6. Methods Of Punishment Flashcards
What was the treatment of vagabonds like during Tudor times ?
-during second half of 16th century unemployment was a major problem in England and wales and so crime was increased
-to deter vagrancy the punishments tended to be harsh
-an act of 1530-31 made whipping a common punishment of vagrancy
-an act of 1572 added to the whipping and flogging by introducing mutilation- burning through the gristle of the right ear with a hot iron
What’s flogging ?
Punishment by beating
How were the stocks and pillories used ?
-the main purpose was to humiliate offenders in public
How were the stocks used ?
-often only held the feet and so it was a ‘lesser’ corporal punishment
-an act of 1351 required stocks to be set up in villages to punish wrong doers
-the main element was public disgrace and humiliation
-not abolished until 1872
What’s corporal punishment ?
-physical punishment meant to cause pain
How were the pillories used ?
-kept both hands and head in a wooden/ metal frame
-some offenders were savagely treated
-often being pelted by crowds throwing things like rocks or rotten food
-the use of the pillory was abolished in 1837
What was the use of the Ceffyl Pren like in wales ?
-meaning wooden horse
-type of community self policing through a means of public humiliation
-accused person would be carried on a pole/ ladder through the streets for the purpose of public ridicule
-usually took place in dark and men involved often wore female clothes
-continued to be used in parts of wales until the early 19th century
What was public execution like ?
-16th and 17th century was a continuation of the punishment administered throughout medieval period
-crimes punishable by execution included= murder, treason, counterfeiting and arson
-also minor crimes like theft of goods valued over a shilling (5p)
What are some examples of public execution during the 16th and 17th century
-during Tudor period it was mainly punishment for political/ religious crimes
-Rowland Lee- president of the council of wales and the marches had over 5000 people publicly hanged to impose law and order between 1534 and 1543
-heretics were burned at the stake because it was believed they had rebelled against god
-treason was punishable by death usually being hung drawn and quartered
-public executions often attracted large crowds and were viewed as entertainment
What was the reason for transportation from the 1770s to the 1860s ?
-alternative to hanging
-by removing criminals it was believed it would reduce crime in Britain
-imprisonment was very costly
-the belief criminals would benefit from starting fresh with a new life after their sentance was served
-it would help to colonise areas of the empire
What’s transportation ?
-sending convicted criminals overseas for punishment
What were hulks ?
-ships used as prisons
What’s a convict ?
-someone who is in prison because they’re guilty of a crime
What was transportation to North America like ?
-in 1717 the transportation act allowed convicts to choose transportation in North America instead of branding, whipping or hanging
-between 1718 and 1776 over 30,000 British prisoners were transported to North America
-it ended in 1776 due to the outbreak of the American war of independence
What were prison hulks ?
-until a new venue for transportation could be found old warships were used as floating prisons
-many were moored at the mouth of the Thames and Medway rivers
-conditions on board were harsh and outbreak of disease was common
-prisoners left the hulks during the day to do heavy unskilled manual work on land
What was transportation to Australia like ?
-Captain cooks discovery of Australia in 1770 opened up the possibility of a new venue to transport convicts to
-the first fleet of 11 ships carrying 736 convicts did not set sail until 1787
-it arrived at Sydney cove in new south wales on 26th of January 1788
-between 1788 and 1868 an average of 2000 convicts were transported their per year
Welsh transportees to Australia
-between 1787 and 1868 2200 criminals from wales were transported to Australia
-on the first convoy was Frances William from Flintshire. She had been found guilty of breaking into a house and stealing clothing
-she was onboard the female ship that anchored at Sydney cove on 26 January 1788
-Merthyr rising leader Lewis Lewis was transported for life
What were the conditions in Australia like ?
-harsh for many convicts
-those who didn’t conform were sent to harsher settlements like Norfolk Island, working in a chain gang on stone breaking and building roads
-early release was offered as a motive for good behaviour
-a certificate of freedom as granted after the full sentence had been served allowing the person to return to Britain
What was the ending of transportation like ?
-changing attitudes to punishment, the expense of operating the system and resentment for Australia at its use as a dumping ground for criminals resulted in the end of transportation
-1840 transportation to New South Wales was stopped
-in 18532 Tasmania refused to accept anymore convicts
What was community punishment like in wales ?
-scotch cattle between 1820 and 1835
-bands of workers in south east protested against wage cuts, truck system and harsh working conditions
-they held open meetings at night, sent warning letters to blacklegs and attacked properties of their managers
-the movement died about by 1840s
What was a black leg ?
-a person who works despite an ongoing strike
-strike breakers
What’s a bridewell ?
-a house of correction/ prison/ beggars
What’s a debtor ?
