Crime and Punishment - Law enforcement 1500-1700

• Who was law enforcement left to in 1500 - 1700? What did this mean for the standards


  Local initiative because law enforcement was still not nationally organised. This meant that standards varied across regions
• What did people in richer areas have

  householders joined together to hire armed guards to protect them and their properties
• Who did town authorities start to employ

  Town constables
• What were town constables expected to do? 2 things


  1. stop suspected criminals and round up sturdy beggars
  2. help with local administrative issues - collect payments for road cleaning
• Who were town constables appointed by?


  People in local community with a good standing and have authority ( merchants), people whose businesses benefitted from better law enforcement
• Who did town constables oversee the work of?


  Night watchmen
• Who was expected to serve as night watchmen

  all householders
• What times did night watchmen patrol between

  10pm and dawn
• How did people know when to go home?

  a bell was rang
• Were night watchmen paid?


  no they were unpaid volunteers
• What was a thief taker?


  someone who catches a criminal and delivers them to the law and they were paid a reward
• Who paid the thief takers


  the victims of the crime
• Why was the method of thief takers open to corruption?


  Some gangs operated as thief takers - informed on rival gangs
• Who is the most famous thief taker and what did he do?

  Jonathan Wild, who led a gang of thieves who claimed rewards when they handed in stolen goods. He was discovered and executed in 1725