Book Review: Crime and Transition in Central and Eastern Europe

• Published date: 01 December 2013
• Author: Matti Joutsen
• Date: 01 December 2013
• DOI: 10.1177/1057567713503870
• Subject Matter: Book Reviews

Examples of the effectiveness of gun control legislation from an international perspective,

specifically in Great Britain, Australia, and Brazil, have been delineated by North in Chapter

14, by Peters in Chapter 15, by Alpers in Chapter 16, and by Bandeira in Chapter 17. Chapter

18 by Rosenthal and Winkler interprets the potential consequences of the U.S. Supreme Court

District of Columbia v. Heller decision on future proposed gun control legislation. Chapter 19

by McGinty et al. outlines the results of a gun control–related public opinion survey that was con-

ducted after the Newtown, Connecticut massacre, which indicated that the majority of Americans,

at least shortly after this tragic event, supported enhanced gun control measures. The book ends

with a list of consensus recommendations that include the establishment of a universal firearm

purchase background check system; the expansion of restrictions on the purchase of firearms

by high-risk individuals; the imposition of incentives to create a database network that would

provide information at the federal and state levels about disqualifying mental health conditions

that would be cross-checked prior to the purchase of a firearm; increased regulation of firearm

dealers and illegal weapon traffickers by the ATF; increased sanctions imposed on gun dealers

who violate regulation and laws; and a ban on the future sale of assault weapons and large capacity

ammunition magazines.

From the perspective of a former law enforcement executive, while the book does present a broad

overview of related and critical issues regarding gun violence and firearm control options, I believe

that more emphasis has to be placed on mental health issues in the United States. With more than

60%of all gun deaths being attributed to suicide, with many homicides being committed by drug

and alcohol abusers and those with emotional and cognitive deficits, and with many of the recent

mass murders being attributed to individuals who appear to be mentally unstable, it is recommended

that more attention be incorporated into evaluating options to address these concerns. Although I

personally support enhanced firearm regulation, it should also be highlighted that the vast majority

of gun owners and licensed firearms dealers have been shown to be law-abiding individuals. As the

authors of this book have suggested, it may be more productive to target firearm dealers who have

proven to be problematic or chronic violators of the law and to ensure that legislation that would

permit a transparent evaluation of gun-related issues, both at the federal and state levels, be enacted.

In summary, the authors and editors have presented a comprehensive and objective overview of

pertinent issues related to gun violence and firearm control options in the United States, which will

clearly prove to be informative and beneficial to policy makers, researchers, students, and other

interested individuals. In addition, the findings and recommendations summarized in the book will

provide thorough insight to those either supportive or against enhanced gun control measures, and

the statistics and research highlighted should be reviewed in order to make an informed decision,

whether pro or con, on this sensitive but critical public policy issue.

S

ˇelih, A., & Zavrs

ˇnik, A. (Eds.). (2012).

Crime and Transition in Central and Eastern Europe. New York, NY: Springer. 282 pp. $129 (Hardcover), $99

(eBook), ISBN 978-1-461-43516-7, ISBN 978-1-461-43517-4 (eBook)

Reviewed by: Matti Joutsen, European Institutefor Crime Prevention and Control (HEUNI),Helsinki, Finland

DOI: 10.1177/1057567713503870

Beginning with the end of the 1980s, massive economic, political, and social changes took place in

Central and Eastern Europe. With the fall of Communism, countries throughout the region shifted

from a planned economy to a free market economy. This shift brought with it new opportunities

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