POLICE, PRISONS, AND PUNISHMENT


PROSECUTION OF OFFENDERS

PRIVATE; RESPONSIBILITY OF VICTIM
GROWING PRESSURE FOR PUBLIC PROSECUTION
cf. SCOTTISH PROCURATOR FISCAL
1879 DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS


TRIALS

C18 CONFRONTATION VICTIM vs ACCUSED
C19 GROWING USE OF LAWYERS
1830 OBJECTION TO DEFENCE COUNSEL
1850s GROWING FEAR FOR POOR DEFENDANTS
1903 POOR PRISONER'S DEFENCE ACT


COURTS

MAGISTRATES DEAL WITH MISDEMEANOURS
FELONIES GO TO JURY TRIAL
QUARTER SESSIONS
ASSIZES
MAGISTRATES DEAL WITH 25 x REST PUT TOGETHER
JURISDICTION
1855 OFFENCES INVOLVING LESS THAN 5s. (25p)
1879 OFFENCES OF LESS THAN £2.00

POLICE

LONDON (METROPOLITAN POLICE) 1829
3000 BY 1830

1835 MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS ACT
ALLOWS TOWNS TO HAVE POLICE FORCES
1838 POLICE IN 100 OUT OF 178 MUNICIPAL TOWNS
6 STILL NO POLICE FORCE 1854
BEDFORD 9 POLICEMEN 1836
SEPARATE DAY, NIGHT WATCHES

1839 RURAL CONSTABULARY ACT
ALLOWS COUNTIES TO ESTABLISH POLICE FORCES
HORNCASTLE, LINCS.
EXPERIENCED P.C. 30s per week; LOCAL MAN 16s.

1856 COUNTY AND BOROUGH POLICE ACT
NOT NATIONAL FORCE


ROLE OF POLICE = PREVENTITIVE
EFFECTIVENESS ?
LONDON BEAT 7.5m. DAYTIME, 2m. AT NIGHT
DETECTIVES 1842 IN LONDON
8 IN 1842, 15 IN 1867
NO SECRET POLICE
QUALITY ?
DURHAM REPORT 1867 59 DRUNK ON DUTY
DECLINE IN UNPOPULARITY


PUNISHMENT


DEATH PENALTY

ABOLISHED 1837 for FORGING WILLS, ABORTION, ATTEMPTED MURDER, BURGLARY, ARSON
ABOLISHED 1841 for RAPE, SEX WITH UNDER 10, RIOT, EMBEZZLEMENT FROM BANK OF ENGLAND
BY 1861 ONLY FOR MURDER, TREASON

1805-1814 443 CAPITAL CONVICTIONS, 66 DEATH SENTENCES CARRIED OUT, OF WHICH 13 FOR MURDER
1815-1824 1073 CAPITAL CONVICTIONS,89 DEATH SENTENCES CARRIED OUT, OF WHICH 16 FOR MURDER
1825-1834 1218 CAPITAL CONVICTIONS, 53 DEATH SENTENCES WERE CARRIED OUT, OF WHICH 12 WERE FOR MURDER
1835-1844 199 CAPITAL CONVICTIONS,13 DEATH SENTENCES CARRIED OUT, OF WHICH 10 WERE FOR MURDER
1845-1854 57 CAPITAL CONVICTIONS, 9 DEATH SENTENCES CARRIED OUT, ALL 9 FOR MURDER


1840s CAMPAIGN FOR ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
WILLIAM EWART
1868 END OF PUBLIC EXECUTION

TRANSPORTATION

1830s c. 5,000 PER ANNUM
1/3 OF ALL CONVICTED
1840s DOWN TO 1 IN 7 OF ALL CONVICTED
ABOLISHED 1857


IMPRISONMENT

TO DETER ?
TO PUNISH ?
TO REFORM ?

1835 GOVERNMENT INSPOECTION
1877 HOME OFFICE TAKES OVER CONTROL
PENITENTIARY - PENTONVILLE, 1842
SYSTEM OF WORK
SYSTEM OF REWARDS
TICKET OF LEAVE (PENAL SERVITUDE ACT 1853)
1862 "GAROTTING" PANIC
1864 PENAL SERVITUDE ACT
1870s EDMUND DU CANE
CARNARVON COMMISSION

return to previous page