Book Review: Policing: A Short History

• DOI: 10.1177/109861102129198219
• Author: Brian R. Johnson
• Date: 01 September 2002
• Published date: 01 September 2002
• Subject Matter: Articles

POLICEQUARTERLY(Vol.5,No.3,September 2002)BOOKREVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

Policing: A Short History. By Phillip Rawlings. Willan Publishing, 2002.

Policing:A Short History is a book about the history of policing in England as it

evolved from the blood feud to its current system of law enforcement. In the intro-

ductory chapter,Rawlings identifies that the purpose of his book was to use the idea

of policing as a route into the state’s involvement in policing and to consider ques-

tions such as, What shaped that involvement?Its objectives and methods? and, How

have these changed?

In chapter 2, the reader is presented with a review of the historical origins of law

enforcement from the years 600 to 1400. Despite the fact that the theme of this book

is the historical review of early policing, Rawlings provides little more than a cur-

sory reviewof the early origins of law enforcement, dedicating fewer than 20 pages

to cover800 years of law enforcement. Rawlings provides the reader with an under-

standing of the frankpledge system and those key officials that had responsibility

for regulating law enforcement activities.The discussion of these officials and their

responsibilities is presented in a confusing and ambiguous manner as Rawlings

fails to fully explain the origin and evolution of these early officials,how or if they

were appointed, and their relationships with one another. In addition, Rawlings

does not fully describe the court system in which these individuals operated and the

court’s or Crown’s influence (if any) on local policing.

Chapters 3 and 4 provide the reader with a discussion of how social, political,

and economic factors led to changes in law enforcement practices in England.

Rawlings does provide an interesting reviewof the role of the constable in early law

enforcement in England and the decline of the effectiveness of the watch due to

changing social conditions. An analysis of political factors, particularly in the con-

text of the police function becoming more involved in moral policing and control-

ling the working poor, is also quite informative.

Chapter 4 provides the reader with a historical review of the origins of policing

in London, the continuing role of the watch in policing morality,and how the politi-

cal environment—including the fear of crime—shaped and changed the functions

and structure of the watch system of policing. A large portion of this chapter also

examines some of the private attempts to preventand detect crime and recover sto-

len property. The majority of this information dealt with the growthof thief-takers

and issues related to the thief-taking system leading up to the creation of the Bow

Street Runners by Henry and John Fielding. Although the presentation of the

POLICE QUARTERLY Vol.5 No. 3, September 2002 409–411

© 2002 Sage Publications

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