Notes of an Itinerant Policeman

"Notes of an Itinerant Policeman" by Josiah Flynt is a late 1800s nonfiction account of the author's time as a police officer, particularly his encounters with tramps and criminals in America, offering insights into the complexities of crime and how society views offenders. The book starts with Flynt explaining his desire to learn about the criminal world from a police officer's perspective, leading to his work as a railroad patrolman with a large area to cover and many chances to meet criminals. Flynt is driven by curiosity, not revenge, and he wants to understand the lifestyles of criminals. His discussions about different types of offenders promise a look into the minds of criminals and the social reasons behind their actions, laying the groundwork for later chapters that explore these topics more thoroughly.