Book excerpt: The most striking feature of violent crime around the world is its variability. Some societies are relatively safe and peaceful: in others, violent crime is a pervasive and devastating fact of life. In The Roots of Danger: Violent Crime in Global Perspective, Elliott Currie explores why some societies around the world are more violent than others. Beginning by defining violent crimes and discussing how they are measured, he then presents a variety of theories on the phenomenon of violent crime, first examining those theories that don't work and then looking at those that do. Currie concludes with a look toward the future of violence in the light of social, economic, and political changes that are transforming global society. Throughout the text, he draws examples from around the world, demonstrating similarities in the roots of violence across countries and across cultures. About the Series Keynotes in Criminology and Criminal Justice, edited by Henry N. Pontell, provides essential knowledge on important contemporary matters of crime, law, and justice to a broad audience of readers. Volumes are written by leading scholars in that area. Concise, accessible, and affordable, these texts are designed to serve either as primers around which courses can be built or as supplemental books for a variety of courses.