PART I OF THE TEXT DEALS WITH A VARIETY OF THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE HISTORICAL APPROACH TO CRIME. PART II EXAMINES SPECIFIC AREAS IN THE HISTORY OF CRIME TO DEMONSTRATE HOW THE RELIANCE ON UNRELIABLE SOURCES HAS GENERATED MANY MISCONCEPTIONS. THE HISTORY OF THE 'WILD WEST' IS REVIEWED, ALONG WITH THAT OF ORGANIZED CRIME. PART III EXPLORES THREE ISSUES: THE RELATIONSHIP OF HISTORY TO CONCEPTS OF TIME AND THE WESTERN WORLD'S PERCEPTION OF REALITY; THE INSTRUMENTAL USE OF HISTORY; AND THE NEW HISTORIES OF CRIME AS EXAMPLES OF THE METHODOLOGICAL SOPHISTICATION FOUND IN THOSE ASPECTS OF CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL HISTORY WHICH MERGE SOCIAL SCIENCE TECHNIQUES WITH EXPLANATIONS OF LOWER-CLASS LIFE. APPENDIXES PRESENT REFERENCES AND SOURCE MATERIALS FOR RESEARCH INTO THE HISTORY OF CRIME. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).