Lawlessness

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  • Lawlessness
    • Key problems in the West
      • Isolation- difficult for law enforcement to cover mass areas
      • Culture of violence- everyone carried guns. 31 deaths a year in Aurora
      • Poverty- growing unemployment and small chances of becoming rich
      • New crimes- Claim jumping (stealing land where thought to be gold)        Road agents (commit highway robbery)
      • Disorderly life- male dominated environments increased crime
      • Racism- crimes against chinese migranrs increased due to racial tensions. Whites stole from them. Courts and government dicriminated against chinese
      • Law enforcement- not enough to cover settlements and crimes went unpunished
      • Gangs- rival gangs caused murder and violence
      • Poor court system- punishments were fast and simple from whipping to hanging. Judges didnt know much about law
    • How did government take action?
      • US Marshalls appointed by president to be responsible for states ro territories
      • If territories had more than 5000 people, they could choose a sheriff, they'd carry out law enforcement
      • Town marshalls elected yearly. Dealt with local brawls and were respected peace makers
    • Problems facing law enforcement
      • Geography- Territories were huge and took days of marshalls to hear of trouble
      • Government Limitaitions- Government didnt spend much on law enforcement- corruption common place
      • Lack of training- Sheriffs had no legal training and didnt always act fairly
      • Local enforcement- communities often created their own law enforcement

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