This book started its life in 1994 when I was sitting in a library in China and came across some handbooks of police regulations that had been misfiled. These handbooks opened the door to research on an area that has taken me twelve years to complete. Throughout the extended period of this project, I have accumulated many debts to a large number of people who have helped and supported me in different ways.

My friends in China have helped me find documents and material; discussed ideas and laws; and aided my understanding of the changing organisation and culture of power, which, from the outside, often appears incomprehensible. I thank them especially because many had real doubts about the advisability of a project on police detention powers, but nevertheless assisted me however they could.

Mal Smith was a friend and mentor for many years. He encouraged me to start this project and to complete it. He is sorely missed. This work was submitted as a PhD thesis at the University of Melbourne in 2004. I owe a great debt of gratitude to my supervisors Michael Dutton and Pip Nicholson. They did more to assist me with this project than supervisors should humanly be asked. Without their comments, criticisms, advice and unswerving support, this project would not be what it is now. All errors of course are mine.