Crime And Punishment Topic Two - Nature Of Crimes Flashcards
After the Norman conquest what was a criminal defined as
Someone who ‘disturbed the Kings peace’
What was the most common crime in the mediaeval era
Theft which accounted for 73% of all crime
What are the forest laws in the medieval era
Trees could no longer be cut down for fuel or building and anyone who hunted deer was punished
What did the 1351 Treason Act define treason as
Defying authority So not just the king but also the husband as he was the head of the family
What is heresy
Spreading false Christian beliefs which grew in the mediaeval era due to people wanting to read the Bible in English
State examples of rebellions against Royal authority in the mediaeval era
Peasants’ revolt 1381
Jack Cade’s Revolt 1450
Cornish rebellion 1497
In early modern Britain what was the most common cause of crime
Theft which accounted for 75% of all crime
During early modern Britain how was theft expressed
Through vacancy which increased especially in Elizabeth’s reign
In 1560 how many vagrants did Bridewell prison deal with in comparison to 1600
From 69 vagrants to 550 vagrants per year
Why did vagrants turn to crime
Due to insufficient relief for the poor causing vagrants to resort to crime to keep themselves alive
What is a Clapper dudgeon 
They tied arsenic to the skin to gain sympathy while begging
What is a doxy
Female beggar who would walk around and place anything of value in her bag
What is an Abraham man
They pretended to be mad hoping that it would result in charity through pity
Why did heresy increase in early modern Britain
Due to there being no freedom of religion and continuous religious change
During Mary I reign how many heretics did she put to death
283 because they refused to renounce their Protestant faith
What continuity occurred during the 18th and 19th century
Minor crimes remain common
What change occurred during the 18th and 19th century
Smuggling, highway robbery and industrial disorder increased
What is smuggling
Secretly importing or exporting to avoid paying custom duties
Why did smuggling increase During industrial Britain
Excise duty was a tax on domestic consumption which affected tea, beer, salt and water
Custom duties were taxes on imported and exported goods which continued to rise
Demand for smuggled goods was high due to the low price
Insufficient policing made it relatively easy to smuggle goods into the country
How did large gangs operate smuggling organisations
They employed 50 - 100 individuals to help operate along the coast and deal with several cargo loads smuggled each week
Who was the Venturer
The wealthy individual or group of individuals paid for the smuggling operation and then paid again for the profits
