We all have notions of what it means to commit a crime. Most of us are very much aware of the behaviours which, by law, constitute crime. Rarely, however, do we stop to consider why certain activities and behaviours are deemed criminal and others are not.

What Is A Crime? examines how we define criminal conduct in contemporary society, and how we respond to it once it has been identified.

Drawing from diverse scholarly traditions, including law, sociology, criminology and socio-legal studies, this rich collection of essays looks at the processes of defining crime and considers the varied and complex implications of our decisions to criminalize certain unwanted behaviour. From the perspective of various case studies, the contributors reflect on the social processes that inform definitions of crime, criminal law, and its enforcement, while illuminating the subjective nature of crime and questioning the role of law in dealing with complex social issues.

What Is A Crime? will be of interest to a broad spectrum of readers with an interest in the governance of crime and its control in contemporary society. Students and scholars of law, sociology, political science, philosophy, and criminology will find this book invaluable in furthering their understanding of the processes of defining and responding to crime and criminal behaviour. It will also hold sway with policymakers, criminal justice practitioners, and anyone with a stake in our current approaches to crime.

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The research contributions of this volume are useful additions to the literature, and will be appreciated by scholars and students in more than one discipline.

Greg Marquis, Department of History and Politics, University of New Brunswick

The contributors reflect on the social processes that form definitions of crimes and enforcement, and indicating the subjective nature of same. This is a scholarly work that should be of interest to criminal justice practitioners and anyone with a stake in our current approaches to crime.

The Barrister, June 2005

On the whole, I enjoyed this collections of essays and would recommend it for anyone with a serious interest in criminal law.

Queen’s Law Journal, Fall 2005

Contributing authors to this collection of six essays bring together a range of multi-disciplinary and critical perspectives on the question of “what is a crime?” and how we define criminal conduct in contemporary society ... This collection of essays will be of interest to scholars and students in criminology, law, philosophy, political science, sociology as well as all individuals and policy makers who work in the criminal justice sector.

Ottawa Law Review, 36:2