Doing the business : entrepreneurship, the working class, and detectives in the East End of London /

In this mixture of sociology and history, Hobbs examines the society, economy, and deviant or criminal element of East London in the 19th and, especially, 20th century. In addition, he studies the development of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Metropolitan Police, and its police activities in East London. The view of the police is "from the policed." The author's methodology is unusual; he spent considerable time with criminals when they were breaking the law. Hobbs held a variety of laboring jobs early in life. He is presently a research fellow at the Centre for Criminological Research, Oxford. Hobbs's thessis is that the deviant behavior, which is passed from one generation to another, is a reflection of the unique environment and society of the area. Moreover, police activities and methods also reflect this environment. His book lacks a focus, but has a series of subthemes. The bibliography lists many secondary sources. With its use of colloquial phrases, sociological theories, and terms for various officials and departments in the CID, this is primarily a book for specialists. -L. J. Satre, Youngstown State University