1700-1900 C+P Flashcards
has poaching always been a common law?
no, poaching was originally a forest law but then later on became a common law
what kind of people were poachers?
most poachers were individuals trying to feed their family but others were organised gangs who hunted large amounts of animals and sold them on.
what was the law that made poaching a capital crime?
the 1723 waltham black act
- it made it a capital crime to be in a hunting area with hunting equipment with a blackend face
what were the public opinions on the waltham black act?
the public viewed it as extremly harsh as it affected ordinary people as well as gangs.
- it was also considered unfair as wealthy land owners were allowed to hunt wherever.
when was the law repealed?
the law was repealed in 1823 as apart of robert peels reforms but it was still banned
why did smuggling increase in the 18th century?
- taxes had been placed on imported goods making smuggling more attractive
- trade had grown - lots of items were made overseas ( tea + tobacco)
why did authorities struggle to catch smugglers
- happened at night in secluded coastal areas which made it difficult to monitor
- the public often supported the smugglers as smuggled goods were usually cheaper than legally imported goods.
why was there a decrease in smuggling and when?
there was a decrease in smuggling in the later 18th century
- government reduced tax so there was less incentive
- watchtowers - easier to catch smugglers
- coastal guards - easier to catch smugglers
what was highway robbery?
highway robbery was when highway robbers attacked travellers and threatened them into giving up their items
why was highway robbery such a big problem?
- the banking system wasn’t fully developed so people carried their valuables and large sums of money around with them
- towns were far apart - long remote roads - easier for attacks
- people travelled in carriages and by stagecoach - public transport - highway robbers could steal from several people at once.
why was there a sudden decrease in highway robbery in the 1830s
- introduction of patrol on major roads
- enclosure and turnpike gates made it difficult for robbers to escape
- increase in banknotes - could be traced easily when stolen
who were the hawkhurst gang
- they were one of the most notorious gangs for smuggling and known for their violent methods
in the late ____ century accusations and prosecutions of witchcraft _______
17th century
declined
why did the belief in witchcraft decline in the late 17th century?
- ## devloopments in scientific understanding
what was the royal society and when was it set up?
how did it affect educated peoples beliefs on witchcraft?
- 1660
- promoted science and academic study
- encouraged people to value science over superstition
- this led people to question the existence of witchcraft + convictions fell
what was John Halts role and and did he believe in
John halt was lord chief justice
- believed in examining evidence closely and acquitted 7 people accused of witchcraft.
- his approach influenced judges to do the same
what was the witchcraft act and when was it passed?
- 1736
- repealed previous laws about witchcraft
- stated that witchcraft was not real
- made it illegal for someone to claim they had magical powers - fine/prison
- change in attitudes around witchcraft led to change in law ( witchcraft act 1736)
what was a trade union?
a organisation set up by workers in a particular industry to campaign for tor better pay and working conditions
why did the British authorities worried about the trade unions?
in France the nobility had been overthrown by the working class after a series of Revolution and the authorities feared that it might happen in Britain.
who were the topuddle martyrs, what did they set up and when?
they were six farm worker s that formed a trade union in 1833
they did this because they were angry about wages for farm workers being reduced.
the topuddle martyrs got the support of other farm workers, and made them swear _ _____ ___ ________
a oath of solidarity.
what were the topuddle martyrs arrested for, when and why?
they were arrested for swearing a oath of secrecy in 1834
- because the authorities and landowners wanted to shut them down but they couldn’t arrested them for creating a trade union as it wasn’t illegal
what were the tolpuddle martyrs sentenced to?
transportation - 7 years in Australia - maximum sentence
- they used the maximum sentence possible suggesting the authorities wanted to deter other people from creating Unions
what was the bloody code
the bloody code was a series of crimes that were punishable by death.
- developed in 1600
- by 1800 there were 200 crimes punishable by death
why were juries reluctant to convict people
and why was this a problem
bloody code
- it meant people who commited crimes like petty theft were getting the same crimes and murder
it was a problem becuase criminals were going unpunished and crime was actully being encouraged
when was majority od the crimes on the bloody code abolished and which ones remained
in 1861 all crimes expect major ones like murder and treason were abolished
what was transportation and when was it introduced
transportation was a punishment were the convicted criminal would be sent to america (until 1776) or Australia (1787) to serve a sentance
why did they stop sending people to america
transportation
after the war of independence no convicts were sent after 1776
what did criminals sent to other country by transportation do there
they were sent to establish a colony and provide a population of settlers
- they did work ( on farms)
what did criminals do after they finished their sentence
transportation
- returned home
- some werent allowed to return
- couldnt afford to return home
- chose to stay as they felt they had more oppurtunites in australia
when did transportation decrease and why
decreased in 1840
- settlers complained about convicts being sent there
- british people questioned if it was effective at dettering criminals
- use of prisions in england had grown
what were public executions
they were the execution of someone publicly often with large crowds of people watching this was used to deter criminals and show the power of the state
what were attitudes towards public executions
they were very popular amoung the public and were attended by large crowds and often had a celebratory atmosphere
what was the issue with public executions
- people werent taking it seriously
- the large crowds ment opened oppertunitys for pickpockets and prostitutes were caused more crime
how were the prsions in the 18th and ealry 19th century run?
