Crime and punishment topic 3

Question 1

What was the Saxon and medieval system of enforcing law and order

Answer 1

Tithings, if the ‘hue and cry’ was raised everyone who heard had to catch the criminal, there was also two chief constables and the parish constable

Question 2

What were tithings

Answer 2

Groups consisting of ten adult men. If one committed a crime, the others had to take him to court

Question 3

What were manor courts

Answer 3

Courts that took over the work of local courts to judge petty crimes eg thefts, land disputes, fights and debts. Each one had its own local laws

Question 4

What were borough courts

Answer 4

Existed in towns to do the same job that manor courts did in the countryside. Run by freemen who had lived in the town over a year

Question 5

What were church courts

Answer 5

Courts for churchmen, never sentenced people to death, dealt with mortal offences eg drunkenness and adultery

Question 6

What were royal courts

Answer 6

Courts that dealt with the most serious criminal cases. In 1293 it was arranged that judges from these courts would travel to other parts of the country to try cases of serious crime in their areas

Question 7

Who was responsible for keeping the peace

Answer 7

JPs, parish constables, town watchmen