Book Review: Lersch, K. M. (2004). Space, Time, and Crime. Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press, pp. 282

• DOI: 10.1177/0734016807310632
• Date: 01 December 2007
• Author: D. Lee Gilbertson
• Published date: 01 December 2007
• Subject Matter: Articles

within criminal justice systems. Specifically, the essays focus on the globalization of pri-

vate policing in the Caribbean, globalization and surveillance, the politics of crime statis-

tics, the uses and influences of police communication, and computer tracking and

“hacktivism.”

The Blackwell Companion to Criminology is a welcome addition to the literature. The

essays are well written and at a level appropriate for most undergraduates. They are also

generally sophisticated, challenging, and provocative. True to form, as a companion text,

The Blackwell Companion to Criminology offers much needed diversity, depth, and breadth

to what has become a relatively uniform approach by criminology textbooks to address the

“core” curriculum.

There is no “dumbing down” of the curriculum in this book! The global approach is timely

and suitable for studying crime within a contemporary context. In addition, the essays provide

a diverse array of perspectives from which instructors can engage students in the learning

process. Although this is a major strength of the book, it is likewise related to its primary

weakness. That is, this book does not provide students with discussion questions or a list of

key concepts related to each essay or to each thematic part of the book. This is an important

omission because the topics of the essays are traditionally given little or no attention in intro-

ductory criminology textbooks. And though cutting-edge material gives this book added

value, it is beyond the “core” and provides important theoretical bridges that demand that

something more is done to help students better understand the material. Questions, key words,

or even additional readings might help to fill this pedagogical void.

Michael P. Brown

Ball State University, Muncie, IN

Lersch, K. M. (2004). Space, Time, and Crime. Durham, NC: Carolina

Academic Press, pp. 282

DOI: 10.1177/0734016807310632

Space, Time, and Crime, by Kim Michelle Lersch, is a perfect first reader for those who are

new to spatiotemporal analysis and its applications for law enforcement and social policy.

The text provides a grounding in theory and concepts, and numerous practical examples.

The book’s introduction starts with a narration of the D.C. Sniper case (a.k.a., Beltway

Snipers), stressing the randomness of time and location and the indiscriminate nature of

violence. Lersch suggests that there was a “lack of a pattern in the location, time, and victim

selection” (p. xiii), and posits that the Sniper case should be considered an exception to the

rule. Throughout the book, she drives home the argument that crime is not evenly distributed;

rather, it tends to concentrate around certain locations, times, victims, or targets. Most

criminologists and crime analysts would agree with that statement. However, it also

demonstrates the need for a broader definition of the discipline of crime analysis. Crime

involves offenders and victims. It should, therefore, be informed by both criminology and

victimology. The patterns in the Sniper case can be found in the personal characteristics of

432 Criminal Justice Review