David Smith

In this innovative book, David Smith ultimately links what happens on the ground in the neighbourhoods where people live to the larger political and economic forces at work, putting these connections in a historical framework and using a case study approach. The societies of the world's underdeveloped countries are now undergoing an urban revolution that is drastically altering the fabric of their predominantly rural agrarian societies. Smith takes the emerging political economy perspective on urbanization, with its focus on global inequality and dependency, as the context for city growth in the Third World. This perspective allows Smith to critique the conventional ecological view of the city, not by rejecting traditional analyses out of hand, but by reformulating the crucial questions. The conventional ecological perspective assumes an equilibrium model, where very rapid city growth and the various types of urban imbalances are transitional phases on the path to modernity in contrast, the comparative political economy approach conceptualizes uneven development and inequality as an inevitable result of the expansion of the capitalist world-system.

Criminology for Social Work critically reviews the major strands in criminological theory and research in terms of their implications for social workers in the criminal justice system. While acknowledging the complexity of the links to be made, it argues that they are able to enhance practice by making it more critical and realistic. Individual chapters discuss criminological psychology, the labelling perspective, the concentration of crime and victimisation in particular localities, the contributions of feminist criminology, and the evidence of racism in criminal justice. They also cover the connections between criminology and policy. The conclusion suggests how criminology could be enriched by feminist philosophy and psychology.

Criminology for Social Work critically reviews the major strands in criminological theory and research in terms of their implications for social workers in the criminal justice system. While acknowledging the complexity of the links to be made, it argues that they are able to enhance practice by making it more critical and realistic. Individual chapters discuss criminological psychology, the labelling perspective, the concentration of crime and victimisation in particular localities, the contributions of feminist criminology, and the evidence of racism in criminal justice. They also cover the connections between criminology and policy. The conclusion suggests how criminology could be enriched by feminist philosophy and psychology.

Drawing on the authors' experience of research and practice in probation, the book provides a positive and realistic view of the contribution the probation service can make to the criminal justice system. It covers court work, face-to-face work with offenders, wider work in the community, and probation organisation and management. It is informed both by research on 'what works' and by a commitment to anti-discriminatory practice.

Based on a survey of probation work with almost 1400 young adult offenders, this book provides a unique insight into the realities of probation practice in a context of increasing poverty, drug use and community breakdown. Starting with an outline of the current policy environment, the book discusses the relevance of criminological theory to the harsh experience of young offenders in modern Britain. It goes on to develop a typology of offending behaviour on the basis of detailed and often disturbing accounts of the histories and troubles of young people afflicted by poverty, disruption of family relationships and long term unemployment. While much of the book is concerned with the difficulties young offenders experience, and the problems probation officers have in trying to help them change, the overall message of the book is not one of despair. The authors show that good probation practice can make a difference, and the book is written in a way which will be useful to practitioners and policy-makers involved with supervising offenders in the community. From the typology of offending the authors extract lessons for appropriate and relevant practice which should help to improve the quality and effectiveness of the probation service. Some of these implications are explored in the concluding chapter, by Cedric Fullwood, Chief Probation Officer of Greater Manchester. As well as criminal justice practitioners, students of criminology, probation trainees and other social work students will find in the book many vivid examples of how sociological theory can be used to understand and interpret practice. The book is likely to provoke much debate about what constitutes positive practice in a probation service facing the challenges of the future.

Five workbooks that provide graded practice in comprehension, dictionary skills, phonics and spelling. Can be used flexibly to support any English scheme or as homework. For ages 7-11.

Five workbooks that provide graded practice in comprehension, dictionary skills, phonics and spelling. Can be used flexibly to support any English scheme or as homework. For ages 7–11.