During the first part of this decade, the number of mortgage organisations grew rapidly, particularly in the nonprime segment of the mortgage market. However, these market segments contracted sharply in the summer of 2007, partly in response to a dramatic increase in default and foreclosure rates for these mortgages. The negative repercussions from nonprime lending practices has prompted greater scrutiny of this market segment, a number of government efforts to modify troubled loans and proposals to strengthen federal regulation of the mortgage industry. This new book examines the evolution and condition of the nonprime market segment.