Rituals considers how youth culture reflects and reacts to cultural change.

This text represents the collective understanding of the leading centre for contemporary culture, and serves to situate some of the most important cultural work of the twentieth century in the new millennium.

What makes people commit crime?

Psychosocial Criminology demonstrates how a psychosocial approach can illuminate the causes of particular crimes, challenging readers to re-think the similarities and differences between themselves and those involved in crime.

The book critiques existing psychological and sociological theories before outlining a more adequate understanding of the criminal offender. It sheds new light on a series of crimes - rape, serial murder, racial harassment , 'jack-rolling' (mugging of drunks), domestic violence - and contemporary criminological issues such as fear of crime, cognitive-behavioural interventions and restorative justice.

Gadd and Jefferson bring together theories about identity, subjectivity and gender to provide the first comprehensive account of their psychoanalytically inspired approach. For each topic, the theoretical perspective is supported by individual case studies, which are designed to facilitate the understanding of theory and to demonstrate its application to a variety of criminological topics.

This important and lucid book is written primarily for upper level undergraduates, postgraduates and teachers of criminology. It is particularly useful for students undertaking a joint degree in criminology and psychology. It will also appeal to critical psychologists, psychoanalysts, students of biographical methods and those pursuing social work training.

David Gadd is Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Keele University.

Tony Jefferson is Professor of Criminology at Keele University.

What makes people commit crime?

Psychosocial Criminology demonstrates how a psychosocial approach can illuminate the causes of particular crimes, challenging readers to re-think the similarities and differences between themselves and those involved in crime.

The book critiques existing psychological and sociological theories before outlining a more adequate understanding of the criminal offender. It sheds new light on a series of crimes - rape, serial murder, racial harassment , ′jack-rolling′ (mugging of drunks), domestic violence - and contemporary criminological issues such as fear of crime, cognitive-behavioural interventions and restorative justice.

Gadd and Jefferson bring together theories about identity, subjectivity and gender to provide the first comprehensive account of their psychoanalytically inspired approach. For each topic, the theoretical perspective is supported by individual case studies, which are designed to facilitate the understanding of theory and to demonstrate its application to a variety of criminological topics.

This important and lucid book is written primarily for upper level undergraduates, postgraduates and teachers of criminology. It is particularly useful for students undertaking a joint degree in criminology and psychology. It will also appeal to critical psychologists, psychoanalysts, students of biographical methods and those pursuing social work training.

David Gadd is Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Keele University.

Tony Jefferson is Professor of Criminology at Keele University.

In the new edition, the authors situate their arguments firmly within a tradition of psychosocial research and show how their method has developed over the last decade. The book follows this approach through the phases of empirical research practice. At each stage they use examples from their own research and end with an extended case study which demonstrates the value of their method in producing a psychosocial research subject; that is, one with socially-imbued depth, complexity and biographical uniqueness.

In the new edition, the authors situate their arguments firmly within a tradition of psychosocial research and show how their method has developed over the last decade. The book follows this approach through the phases of empirical research practice. At each stage they use examples from their own research and end with an extended case study which demonstrates the value of their method in producing a psychosocial research subject; that is, one with socially-imbued depth, complexity and biographical uniqueness.