Book Review: A Life of Crime
| DOI | 10.1177/000486589302600110 |
| Author | Sharon Moore |
| Date | 01 March 1993 |
| Published date | 01 March 1993 |
| Subject Matter | Book Reviews |
92
BOOK
REVIEWS
(1993) 26
ANZJ
Crim
a lower use of incarceration. Above all, Wilkins makes a plea for officials to stop
endorsing popular myths, 'particularly
the
myth
that
more punishment means
less crime'.
This volume should be warmly welcomed by all who are concerned with
the
philosophical basis
of
criminal justice processes, particularly those who study and
teach criminology
or
criminal justice at
the
graduate level. This is
the
type of book
that
should be discussed
and
dissected in detail,
but
at an Australian price
of
$79.50
it is highly unlikely to become prescribed reading for students. Unfortunately,
the
reality
of
market forces will almost certainly
mean
that
this product will
not
reach a
significant element
of
the
market for which it was designed.
Canberra
DAVID
BILES
A Life of Crime, Paul Wilson, Scribe Publications, Australia (1990) $15.95.
Paul
Wilson has once again
penned
a very readable engaging book. It is an unusual
book, although possibly
not
for Paul Wilson! As
the
cover note claims 'it is
the
subtle
blending
of
personal narrative
and
public philosophywhich gives this work aspecial
character'. It reveals
the
personal
and
at times painful experiences which have
helped
shape the public views
and
the values
of
one
of
Australia's
most
publicly
prominent
social commentators. It iswritten persuasively
and
frankly
and
it is highly
personal. Perhaps because of all this it is 'engaging reading'. In a
'no
holds
barred
way' Wilson discusses his marriage
break
up, his subsequent emotional breakdown,
and
his recovery
and
rehabilitation.
He
also discusses, with similar candour, his relationship
and
friendships with
police chiefs as different as Terry Lewis
and
Ray
Whitrod, his analysis
of
organised
crime in Queensland
and
elsewhere, his thoughts on media reporting
of
murder
and
other
crimes and his personal philosophy on topics like sin and psychology!
Quite
a
pot-boiler, the titles
of
the
chapters give a clue to their author's style
and
the
substance
of
the
book
with titles like
'Men
from
Boys',
'Monsters', 'Censoring Sin',
'Living with Crime'
and
so
00.
However, he does attempt, perhaps surprisingly, acomprehensive, persuasive
critique of many
important
areas of
current
Australian life in which
he
has
some
expertise: the criminal justice system, the media's
treatment
of
crime, prison life
and
the
National Crime Authority, amongst others.
One
of
his more interesting chapters is
the
account
of
his breakdown
and
subsequent rehabilitation in apsychiatric 'therapeutic community' in Queensland.
This allows him to critique psychological
and
psychiatric treatment practices from a
consumer perspective.
The
resulting
chapter
is chilling reading
and
offers us a useful
personal critique of medial conceptions
of
mental illness.
A Life
of
Crime is
part
pop
sociology/pop criminology,
part
auto-biographical
and
part
history of
our
times. Whatever you make
of
it, it is lively reading.
Recommended for general, certainly
not
specialist criminology, consumption!
Melbourne
SHARON
MOORE
Controlling Crime, Bob Roshier,
Open
University Press, 1989, 146 pp $29.95.
Controlling
Crime
is
part
of
the Classical Perspective in Criminology.
Bob
Roshier
has
contributed a very useful
and
scholarly text to
our
understanding of crime and
crime control.
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