 Hello and welcome to our video summarizing all you need to know about the history of crime and punishment in Britain. This video is really useful, especially if you're studying crime and punishment as part of your coursework or exams, as we will go into the details that you need to know to get top marks. So let's get started. Beginning with crime and punishment in Saxon England. Crimes included, drinking too much and insulting your neighbour, stealing, murder and plowing someone else's land. Punishments included, Tythings. There was no police in Saxon England. Every male over the age of 12 was expected to join a tything. A tything was a group of 10 men who were each responsible for everyone else's behaviour. If one of them broke the law, the other members of the tything had to bring him to court or pay a fine. Human Cry. If a crime was committed, the victim was expected to raise human cry. The entire village had to stop whatever they were doing and join in the hunt to catch the criminal. If a person did not join the human cry, then the whole village would be fined. Parish Constable. A local man given the duty of making sure that law and order was followed in the village. This job was unpaid. Trial by local jury. This was the first form of trial. The accused person would be judged by 10 men from the local community. They would have known both the accused person and the victim. There was a clear process for a trial. The accused and the victim would each give their version of what happened. If the jury could not tell who was telling the truth, or if there was not enough evidence, then they would decide based on their knowledge of the people concerned. If they decided the victim was more trustworthy than the accused, they would find the accused guilty and swear in oaths of congregation. Trial by Audil. If the trial by local jury method failed, Saxons would turn to a different type of trial called Trial by Audil. Saxon society was very religious and believed that God could be asked to tell them whether a person was guilty or innocent. There were four different types of trial by Audil. First, Trial by hot iron. The accused, usually a woman, was made to walk three paces down the middle of a church holding a red hot iron weight. The hand would then be bandaged up. If after three days the wound was healing cleanly, then the accused was innocent. If it was not, they were guilty. Trial by hot water. The accused, usually a man, had to put his hand in a pot of boiling water and pick up an object from the bottom. The wound would then be investigated after three days. Trial by cold water. The accused, usually a man, was tied with rope around his waist and lowered into cold water. If the accused sank below God's pure water, then he was innocent. If he floated, then he was guilty and hadn't rejected by God. Trial by blessed bread, only for priests. A priest prayed that the accused would choke on the bread which had been blessed if he was guilty. If he ate the bread without choking, he was considered innocent. War Guild. The War Guild was a system of fines for different crimes used by the Saxons. Each crime had a specific fine. The system was designed to make further violence less likely, unlike the blood feud which was all about retribution. The War Guild was used for crimes involving physical injury. Each body part had a specific cost. The War Guild system was not a fair one though, as more powerful members of society were protected by higher fines. Capital and Corporal Punishment. This was used only for serious crimes. In Saxon England, treason or plotting against the king or betraying your lord could lead to execution. People who committed the same crime more often were often punished by having their limbs cut off, eyes being put out and other mutilations. More minor crimes were punished via public humiliation. Saxon villages relied on everyone working together, so executing or imprisoning someone would often mean everyone suffered. Public humiliation was therefore a lot more practical. Crime and Punishment in Norman England. When William the Conqueror took control of England, he brought some new ideas about crime and punishment. He was tough on criminals and he believed any crime was going against the king's space rather than just the individual victim. He kept the Saxon laws in place, but added on to them. These new laws were written in the Norman language, that is French, which disadvantaged the Saxons. The Sheriff and the Posse Commitatus. If the hue and cry failed to catch the criminal, then the local sheriff would be informed. He would gather a group of able-bodied men who would go out and hunt for the criminal. This was called the Posse Commitatus. Mergem Fine. Angry Saxons, whose homes and property were destroyed by the Normans, took the law into their own hands. William introduced a new law which said that if a Norman was murdered, all the people in that region had to pay an expensive fine. Trial by Combat. The Normans were just as religious as the Saxons, so trial by ordeal was kept. The Normans introduced a new type called trial by