Crime And Punishment Topic Three - Enforcing Law And Order Flashcards
How was law enforced in mediaeval England
Through communal and family responsibility
What are the methods of communal and family responsibility
- Adult men were grouped into tens called tithings and if one had broken the law the others had to bring him to court
- If a victim raised the ‘hue and cry’ everyone in the village Who heard it were expected to catch the criminal
- The sheriff would call a group of armed men if local groups didn’t track down the criminal
- Two chief constables were appointed each year to supervise law and order in the area
Who established a court system
Saxon kings
What are the three courts the Saxon kings established
The Royal Court - King would decide cases involving his lords
Shire Court - Local lords would judge serious cases such as murder
Hundred Court - Involved tithings and less serious crimes
What were the new court systems established in later mediaeval times
Manor Court - Petty crimes were charged by the law to ran the court with a jury
borough Court- Existed in towns and round by freemen who lived in the town for at least a year
Church Court- Presided over the local bishop and never sentence anyone to death and dealt with moral offences
Royal Court - Most serious crimes judged by Royal judges
What continuity occurred during early modern Britain
Law and order was enforced using the mediaeval system where JPs maintained the peace
Who kept the emphasis on self policing
Town watchmen and parish constables
What methods were used in early modern Britain
The hue and cry was used to summon able-bodied men to catch a criminal.
Posse comitatus Was a summon to every male over 15 to catch criminal or put down a riot
What was civic responsibility
The responsibility of a person to serve for their community
How did Tudor gentry begin to take more responsibility from for enforcement of the law
By occupying the position of justice of the peace
In the 19th century why did the mediaeval system of community self policing come under strain
The population growth of 5 million by 1700 and rapid urbanisation meant Town Watchman could no longer deal with the sharp rise in organised crime
Who are thief takers
Individuals who captured criminals to claim reward money
Who was Jonathan Wild
Thief taker who used organised crime to blackmail criminals to give him money so to not turn them in 
Who was Charles Hitchin
He abused his position of Under the city Marshall for London by demanding bribes from brothels and pickpockets to prevent arrest
Hitchin enlisted Wild to help keep control of criminals until they serve their usefulness
What was the opposition to a formal police force
Strong belief that the government should not provide police force as people should provide police for themselves
Many people thought the best way to reduce crime was to make punishments severe
