Although this is a society in which chewing gum and walking on the street is considered a crime, Singapore is no stranger to domestic violence. Recent reforms in policing of domestic violence had not improved the situation, and Ganapathy (sociology, National U. of Singapore) seeks to find out why. He keeps the society's culture and history carefully in mind as he frames new questions about the problems of intimate violence, particularly in a highly regulated state. He examines the criminal justice system, including policing, safety, and protection of victims from domestic violence and carefully documents the reform process as well as a resistance encounter within the police organization itself from the rank and file to the very top. He is particularly sensitive to the experiences of victims within the context of the current police culture. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)