Attitudes to crime and punishment Flashcards
Debates in terms of crime and punishment
Use and development of prisons
Use of capital punishment
The bloody code
Why punish criminals in first place?
Systems in prisons
Silent system
Separate system
Separate system
Belief that being exposed to other criminals’ nature caused their own
Used complete isolation
Believed to help with reformation
Silent system
Complete silence and arduos Labour was what criminals deserved as it would break their will
So no reoffending
Punishment
Prison system: Gladstone Committee 1895
Long periods of isolation doesn’t reform prisoners
Negative effect on mental health
Not good for young prisoners
They need education
How did governments change prisons due to Gladstone committee?
Reduce isolation hours
More time for communication
No unproductive Labour
Young offenders only prison
Timeline to development of prisons
Hard Labour stopped
Probation introduced
Uniform + hair cutting abolition
Communication allowed
Open prisons
No corporal punishment
How were young offenders treatment changed?
Believed suitable for reform: borstals, juvenile courts, approved courts
Began to favour harshness as reformation methods weren’t effective
Curfews
The bloody code
Excessive use of death penalty
255 crimes eligible for it including petty crime
Why was bloody code added?
Fear of sharp rise in crime: changes in infrastructure and more reporting of crime
Landowners had influence and wanted to protect land
Belief it would deter people
Frighten class into obedience
What passed the bloody code?
The Waltham Black Act in 1723
Why was bloody code abolished?
Public executions caused rioting behaviour
Commission found execution shouldn’t happen in public, law passed so they are private
No longer a deterrent = end
Jury would lie under oath so criminal wouldn’t get bloody code
Why did we punish criminals in medieval times?
Retribution
Deterrence
Why did we punish criminals in early modern era?
Retribution
Deterrence
Keep order
Protection
Why did we punish criminals in industrial era?
At first:
Deterrence, keep order, retribution, discipline
Later:
Reformation, deterrence, keep order, protection, retribution
