CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IN ENGLAND DURING THE

1800’S

By Nohora Martinez

Prison

Why Crime?

During 19th Century- Increase of crime in Britain. Cause – Industrial revolution more people living in

towns. Overcrowding into areas increases in the rise of infant

mortality, crime, and social deprivation In 1800s =16 million people living in Britain. In 1900s= 42 million people living in Britain. At first, the response to increasing levels of crime led

to the Bloody Code. Offences went up

5,000 per year in 1800 20,000 per year in 1840

Industrial Revolution

Crime

During the early 1800s more than 200 types of crime could lead to death by execution

3524 people were hung in England and Wales, 1353 for murder

Other punishments transportation where criminals were sent to Britain's colonies, such as Australia Less severe crime Removing criminals from Britain.

Punishment

Crime

By the mid 1800s - only murder and treason led to the death penalty.

Transportation was stopped thanks to pressure from the colonies themselves and the expense of transporting convicts. Beginning to question the effectiveness of

transportation in deterring others from committing similar crimes.

Australia complained for dumping criminals on their lands.

Instead, prison sentences became more common and prisons themselves were improved.

Trials for Sentence

Prisons

“House of Correction” All types of prisoners put together with no

separation men and women the young and the old

Small, old, and badly-run. Made unpleasant to prevent people from doing

crimes. Made 90 more prisons. Hard labor in Prisons.

Walking treadwheel Picking oakum

Made 90 more prisons.

Hard Labor

Prisons in Great Expectations

In chapter 32, Wemmick takes Pip on a tour of Newgate prison:

“We were at Newgate in a few minutes, and we passed through the lodge where some fetters were hanging up on the bare walls among the prison rules, into the interior of the jail. At that time, jails were much neglected, and the period of exaggerated reaction consequent on all public wrong-doing- and which is always its heaviest and longest punishment- was still far off. So, felons were not lodged and fed better than soldiers (to say nothing of paupers), and seldom set fire to their prisons with the excusable object of improving the flavour of their soup.”

Bibliography

http://ourwardfamily.com/1800's_britain.htm#Crime

http://www.secretshropshire.org.uk/Content/Learn/Crime/DeathPenalty.asp

http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/ge/convicts.html

http://members.tripod.com/ajsmith_2/