combat. The accused fought with the accuser until one was killed or unable to fight on. The loser was then hanged as God had judged him to be guilty. Ending the War Guild. William ended the War Guild system. All fines for crimes were paid to the king and no longer the victims' family. Women. The Saxons had given women almost equal rights in law. Norman law was much harsher on women, giving them much less rights than men. Church Courts. The Normans introduced church courts. These were separate courts which were used for judgment and tended to be more lenient since there was no capital punishment. Royal courts were used only for serious crimes. Royal judges were appointed to represent the king and to ensure the justice was carried out. Forest Laws. This created new crimes where previously none had existed and made other crimes more serious. For example, trees could no longer be cut down for fuel over building. People in forests were no longer allowed to own dogs or bows and arrows. Anyone caught hunting a deer had their first two fingers chopped off and repeated offenders were blinded. The Norman King, Henry II, made further changes to crime and punishment laws so that he could increase his personal power. These included the king's peace. If someone committed a crime close to the location of the king at any point of time, the punishment was made far harsher than normal. Travelling Justices. People were given power by the king to hear court cases on his behalf and pass sentence on people found guilty. County Gauls. Introduction of incarceration as a form of punishment. Ending of trial by Odiel. All cases now had to be settled by a 12-man jury. Justices of the peace. 1361. These men had the right to fine and arrest people who were disturbing the peace. Country Coroners. People specifically appointed to investigate unexpected deaths. Role of the church in medieval crime and punishment. Church Courts. The church claimed the right to try and judgment, accused of a crime in its own courts. Church Courts often dealt with model offences, such as failing to go to church, drunkenness, adultery and playing football on a Sunday. Benefit of the clergy. If a person was accused of a crime, they were allowed to claim the right to be tried in a church court, where punishments were less severe. This should have meant only priests. However, others would often use it as well. You had to prove you worked for the church by reading out a passage from the Bible. The idea was that only people who could read worked for the church. However, others often memorized the words to save themselves from capital punishment. Sanctuary. If a criminal on the run from the law could read a church, he or she could claim sanctuary. Once inside the church, the criminal was under the church's protection and could not be arrested. The criminal could spend up to 40 days there before deciding either to leave the church and be arrested or to leave the country. If they chose the latter, they had to walk barefooted, carrying a wooden cross and go straight to the nearest harbour and board a ship heading abroad. Ending trial by ordeal. The church ended trial by ordeal in 1215. It was seen as unreliable as it was possible that some guilty men and women could escape punishment whilst others were wrongly found guilty. Moving on to crime and punishment between 1500 and 1700. Factors that changed the nature of crime and criminals. Population growth. More people meant it was harder for some to find work. This made a life of crime more likely. Therefore crime rates went up in the 1500s and early 1600s. Economic changes. England was wealthier overall but most of the wealth was in the hands of a few wealthy individuals. The majority was still very poor. Poor people were vulnerable to rises in food prices caused by bad harvests and less trade. Once Henry VII made it illegal for anyone other than him to own an army, many men were left unemployed and penniless. Henry VII's destruction of the monasteries also removed the main provider of charity for the poor in England. Printing. Crime was a popular topic for the newly created newspapers and books made possible by the 15th century invention, the printing press. The dramatic crime stories that communicated meant the fear of crime rose despite the evidence suggesting it was actually falling by the mid 1600s. Religious turmoil. Henry VIII's reformation and the period which followed it saw protestants and Catholics fighting to control England. Both sides accused each other of being an ally of the devil and this helped increase public belief in evil and the supernatural. In this period, treason or plotting against the king and hearsay, holding incorrect religious beliefs were brutally punished. Punishments got harsher in general and led to the bloody code later on. Political turmoil. This period also saw the English Civil War in which Parliament beat the king and had him executed. Many people thought the world had turned upside down, creating a feeling of insecurity and fear of crime lasting decades. Landowners' attitudes. Landowners were getting richer