Crime Reporting in the 18th and 19th Century Press

Question 1

What did King study? (Date?)

Answer 1

2009
Reporting on Old Bailey trials in 18C
- Examination on how newspapers reported OBT (6 in particular)

Question 2

What trends did King (2009) discover on reporting?

Answer 2

• there was more coverage to violent offences across all papers
• Murder & Forgery highest reports
• Middle/Elite class crime reported
• Focus on VERDICT = double death (death sentence)

Question 3

What did Casey suggest and discover about crime in the mid 19C? (Date?)

Answer 3

2011

• Belief that crime was rising and that crime policies had failed, however stats showed a decline in crime.
• Not growth in the amount of crime but in the amount of reportage.

Question 4

When and What was the Garotting Panic?

Answer 4

1860s

- began with 2 men attacking, chocking and stealing a watch of an MP

Question 5

What were some of the changes that occurred due to the 1860s Garotting Panic?

Answer 5

• Press began to publish stories of similar incidents

- Fed into and reflected fears about crime levels and criminals

Question 6

Name three Acts that were established after the 1860s Garotting Panic? (date?)

Answer 6

• Penal Servitude Act 1863
• Prison Act 1865
• Habitual Criminals Act 1869