ABSTRACT
Crime cannot exist without collective codes that define certain behaviours as impermissible. Early in the history of civilization, legal systems developed indicating the types of behaviour that were condemned by societies, and by implication the types of criminal behaviour that were practiced in them. They also demonstrate the state’s authority to regulate behaviour and social hierarchy. This chapter traces these developments from the ancient world, through the Middle Ages, and into the modern world, with reference to legal codes, criminal statistics, and works of literature.
