Crime and Corruption in New Democracies

Covering countries as diverse as Brazil and Guatemala, Thailand, Russia and occupied Iraq, this book examines the way democratization may lead to changes in crime. Case studies examine violent and sexual crime and their links to political change. The book also explores the way democracy itself may generate cycles of violence sometimes greater than the previous regime as states adopt hard-line policies to crime. However, the author sets democracy and crime in perspective, arguing that organized crime is not the threat to democracy many policy makers and academics claim. Generally, whilst crime and corruption are changed by democratization and crime may rise markedly, democracies are remarkably resilient. This book also examines democratization and corruption, and provides a new perspective on the relationship between the two, arguing that political power has been sidelined in explanations of corruption.