There is currently much concern about the relationship between crime, deviance and urban space. These relate to perceived connections between nightlife and gun cultures, alcohol consumption, disorder and incivilities, serious crime and corruption, and the role of health and safety practices in the management of public space. However, there seems to have been little consideration of the social benefits of a diverse urban nightlife. Based on an empirical study of South London, this book examines the unwitting consequences of local decision- and law-making and highlights the processes and impacts of exclusion, questioning the extent to which licensing practices restrict cultural diversity and whether current licensing policy actually fuels alcohol consumption. It shows how cultural, economic and strategic changes have served to differentiate between 'acceptable' and unacceptable' cultures and, by a variety of processes, exclude those deemed an unacceptable social order 'risk'.

Crime: Local and Global and its sister text Criminal Justice: Local and Global are two new teaching texts that aim to equip the reader with a critical understanding of the globally contested nature of 'crime' and 'justice'. Through an examination of key concepts and criminological approaches, the books illuminate the different ways in which crime is constructed, conceived and controlled. International case studies are used to demonstrate how 'crime' and 'justice' are historically and geographically located in terms of the global/local context, and how processes of criminalisation and punishment are mediated in contemporary societies.
Crime: Local and Global covers the way local events (such as prostitution) have wider aspects than previously thought. Links with people traffickers, international organised crime and violence cannot be ignored any longer. Each crime or area of activity selected within this text has a global reach, and is made ever more possible due to the way globalisation has opened up markets, both legitimate and illegitimate.
The book's approach and scope emphasises that we can no longer view 'crime' as something which occurs within certain jurisdictions, at certain times and in particular places. For example, the chapter on cybercrime highlights the 'illegal' acts that can be perpetrated by second lifers, anywhere in the world, but are they a crime?