18th + 19th century Britain

• changes in Highway Robbery

  increased in the 18th century due to : improved roads so more people were travelling . increased trade meant more goods being transported by road . roads were isolated meaning robbery could go unnoticed . in 1772 , it became a capital crime
• decrease in belief of witchcraft


  . economic and social changes lead to more prosperity and political stability. the educated became less superstitious . The Royal Society set up by Charles II lead to increased scientific experiments which explained things people thought to be the work of witches
• the Tolpuddle Martyrs (1834)


  . group of farm workers formed a society to protest about low wages . 6 men were arrested for taking secret oaths . found guilty at their trial and received maximum sentence of transportation to Australia. news spread quickly of this , mass protests and a petition of 200,000 signatures in opposition of their punishment . in 1836 they were pardoned and sent home
• what did they do ?

  . introduced new methods of finding evidence

  . branched out to patrol major roads on foot and horse

  . at first they charged fees but from 1785 they were paid by the government
• reasons for the separate system

  for rehabilitation: solitude was thought to be the best was to allow criminals to reflect on their behaviour and turn to religion for retribution : isolation and boredom allowed them to 'pay' for their crime as a deterrent: it was a serious punishment