THE BOOK BEGINS WITH THE CENTURIES OLD RUSSIAN CRIMINAL TRADITION, AND COVERS THE USE MADE OF THE CRIMINAL UNDERWORLD BY THE BOLSHEVIKS DURING THEIR RISE TO POWER AND THE LATER SPLIT BETWEEN THE UNDERWORLD AND THE NEW REGIME. THE AUTHOR DISCUSSES IN SOME DETAIL RECENT MURDERS, RAPES, THEFTS, AND 'HOOLIGANISM' (ACTS OF RANDOM VIOLENCE). IN THE ABSENCE OF PUBLISHED CRIME STATISTICS, THE SOURCES USED FOR INFORMATION WERE MEMOIRS BY FORMER CONVICTS, MEMBERS OF THE CRIMINAL UNDERWORLD AND OFFICIALS OF THE SOVIET PRISON SYSTEM BELIEVED TO BE RELIABLE. PUBLISHED TEXTS OF STATUTES AND JUDICIAL DECISIONS, SOVIET PUBLICATIONS ON LAW AND SOCIOLOGY, AND THE SOVIET PRESS ARE ALSO USED....RCB