Central to the book's purpose was the realization that even among the journalists, editors, and aid workers who bring global conflicts to the world's attention, there is insufficient knowledge of international humanitarian law and of what, exactly, constitutes a war crime. Thus, much war reporting is done without the guidelines necessary to limn potential violations and put civilian-directed conflicts in perspective. Journalists' briefings are, in the main, conducted by parties to the conflict whose perspective on incidents may be skewed from the facts. The book aims to help reporters better observe, analyze, and frame events as they unfold.

From its inception, the book was envisioned as the foundation for other activities, including the Crimes of War Project and the creation of this Web site.

The full text of the book is available on this site - click here to view

Click here to purchase the book.