Tackling Law And Order Problems Flashcards
When could a territory apply to be a state
When it had 60,000 people
Who were the territories under control by?
The federal government
What did the federal government do in terms of laws?
Decided on laws and appointed a governor and a US Marshal
What could a marshal do?
Could appoint duties
What happened when a territory had a population of 5000 people
It could elect a sheriff
What was the role of sheriffs?
Similar powers to marshals but no legal training and enforces laws in US county’s
How far coulda a Kansas sheriff cover
200,000km squared
Before the 1860s it would have been on horseback
Why did the population of mining towns explode?
The discovery of gold and the gold rush so tthere was huge problems with law and order
What did the population of California increase too?
200,000
What did the mining towns not have
Sheriffs or effective law and order systems
What did the mining communities do?
Created their own court with a judge
What did the courts do ?
Settle disputes over land
Who wrote down all the claims?
A recorder
Who was respected by community members?
Judges and juries who had to hand down indictments
What is a posse?
Group of men called together by a sheriff or marshal to help enforce the law
What was the role of the posse?
Didn’t have training for law enforcement and would often help the marshal regain control by using violence
What was problem with posses?
They would often favour friends not the law and accepted money from criminals
What were vigilante committees?
Group that get together without being asked by marshals and take it upon themselves to solve law and order
What would vigilantes do
Identify suspects, try and hang them and would often leave bodies of “criminal” on show as a warning
What was a problem with vigilantes?
They would often decide whether a person was innocent or guilty without hearing any evidence
Where were vigilante committees organised, when and what for?
San Francisco in 1851 to deal with Chinese migrants causing racist tensions
What was a result of the law and order?
Gradually become more civilised because railroads meant sheriffs could move faster and families could move west so there was proper communities