and more influential. They wanted laws that defended their rights and property against threats. They felt threatened by the growing number of poor people who they wanted to keep in their place. Vagabonds. A rising population and fewer jobs meant that more people had to move in order to find work. People were increasingly concerned about vagabonds. People with no fixed job who wandered the countryside and towns. Vagabonds were associated with crime because it was assumed they did it to get money. Vagabonds were seen as lazy and un-Christian. People were prepared to help the genuinely poor, the sick and the old for example, but did not trust outsiders begging for money. Wealthier people already paid the poor rates to help support poorer people. They did not want to have to pay for vagabonds as well. The government used a variety of different measures to try and deal with vagabonds. These included whipping, slavery, branding, execution and houses of correction. Different measures were used at different times and they were changed if they were considered too harsh or too lenient. Some vagabonds were clearly criminals, but the terror of the Trump was also an unfair representation of vagabonds. In reality, many were ex-soldiers who were no longer needed in the King's army. It was only a small minority of vagabonds who were organized in petty crime gangs. These criminals used a variety of means to steal money from people. For example, bristlers, someone who used loaded dice to cheat people out of money. Counterfeit crank, beggars who would pretend to be ill by having violent fits in an attempt to gain sympathy and money. Bear top trickster, women who flashed at men in order to lure them into a side street where they would be attacked and rocked. Priggers or princes, someone who stole horses. Rufflers, ex-military men who would assault people and steal their money. The two doors had different attitudes towards the poor. Henry VIII distinguished between the deserving poor, who were given license to beg and the undeserving poor. Edward VII's laws were very harsh on vagabonds whereas Elizabeth I introduced the poor rate to support the deserving poor using taxes collected from the rich. Petty crimes such as selling underweight goods or cheating at guards still existed. As did other, more serious crimes such as owing money, theft, murder and assault. Low enforcement between 1500-1700. The human cry was still relied upon as was the posse cometatus. The growth in the size and number of large towns and cities meant that these measures were less effective as it was easier for criminals to hide in the crowds. Parish constables remained the main defence against crime. It was a part-time job and they had no weapons or uniform. They did not go out on patrol and they spent most of their time dealing with minor issues such as illicit pegging. Constables were allowed to whip vagabonds and they were expected to detain suspects until they were tried. Town watchmen and surgeons were employed in large towns and cities to patrol the streets during the day and night. They were poorly paid and not very effective. They were expected to arrest drunks and vagabonds as well as enforcing market rules and enforcing general law and order. Citizens were expected to deal with crimes themselves. If someone was robbed, it was up to them to get an arrest warrant from a magistrate and to arrest the criminal responsible. Rewards, these were offered to anyone who successfully captured a criminal responsible for more serious crimes. Justices of the peace, these were set up in the medieval period but they became a major part of law enforcement between 1500-1700. They were important local people, landowners who judged local or minor court cases at manor courts. They were allowed to find people, put people in the stocks or order them to be whipped. Courts, they were a variety of different courts and all relied on a local jury. Manor courts handled local and minor crimes. Justices of the peace handled minor crimes on their own and met with other JPs in the same county four times a year for quarter sessions. At these meetings, more serious crimes would be considered. JPs would have the right to pass the death sentence here. Royal judges visited each county twice a year to handle the most serious offences. These were known as county assizes. Ending of Benefit of Clergy By the 1600s, many people could read and were able to cheat the Benefit of Clergy rules so it was gotten rid of. Habes Corpus, this act was passed in 1679. Literally, it means you have the body but simply it prevented the authorities from locking up a person indefinitely without evidence that they were guilty. If they were not sent to court within a certain period of time, they had to be released. Governments would sometimes have to invent evidence to stop people from being released. During this period, laws concerning punishment for crimes got a lot stricter. This was known as the Bloody Court. Capital punishment was still used for major crimes such as murder, treason and arson as well as stealing expensive items. Execution