This new approach began when Maharishi Mahesh Yogi encouraged the use of his transcendental meditation program in prisons and for the prevention of crime in society. This program is one major aspect of what this book describes as the crime vaccine. Scientists everywhere have now recognized the importance of this program in reducing stress and tension, but they may question what effects it can have on hardened criminals, and whether other forms of meditation or relaxation may also work. With an effective vaccine, as a result of what is known as "herd immunity," the spread of disease can be checked once a threshold percentage of individuals is vaccinated. In the book's central analogy, the author explains how this concept has been applied to crime, and the promise it holds for ending the crime epidemic. More than 40 research studies have shown that a small percentage of the general population who are "inoculated" with the "crime vaccine" can protect the entire community against outbreaks of the crime epidemic. Chapter notes, figures, and a subject index