Meltzer's book on crime in America offers a look at the various criminal activities (murder, rape, theft, arson, drug sales and use, etc.) in the U.S. and the legal system's responses to such actions. Most interesting are the chapters on organized crime, corporate crime, and the crime that takes place in America's own police departments and courts, supposedly our pillars of justice. Illegal self-profit is often sought most by the institutions designed to stop such activities, not to mention crimes committed by politicians.

However, much of the first half of the book is a meandering report on many statistics that, while offering some understanding of the severity of the state of crime, do not help to engage the reader. It is often overwhelming. Just as badly is the fact that the book is quite old and retains a lot of information that does not fit where America is today. Published in 1990, the book tends to cite its most recent statistics and sources from 1987-88. For example, there are far greater numbers of murders and drug-related crimes, namely concerned with crack cocaine, than there have been more recently, say, 2012 or 2013.

This book needs to be updated for the 21st century and should undergo a writing style that is less dry. The gruesome subject matter alone can't save it. ( )