either by hanging or burning at the stake or beheading were carried out publicly to deter others from committing the same crime just as they had been in the medieval period. After 1688, the number of crimes for which capital punishment was used massively increased. In 1688 it was 50, by 1765 it was 160 and by 1815 it was 225 crimes. By this time, even very minor crimes such as poaching rabbits could lead to a death sentence. There were lots of different types of punishment used in this period, some new and some old. The pillory, this was intended to humiliate the criminal who would have to stand with his hands and neck, trapped in a wooden block whilst people throw mud and rotten food at him all day long. If the crowd strongly disapproved of the criminal's crime, then they would throw stones. Sometimes this could lead to deaths, example for a rapist. Fines, money would have to be paid by the criminal for committing a crime such as swearing or drinking too much. Whipping, a form of corporal punishment that was very painful and humiliating as it took place in public, used for minor crimes. Houses of correction, these were also known as bridewells and were used for criminals such as vagabonds, unmarried mothers and repeat offenders. Inmates were made to do hard labour and were often whipped. It was believed that offenders would stop committing crimes if they were taught the value of hard work. Gowls, were used to hold people before their trial. They were not used as punishment themselves. Karting, this involved being paraded around the street and was intended to shame the criminal for a minor crime such as owning a brothel. Dunking, women who argued was disobeyed their husbands could be convicted as goals. The punishment was the dunking stool in the local pond. This was also a punishment for women who argued in public or who swore. Transportation, from the 1660s, criminals began to be sent thousands of miles away to the American colonies. Later it would be Australia. Transportation for life was used for murder as an alternative to the death penalty. Once in America, the criminals suffered conditions close to slavery. They were still viewed as a softer alternative to the death penalty. Witch Hunt Between 1645 to 47, there were 250 cases of witchcraft in East Anglia alone. One man, Matthew Hopkins, was employed to catch witches in this period. Witchcraft had been a crime for hundreds of years but between 15 to 1700 it became a very big deal. Religious turmoil in England had led to lots of religious changes. This meant that what was acceptable was now considered heretical. As a result, many people were accused of being witches and of working with the devil. Catholics and Protestants would accuse each other. Ideas about witches and how to spot them had developed as traditions and stereotypes for hundreds of years and this was closely linked to Christianity. This was still a very religious society. Matthew Hopkins went around East Anglia, accusing people of being witches and collecting evidence against them. Hopkins used to torture them to get them to confess. His victims were often old women. He would accuse them of having the devil's bite marks, usually moles, scars or old wounds and of keeping a familiar, a pet animal associated with the devil. Trials included dunking and straightforward torture of the accused to get them to confess. Those found guilty of witchcraft by Hopkins and others would be hanged or drowned trying to prove their innocence. Witchcraft accusations like these were a sign of increased tension between the poor and those richer than them. Combine this with the instability caused by the Reformation and the Civil War and it is easy to see why people's fears led to an increase in the number of accusations. Crime and punishment between 1700 and 1900. Changes in society Britain became the first country to industrialise in the years after 1750. This not only changed the way people worked but also had an effect on society itself. When society changes, so does crime and punishment. The population increased quickly and it was more mobile. People moved from the countryside into rapidly growing cities. Farming stopped being the standard job by which people earned their wages. This was replaced by employment in factories. Education rose. By 1850, 70% of the population could read and write. Whereas 100 years before, only a minority could do so. New ideas about human nature proliferated. Some argued that improving people's education, housing and healthcare would reduce the likelihood that they would commit a crime. Others, however, argued that it was only some types of people who would commit crimes. A criminal class of less evolved people. In busy cities, full of people, big pocketing and petty theft became a regularly committed crime. Types of crime were the same as they had been in the previous period. But how those crimes were prevented and treated changed a lot. Other new or increasingly important crimes included highwaymen, poaching, smuggling and unionising. Witchcraft was no longer scary. In busy cities that were full