1800 -1900 Flashcards
By 1800, how many Bow Street Runners were there?
68
Why were the public worried about a full-time professional police force? (2)
The freedom may be limited and the cost would be high
When was the Black Act repealed and who was greatly responsible for this change?
- Robert Peel had a great influence on this.
What were Robert Peel’s aims with the Met? (3)
- Should be viewed in a positive light
- Have a centralised system
- Amount of crime should be reduced
What were the 4 requirements to be a cop?
- Young
- Over 5’7”
- Be literate
- No criminal record
How much were sergeants paid daily?
3s and 6p
How much was the superintendent paid yearly?
£200
How much were constables paid daily?
3s
How much were inspectors paid yearly?
£100
Initially from what type of people were recruited for the Met? (3)
- People from dubious backgrounds
- Poorly trained
- Immoral tendencies
What did their uniform include? (5)
- Blue tail coat
- Top hat
- Truncheon
- Handcuffs
- Wooden rattle
When was the Met Police Act formed?
1829
What happened in 1822?
Robert Peel became Home Secretary
When was the Municipal Corporations Act formed and what did this say?
1835, which allowed towns to set up their own forces
What Act was formed in 1839 and what did it allow?
The Rural Constabulary Act, where counties were now allowed their own force
What change was also made to which act in 1839?
Met Police Act, which now allowed other forces to join the Met Police to cover a 15 miles radius
When was the first detective force at Scotland Yard formed and how many officers did it have?
1842 with 16 officers
In 1856, what was made compulsory?
It was now compulsory for towns and counties to have a force.
In what year was the Criminal Records Office established?
1869
In 1870 what new part of the uniform was introduced?
Police helmets
In 1878 what new department was formed?
Criminal Investigation Department
How many detectives did the CID initially have and how much did it have by 1883?
200 which went on to be 600
When was the first Special Branch formed and what was it for?
In 1884 to combat terrorism.
How many policemen and separate forces were there by 1884?
39,000 policemen and 200 separate forces
Why were executions not always carried out?
Judges felt pitiful as the penalties were so severe.
What plead did pregnant women make and what did this mean?
A ‘plead for belly’ to be pardoned until the baby was born
Out of the 35,000 death sentences charged between 1770 and 1830 how many went through?
7,000
Overall, for what 2 reasons was the Bloody Code abolished?
- Public executions were not working
- Juries would not convict as punishments were too harsh
What was the side effect of juries not convicting?
More crime would occur as criminals thought it’d be more easy to escape the death sentence
What was the Tyburn Tree?
A wooden gallows where criminals were hung to death for over 650 years
In what year did public executions come to an end?
1868
What were the main reasons for the end of public executions? (4)
- Pickpocketing
- Mass humiliation
- Crowding
- A party atmosphere
How many years of transportation were people usually sentenced to?
14 years
How many were transported to Britain’s colonies in the American Revolution?
50,000 to 80,000
Why was Australia the main destination?
It was newly discovered in 1770
What were ‘prison hulks’ and why were they used?
Old war boats where convicts were kept in chains. Used until the next ship to Australia was full.
What percentage of convicts died on these ships?
1%
In early years how many months did the trip take and how many did it take in the 1830s?
18 months, but later 4 months
What group of people were also transported from Bridewell Prison?
Vagrant children
What type of people were transported? (2)
- Committed political or violent crimes
- Committed more than 1 offence
How many were transported to Australia in total?
160,000
What fraction of those transported were women?
1/6
Who were convicts assigned to and if they did not follow their rules, what happened?
Assigned to settlers and were flogged or sent further away if they did not follow.
In 1833 how many ships and people were transported?
36 ships with 6,779 prisoners
What Act ended transportation and in what year?
Penal Servitude Act in 1857
Why was transportation seen as a better punishment p? (3)
- Juries would actually convict
- It was much less severe
- It would help populate Aus
Why did few return from transportation? (2)
- It was an opportunity to live there
- Wages were higher
Why did transportation end? (4)
- It cost half a million by 1830s
- Crime increased sharply because of leniency
- Prisons were being used more
- Settlers wanted to stop dumping of convicts in Aus
What was the first House of Correction called?
Bridewell Prison
What was the purpose of prisons at the time? (2)
- To reform criminals
- Hold them prior to trials/transportation
Why were prisons ‘schools of crime’?
All criminals were held together: repeat and first-time offenders
Why was gaol fever common?
Prisons were damp and dirty
What task did hard labour involve?
Time on the tread wheel, which was walking on to produce flour. This also made money for the prison.
Why was it advantageous to have money in prisons?
To buy luxury items like pets, beer, better quality food
Who did poor inmates rely on to pay for fees?
Local charities
John Howard inspected prisons in which county?
Bedfordshire
What was Howard surprised by? (2)
- Bad living conditions
- Bias of poor and rich
What 4 things did he campaign for?
- Decent food
- Christian teachings
- Private cells (to reflect)
- Wages for gaolers (to prevent bias)
Which prison did Elizabeth Fry visit?
Newgate Prison
What was she surprised by? (2)
- 300 women in 3 rooms
- Exploitation by men gaolers
What 3 things did she do to help?
- Encouraged other Quakers to set up prayer groups
- Set up school for children
- Set up ‘Association of the Reformation of Female Prisoners’
What did she want for prisons? (2)
- Same sex cells
- Better living conditions
Who passed the Gaols Act and in what year?
Robert Peel in 1823
What 6 things did the Gaols Act state?
- All prison warders had to be paid
- Same sex cells and gaolers
- Prisons had to be separated into different categories
- Had to attend chapel
- Had to receive proper food
- No more pets
At what prison in what year was Separate system trialled?
In 1842 at Pentonville Prison
5 descriptions about Pentonville Prison:
- 1 hammock in every room
- Iron bar windows
- 5 spokes
- 520 prisoners
- Thick walls
What was ‘Oakum picking’?
Unravelling and cleaning old rope as hard labour
What was Fry concerned about in the Gaols Act?
Although the deterrence part of prisons was fulfilled, there was nothing about reformation through education
What 2 things did she want to change to the Act?
- No more solitary confinement
- Less monotonous cells
What was the ‘Silent System’?
Prisoners were expected to be silent at all times
What happened if they did not remain silent?
They are whipped or put on a diet of bread and water
What was ‘hard fare’?
Adequate but monotonous food
What was ‘hard board’?
Wooden bunks replacing hammocks
What was the fever hospital for?
Infectious diseases
What did the Rotunda allow?
Fewer guards as the entire prison can be viewed from one spot
What was the Governer’s House?
A place within the prison with the principal government offices
