Faculty of Arts
History
International Centre for the
History of Crime, Policing
and Justice
The Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
United Kingdom
MK7 6AA
Tel +44 (0) 1908 653 281
www.open.ac.uk
‘New Perspectives on Crime and Policing’
Friday 11 March 2016
On Friday 11th March 2016, the International Centre for the History of Crime, Policing and Justice at
the Open University will be hosting the next in its regular seminar series. Four papers will be
presented; details are given on the enclosed programme.
The event will be held in The Library (Seminar Rooms 1 & 2) at Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, and the
first paper will begin at 11:00. Tea and coffee will be served on arrival from 10:30 and lunch is
included in the booking fee. Papers will last around 45 minutes followed by questions for c.15
minutes. It is expected that the event will finish by 16:00.
To reserve a place, please complete the booking form below and return by 3 March 2016, together
with payment of £15 (or £5 for doctoral students).
Travel directions can be found at http://www.open.ac.uk/about/main/faculties-centres/milton-keynescampus. For further information please contact Marie-Claire Leroux (Email: MarieClaire.Leroux@open.ac.uk, Tel: 01908 653179).
Yours sincerely
Paul Lawrence
To book a place please complete and return this slip (together with cheque for £15 – reduced to £5
for doctoral students - made payable to ‘The Open University’) to Marie-Claire Leroux, Faculty of
Arts, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA by 3 March 2016 at the latest.
Name (please print):……………………………………………………………………………. …………
Address for confirmation:……………………………………………………………………… …………
…………………………………………………………………………………… ……………… …………
Email / Telephone:…………………………………………………………………… ……….. …………
Car registration no. (for those driving to OU, parking is free).…………………………………….. …
□ Please tick here if you require a vegetarian lunch, or give details if you have any other dietary
requirements
□ Please tick here, and give details, if you have any other special requirements
New Perspectives on Crime and Policing
International Centre for the History of Crime, Policing and Justice
11 March 2016, The Library (Rooms 1 & 2), The Open University
Programme (abstracts overleaf):
10.30 – 11.00
Arrival, Tea/Coffee/Biscuits
11.00 – 12.00
Zoe Alker (Liverpool) ‘Digital Panopticon: Visualising Crime and
Punishment 1780-1925’
12.00 – 13.00
David Smale ‘'Early Chief Constables in Scotland: Policing the City and
the County’
13.00 – 13.45
Lunch
13.45 – 14.45
Simon Peplow (Exeter) ‘‘Bargaining by riot’? Race, Policing, and Public
Inquiries during the 1980-81 disturbances in England’
14.45 – 15.45
David Baker (Coventry) ‘Coroners and justice, continuity and change in
cases of death after police contact’
15:45-16:00:
Closing discussion
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Abstracts
Zoe Alker (Liverpool) ‘Digital Panopticon: Visualising Crime & Punishment 1780-1925’
This paper will give an overview of progress to date within this ground-breaking AHRCfunded project, and then focus on aspects of the data visualisation work-stream,
demonstrating the potential of this mode of research and analysis.
David Smale ‘'Early Chief Constables in Scotland: Policing the City and the County’
Drawing on archival research this paper examines the nature of the leaders of the ‘new
police’ in Scotland, comparing and contrasting the careers of two of Scotland’s most
influential Chief Constables, James Smart of the Glasgow City Police and Alfred List of the
county force of Midlothian. Both men started their careers in the Metropolitan Police and
then moved to work in Scotland, serving as Chief Constables for over 30 years, and during
their careers they developed systems of policing appropriate to the rapidly expanding
industrial city and the sparely populated rural county area while managing to maintain a
reasonable relationship with their police committees.
Simon Peplow (Exeter) ‘‘Bargaining by riot’? Race, Policing, and Public Inquiries
during the 1980-81 disturbances in England’
This paper discusses the collective violence which spread around the country in 1980-81,
examining to what extent it can be described as ‘collective bargaining by riot’ within broader
strategies for increased political participation; police tactics and responses which saw
numerous accusations of misconduct and brutality; and the resulting Public Inquiry that was
demanded by most and disappointing to many.
David Baker (Coventry) ‘Coroners and justice, continuity and change in cases of
death after police contact’
This paper examines how the coronial system investigates and reports on cases of death
after police contact in England and Wales. It considers the ability of the coronial system to
produce types of legitimacy in these cases. The paper will argue that the judicial processes
of the coronial system have evolved through time and that this affects the sociopolitical types of legitimacy it produces in these cases. The coronial system has been
subject to change and continuity throughout its history, and this reflects its role in attempting
to fulfil the demands of both society and the state when investigating suspicious deaths.
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