of people, big pocketing and petty theft became a regularly committed crime. Types of crime were the same as they had been in the previous period. But how those crimes were prevented and treated changed a lot. Other new or increasingly important crimes included highwaymen, poaching, smuggling and unionising. Witchcraft was no longer scary as technology and science led to a greater understanding of how the world worked. Witchcraft was decriminalised in the 18th century and was seen as merely a contric. Highway robbery. This was not a new crime. It began during the chaotic English Civil War. In the 1700-1900 period, it became more common however as people increasingly travelled across the country on roads. The robbers targeted travellers in wooded and dark areas near the capital city and were a major disruption to trade. Using only a cheap pistol and a horse, they held up stagecoaches carrying rich people and their possessions. Smuggling. Illegally importing goods such as tea and tobacco was a massive problem in postal areas. By bringing in goods illegally and avoiding paying import taxes. It was estimated that there were 20,000 active smugglers in 1748 which the authorities could not hope to stop. Poaching. The crime of poaching which described as a social crime had been around for a long time. Authorities between 17 and 1900 were not tolerant however and the 1723 Black Act made hunting deer, hare or rabbits a capital offence. Anyone found armed, disguised or with a blackened face in a hunting area was assumed to be poaching and could be executed. Low enforcement between 17 and 1900. 17-1900 saw the responsibility for the lower enforcement passed from ordinary people and volunteers in the local community to a full-time trained and professional police force. The man responsible for the introduction of the first police force in London was the home secretary Sir Robert Peele. Peele was also a supporter of penal reform. The Fielding Brothers. Henry and John Fielding were London magistrates who were in charge of Barstrait Magistrates Court in 1748. They realised more men were needed on London Straits to control crime. The Fielding Brothers blamed the rise in crime on the breakdown in law and order and the corruption of politicians. They introduced a horse patrol to stop highwaymen around London and it proved to be effective. The Metropolitan Police Force. The 1829 Metropolitan Police Act replaced the system of watchmen and parish constables. It was composed of 3,200 men who wore a uniform. There were concerns that a police force was a threat to public freedom but Peele was able to persuade politicians that the police were necessary to reduce crime. New higher taxes meant that the government was able to pay for the new force. After 1829 the police force spread outside of London. In 1835 a new law allowed police forces to be set up in different towns. And in 1839 all of England's counties were allowed to too. In 1842 the first detective force was set up in London to investigate and solve crimes. By 1856 it was compulsory for all towns and counties to have a police force and they were widely respected by the public. In 1878 the Metropolitan Police Detective Force was reorganised into the Criminal Investigation Department. Transportation was a system by which convicted criminals were removed from the country by being sent abroad. At first the authorities had sent criminals to America but after the American colonies became independent in 1776 they had to look for an alternative. Therefore they chose Australia. Australia was 4 months by boat and it seemed like a very strong deterrent as people were very scared of the unknown. It was thought it would be successful because it would provide a punishment less harsh than hanging so juries will convict. It would be harsh enough to terrify criminals and deter them. It would reduce crime in Britain by removing criminals. It would help claim the new land of Australia for Britain and it would reform criminals through hard work. Once a criminal had been sentenced to transportation it could still take several months before they arrive in Australia and began a very different life. They would be kept temporarily in all ships called hulks that were cramped and full of diseases. They worked in chains whilst they waited. Transportation began to decline in the 1840s as prisons were increasingly used. It was finally ended in 1857 largely due to Australian settlers protesting against the dumping of convicts on their territory. Prisons. Before the 19th century prisons played a minor role in the legal system. Houses of correction were used for prostitutes and vagabonds but generally prisons were only used to house criminals before their trials. In 1777 there were only 4,000 people in jail and of those 60% were debtors. But over the next 100 years there were three major changes. Imprisonment became the normal method of punishing criminals. Prisons became more important as the reasons for punishment changed. Instead of deterrence, punishment now focused on reforming prisoners. The huge increase in prisoners led to