Reading the Riots

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August 2011 saw the most serious bout of civil unrest in a generation. City centres across the country became battlegrounds as four consecutive nights of looting and arson left five people dead, countless premises vandalised and more than 4,000 suspects arrested. In the aftermath, questions were raised in the newspapers and in Parliament. Who were these people running wild? What had caused them to behave in this way? And how can we make sure it never happens again? Reading the Riots is the first serious attempt to answer these questions in a rigorous and evidence-based manner. Drawing on the results of a ground-breaking research study, co-funded by the Guardian and the LSE, it will examine the root causes of the unrest and present coherent suggestions for future steps.

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PAUL LEWIS is the Guardian's Special Projects Editor, and during the riots he reported from the front-line in cities across Engliand. He was names Reported of the Year at the British Press Awards in 2010. PROFESSOR TOM NEWBURN is the head of the department of social policy at the London School of Economics, an advisor to the Home Office and an official historian of Criminal Justice.