ABSTRACT
This chapter examines a political issue that affects everyone: crime and punishment, and the subject within the context of political ideas. It assesses the extent of the current problem and discusses some of the probable causes of crime as well as penal policy. The chapter also examines the security services and other Home Office issues. Ever since humankind began to live together over 9,000 years ago, the question of law and order has been of central concern. It is hard to refute the critique that criminal justice systems tend to favour the rich and disproportionately punish the poor. It remains a fact that the gap between rich and poor in Britain over the last 20 years has grown faster than in any other developed Western country. Much has been written about the complex connection between drugs and crime.
