This book investigates the complex interplay between governance structures and crime control strategies in the context of late modernity. Richard Hil, drawing on extensive research and theoretical frameworks, argues that contemporary approaches to crime and justice are deeply embedded within broader shifts in political and social organization. The work examines how evolving notions of the state, citizenship, and social order shape the methods and philosophies of crime prevention and punishment.

This work is recognized as a significant contribution to the fields of criminology and political science, offering a rigorous analysis of contemporary governance and its implications for crime control. Scholars in the field likely regard it as a foundational text for understanding the theoretical shifts in justice systems. Its detailed examination of late modernity provides a critical lens through which to view current policy debates.