Crime and Policing in the Twentieth Century

David J.V. Jones joined the University of Wales Swansea History Department in 1966 and remained there until his death, having been awarded a Personal Chair in 1991 in recognition of his remarkable contribution to research in Welsh history. His books include Before Rebecca (1973), Chartism and the Chartists (1975), Crime, Protest, Community and Police in Nineteenth-Century Britain (1982), The Last Rising: the Newport Insurrection of 1839 (1985), Rebecca’s Children (1989) and Crime in Nineteenth-Century Wales (1992).

“ . . . the concentration on one area also allows the author to explore a wide range of phenomena in depth, that it would simply not be feasible to undertake at a national level. For these reasons alone this is a work worth considering. The book is full of detailed information . . . At a time when many academics and policy-makers are considering the future of policing, it is timely to review an in-depth study of policing in the twentieth century that because of the geographical limits is one of the most detailed studies I have ever seen. It is also interesting to note that many of the issues of concern throughout the century in South Wales are still around today, such as concerns over youth crime, violent crime and police effectiveness, This illustrates that many of the problems facing us today are nothing new and at least understanding how they were dealt with in the past could provide lessons for today.” –Labour Campaign for Criminal Justice Newsletter