the government taking over the whole prison system. This led to new rules about prisoners' work, diet, health and other aspects of prison life. Previously all prisoners were housed together. Hardened criminals and first offenders, debtors, lunatics, women and children. These were called schools of crime. Prison wardens were unpaid. They earned money by charging the prisoners fees. That meant richer prisoners could buy themselves their own rooms, better food and drink, visitors and pets. Those who could afford little suffered more. The poor relied on local charities to pay their costs and life was grim. Prisoners often lived in overcrowded conditions. Even seeing a doctor cost money and because prisons were damp and dirty, disease such as typhus were rampant. In 1823 the Gowls Act was passed. Hardened criminals and first-time criminals were separated. All prisoners should have proper food and no pets. Paid prisoner wardens. Prisoners should be kept hygienic. Separate male and female wardens. All prisoners to attend chapel to receive religious instruction from the chaplain. Mother straights have a duty to visit prisons and make sure they're up to scratch. John Howard, a prison inspector shocked by the state of prisons. He published a report in 1777. The state of prisons in England and Wales would strongly attacked prisoner's face. Howard was criticised for being too lenient by many, but he recommended many of the changes later covered by the Gowls Act. Reform period. Elizabeth Frye was a Quaker, a type of Christian with a strong religious background. She believed strongly that every criminal could be reformed. She visited women in Newgate prison and was horrified at what she found. 300 women, some with babies or small children, who were crammed into three rooms. She reported that women prisoners were exploited by the male wardens. She set up religious prayer groups to support female prisoners and a school in Newgate for the children. Teaching them useful skills such as knitting and sewing which they could later use to gain employment. Bentonville and the separate system. The first of the new reformed prisons to be built was Bentonville prison. They were built to implement reform and to handle the increasing number of prisoners who were no longer being transported. Bentonville was set up not just to deter, but to reform. Bentonville used the separate system. Prisoners had to spend nearly all their time alone and in their cells. Contact with other prisoners was made as difficult as possible. The idea was that prisoners would spend the time reflecting on their past mistakes and how they could improve their behavior. Prisoners would have to wear masks so they could not talk. The system effectively isolated prisoners for the whole of their sentence. On the plus side this meant that they could not negatively influence one another. But the solitary confinement led to 22 prisoners going mad, 26 having nervous breakdowns and three committed suicide in the first eight years. The separate system was also very costly in terms of building a prison designed to separate everyone and in terms of day-to-day arrangements. The silent system was introduced as an alternative treatment to the separate system. Crime was falling in this period and less people were being hanged. This meant that prisons had to be the main way of stopping crime from reoccurring. The fear of crime was still high with newspapers and penny dreadful spreading dramatic stories about violent crime. People believed increasingly that only certain types of people committed crime and they had to be treated toughly. This led to the silent system. Prisoners were expected to be silent at all times. They would be whipped or put on a diet of bread and water if they did not do this. Hard wooden bunks replaced hammocks to sleep on. This was designed to be deliberately uncomfortable. Food was monotonous but the same menu every day all year long. Prisoners were expected to take part in hard labour. Deliberately pointless work like unpicking rope for several hours every day. Crime and punishment from 1900 to the present. New types of crimes. Hate crimes. Crimes motivated by racial, sexual or other types of prejudice. This was introduced in 2007. Drug offenses have become a serious issue since 1900 as they often lead to other types of crimes. While spreading theft has always been a crime, drug addiction has led to an increase in theft and shoplifting. The rise in shoplifting is also due to increased visibility and availability of valuable goods. The growth of the internet has made it possible for people to commit online crimes such as hacking into databases and stealing people's bank details. Computer crime involving online fraud and pirating has also emerged as a new crime. Terrorist attacks have become increasingly focused on by the media although not a new crime. The activities of major terrorist groups such as the IRA, Al-Qaeda and ISIL have made people much more aware of this type of crime. Car crime. Since 1900 the motor car has become incredibly popular. This has led to the rise of car