The Enlightenment and Criminal Justice Key Terms

These flashcards cover the key concepts, definitions, and figures relevant to the Enlightenment and its impact on criminal justice.

Age of Reason

An era marked by an emphasis on reason and scientific thought.

Alphonse Bertillon

A French police officer who developed the first method of identifying criminals by physical measurements.

André-Michel Guerry

A French lawyer known for his pioneering work in statistics and criminology.

Augustin Nicholas

A French judge who criticized the use of torture in criminal procedures.

Bloody Code

A term referring to the extensive range of capital offenses in 18th century England.

Bow Street Runners

The first professional police force in London, established in the 18th century.

Cartographic School

A criminological approach that uses maps to illustrate crime data.

Cesare de Beccaria

An Italian philosopher who argued for rational criminal justice and proportionality in punishment.

Criminalistics

The science of criminal investigation involving the analysis of physical evidence.

Declaration du Roi of May 1788

A royal decree in France that emphasized the presumption of innocence.

Deterrence

The idea that punishment can discourage criminal behavior.

Enlightenment

A philosophical movement focusing on reason, individualism, and skepticism of authority.

Farinacius

An early thinker in the legal domain who proposed concepts regarding criminal insanity.

Franz Joseph Gall

A physician known for founding phrenology, studying the relationship between skull shapes and behavior.

Gendercide

The systematic killing of a specific gender, often female.

Henry Faulds

A Scottish physician credited with early research on fingerprints for criminal identification.

Henry Fielding

A novelist and magistrate known for establishing the Bow Street Runners.

Henry Goddard

A pioneer in forensic ballistics.

Jeremy Bentham

An English philosopher known for his theories of utilitarianism.

John Locke

A philosopher who developed the idea of the social contract and influenced liberal thought.

Joseph Ignace Guillotin

A French physician who conceptualized the guillotine for executions.

Justice

The fair treatment of individuals and the impartial administration of the law.

Karl Marx

A philosopher who analyzed the relationship between crime and capitalism.

Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet

A Belgian mathematician known for statistical studies related to crime.

Montesquieu

A philosopher known for his ideas on separation of powers in governance.

Old Bailey

The central criminal court in England, significant for its historical trials.

Philosophes

Enlightenment thinkers focused on reason and human rights.

Phrenology

The study of skull shapes to determine personality traits.

Positive law

Laws enacted by a governmental authority.

Radical criminology

A perspective that views crime as a product of societal inequality.

Shogunate

A historical period in Japan marked by military rule.

Sir Robert Peel

A British politician known for establishing the Metropolitan Police Service.

Sir Samuel Romilly

A legal reformer who worked to reduce the severity of punishments in England.

Thief takers

Individuals authorized to apprehend criminals, often for monetary rewards.

Utilitarianism

A philosophical concept that evaluates actions based on their utility and overall happiness.

Voltaire

A prominent French writer and philosopher known for his critique of established religious and political systems.

William Blackstone

An English jurist known for his Commentaries on the Laws of England.

Objective observation

The method of collecting data through measurable and observable phenomena.

Legislative power

The authority to create laws and regulations in a society.

Criminal law

The body of law that pertains to crime and punishment.

Judicial discretion

The power of judges to make decisions based on personal judgment within the framework of the law.

Confirmation bias

The tendency to favor information that confirms existing beliefs.

Empirical evidence

Information acquired by observation or experimentation.

Social contract theory

The idea that individuals consent to form a society and abide by its rules.

Punitive measures

Actions taken to deter crime through punishment.

Torture

The act of inflicting severe pain, often used to extract confessions.

Inquisitorial procedure

A legal process where the court has a role in investigating and obtaining evidence.