This book is concerned to analyse the production of criminological knowledge, with particular reference to one of the most important institutions in the western world involved in this -the official inquiry. The core focus of this book is thus to investigate the structures and processes of official discourse, and the ways in which this produces knowledge on crime and justice - a much neglected topic in comparison to the attention that has been played to the role of the media in this process. The mechanisms that produce official discourse vary according to different jurisdiction, but some clear themes nevertheless emerge.

This book analyzes the production of criminological knowledge, with particular reference to one of the most important institutions in the western world involved in this - the official inquiry. The core focus of this book to investigate the structures and processes of official discourse, and the ways in which this produces knowledge on crime and justice - a much neglected topic in comparison to the attention that has been paid to the role of the media in this process. The mechanisms that produce official discourse vary according to different jurisdiction, but some clear themes nevertheless emerge. This book therefore draws upon contributors from the UK, Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand to examine such issues as the relationship between official inquiry and modern, democratic society; official inquiry and criminal justice, including policing and prisons; and official enquiry as a means of closure and healing, and as a response to social crisis.

The global economy is yet to recover from the aftershocks of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). In particular many national economies are struggling to adjust to austerity programs that are a direct result of the toxic effects of the crisis. Governments, regulatory agencies, international organisations, media commentators, finance industry organisations and professionals, academics and affected citizens have offered partial explanations for what has occurred. Some of these actors have sought to introduce legislative and other regulatory initiatives to improve operational standards in capital markets. However, the exposure post-GFC of the scandal surrounding the manipulation over many years of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) highlighted that the most important obstacles to counter the destructive potential of our global finance system are normative not technical. Regulating the culture of the finance sector is one of the greatest challenges facing contemporary society. This edited volume brings together leading professionals, regulators and academics with knowledge of how cultural forces shape integrity, risk and accountability in capital markets. The book will be of benefit not only to industry, regulatory and academic communities whose focus is upon financial markets and professionals. It is of value to any person or organisation interested in how the cultural underpinnings of the finance sector shape how capital markets actually operate and are regulated. It is a stark lesson of history that financial crises will occur. As national economies become ever more inter-connected and inter-dependent under conditions of global financial capitalism, it becomes ever more important to know how cultural and other normative forces might be adjusted to militate against the effects of future disasters.