Where's the Harm?
My Life of Crime: An Alternative Introduction to Criminology
Book
Paperback/Softback
268 pages
978-1-915023-21-6 (ISBN)
Description
NEW FROM ENVELOPEBOOKS: Where's the Harm? is a Criminology anti-textbook that questions the real sources of a crime - or, more precisely, the real sources of harm. The criminal justice systems that we see in many developed countries are the legacy of centuries of precedent, privilege and prejudice. The result is a corpulent system costing billions of dollars each year and producing, for certain crimes, an accused more than 95 percent likely to walk free. What might we do with a clean slate of thought? What if we rejected the idea of crime and looked instead at the many sources of harm? What if the criminal justice system became a societal justice system where we all understood the probable outcomes and our responsibility for them? This book offers real-world situations, steps away from the idea of punishing antiquated notions of crimes isolated in time and space and challenges the reader to consider the factors contributing to the past, present and future of harm.
Reviews / Votes
Ms Sonita Alleyne OBE, Master, Jesus College, University of Cambridge"This is an extremely compelling book which intertwines personal reminiscences with the ultimate question 'of how to incentivise good outcomes' in the criminal justice system and elsewhere - whilst, at the same time, maintaining accountability. The case studies are chosen judiciously. Hansen approaches her subjects like an artist, using a multidisciplinary palette including criminology, psychology, sociology, education, and law. In doing so, she weaves an impressive whole picture, with, if you look closer, delicate interconnection between the disciplines. This is a gripping and well-written book that will appeal to a broad audience of academics, policy makers, and curious general readers. Highly recommended."
Professor Dame Sarah Springman, St Hilda's College, University of Oxford
"Lene Hansen's intense and direct personal memoir paints the background to the investigation of harm to individuals, which she examines from the viewpoint of a criminologist, with questions posed to the reader though psychological, social and educa tional lenses. It is a moving testimony that is surprising, revealing, and yet with multiple applications. Young crimino logists, lawyers and laypeople will find much to consider about the breadth of crime and harm. I recommend it with great enthusiasm. Read it and use it."
Professor Barry Rider OBE, Professorial Fellow, Centre of Development Studies, University of Cambridge
"Lene Hansen's intriguing and entertaining book manages to merge the forensic analysis of the criminologist with the experiential insight of the practitioner. She has worked in the business and financial worlds and her approach to both is holistic, as are her well-chosen and relevant case studies and her proffered advice. The detail and interweaving of these with the characters presented here provides a masterclass not only in regard to the threats posed but to prevention and mitigation. Whether for those at the sharp end or from the armchair of the academy, this is an important addition to the debate on how to deal with some of the most prevalent crimes in the UK and many other places around the world."
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 203 mm
Width: 197 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-915023-21-6 (9781915023216)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Lene Hansen is a criminologist specialising in financial crime. Over two decades, she has worked for exchanges, regulators and litigators in over 20 countries. Initially dedicating herself to the human rights of sex workers, she was thrown into the world of corporate crime by an encounter with the victim of a supposedly victimless crime committed by Robert Maxwell. Her subsequent work on this area led to the offer of a postgraduate place at the University of Cambridge. Since then she has worked for positive change on projects as diverse as the Financial Secretary of Hong Kong's Peregrine Investigation, the development of derivatives risk systems with the Options Clearing Corp. of Chicago, environmental degradation across Asia, anti-money laundering in Dubai and the fallout from the Royal Bank of Scotland's takeover of ABN AMRO.