Book review: Immigration, Social Integration and Crime: A Cross-National Approach
| Author | Monish Bhatia |
| Published date | 01 July 2012 |
| Date | 01 July 2012 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/1748895812446116 |
| Subject Matter | Book reviews |
330 Criminology & Criminal Justice 12(3)
Recent years have seen a huge growth in civil orders as a means of control and coercion,
described by John Flint and Caroline Hunter. These include a new form of regulation, the
so-called hybrid sanctions, notably the Anti-Social Behaviour Order and the Control
Order for those suspected of terrorism. So-called contractual compliance is now applied
in many situations, such as when the parents of misbehaving children are made subject
to Parenting Orders and when the members of problem households are made to sign
‘compliant behaviour contracts’. In these fields failure to comply can result in criminal
sanctions or punishments in the form of eviction, reduction of housing benefit or loss of
secure tenancies. But who decides what is acceptable behaviour and what amounts to a
breach of contract? And do people get enough support to help them to comply? These are
important questions raised by Flint and Hunter who also, however, acknowledge that
contractual sanctions can bring support and inclusionary benefits.
Another section of the book looks at the application of criminal justice regulation. The
damaging effect on communities of counter-terrorism legislation is detailed. An important
chapter by Anne Owers, lately Chief Inspector of Prisons, looks at the work of inspec-
torates, ombudsmen and public inquiries as methods of checking on the working of crimi-
nal justice agencies, although they only make recommendations rather than imposing
sanctions themselves. Toby Seddon sees the lack of enforcement power as being a weak-
ness of prison inspection. He compares it with inspections of other closed regimes, such
as nursing homes, which can result in the removal of the licence to operate. He suggests
that prison inspection is ripe for research, and no doubt this will inspire some future PhD.
Broadly speaking, regulation in its various forms provides a flexible control over
behaviour which precludes the need for prosecution. Yet daily reports reveal the failings
of regulatory bodies, whether of health, social care or the press. Some of these may lead
to prosecutions. This is just one example of how the interplay of the two arms of behav-
iour control merits further enquiry. Whether seen as a continuum, or as contrasting systems,
regulation and criminal justice have complex relationships which this book helps to reveal.
The book is a stimulating foray into the relationship between regulatory systems and
criminal justice, which despite their differences can be better understood when seen
within an encompassing control complex. It breaks new ground and invites further debate.
Reference
Ayres I and Braithwaite J (1992) Responsive Regulation: Transcending the Deregulation Debate.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Luigi M. Solivetti,
Immigration, Social Integration and Crime: A Cross-National Approach.
Routledge, 2010; 202 pp.: 9780415490726, £70.00
Reviewed by: Monish Bhatia, University of Huddersfield, UK
In this book Solivetti considers the immigration and crime rates from 18 Western
European countries and provides well-evidenced analyses in reference to a contentious
political topic. The book is divided into six well-organized chapters, and provides
compelling reading for criminology, sociology and politics scholars.
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