theft. Other car related crimes have actually decreased as cars have become safer thanks to new laws requiring licenses. Murder has increased but not as much as other crimes. Violent crime and sexual offenses have always existed but both show increases in the later 20th century. This is partly due to people being more prepared to report these crimes. While smuggling was a major crime between 15 to 1700s it is also a large-scale crime today. Modern smuggling often involves people bringing illicit goods into the country via planes as well as boats. Often the goods are drugs which are hidden inside a human being known as a drugs mule. High public demand for legal goods such as alcohol and tobacco means that these continue to be a popular product to bring into the country illegally by air, sea or train. People smuggling, human trafficking has also increased as a result of tougher immigration laws and large numbers of refugees fleeing war zones in Syria. Low enforcement, the powers that the police have to question, search or arrest suspects has changed much since 1900. Each police force in England and Wales employs crime prevention officers to advise local people on crime prevention and security. There has been an increased emphasis on catching young offenders and intervening in their lives to stop them from reoffending. In 1982 the Neighbourhood Watch was invented. Members of the community report suspicious behaviour to the police who can then investigate. By 2007, Neighbourhood Watch became a national network. Ordinary police officers do not carry firearms but still have patents or truncheons. PEPA spray or CS gas is used to control violent suspects. Firearm usage is reserved for high-risk situations and highly trained officers. All new recruits undergo a 14-week basic training course. The police use CCTV recordings to prevent crime and identify criminals. They also use the automatic number plate recognition system. All police officers carry two-way radio units. Previously these had only been in a police car. Police officers have also become increasingly involved in non-crime related incidents such as antisocial behaviour, drunkenness, missing persons enquiries and incidents linked to mental health. They also keep order at large gatherings such as demonstrations and sport fixtures. Advances in technology have allowed the introduction of DNA sampling which was first used in a case in 1988. This was a major improvement on the use of fingerprinting and blood analysis which began in 1901. Because crime has become more varied and complex, the police have increasingly developed specialized groups such as the fraud and drug squads and dog handlers. The police began an online database for cases and evidence called the Police National Computer. Prisons became the most common form of law enforcement or punishment. Since 1900s however, there have been significant changes to how prisons operate and what life is like for inmates. By 1900s, prisons had moved away from the separate system and making prisoners perform meaningless tasks, but there were some big changes subsequently. After 1922, solitary confinement was ended and prisoners were allowed to associate with each other. Prisoners were no longer forced to shave their heads or wear a conspicuous uniform with arrows on it. The diet, heating and conditions in cells were gradually improved and more visitors were allowed. Teachers began to be employed in prisons to help inmates have a better chance of finding work when they were released. The first open prison was built in 1933 with prisoners given increasingly more freedom including being allowed on day release to work. The idea was to prepare prisoners for life after prison and to integrate them into the community again. Because the fear of crime had declined, since the 19th century, governments were under less pressure to treat crimes so harshly. Fewer people believed that criminals inherited their habits and more people began to see the connection between crime and poverty. This led to hopes that better treatment and education of inmates would reduce re-offence. After the 1940s, the prison population rose rapidly right up until the present day. The reasons for this include the average length of sentences has increased so prisoners are locked away for longer. There is an increased chance of prison sentences for certain crimes, particularly sexual, violent or drug-related crimes. The number of people on remand, awaiting trial in prison has increased. A consequence of this has been prison overcrowding which became a major issue in the 1980s. Reduced budgets and less staff has made this problem worse. Non-custodial alternatives include probation. A prisoner is released but has to report to a prison officer once a week. Increased time span for paying fines. Giving people more time to pay rather than to go to prison. Buraching got rid of in 1967. It is a punishment similar to canning. For all, prisoners no longer have to serve their whole sentence if they behave well. Suspended sentences, if offenders did not re-offend, they were not sent to prison. Electronic