Third Party Policing

The first comprehensive exploration of third party policing and its implications.

Third party policing represents a major shift in contemporary crime control practices. As the lines blur between criminal and civil law, responsibility for crime control no longer rests with state agencies but is shared between a wide range of organisations, institutions or individuals. The first comprehensive book of its kind, Third Party Policing examines this growing phenomenon, arguing that it is the legal basis of third party policing that defines it as a unique strategy. Opening up the debate surrounding this controversial topic, the authors examine civil and regulatory controls necessary to this strategy and explore the historical, legal, political and organizational environment that shape its adoption. This innovative book combines original research with a theoretical framework that reaches far beyond criminology into politics and economics. It offers an important addition to the world-wide debate about the nature and future of policing and will prove invaluable to scholars and policy makers.

1. Governance, risk and crime control; 2. Policing and new regulatory state; 3. Dimensions of third party policing; 4. In the shadow of the law; 5. Controlling drug problems; 6. Controlling crime problems; 7. Equity, side effects and accountability; 8. Directions for the future.

The first comprehensive exploration of a major change in crime control which has seen responsibility no longer primarily with state agencies but shared between a wide range of organizations and individuals. Exactly how third party policing works, practical issues and ethical implications are all integrated with original research and theory.

Lorraine Mazerolle is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University. She is the author of Policing Places with Drug Problems (1999) and co-editor, with Jan Roehl, of Civil Remedies and Crime Prevention (1998).
Janet Ransley is a senior lecturer in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University. She has worked extensively in legal practice, and in providing research and policy advice for parliamentary and government agencies in Australia. Dr Ransley is the co-editor, with Tim Prenzler, of Police Reform: Building Integrity (2003).