Applying Complexity Theory: Whole Systems Approaches to Criminal Justice and Social Work

Complexity theory—which examines the dynamic interactions of parts in a system—has increasingly been used to study human organizations. This is the first book to explore its application to professions in criminal justice and social work. It brings together experts in this emerging theoretical field from a range of different perspectives, providing detailed but accessible discussions of the key issues at hand, including the nature of complex adaptive systems, their application to service delivery, and the efficacy and ethics of criminal justice and social work interventions. Together the contributors demonstrate the usefulness of complexity theory in addressing some of our most significant and intractable social problems.