Crimes of the Centuries: Notorious Crimes, Criminals, and Criminal Trials in American History. Edited by Steven Chermak and Frankie Y. Bailey. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2016. 3 vols. Acid free $310.00 (ISBN 978-1-61069-593-0). E-book available (9781-61069-594-7), call for pricing.
This three-volume set’s biggest strength is its unique focus. While many encyclopedias of crime exist, focusing on types of criminals, locations of crimes, and types of punishments, I have yet to experience a set that focuses on the notoriety of the crimes it discusses. The introduction details the philosophy employed by the editors in choosing the content for this set, noting that they sought crimes that are notorious in the sense of uniqueness, newsworthiness, and timeliness to other political, social, or cultural happenings. A quick search of Amazon confirmed my suspicion that scholarly reference work on these types of crimes has been a niche in the literature that has remained, until recently, largely unfilled.
The set is structured in such a way that it proves quick and easy to utilize. It includes a chronology spanning from 1692 to 2015 that also includes important political, cultural, and social events to help students situate crimes within their historical context. A useful feature, particularly for students unaccustomed to using multivolume reference works, is a full table of contents included in every volume. Another feature that will prove useful for students just beginning research is the “Guide to Related Topics.” Entries are grouped by topics such as: bank robbers, crime and sports, hate crimes, labor relations, unsolved cases, and many others. This allows for quick navigation for students beginning with a topic and desiring to narrow to specific crimes. Further reading suggestions and a sizeable bibliography will also prove useful for further research. Volume 3 includes some fascinating primary documents including newspaper accounts from the time period of the crime, arrest warrants, testimonies, legal opinions, and excerpts from cases.
The credentials of the editors proved impeccable and indicative of scholarly work. However, some entries in the list of contributors gave me pause. While the list is populated with many holders of advanced degrees and relevant first-hand field experience, there were multiple contributors who were currently completing undergraduate or secondary education. As a result of this, I recommend this set for use by undergraduates, and in particular, underclassmen. It is an excellent starting point for research and will undoubtedly prove useful and interesting, but I would not recommend it as a stand-alone resource. This set belongs in any institution with undergraduate programs in the field of criminal justice, and in libraries serving the public or undergraduate students. It could be found wanting for scholarly authority in settings such as graduate or law schools.—Anita J. Slack, Reference and Instruction Librarian, Ursuline College, Pepper Pike, Ohio