Law Enforcement in Eighteenth & Nineteenth-Century Britain (Edexcel GCSE History)
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Law Enforcement in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Britain - Timeline
Timeline
Law Enforcement in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Britain - Summary
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, crime increased dramatically. This created the need for improved law enforcement. The public was initially concerned that police forces would limit their freedom. This changed when it became clear that the government’s laissez-faire approach to crime was not working. People began to accept that the government had a role to play in protecting them from criminals. This ultimately led to police forces being set up all over the country. |
Continuity in Policing in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Britain
The following roles remained in place in 18th and 19th-century policing:
Still patrolled cities on foot at night
Kept an eye on private property
The image below is of the most well-known watchman, Jonathan Wild. He famously operated on both sides of the law in London. He called himself the Thief-Taker General in 1718, but was hanged for his own crimes in 1725
An image of the most well-known watchman, Jonathan Wild. He famously operated on both sides of the law in London. He called himself the Thief-Taker General in 1718, but was hanged for his own crimes in 1725
Dealt with petty and minor crimes
Soldiers
Dealt with more serious crimes
Put down riots, large protests and rebellions
The government also used the army to deal with large smuggling gangs
Changes to Policing: The Bow Street Runners, 1749
The Fielding brothers
The Fielding brothers were magistrates
They wanted to put more men on the streets of London to deter crime
They were among the first to bring an organised policing system to London
The diagram below highlights some of the key contributions of the Fielding brothers
IMAGE
A diagram highlighting some of the key contributions of the Fielding brothers
The Bow Street Runners
The Bow Street Runners were established to tackle London’s huge crime wave
Alongside patrolling London’s streets to deter crime, they also
Tracked down criminals and stolen property
Shared information on crimes and suspects with others
This marked the beginning of a crime intelligence network
Found evidence to bring criminals to justice
This has led some historians to call them the first modern ‘detectives’
They were initially volunteers
They then charged fees and collected rewards for their work
Eventually, the government decided to pay them directly
The 1856 Police Act
The 1856 Police Act made professional police forces compulsory nationwide
The aim of this was to deter crime across the country
The table below outlines the responsibilities the Act gave to both the government and to police officers
Table of responsibilities the 1856 Police Act gave to the government and police officers
The government’s responsibilities | Police officers’ responsibilities |
To fund all forces | To patrol the streets, to keep law and order and prevent crime |
To employ officials to regularly inspect all forces | To investigate and arrest criminals |
The Establishment of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), 1878
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was part of the Metropolitan Police
Its establishment separated the police into
Ordinary policeman, who patrolled the streets of London
Detectives, who investigated serious crimes by gathering evidence
This mostly came from interviews, witness statements and tips from informants
A diagram outlining the key events that led up to the establishment of the CID
Worked Example
Describe two features of the work of the Fielding brothers
4 marks
Answers:
The Fielding brothers published news about crimes in the Hue and Cry newspaper. (1) Magistrates and gaolers shared this newspaper with others when they travelled (1)
The Fielding brothers introduced mounted patrols in London. (1) This helped to reduce instances of highway robbery (1)
Exam Tip
Most students know about the role of the Fielding brothers in establishing the Bow Street Runners, but few mention their work in other areas. Remember to revise the contributions they made outside of the Bow Street Runners, especially for essay questions
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