tagging. Offenders wear an electric tag which tracks their locations and which allows the police to impose a curfew. Limit or where and when they go. Community or service orders. Offenders are required to do between 40 and 300 hours of unpaid work in the community. Young offenders. Juvenile delinquents. This was the Victorian phrase for young offenders and they treated them just as harshly as adults. After 1900, ideas about how to treat young offenders were changing. The emphasis was placed on reforming young offenders by giving them positive influences and a good environment. In 1902, the first post-al was opened. This was designed to separate young offenders from hardened criminals. They were run like strict schools with lots of sport and competitions. The usual sentence was 6 months to 2 years. Around 60% of post-al inmates went on to re-offend and there was an increase in youth crime. Post-als were closed down in 1982 and the public attitude shifted towards harsher punishments. Youth detention centres were introduced in 1982. They emphasised military discipline and rigid rules. But this too failed to curb youth crime. Between 1932 to 1959, the government introduced approved schools where the young inmates were taught skills such as brick laying. However, after rioting, large numbers of children absconding and lots of public criticism, these schools were closed. In 1948, attendant centres were introduced. These were non-custodial centres where young offenders aged 10 to 21 were expected to attend sessions daily or weekly. They teach basic literacy and numeracy, life skills such as how to apply for jobs, manage money and cook. The centres work with 18 to 24 year olds today and encourage young offenders to think about the impact of crime in the community and to be aware of key issues such as drugs and sexual health. Today, youth offence remains high as the rates of re-offending. There are a number of organisations designed to try and fight this. Custody is seen as a last resort. If you're under 18, you can be held in a secure children's home, a secure training centre or a young offender's institute. Very similar to prisons. Cancelling as well as non-custodial measures such as tagging and curfews are used. Parents can be punished with fines, for example, for not controlling their children appropriately. Children can also be removed from their parents' homes and taken into care. Youth courts work with agencies such as the police, schools, social workers and probation officers to prevent young people settling for a life of crime. The death penalty. Throughout the unit, the death penalty has always been the ultimate punishment. But as you saw with the ending of the bloody code, there have always been arguments for and against it. After 1900, pressure to get rid of capital punishment increased and in 1965, the home secretary, Roy Jenkins, proposed that it be scrapped entirely. Arguments for capital punishment included. It was a deterrent and if removed, criminals were more likely to carry weapons as they knew that arrest did not mean deaths. Life imprisonment was more expensive and some would say crueler. Murderers who served a sentence might kill again if released. Executions showed the proper contempt for murder and avenged the life of the victim. Arguments against capital punishment included. Other European countries had already gotten rid of it and crime had not noticeably increased. Mistakes were made and that meant the deaths of innocent people. Most murderers act without planning or thinking, therefore capital punishment cannot deter them. Execution was against the teachings of different religions and the Christian idea of forgiveness and the sanctity of life. After 1840, there were only 15 executions per year on average for all murder. In 1957, hanging remained only in use for the following crimes. Murder of a police officer or prison officer. Murder by shooting or explosion. Murder while resisting arrest. Murder while carrying out a theft. Murder of more than one person. The impact of the Second World War contributed to the ending of the death penalty. The horrors of the Holocaust and other genocide led to a feeling that the death penalty was un-Christian and barbaric. Having fought the evil of Nazism, it seemed wrong to copy their methods. In 1948, the United Nations issued its Declaration of Human Rights, which Britain signed up to. Everyone has a right to life. In 1965, all crimes except reason in times of war and piracy were removed from the capital punishment list. The parliament warded four years later to abolish it completely. There were several high-profile cases that contributed to public opinion turning against capital punishment. These included Timothy Evans, Ruth Ellis and Derek Bentley. So, that's all for now. If you found this video useful, we would really love it if you could give it a thumbs up and do subscribe to our channel. Also, if you want to know more about this topic or other such areas in your courses, make sure to visit our website, which is www.firststraightutors.com. Thank you for listening.