EM- Law Enforcement

EM- Law Enforcement

CHANGE: law enforcement

• nightwatchmen

• sergeants

• thief takers

role of nightwatchmen

• employed in larger towns to patrol streets day and night

• thief takers

• carried lamp and ringed bell to warn people to go home

factors for nightwatchmen

population increase as more crimes being committed and need for widespread law enforcement

what did sergeants do

employed in towns to enforce market regulations by weighing goods and collecting fines from traders behaving badly

how and when did sergeants became known as Charlies

1663- Charles II set up a force of paid watchmen to patrol the streets in all towns and cities

why were sergeants not respected

became objects of fun and children baited them

factors for change of sergeants

• economic growth

• role of king

how was economic growth a factor for change of sergeants

more people in a town meant more merchants as more people to buy goods; sergeant needed to manage this

what did thief takers do

was paid a reward for catching a criminal and delivering them to the law

why were thief takers used

constables and watchmen weren't effective at hunting criminals

what was wrong with thief takers

open to corruption so not very effective

factors for change of thief takers

increased population- more people committing crime

CONTINUITY: law enforcement

• hue and cry

• parish constables

• ordinary people and community

• JPs

CHANGE: hue and cry

constables now led the hue and cry

parish constables role

• dealt mainly with every day crimes and had power to inflict minor punishment (e.g. whipping vagabonds)

• to ensure suspects were held in prison

who were parish constables and what did they look like

• had no weapons or uniform

• part time job

change in community law enforcement

if someone robbed, they had to get an arrest warrant from a magistrate, track down the criminal and deliver them to constable

CHANGE: JPs

during Tudor Period they became key to local law enforcement

who took the role of JP

someone of importance locally, like wealthy landowner, who took job for prestige

role of JP

• judged manor court cases

• could fine people

• send them to stocks/pillory

• order whippings

CHANGE: trial

• manor courts

• benefit of the clergy removed

• Habeus Corpus act

what are manor courts

run by JPs, dealt with minor crimes

what was changed about the benefit of the clergy

couldn't be claimed for more serious crimes

why was benefit of the clergy changed

too many could claim it due to literacy rates increasing

factors for change of benefit of clergy

• education increase

• wealth increase

how is education increase a factor for change of benefit of clergy

more people literate so they had to change law to be fair so people didn't just claim it for lesser punishment

how is wealth increase a factor for the change of benefit of clergy

more people have money to be able to afford education and more money is being put into education

when was Habeus Corpus Act

1679

what did the Habeus Corpus act do

• prevented authorities from locking a person up indefinitely without charge

• once arrested, had to appear in court within certain time or be released

hindrance of Habeus Corpus Act

officials would make up evidence at trials to lock up critics or opposition

factors for change of Habeus Corpus Act

• role of government

• changing opinions- realised the previous system flawed and therefore tried to fix it

CONTINUITY: Trials

• most cases dealt with locally but made more efficient

• changing opinions- realised the previous system flawed and therefore tried to fix it

• twice a year county Assizes (royal judge) visited each county to deal with serious offences

• church courts- dealt with crimes committed by churchmen or those with benefit of clergy