Dangerous Offenders invites us to rethink the received wisdom on violent and sexual offenders, who seem so feared and so widely debated in this era of unparalleled affluence. Invaluable for students of criminology and sociology of risk.

List of Contributors. Introduction Mark Brown and John Pratt Part I: Dangerousness: A Social History 1. Risk societies and the government of crime Pat O'Malley 2. The birth of dangerousness John Pratt Part II: Legal Responses and Responsibilities 3. Guerillas in our midst? Judicial responses to governing the dangerous Arie Freiberg 4. Civil commitment as social control: Managing the risk of sexual violence Eric Janus Part III: Practical Risks: Danger in the Penal Context 5. Calculations of risk in contemporary penal practice Mark Brown 6. Criminal careers, sex offenders and dangerousness Rod Broadhurst 7. Danger and penal politics Richard Sparks Part IV: Violence, Danger and Modern Government: The Future 8. Naturalising danger: Women, fear and personal safety Elizabeth Stanko 9. Drugs and dangerousness: Perception and management of risk in the neo-liberal era Adam Sutton 10. Dangerous states Nils Christie

'This volume presents a solid framework of current data and theoretical analyses of the meaning of 'dangerousness' in the current political and penal climate. At the same time, it illuminates many of the puzzles, with which professionals have to wrestle.' - Current Issues in Criminal Justice