badly run
- damp dark and dirty
- ill prsioners
- disease - spread quickly
- prisioners had to pay for food
- poor criminals had to share worst cells with lots of inmates
- differnt types of criminals were locked up with eachother so minor criminals were badly influenced
what did john howard do
he visted prisons and study the poor living conditions of prisions
his findings prompted parliment to pass two acts in 1774 to improve britains prisions
what were the two acts the john howard came up with
the first act ended jailers fees
the second act imporve dthe standard of prisons
- safe + hygenic enviroment
- access to medical care
what was jailers fee
jailers fee was that criminals had to pay to gte out of prisions at the end of their sentance if they couldnt afford to pay they would have to remain in prison
what was the main purpose of prisons until the late 18th century
prisons were mostly used to hold people until trial or execution
what is a quaker
a quaker is someone who believes God is present in everyone
what did elizabeth fry do?
- wnated to help female prisoners
- first half of 19th century she worked in imroving living conditions in newgate prison where women and children were packed into small dirty cells
- she campagined sucessfully for teh seperation of man and women in prisons
- introduction of female jailers
- introduction of paid jobs for prisoners
what is the debate around what the main purpose of prision should be
- some people thought prision should be harsh to deter criminals so they should be unpleasent
- others thought that prisons should rehabilitate prisoners and help them to become better and prevent them from commiting more crimes in the future
who created pentonville prison and what was its aim
joshua jebb
created for better living standards and living conditions that existing prisons
- built as a result of the prison act 1839 - said that all prisons had to use separate system
what is the seperate system
it isolated prisoners from eachother to allow rehbailiation, punishment and to deter from future crimes
what was the main layout of pentiville prison
each inmate had their own cell with:
- hamock
- toilet
- sink
- heating and ventilation
- just enough space for one person
- central hall for staff with 5 wings coming out of it
- and out side area for excerpt and fresh air
what was solitary confinement and what did it do and what were the issues around it
solitary confinement was when the prisoners were allowed to see or speak to other inmates, they eat sleep and worked in their cells
- wore masks outside so they couldn’t see other inmates
- gave them time to think
- the solitary confinement gave some inmates mental illnesses and some were driven to insanity
was the system at pentonville better or worse than previous prisons
it might sound cruel but was an improvement on the squalid, over crowded prisons that existed before it
what is the criminal class
lifelong criminals who were thought to be incapable of rehabilitation and change
- these attitudes made people think its pointless for prisons to try and rehabilitate inmates
what act made prison life harder on inmates
prison act 1865
what was apart of the prison act 1865
- worked 7 hours a day
- dull food
- silent system
- slept on wooden boards
- prisons under government
why did urbanisation in London mean there was more crime?
- more people so over crowded make crime easier to commit
- not everyone knew each other so easier to be unrecognisable
- there was wealth from industry - more people to steal from
- poverty meant people committed to earn money and make their lives better
before a policing system was put in place what was used?
people relied on locals for watching for and stopping criminals
what were thief takers and what were the issues with them?
thief takers would catch criminals in return for rewards
however
- corrupt and involved in crime
- increase crime rather than stop it
who were the fielding brother and what did they set up and when
the fielding brother were Henry and john fielding and they established the bow street runners in 1749
what were the bow street runners?
- they were thief takers that were sent out once a crime had been reported
- they also patrolled on foot or horseback
- they had a newsletter called the hue and cry which described wanted criminals and made them easier to catch
what impact did the bow street runners have on policing
– the were the first official police force
- publication of hue and cry demonstrates the key role they had in coordinating and improving national policy
what was replaced by the bow street runners and why?
the bow street runners were replaced by the metropolitan police because
- the bow street runners were effective but small
- London was growing
- a government controlled police force was needed
who set up the metropolitan police and when
Robert peel
1829
what were the metropolitan police
- police force that operated in similar ways to night watchmen
- patrolled in beats
- centralised and structure
- the success of the metro led to more police forces being set up
the _____ police act made it compulsory for all areas to have a ______ ______
the 1856 police act made it compulsory for the areas to have police force
what was the CID?
the criminal investigation department
- detective department
in ____ Robert peel became home Secretary
this made him responsible for ______ and _______
in 1822 Robert peel became home Secretary
this made him responsible for law and order
who was Robert peel influenced by
Elizabeth fry
when was the Gaols act introduced
1823
what was introduced in the gaols act
- female jailers for female prisons
- women and men serpated
- jailers paid so the prisoners didnt pay them
- iron restraints
- chaplins to help reform and tend to prisoners spiritual needs
what was a problem with the gaols act
the law wasnt always enforced as prisions were inspected properally until 1835
why was the metropoliton police introduced?
robert peels beliefs about policing
- too many different types of police force
- every area should get same standard of policing
- he wanted a single centrilized police force
- the army was being used too often to maintain order
what were the key principles of the metro police
- to gain publics trust so it would encourage people will follow law voulentarily rather than becuase of the fear of being harshly punished
- only used force when neccesary
- ## the police wouldnt be prejudiced against any groups in society
what was the opposition to the metro police force
- cost or risk of privacy
- worried they would be too strict like the police force in france - risk of freedom
- first officers were not properally trained and made the new force seem laughable
- some people beleived it should be coordinated locally
- too much like the army
