Crime Flashcards
Crime in the modern period was increasing but not as much as the headlines suggested. What are the reasons for the increase in crime?
People are more willing to report a crime for insurance purposes
By the second half of the century more household had telephones making it easier to report crimes
Crimes now recorded more consistently by the police and sexual/violent crimes more reported as police are more sympathetic
What were the items smuggled in the industrial period?
Tea
Cloth
Brandy and wine
What items were smuggled in the modern period?
People
Illegal drugs
Alcohol and tobacco
What were the reasons for smuggling in the industrial period?
To avoid paying custom duties and make big profits
High public demand for items
What were the reasons for smuggling in the modern period?
Big profits could be made
High public demand
Avoid paying customs
Employers don’t have to pay taxes for illegal workers
Avoid laws banning certain substances
People could escape conflicts in country
What methods were used for smuggling in the industrial period?
Fast sailing ships brought in good from Europe
Moved from coastal areas to towns for distribution
Why methods were used for smuggling in the modern period?
Vehicle traffic from continental Europe
Inflatable dinghies
Light aircraft and container shipping
Drug mules
Yacht and small boats
What is the duration of basic training for new police recruits since 1947?
14 weeks
Police training typically lasts 18-22 weeks in 2022.
What types of specialist training do officers require?
Officers using firearms, investigating serious fraud, involved in cyber-crime units
Other areas also require specialist training.
Name three specialist units within the police force.
- Fraud Squad
- Drugs Squad
- Cyber-crime Units
What is the role of the National Crime Agency?
Detect and prevent serious organised crime, including large-scale drug trafficking.
What is the purpose of the Economic Crime Unit?
Investigates large-scale fraud; requires specialist understanding of financial systems.
Do ordinary police officers in the UK carry firearms?
No
Less than 7,000 authorised firearms officers are trained to use them.
What defensive equipment do most officers carry?
- Extendable batons
- Pepper spray (CS spray)
What technology has been used by police to identify suspects since 1980s?
DNA samples
What was the impact of police vehicles since the 1930s?
Improved police response speed, effectively replaced foot patrols by the 1970s.
What are the purposes of police helicopters?
- Manhunts
- Search operations
How many CCTV cameras are there approximately in the UK?
5 million
What is the function of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras?
Track vehicles against a list of vehicles of interest to the police.
When was the Neighbourhood Watch program initiated?
1982
What is the role of crime prevention officers (COs)?
Advise local people on crime prevention and security.
What communication technology was introduced to police cars in the 1930s?
Two-way radios
What is the emergency contact number introduced in 1937?
999
What types of incidents do police officers increasingly deal with?
- Anti-social behaviour
- Drunkenness
- Missing persons
- Mental health incidents
What was the outcome of the government-approved investigation between 1978 and 1982?
Revealed persistent and widespread corruption in the Metropolitan Police.
