Modern Period Flashcards
(39 cards)
1900-PRESENT: what crime are common?
- CYBER CRIME (change)
- MURDER (continuity)
- PETTY THEFT (continuity)
- HATE CRIME (change)
- TERRORISM (change)
- CAR THEFT (change)
1900-PRESENT: what punishments are common?
- FINES (continuity)
- PRISON (continuity)
- OPEN PRISON (change)
- TAGGING (change)
- ASBO (change)
FOCUS ON REFORM
1900-PRESENT: how did police numbers and organisation of the force change?
BEFORE
- all forces ran differently
- Little co-operation between forces
NOW
- 43 local forces instead of 200
- Trained specialist officers
1900-PRESENT: how did training and recruitment change in policing?
BEFORE
- Military drill
- All male officers
- Low quality and poorly paid officers
NOW
- 14 weeks training
- 28% are women
- Specialist training
1900-PRESENT: how did transport change in policing?
BEFORE
- walked a beat of up to 20 miles a day
NOW
- Cars and motorbikes
- Foot and bike patrols to build community relations
1900-PRESENT: how did equipment change in policing?
BEFORE
- A whistle to call for help
- Wooden truncheons
- Pistols locked up for emergencies
NOW
- Batons and pepper spray
- Specialist officers
- Some can carry firearms
1900-PRESENT: how did crime detection change in policing?
BEFORE
- Eyes and ears of the officer
- Witness statements
NOW
- CCTV and number plate recognition
- 999 emergency number
1900-PRESENT: how has record keeping changed in policing?
BEFORE
- was poor and there was no national record
NOW
- Police national computer
1900-PRESENT: how have the main duties of officers changed in policing?
BEFORE
- Dealing with crime and drunkenness
NOW
- Law breaking, missing persons, keeping order etc.
1900-PRESENT: how has society changed in the c20th?
- Britain developed into a MULTICULTURAL and EQUAL society
- As ATTITUDES CHANGED laws were needed to ensure that all people were treated fairly so…
–> things were DECRIMINALISED e.g. 1977- male homosexuality over 21 2005- severe sentences for hate crime 1967- decriminalised abortion
1900-PRESENT: what crimes were new?
RACE CRIME
- 1968 race relations act
- 2005 criminal justice act
- 2006 race and religious hatred act
- Gave more power to the courts to give a harsher sentence
DRUG CRIME
- 1971 misuse of drugs act
- Taking/supplying = illegal
- controversial
- Some argue that it is a personal choice but some ague that it is wrong
DRIVING OFFENCES
- New due to increased numbers of cars
- technological advances
- driving under the influence and speeding
1900-PRESENT: what were the major changes in policing?
- Mostly about PREVENTION as well as catching criminals
- MOTORISED TRANSPORT means crimes can be reached FASTER but it also means there are FEWER officers ON THE STREETS
- There are now ARMED OFFICERS who look like soldiers which NOT EVERYONE LIKES
- The modern force includes WOMEN and ETHNIC MINORITIES
- In 2002 PCSO’S were introduced to prevent crime in the community
- Advances in SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY have had an impact on crime prevention and prosecution
1900-PRESENT: what are the aims of the neighbourhood watch?
- REDUCE FEAR of crime by increasing COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- HELP police PREVENT crime
- REPORT crime TRENDS to the police
1900-PRESENT: what was the neighbour hood watch?
- A form of COMMUNITY POLICING
- it was set up by THATCHER and the Tory government as they wanted to INCREASE the ROLE of the INDIVIDUAL and REDUCE the role of the GOVERNMENT
- This concept was VOLUNTARY and was taken from the USA was believed to be effective in TACKLING CRIME
1900-PRESENT: what are the positive views on the neighbourhood watch?
- Encourages people to take an ACTIVE PART in making the community SAFER
- The police RELY on local cooperation and they CAN’T POLICE EFFECTIVELY with the SUPPORT of the COMMUNITY
- Makes people FEEL SAFER and less vulnerable
- Works well for tackling issues such as anti-social behaviour
1900-PRESENT: what are the negative views on the neighbourhood watch?
- Most groups are in WEALTHIER AREAS that don’t have a high crime rate when they are NEEDED ELSEWHERE
- It is a government excuse to UNDER FUND the police service and it relies on volunteers doing the POLICES JOB
- Members tend to be OLDER PEOPLE who want to be NOSY and don’t REPRESENT the whole community
1900-PRESENT: what led to the abolition of the death penalty?
- By 1965 many wanted the deal penalty abolished
- Britain in the 1960’s was a LABOUR GOVERNMENT –> there was a focus on a MODERN DYNAMIC GOV
- The 1960’s was an ERA OF CHANGE particularly in ATTITRUDES –> this was clear in legislation
- People talked of a ‘PERMISSIVE SOCIETY’
1900-PRESENT: what are reasons FOR the death penalty?
- a DETERRENT
- The idea of a LIFE FOR A LIFE –> RETRIBUTION
- Get rid of those who CAN’T BE REFORMED
- CHEAPER than prison
- They have no chance to kill again
1900-PRESENT: what are reasons AGAINST the death penalty?
- There could be a MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE
- INHUMANE
- IRREVERSIBLE
- Executioners GUILT
- Murder is often SPONTANEOUS so there isn’t a DETERRENT
- Other countries abolished it and there was NO MAJOR CHANGE IN THE CRIME RATE
1900-PRESENT: What are reasons for the abolition of the death penalty?
- Changes in ATTITUDES
- POLITICAL influences
- WORLD WARS changed attitudes towards death
- Changing attitudes towards the PURPOSE OF PUNISHMENT
- In 1957 HANGING was ABOLISHED for most crimes
- MANY CHANGES WERE INFLUENCED BY THE 1948 DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND HIGH PROFILE CASES*
1900-PRESENT: what happened with Derek Bentley?
- He was HANGED for the MURDER of a POLICEMAN
- He was with another boy who actually shot the policeman
- CRAIG was asked to hand over the gun when Bentley shouted LET HIM HAVE IT –> this was seen as ENCOURAGEMENT BUT
- Bentley had severe LEARNING DIFFICULTIES and struggled to make friends because of it.
- His phrase could have been interpreted in two ways
- He had INCREDIBLY LOW INTELLIGENCE and POOR UNDERSTANDING
1900-PRESENT: How was Derek Bentley punished?
- The jury asked for MERCY
- Craig was TOO YOUNG to get the death penalty but BOTH were charged with murder
- There was PUBLIC OUTCRY and the sentence rested with the HOME SECRETARY. –> 200 Mp’s asked for LENIENCY but he still got the death penalty
1900-PRESENT: what were the consequences of Derek Bentley’s case?
- It was seen as a MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE
- It impacted ATTITUDES towards the death penalty
- He was eventually given a POSTHUMOUS PARDON after a very LONG CAMPAIGN
- It made the law look CRUEL and capital punishment IMMORAL
1900-PRESENT: how did crime change?
- There was BETTER STANDARDS OF LIVING and the welfare state provides a SAFETY NET BUT
- the DIVISION between rich and poor is growing
- Although absolute poverty declined many people FEEL POOR compared to the wealthy