This volume investigates the complex mechanisms of criminalization and justice-seeking within the sociopolitical landscapes of Central and Eastern Europe following the collapse of communist regimes. The editors, Kay Goodall, Margaret Malloch, and Bill Munro, assemble a collection of scholarly contributions that analyze how these nations navigated the transition from authoritarian rule to democratic governance. By examining specific legal and social reforms, the authors argue that the process of building justice is inherently tied to the redefinition of criminality and the state's evolving relationship with its citizens.

Experts identify this work as a significant contribution to the study of transitional justice and comparative criminology. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous examination of the institutional challenges faced by emerging democracies.