-someone who owns money to another person
What’s a jail fever ?
-Typhus
-an infectious disease common in 18th century prisons
What’s a solitary confinement ?
-when a prisoner is kept separate from other people
Was imprisonment used in the medieval period ?
-no
-during the Tudor period JPs began to set up houses of correction/ bridge wells to reform persistent beggars by putting them up to supervised work
What were prisons like in the 16th century ?
-it was considered a place to hold suspects until they were brought to trial/ released
-Jailers received no salary and depended on forcing money from prisoners
-conditions were appalling and they were brutally treated
What were some prisons during the 16th century ?
-14 prisons in London
-Newgate- for criminals
-the clink- for religious criminals
-the kings bench- for debtors
Why was there a dramatic rise in prison population ?
-following the ending of transportation to North America in 1776
-this meant conditions became even more appalling
Who was John Howard ?
-high sheriff of Bedfordshire
-carried out a survey of prisons and found that=
-people forced to stay in prison because they could not pay their fees
-not separated by the crime they were in prison for
-died from diseases like jail fever
What did john Howard believe ?
-that prisons should reform criminals
-clergymen should visit regularly to guide prisoners to better life
-prisoners should be kept in solitary confinement
-made visits to welsh prisons in Swansea and Wrexham
-he found state and accommodation of these prisons to be terrible
Who was G.O Paul ?
-he had a new jail designed for Gloucester county that had=
-SECURITY- building was polygonal which allowed staff to see what was going on easily, 17foot wall around it
-HEALTH- isolation section checked new prisoners for disease, exercise yard and good ventilation kept them healthy
-SEPARATION- there was a jail for offenders waiting trial and a penitentiary for punishment, separate male and female areas
What’s a clergyman ?
A victor/ priest
Who was Elizabeth Fry ?
-devout Christian
-1813 visited Newgate prison and was horrified by the conditions especially for women
-1817 formed an association for the improvement of the life of women in prisons
-female workers, schools for women and their children and work (needlework) was introduced
-she travelled country and set up ladies prison committees
-she had a big influence on the goals act but isn’t agree with separation
What was the goals act of 1823 ?
-major step in prison reform
-ordered the JPs visit prisons on regular basis to inspect conditions, that jailers were to be salaried, prisoners were to follow a reform programme and that all prisoners had to be kept in secure sanitary accommodation
What was separate system ?
-prisoners were=
-kept in individual cells to work, pray and be visited by clergymen
-only left cells for religious services of exercise- wore masks so identity was hidden
-put to work making boots, mats, prison clothes, sewing mailbags etc.
-by 1850 over 50 prisons used this system
-most famous was Pentonville Prison in London
What was the silent system ?
-was made as unpleasant as possible
-prisoners could eat and exercise together
-work was made as boring and pointless as possible like the crank, shot drill and treadwheel
-aim was to make them hate it so much they wouldnt reoffend
What was the crank ?
-turning a crank handle a set number of times to earn food
What was the shot drill ?
-heavy cannon balls were passed from one to another down a long line of prisoners
What’s a treadwheel ?
-a revolving staircase in which prisoners walked for several hours
Did silent and separate systems work ?
-they failed to lower the re-offending rate
-the high suicide and insanity rate led to further prison reform which concentrated on harsh punishments
-1865 prisons act imposed strict punishments rather than reform
What was a birch ?
-a type of cane used for punishment
What did borstals do ?
-set up in 1908 to punish 15-21 year olds
-strict rules and meant to educate rather than punish
-corporal punishment using a birch was abolished in 1962
What’s a birch ?
A type of cane used for punishment
What are young offenders institutions ?
-set up in 1988 to reform violent young offenders 18-21
-training centres to prevent reoffending through education and rehabilitation
What’s parc young offenders institute in Bridgend ?
-15 to 18 year old offenders
-opened in 1987 and is the only establishment in wales for young offenders
Why did the government try alternative punishments to prison ?
-prisons were becoming expensive and overcrowded which made it difficult to reform them
-this was in the latter part of the 20th century
Whats probation ?
-introduced 1907
-must follow set of rules and regularly report to the police so they can be monitored
Whats suspended prison sentences ?
-introduced 1967
-offenders do not go to prison unless they commit another offence during period of suspension
What’s parole ?
-introduced 1967
-prisoners allowed to be released before the end of their sentence after good behaviour in prison
-follow set of rules like those on probation
Whats community service ?
-introduced 1972
-offenders to a number of hours of unpaid work- removing graffiti or rubbish etc.
Whats an electronic tagging ?
-introduced in 1990s offenders given limits to where they can go
-they must wear the tag so the police can monitor their exact movements
