By tracing the evolution of a policed society through the agency of local police forces, the book, first published in 1984, illustrates the ways in which a society, at many levels and from many perspectives, understood itself to operate, and the ways in which ownership, servitude, obligation, and the reciprocality of social relations manifested themselves in different communities. This title will be of interest to students of criminology and history.

Preface; Acknowledgments; Abbreviations; Introduction; Part 1: Government and Policing; 1. Government and Policing; Part 2: Men and Policemen; 2. Making a County Force 3. Origins 4. Becoming a Policeman 5. A Policeman's Life 6. An Entirely New Situation 7. Security: The Campaign for Police Pension Rights 8. Identity 9. Possibilities: The Example of the Licensing Laws 10. Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography and Sources; Index

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