c1700-c1900 18th and 19th century Britain

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  • Created by: elshooper
  • Created on: 05-04-18 12:06

Crimes against the person and property

Factors causing increased crime

- people travelling more meaning fewer tight-knit communities

- larger towns: easier escape

- extreme poverty

Increase in highway robbery

- improved roads: more travelling

- increased trade

Changes in poaching

- poaching gangs

- 1723 Waltham Black Act: Poaching a capital crime

Changes in smuggling

- increase: high tax on imported goods leading to gangs

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Crime against authority

Witchcraft

- laws appealed: Witchcraft Act 1736 - subject to fines or imprisonment

Why stopped being a problem

- economic + social change: prosperity + political stability

- Royal Society Charles II: increased scientific experiments

Toldpuddle Martyrs

- sentenced transportation for setting up 'friendly society' trade union to increase wages

- highlights how authorities used laws to criminalise 'threats'

- pardoning illustrates public opinion

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Law Enforcement

Continuity and change

- watchmen continued patrol on foot + parish constables dealt with petty crime

- 1749 Bow Street Runners tracked criminals + stollen property

The Boy street runners

- London 1749: Henry Fielding - tackle the huge crime wave

- 1785 paid by the government

- introduced new methods of finding evidence: first modern detectives

1856 Police Act

- made professional police forces

- funded by government and inspected by officials

- kept law + order and prevented crime

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Changing views on punishment

Factors

- punishment should be equal to the crime committed

- corporal + capital punishment inhumane unless for serious crimes

- punishment should be about rehabilitating

End of transportation 1868

- australia no longer needed labourers and didn't want criminals

- too expensive and didn't deter

- prisons began to replace

Prison

- poor conditions hard labour

- 1774 Gaol Act (John Howard) suggested improvements

- Elizabeth Fry set up reform for women

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Pentonville Prison

The 'model' prison

- individual cubicles so prisoners couldn't see one another

- small cells

Reasons for

- rehabilitation: solitude best way for reflection on crimes to reform

- retribution: isolation and boredom

- deterrent: serious punishment

Strengths

- clean, harsh but not overly

Weaknesses

- isolation: led to mental illness and suicide

-no education to provide no skills

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Robert Peel

Reforming Penal Code

- 1825 Peel reduced the number of capital crimes by 100

- wanted to reform criminals 

Prison reform

- improved conditions through Gaols Act

- stated chaplains visit prisons, gaolers paid, prisoners not in chains

Metropolitan Police Act 1829

- due to economic downturn in 1826

- prevent crime and disorder

- unpopular to begin: public later recognised as honest + trustworthy

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