The paper first identifies events that precipitated modern history (the disintegration of monarchial governments and the rise of secular nation-states) in various parts of the world. It notes that the institutions, issues, and problems that dominated Europe in the 19th century spread, like the colonization that preceded them, to the Americas and Pacifica with the massive immigration and commerce that followed. In this perspective, the history of crime and criminal justice in modern Europe can be used as a context for its examination in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand. The author then identifies and discusses some of the issues that must be addressed in developing a history of crime and criminal justice. A study of the history of crime implies a review of historical data on crime, which involves identifying the most reliable sources of crime data in various periods, as well as the societal and cultural priorities given to various types of "criminal" behavior. Another section of this paper considers the role of the central state in the history of crime and criminal justice in Europe since the 16th century, followed by an overview of factors in criminality that bear upon the history of criminality. Another concept discussed as it bears upon the history of criminality is the relationship of war to crime and criminality from the 18th century to the present, that is, what happens to the level of criminality in times of war fought in other lands, what happens to criminality in occupied territories and in active war zones, and what happens when armed forces are disbanded and return to their communities. 39 notes