Attitudes to Crime and Punishment

Question 1

6 key reasons why we punish people

Answer 1

To retribute
To discipline
To reform
To protect
To deter
To keep order

Question 2

3 key reasons why overtime attitudes to punishment have evolved

Answer 2

Reflect developments in society
Reflect changes in social attitudes
Reflect the role and purpose of government in protecting individuals and their property

Question 3

6 key reasons why reasons we punish criminals has changed overtime

Answer 3

Social change
Role of media
Ideas and attitudes
Actions of individuals
Wealth and poverty
Fear of crime

Question 4

How has the role of media changed attitudes to punishment over time

Answer 4

Media can influence people in debate over abolition of death sentence

Question 5

2 key reasons why bloody code was introduced

Answer 5

Social change (growing industrial towns and migrating between towns made it harder to enforce law and order) - needed as harsh punishment to deter people from committing crimes

From 1688 rich landowners had the power to pass laws through parliament to protect their property and wealth

Question 6

Why was the bloody code abolished

Answer 6

Crowds that watched public executions were huge threat to law and order itself
Juries increasingly unwilling to carry out death penalty as they thought it was too harsh
1770-1830 35,000 death sentences were passed but only 20% of offenders were actually hanged
Juries found reasons for offenders to not be guilty to avoid public execution

Question 7

Between 1770 and 1830 there were how many death sentences passed

Answer 7

35,000

Question 8

Between 1770 and 1830 out of 35,000 death sentences passed how many offenders were actually hanged

Answer 8

20%

Question 9

When did public executions end

Answer 9

1868

Question 10

Arguments for death penalty

Answer 10

Dead murderers can’t kill again
Acts as ultimate deterrent
Prisons too expensive
Protects police and prison staff

Question 11

Arguments against death penalty

Answer 11

Wrong person may be hanged
Against certain religions e.g christian teachings
No chance to reform

Question 12

4 main purposes of punishments in medieval era

Answer 12

Deter (by making the punishment cause so much suffering that other don’t want to have to face the same consequence)
Retribution (revenge)
Keep order
Humiliate

Question 13

Main purpose of punishment in 1500s and 1600s

Answer 13

Deterrence
Retribution
Keeping order
Humiliation

(Same as Medieval era)

Question 14

Difference between attitudes to crime and punishment in medieval era vs early modern era

Answer 14

Very similar attitudes- punishments were very harsh and aimed around deterrence, retribution, humiliation and keeping order

More crime in 1500s and 1600s led to more public punishments and executions e.g vagabonds branded with V and had hole burnt in ear

JPs introduced houses of correction to reform beggars through supervised work which is first time reform is introduced.
Prisons exist but are mainly used to hold offenders before being punishment instead of acting as the punishment itself

Question 15

One major change to punishment beginning in 1678 was the introduction of …..used as an alternative to the death penalty and aimed at removing criminals from society

Answer 15

Transportation

Question 16

3 key reasons why transportation was introduced

Answer 16

Building and maintaining prisons would be expensive
Dangerous criminals moved away from society so removes their bad threat and keeps society safe
Criminals would be reformed by hard work abroad

Question 17

4 key reasons Why prisons increased in the 1800s

Answer 17

Transportation ends in 1800s so criminals can no longer kept abroad but instead need somewhere in England to go
By the end of 1800s only murder and treason were punishable by death- a form of punishment was needed for all other forms of crime
1868 public executions banned so hangings and executions needed to take place inside e.g in prisons
People changes attitudes that criminals should be reformed instead of harshly punished

Question 18

Why in 1865 was an act passed to once again make prisoners experience very harsh pinsihment instead of reform

Answer 18

When the separate and silent systems were introduced to try and get prisoners to reform, it didn’t have the expected effects, re-offending rates didn’t lower and many prisoners committed suicide/ went insane

Question 19

Why in 1865 was an act passed to once again make prisoners experience very harsh pinsihment instead of reform

Answer 19

When the separate and silent systems were introduced to try and get prisoners to reform, it didn’t have the expected effects, re-offending rates didn’t lower and many prisoners committed suicide/ went insane

Question 20

When is the first time young offenders are properly treated differently to adult offenders

Answer 20

1900s e.g borstals

Question 21

When is the first time young offenders are properly treated differently to adult offenders

Answer 21

1900s e.g borstals

Question 22

3 key cases that showed that execution needed to be abolished as a form of punishment

Answer 22

Derek Bentley- hanged for a murder that was committed by his friend
Ruth Ellis
Timothy Evans- hanged for murders he didn’t commit

Question 23

Timeline of how attitudes change over time eras

Answer 23

Medieval- aim of punishment was to be brutally harsh to act as retribution and deterrence and cause lots of suffering
1500s and 1600s- people executed for treason to protect Monarch and their religious views
1800s- wealthy landowners increased number of crimes punishable by death to deter people from stealing off their land etc and to protect their status
1800s prisons built based off separate and silent system based off key ideas of reformers
1900s and 2000s- aim to prevent offenders from reoffending by promoting reformation and rehabilitation

Question 24

Timeline of how attitudes change over time eras

Answer 24

Medieval- aim of punishment was to be brutally harsh to act as retribution and deterrence and cause lots of suffering
1500s and 1600s- people executed for treason to protect Monarch and their religious views
1800s- wealthy landowners increased number of crimes punishable by death to deter people from stealing off their land etc and to protect their status
1800s prisons built based off separate and silent system based off key ideas of reformers
1900s and 2000s- aim to prevent offenders from reoffending by promoting reformation and rehabilitation

Question 25

What year was the death penalty abolished

Answer 25

1965