Part of the SAGE Text/Reader Series in Criminology and Criminal Justice, this book provides an overview of the field of policing, including a collection of carefully selected classic and contemporary articles that have previously appeared in leading journals, along with original material in a mini-chapter format that contextualizes the concepts. It provides strong coverage on the basics of policing plus current and relevant topics such as female, gay and lesbian, and racial/ethnic minorities officers, policing issues in both rural and urban settings, police misconduct, accountability and ethics, and more.