Edexcel GCSE History Crime and Punishment Key Terms

Abolition

The action of abolishing a system, practice or institution

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Authority

The power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience

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The Authorities

A person or organisation having political or administrative power and control

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Capital Punishment

The legally authorized killing of someone as punishment for a crime

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Civil War

A war between citizens of the same country

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Community

A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common

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Conquest

The overthrowing and assumption of control of a place or people by military force

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Conscientious

A person who, for reasons of conscience, objects to complying with a particular requirement, especially serving in the armed forces

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Constable

A police officer

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Corporal punishment

Physical punishment, such as caning or flogging

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Custodial

Relating to or requiring imprisonment

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Deterrence

The action of discouraging an action or event through instilling doubt or fear of the consequences

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Economic

Relating to economics or the economy

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Execution

The carrying out of a sentence of death on a condemned person

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Government

The system by which a state or community is governed

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Heresy

Belief or opinion contrary to what is generally accepted (especially in relation to traditional Christian beliefs)

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Highway Robbery

Robbery committed on a public road

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Hue and Cry

If a crime was committed the victim was expected to raise the ‘hue and cry’. The entire village had to stop whatever they were doing and join in the hunt to catch the criminal. If a person did not join the ‘hue and cry’ then the whole village would be fin

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Law enforcement

Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. The term encompasses pol

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Martyr

A martyr is someone that suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or cause

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Metropolitan

Relating to or denoting a metropolis or large city

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Neighbourhood Watch

A scheme of systematic local vigilance by householders to discourage crime, especially burglary

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Ordeal

An ancient test of guilt or innocence by subjection of the accused to severe pain, survival of which was taken as divine proof of innocence

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Offence

A breach of a law or rule; an illegal act

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Parish

A small administrative district typically having its own church and a priest or pastor

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Penal

Relating to, used for, or prescribing the punishment of offenders under the legal system

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Poaching

Illegally hunting or catching (game or fish) on land that is not one's own or in contravention of official protection

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Political

Relating to the government or public affairs of a country

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Prevention

The action of stopping something from happening or arising

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Prosecution

The conducting of legal proceedings against someone in respect of a criminal charge

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Reform

Make changes to something (especially an institution or practice) in order to improve it

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Religious

Relating to or believing in a religion

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Retribution

Punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act

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Sanctuary

Refuge or safety from pursuit, persecution, or other danger

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Prison Reform - Separate System

Permanent solitary confinement in the Christian belief that having no bad influences could make a person become good; lead to more breakdowns, insanity and suicides

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Prison Reform - The Silent System

'Hard Labour', 'Hard Fare', 'Hard Board'; to ensure that prison was still seen as a punishment post the Bloody Code, inmates were locked in cells, given basic food and sleeping conditions; work and hard exercises had to be done in silence

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Smuggling

The illegal movement of goods into or out of a country

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Social

Relating to society or its organization

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Tithings

Once a man reached 12 years old he was expected to join a tithing - a
group of 10 men who were responsible for the behaviour of one another. If one committed a crime the others had to bring him to justice - if they did not and were caught, punishment woul

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Transportation

The action or practice of transporting convicts to a penal colony

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Treason

The crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill or overthrow the sovereign or government

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Trial

The act or process of trying, testing, or putting to the proof

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Vagabondage

Being a poor person, or beggar, travelling from town to town without a home

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Watchmen

Unpaid volunteers who reported to the town constable. Patrolled towns at night with a bell to warn people to go home

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Wergild

A system of fines for assault or murder paid to the victim in compensation. The more important the body part injured the bigger the fine.
The fine was bigger if the person hurt was considered a more important person like a noble

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Witchfinder

A person who used tricks to find witches
eg. Matthew Hopkins

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Young offenders

A child who is within the age of criminal responsibility (raised from 8 to 10 in The Children and Young Person's Act 1963)

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Edexcel GCSE History Crime and Punishment Key Terms

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