History Crime and Punishment

• The Bow Street Runners ran a newspaper called the ‘Hue and Cry’ which would warn people of crime, criminals and was the first attempt at a crime network.
• The Tolpuddle Martyrs were a group of farm workers that form a friendly society - an early form of a trade union - to protest about low wages, in 1834. The 6 men were arrested for taking secret oaths and sentenced to 7 years transportation in Australia to deter others from forming trade unions, because the farm owners and government feared they were losing control of their workers.
• News of the Tolpuddle Martyrs‘ sentences spread quickly through press leading to mass protests and a petition of 20,000 signatures being collected in opposition to their punishment. Regardless, the Home Secretary continued their sentence, however protests continued and they were pardoned and returned to England in 1836.
• The Tolpuddle Martyrs were significant because

  • highlighted how government abused powers to criminalise people that posed a threat to their authority
  • it revealed how the government protected interests of employers at the expense of workers (capitalism)
  • pardoning demonstrates the impact of public opinion
  • encouraged some people to fight for workers’ rights (others were deterred by their treatment)
• The Met police was set up in 1829.

  The detective department was set up in the Met Police force in 1842, though it wasnt very effective.

  In 1856, the police act passed which forced all towns and counties to set up a professional police force.

  in 1878, the CID was set up for the met police
• all laws concerning witchcraft were repealed following the Witchcraft Act of 1736
• The Bow Street Runners were established by Henry and John Fielding in 1749. They first chatted fees, but became paid by government in 1785. They are notable for introducing effective road patrols to stop highway robbery.
• Transportation ended in 1868 because of an increased use of prisons and the expensive cost
• Elizabeth Fry began visiting women in Newgate Prison in 1813, and set up education classes to reform female prisoners and got them better food and clothes
• John Howard published the report in 1777 and suggested that following changes should by made
• Benefits of separate system

  • clean and far less disease

  • criminals could not be influenced by other criminals
• Weaknesses of separate system

  • no education to provide new skills for prisoners when they’re released

  • mental health decline in prisoners - some committed suicide
• Pentonville prison

  • thick walls to prevent prisoners speaking to each other

  • each cell 4X2 m
• Name 3 controversial killings (1950s)

  • derek Bentley - hanged for murdering policeman, but mitigating circumstances due to serious learning difficulties

  • Timothy evans - hanged for murdering wife/baby but later evidence proved he was innocent

  • Ruth Ellis - murdered boyfriend after he had violently abused her for years
• Changes to prisons since 1900

  • different types of prisons for different types of criminals, such as open prisons (introduced in 1933)

  • probation introduced in 1907

  • 1948, hard labour and corporal punishment abolished in prisons
• Similarities in treatment of conscientious objectors in WW1 and WW2

  • faced tribunals to decide whether they were genuine

  • harassed and sometimes physically abused
• Differences in treatment of conscientious objectors in WW1/2

  • fewer organised campaigns against COs in 2nd world war

  • far smaller percentage sent to prison
• I’m WW1, around 16,000 men were conscientious objectors. This roses to 59,000 men and women in WW2
• William I introduced forest laws which made about 30% of englands land Royal forest. This meant that only those who paid for hunting rights were allowed to hunt in the royal forest. It was seen as a social crime as people needed to hunt to survive.
• trial by ordeal and combat were abolished in 1215
• John Howard published a report on the state of prisons in 1777, and suggested the following changes should be made

  • improved standard of food

  • clean and hygienic conditions

  • access to medical treatment
• The Gaols Act of 1823 stated

  • male and female prisoners should be kept separate

  • attempts should be made tk reform prisoners
• The Vagrancy Act of 1547 stated that if an able-bodied vagrant was out of work for more than 3 days, they would be branded with the letter V and sentenced to slavery for 2 years.

  for reoffenders, they were sentenced to a life of slavery or execution. This was repealed in 1550.
• the bloody code was introduced in 1688 ended around 1830s
• In 1688 there were 50 crimes punishable by death. however, in 1815, there was 225 capital crimes.
• 1982, introduction of youth detention centres and abolishment of borstals.
• Parole and suspended sentences introduced for good behaviour 1962