Crime and Punishment
My topic for this paper is Crime and Punishment. There are
several different issues on this subject. We chose three main points
to talk about: The Crimes, the People who solved them, and the
different types of punishments. These are the topics we chose for our
report.
Crime in the nineteeth century was rapid though out London.


But because of all of the poverty and sickness in the streets, crime
was the only way to survive. Most of the crimes that took place in
London were crimes that involved stealing. Pickpocket gangs and
street gamblers were a regular sight when walking down a major London
street. Prostitution was also a big money maker on the streets, done
by both girls and boys. But crimes though out the middle class and
rich were mostly property crimes and disputes which made up 90% of all
crimes committed by the upper-class.

In Victorian England and like
today there a two categories which crimes fall under. "Indictable"
which is the same as our felony crimes that make up all of the major
crimes. These crimes consist of: Murder, armed robbery, burglary,
larceny, rape, and assaults on the police. The next called category
is called " Summery " crimes which is equal to our misdemeanor crimes.


Summery crimes were all minor crimes such as: Property crimes,
Vagrancy, Drunkenness, Prostitution, Minor Larceny , and all other
minor offenses.
Probably the most famous criminal in the Victorian period
was " Jack the Ripper ". Jack the Ripper was " the first modern sexual
serial killer" ( Sugden, pg.2) Jack's trademark was the killing of
female prostitutes. But not only did he kill them, he would
surgically remove organs and intrails and place them near the dead
body.

"Jack the Ripper" wasn't his only nickname, he was also called "
the Whitechaple murder " because the body's were found near the
Whitechapel Road, and " The Leather Apron" because of a man that would
come by and beat up the prostitutes for no reason. Jack the Ripper is
credited for 9 killings, but police think that he might be responsible
for more. All of the killing accrued with in one square mile. Jack
is described as carrying a long knife in which he would cut open his
victims, and a black Gladstone bag, the contents of which is unknown.


( Sugden, pg.1) Jack the Ripper's identity is unknown which is
probably why this case is so famous. It is rumored that Jack the
Ripper was a member of the royal family, and that people knew of his
identity but wanted to keep it a secret.
The London Metropolitan Police system was created in 1829,
after the public need for security has been told to the government.


The Police Department consisted of 3000 policemen. The Policeman then
were poorly paid. A constable's usual pay was 19 shillings, a week.
An inspector got around 2 pounds, and some of that money was taken
off for the cost of there uniform. There uniform was a blue tail coat
with there number and letter of their division on the collar and hat.


There only weapon was a short wooden baton. The government had a hard
time finding recruits. Most of there men were old soldiers, and many
of them were dismissed from the force for drunkenness. Later on the
force started to become a real Police force, and the people of London
appreciated it. The officers also were given many nicknames such as:
Blue devils, peeler, and bobby. In 10 years the London Metropolitan
Police Force cut the number of crimes in London by half.

The crimes in
Victorian England did not go without it's punishments. In early
Victorian England Public hanging's were watched by many people, and
the stocks were placed in the center of town where people would look
at you and even beat you and humiliated you. But in 1838 the ending
of all public tortures and executions gave way and became out lawed.
These things lead to the building of prisons.

In 1730 the
prisons were at there worst and were not made for long term offenders.
These prisons were so bad because they were privately