Examining for the first time the changing historical landscape of women’s experiences of their contact with the police between 1800 to 1950 in the Western world, it is an original and much needed addition to the literature around changes in policing, women’s experiences of the criminal justice system, control and regulation. The chapters uncover such experiences in a geographically spread range of countries across Europe, US, Canada and Australia. The inclusion of works from a range of countries is another important attribute, as is the attention paid to rural/urban distinctions, intersectionality, and mundane discretionary decision making by patrol officers, which will provide readers with much needed diverse knowledge about policing and communities. The introduction will draw out, comment on, and explain the key themes and the links between them, setting the scene for the readers, and the conclusion will draw an overview, allowing readers to cherry pick chapters.