Crime and Corruption in New Democracies: The Politics of (In)Security is a new book by Dr Jon Moran, Reader in Security in our Department of Politics and International Relations.

Covering countries as diverse as Brazil, Guatemala, Thailand, Russia and occupied Iraq, Jon’s book examines the way democratisation may lead to changes in crime. Case studies examine violent and sexual crime and their links to political change.

The book also explores the way democracy itself may generate cycles of violence sometimes greater than the previous regime as states adopt hard-line policies to crime. However, Jon sets democracy and crime in perspective, arguing that organised crime is not the threat to democracy many policy makers and academics claim.

Generally, whilst crime and corruption are changed by democratisation and crime may rise markedly, democracies are remarkably resilient. The book also examines democratisation and corruption, and provides a new perspective on the relationship between the two, arguing that political power has been sidelined in explanations of corruption.

Crime and Corruption in New Democracies is published by Palgrave Macmillan and costs £55 for the 248-page hardback. Jon’s previous books include Policing the Peace in Northern Ireland and Intelligence, Security and Policing Post-9/11 (co-edited with Mark Phythian*).

*Head of our Department of Politics and International Realations. Not the cricketer.