Lesson 16 C1700 - C1900 18th and 19th century Britain

Question 1

Significance of Robert Peel

Answer 1

He has a huge influence on punishment and law enforcement when home sectary during the 1820s
- Ended bloody code by reducing number of death penalty offences
- tried to reform the prison system

Question 2

Reforming the penal code

Answer 2

After 1810s there was an unprecedented number of capital crimes. In practice, death penalty was rarely used as judges saw it as unfair and transportation or prison was preferred.

In 1825, peel reduced the number of capital crimes by 100 because he wanted :
- less harsh punishment for petty crimes
- to try to reform petty criminals rather than to kill them

Question 3

Prison reforms

Answer 3

Partly due to the influence of reformers, such as Elizabeth fry, Peel tried to improve conditions in prison by persuading parliament to pass the 1823 Gaols act which stated
- Chaplains should regularly visit prisoners
- Gaolers should be paid
- Prisoners should not be put in chains

• No inspectors to enforce act so impact limited

Question 4

The metropolitan Police act 1829

Answer 4

In 1822, Peel set up a parliamentary committee to look into the issue of policing London, Which helped him to come up with the idea of a centralised police force across the whole city. The crime wave resulting from the economic downturn in 1826 helped Peel to get the act through parliament

Question 5

Aspect of the metropolitan police officers

Answer 5

Central aim = prevent crime and disorder and to be totally impartial and objective
Recruits carefully selected and well - trained, full time job
Members had uniform so could be spotted and differ from solders
Members unarmed and trained to use minimal physical force only unless last resort
Focused on patrolling areas where crime high = success
not popular at first but soon recognised by public as trustworthy