Problems facing law enforcement

Territories were huge, it took days for US Marshals to hear of trouble. Kansas's sheriff had to cover 200,000 km^2 alone.

km^2 = km squared

The federal government did not spend much on law enforcement and law officers were poorly paid, leading to corruption.

Sheriffs had no legal training and would not always act fairly, they often carried out personal grudges.

Vigilance committees were groups of civilians who would identify, arrest, try and hang suspects. In San Francisco 89 criminals were caught in 1851. However, trials were often not fair and they would often hang suspects.

Miners set up their own Miners Courts to settle claims between miners. They create their own community laws and a respected person was made judge.

Geographty, Government Limitations, Lack of Training, Vigilantes and Miners Courts led to Local Enforcement.

A lack of 'action' and corruption in law enforcement led communities to create their own law enforcement.