Crime is a national obsession - it dominates our politics, our headlines and our fears. Politicians promise tougher sentences, while pundits warn of 'no-go areas' and moral decline. But the evidence tells a different tale: harsher punishments or more officers on the beat don't necessarily deter offending. So why do crime rates rise and fall? Why - in countries all over the world - do the statistics follow the same patterns? And how can we actually make our streets safer?

With years of in-depth analysis at the highest levels, leading researcher Nick Morgan cuts through the myths and media hysteria to tell the captivating story of the hidden forces that shape crime.

Crime is a national obsession - it dominates our politics, our headlines and our fears. Politicians promise tougher sentences, while pundits warn of 'no-go areas' and moral decline. But the evidence tells a different tale: harsher punishments or more officers on the beat don't necessarily deter offending. So why do crime rates rise and fall? Why - in countries all over the world - do the statistics follow the same patterns? And how can we actually make our streets safer?

With years of in-depth analysis at the highest levels, leading researcher Nick Morgan cuts through the myths and media hysteria to tell the captivating story of the hidden forces that shape crime.