This book offers the first in-depth investigation into the relationship between today s criminal identities and consumer culture. Using unique data taken from criminals locked in areas of permanent recession the book aims to uncover feelings and attitudes towards a variety of criminal activities investigating the incorporation of hearts and minds into consumer culture s surrogate social world and highlighting the relationship between the lived identities of active criminals and the socio-economic climate of instability and anxiety that permeates post-industrial Britain. This book will be of interest to undergraduates postgraduates researchers and lecturers in all fields within the social sciences but especially criminology sociology social policy politics and anthropology.