1st Edition

The Official History of Criminal Justice in England and Wales Volume V: Policing Post-war Britain: Plus ça change

By Tim Newburn Copyright 2025
610 Pages 16 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

610 Pages 16 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

610 Pages 16 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

This is the fifth and final volume in the Official History of Criminal Justice in England and Wales. This volume covers the uneven and often irresolute evolution of policing from the late 1940s to the end of the 1990s, concentrating on the impact of a succession of scandals on the reputation and regulation of the police; and the fluctuating relations between central government, local... Read more

Introduction  Part I: The Police in an Age of Optimism  1. Misconduct, Scandal and Growing Scrutiny  2. The Royal Commission  3. Towards the Police Act  Part II: Controlling the Constable  4. Conduct and Complaints  5. The Police and Criminal Evidence Act  6. Malpractice and another Royal Commission  Part III: As Optimism Fades: Changes in organisation and practice  7. Early Organisational Change  8. The Rise and Fall of Unit Beat Policing  9. Community Policing  10. Crime Prevention  Part IV: Changing Police Culture?  11. Race, Racism and Policing  12. Women and Policing  Part V: Maintaining Order  13. The Tide Turns  14. Urban Unrest  15. Enter Lord Scarman  16. The Miners’ Strike  17. Rioting Returns  18. Policing Under the Spotlight  Part VI: Finance, Function and the Future of Policing  19. A Changing Political Context  20. Police Finance and Efficiency  21. The Rise of Managerialism and Consumerism  22. Reform Attempts Gather Pace  23. The Limits of Fundamental Reform  Conclusion  Bibliography

Biography

Tim Newburn is Professor of Criminology and Social Policy at the London School of Economics, UK, and a former President of the British Society of Criminology. He is author of over 40 books, including The Official History of Criminal Justice in England and Wales, Volume IV: The Politics of Law and Order (Routledge, 2022) with David Downes.

'Tim Newburn has provided an impressively detailed and authoritative analysis of the major developments in policing policy in England & Wales during the latter half of the 20th century. It will be essential reading for criminologists, historians and political scientists with an interest in the politics of policing.'

Trevor Jones, Professor, Cardiff University, Wales, UK