nature of crime Flashcards
what were the most common crimes in the Saxon/Medieval era?
Theft, Murder, recieving stolen goods
what was the main cause of crime in the Medieval period and give some era specific reasons for this
-poverty
-regular outbreaks of famine and disease (Black Death of 1340s)
-impact of expensive wars (war of roses 1455-1485
a crime committed in the Medival period was highway robbery - what caused this crime?
-more trade
-merchants using roads
how did parliament attempt to deal with highway robbery?
-asked lords to cut down all the trees and bushes for thirty feet either side of major roads so robbers had nowhere to hide
why was poverty a main cause of crime in the early modern era?
-bad harvests caused rise in food prices
-inflation
-closing of the monistaries
why did the crime of vagrancy increase during the early modern period?
-unemployment
-vagabond act 1572
what did the vagrancy act of 1547 say?
-any able-bodied person not working to be punished
-branded with a V, hole in their ear
what were two crimes that emerged/increased in early modern period?
-vagrancy
-heresey
why did the amount of heresey increase in the early modern era?
becuase of the frequent change in official religion - the english refomation
what crimes are associated with the industrial period?
-smuggling
-highway robbery
-riots and protests
why did smuggling become a problem in the industrial period?
-britain was continuously at war so increased customs for more income
smuggling: what did the government increase customs on?
chocolate, tea, wine, spirits, leather
why was it hard to control smuggling?
people didnt come forwards as most communties were involved themselves as smuggled goods were cheaper
how did the government attemp to handle the rise in smuggling?
-reducing duties
-free trade policy in the 1840s where there were very few duties on any goods brought from abroad
what were the reasons for the major influx in highway robbers in the industrial period?
-increase in travel
-imporvements in turnpike roads encouraged more travel
-limited banking facilities meant more money being carried by road
industrial: what were footpads?
robbers who attacked people on foot
industrial: what were mounted highwaymen?
they held up coaches and riders on horseback
who were two famous highway robbers of the induastrial period who were glamorised?
-Dick Turpin
-John Rann
why did highway robbery eventally end?
-roads became busier
-greater use of banknotes that could be traced
-London horse patrol set up in 1805 for main roads
there was a massive increase in crime in the industrial period - why was this?
urbanisation meant that…
-the population of the UK rose to 42 million in 1900
-living and working conditions in inner cities were squalid and insanitary
-economy was weak during Napoleonic Wars and agricultural depression of 1870s
what crimes were connected to urbanisation?
-thimble-screwers = people who stole pocket-watches from their chains
-prop-nailers = stole pins/brooches from women
-drag-sneaks = stole goods or luggage from carts and coaches
how did the gov try to prevent disorder in the industrial revolution?
the combination act of 1799 and 1800 = directed against trade unions
one example of protest in the industrial period was the luddites - why did they protest?
they were loom weavers whose jobs had been taken by machines - they attacked these machines in protest
