Causes of Crime - Topic 1 Flashcards
EARLY/MODERN CAUSES
- What was vagrancy believed to be caused by?
- when were the Elizabethan Poor Laws?
- what was an economic pressure which contributed to the increase in vagabond number?
- idleness
- 1598 and 1601
- population increase of England and Wales, which led to more competition for jobs and land.
EARLY/MODERN CAUSES
- can you list the four reasons as to why there was an increase in poverty?
bad harvests, rising population, changes in the cloth industry and rack-renting
EARLY/MODERN CAUSES
- which years were particularly badly hit by bad harvests?
- in the 1500s, what was the population change? (number). What did this cause?
- what happened to the cloth industry?
- why were some tenant farmers evicted by their landlords?
- 1556, 1596 and 1597
- went from 2.9 to 4.3 million and caused more demand for food, money and jobs
- was successful, was a collapse 2nd half of 16th century, trade and exports dropped, many became unemployed
- continual rise in pricing meant landlords increased rent and the farmers could not pay the new rent
EARLY/MODERN CAUSES
define heresy and treason
heresy = to disagree with, or refuse to follow the religious views of the monarch or the state
treason = betraying your country. For example, plotting against the monarchy.
EARLY/MODERN CAUSES
name two changes made by each Tudor monarch (4) and how many heretics they executed
Henry VIII
- 1534 Act of Supremacy made him head of Church in England and Wales. He shut monasteries all over the country.
- killed 81 heretics
Edward VI
- went back to protestant and english book of common prayer was introduced. Priests could marry.
- killed 2 heretics
Mary I
- brought back catholicism and latin mass. Priests unable to marry. WR = Robert Ferrar and Rollins White were burnt protestants
- 283 heretics killed
Elizabeth I
- return to modern Protestantism. Made new prayer book. WR = Richard Gwyn put to death in Wrexham in 1584
- 4 heretics (250 treason)
EARLY/MODERN CAUSES
- when did puritans come to power?
- what changes did they make?
- when Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector
- playing football and getting a haircut on a sunday was banned. Christmas was abolished in 1652.
EARLY/MODERN CAUSES
- what are three points about witchcraft
- was a criminal offence until 1735 and was punishable by death during the Tudor and Stuart periods.
- King James I wrote a book on how to identify and catch a witch
- It is estimated that in 200 years, up to 1000 people were executed for witchcraft
INDUSTRIAL CAUSES
give an overview of the affects of industrialization on Britian’s population (3 points)
- Between 1750 and 1900 the population of England and Wales rose from about 7 million to 40 million
- by 1900, 80% of people lived and worked in urban areas.
- New places like Manchester and Merthyr Tydfil developed.
INDUSTRIAL CAUSES
can you name five causes that contributed to the crime rates in urban areas and how they did this?
- rookeries - crime was considered normal
- anonymity - easy to remain anonymous in a city as it was a larger place so escape was easier.
- orphans - orphans were common and so turned to a life of crime to survive
- layout of streets - narrow, winding streets made it easy for a criminal to evade capture
- industrial accidents - common. no compensation so a worker would be sacked, leading to destitute families who turned to crime.
INDUSTRIAL CAUSES
describe the ‘china’ district in merthyr tydfil
- by 1800, about 8000 occupants
- rapid expansion led to overcrowded streets, open sewers, dirt and disease
- epidemics of smallpox, cholera and typhus
- ‘china’ was a dangerous, crime-ridden slum area
INDUSTRIAL CAUSES
give some points of the causes of rural crime (3 small, riots, 1 more)
- machinery putting men out of work
- high poverty
- farm labourers turned to poaching
- swing riots of 1830-31, agricultural labourers broke machinery
- between 1839-43, group of south-west wales farmers dressed up as women and attacked toll gates because of price paid at toll gates and increased rents
INDUSTRIAL CAUSES
can you give 4 reasons why there was an increase in highway robbery and explain them?
- availability of firearms - by 18th century, handguns were easy to obtain and use. also lack of law enforcement
- limited banking - meant people carried cash on them. people were also more wealthy so carried more money/jewellery.
- coaching inns - improved roads so more travel by stagecoach. some inns became haunts of highway robbers looking for possible targets
- demobbed soldiers - soldiers from wars of 18th century became highwaymen. they were trained in use of firearms
INDUSTRIAL CAUSES
what are the four reasons as to why there was an increase in smuggling?
- employment - chance to earn good money. farm labourers could earn 6x daily wage in 1 night
- insufficient policing - not enough officers to patrol entire coastline
- custom duties - tax on goods kept rising so by middle of century tax on tea was 70% of original cost.
- social crime - e.g. poaching. not seen as a ‘real’ crime.
MODERN CAUSES
Why was there an increase in crime during the twentieth century? (5)
(right page, at the top, unique/not section)
- A decline in religious observance is said to have broken down traditional values.
- Quicker and faster communications makes it easier for a criminal to disappear after a crime has been committed. Changes in technology.
- Financial worries. When individuals have little/no money they may be forced to turn to crime in order to make ends meet. Poverty.
- Ethnic and racial problems
5.Misuse of drugs/alcohol.
MODERN CAUSES
what are the five new modern causes of crime? (and a small fact about each)
- motoring offences - in 1996 there were over 1.3 million recorded motoring offences. led to new crimes such as drink-driving and speeding.
2.gun & knife crime - used to settle scores between rival gangs, the gang culture provided youngsters a sense of belonging
- drug-related crime - break law in hope of profit when smuggling began.
- computer crime - led to new crimes e.g. hacking and fraud. May 2017 NHS was affected by global ransomware
- football hooliganism - rivals teams fight each other 1970s onwards. Cardiff City Soul Crew formed in 1998
