nature of law enforcement 1500-1700

• in some richer areas, what would householders do to protect them and their property?

  join together to hire armed guards
• what were town constables meant to do?

  • expected to stop suspected criminals and round up 'sturdy beggars'
  • they helped with local administrative issues like collecting payments for road cleaning
  • they were appointed by local people with good standing in the community, including whose business benefited from better law enforcement
• whose work did the town constables oversee?

  the night watchmen
• what did the night watchmen do and who were they?

  • all householders were expected to serve a night watchmen
  • they took turns to patrol the local area between 10pm and dawn
  • they rang a bell to warn people to go home
  • they were unpaid volunteers
• when were thief takers paid a reward?

  for chatching a criminal and delivering them to the law
• who would pay for thief takers?

  the victim of the crime
• why was the method of thief takers open to corruption?

  as some gangs also operated as thief takers and informed on rival gangs
• who was the most infamous thief taker and what did he do?

  Jonathan Wild, who led a gang of thieves who claimed rewards on stolen goods.