What were crime and punishment like in the
LO: How did the police force
Medieval and Tudor periods?
develop through the 20th century?
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How has crime and punishment changed over time in Britain?
Key questions we will answer:
How did the police force develop through the 20th century?
Key historical skills we will use:
Change and Continuity.
Key questions we will answer:
What are crime and punishment like today compared with the past?
Key historical skills we will use:
Similarity and Difference.
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1
Key vocabulary for this lesson:
promotion
– to raise to a higher position in a job
unarmed
– to not carry a weapon
detective
– a position within the police whose job
it is to use information to solve crimes
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2
Let’s discuss
Punishment in the Victorian period was
just as harsh as in the Tudor period.
Do you agree? Explain your answer.
Discuss this with your learning partner, and be
ready to share your feedback with the class.
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3
Let’s discuss
Punishment in the Victorian period was just as harsh as in the Tudor period.
Both periods were harsh in their punishments, but within the Victorian period, you were not
executed for minor crimes.
There were still forms of torture, like using the crank, but these did not kill the prisoners.
Prisons were being used to detain criminals, which may have brought about a different type of
punishment. This punishment affects the criminal's mental health and creates feelings of isolation
and loneliness.
Both were harsh in their own way, as the Victorians still hanged criminals for major crimes.
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5
The police force
The Victorian era saw a development in
the police force. Communities were no
longer accountable for stopping crime in
their areas, the police force was.
Let’s discuss
How do you think the police has changed? Do
the police officers now have a more difficult
job than police officers in Victorian times?
Discuss these questions with your learning
partner and be ready to share your feedback
with the class.
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a policeman in
London during
the Victorian era
police officers in
London during the
late 20th century
6
The police force
At the start of the 20th century, many different
police forces across the UK existed. In 1900, there
were 181 different police forces, but by 2000 there
were only 41. They all worked in different ways and
did not communicate with each other.
This could mean police could want to arrest a
criminal for committing a crime in one area, but if
the criminal ran away to a different area, that
police force would have no information to say they
were a criminal.
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7
True or false activity
Read the statements below with your learning partner and decide
whether they are true or false.
Be ready to share your feedback with the class before the answers
are revealed.
True
The police force developed during the Victorian period.
There were fewer police forces in the 1900s than today.
All police forces communicated in the same way.
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False
8
True or false activity
Read the statements below with your learning partner and decide
whether they are true or false.
Be ready to share your feedback with the class before the answers
are revealed.
True
The police force developed during the Victorian period.
There were fewer police forces in the 1900s than today.
All police forces communicated in the same way.
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False
9
The police force
In 1900, there were 60,000
police officers. This more than
doubled by 2000 when police
officers stood at 125,000. In
1900, new police officers were
put straight on the job. They had
to learn quickly. In 1947, a
National Police College was
introduced whereby police
officers had to complete 14
weeks of training before going
out on the job.
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10
The police force
In 1920, the first women were allowed to join as police officers. However, women
struggled to get promotions within the force. The police force only appointed the
first woman Chief Constable in 1996, towards the end of the 20th century.
Let’s discuss
Why do you think women struggled to
get promotions? Discuss this question
with your learning partner. Be ready to
share your feedback with the class
before the answer is revealed.
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The police force
Why do you think women struggled to get promotions?
Women did not have the same rights as they do today. Many
men thought the job was entirely unsuitable for women and
judged them based on gender.
Of course, we know this is false, and many women are very
successful in senior roles in the police.
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12
The police force
Some aspects of the police have not changed as much. Police officers are still mostly
unarmed in England, and their uniform is very similar. However, the 20th-century police
force has changed dramatically with the development of different technologies.
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13
Fingerprints
In 1901, Sir Edward Henry, who was working for the
police in India, noticed that the patterns of lines on
your fingertips differed for every human. He
invented a system of classifying these differences
and set up a fingerprint section in London. The
courts then recognised fingerprints
as an important piece of evidence that could link a
criminal to the crime scene. When police started to
gather fingerprints, they had to do it manually with
ink and paper. All records were stored in cabinets, as
the report states. Now the police have electronic
devices to gather fingerprints.
They store them all on computer systems.
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14
Communication
We took this article from the Daily Sketch dated 2nd December 1963. Radios
were first introduced into the police force in 1910. However, they were big and
not very practical to carry around. This article introduces the new two-way
radios made small enough for officers to carry on their person. This made a
massive difference to lone officers walking the beat.
They continued to develop their radio communication
technology. This image shows police radios from the 1960s
to the 1990s.
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
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15
True or false activity
Read the statements below with your learning partner
and decide whether they are true or false.
Be ready to share your feedback with the class before the
answers are revealed.
True
Police officers are mostly unarmed.
Police officers no longer gather fingerprints.
Radios were first introduced into the police
force in 1910.
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False
16
True or false activity
Read the statements below with your learning partner
and decide whether they are true or false.
Be ready to share your feedback with the class before the
answers are revealed.
True
Police officers are mostly unarmed.
Police officers no longer gather fingerprints.
Radios were first introduced into the police
force in 1910.
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False
17
Vehicles
At the start of the 20th century, most police officers walked
the beat. They would walk around their area throughout the
day, monitoring and looking out for crime. Between WW1 and
WW2, the use of cars and other vehicles increased massively
and brought about many car-related crimes and road traffic
accidents. Because of this, police also needed to be monitoring
the roads. They had police vehicles such as motorcycles which
were also equipped with radios.
Helicopters were also used occasionally by police, just as they
are now. This evidence shows how using a helicopter helped
capture five escaped prisoners. Some police forces had their
own helicopters by 2000, sharing them with other forces.
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18
Computer technology
In the 1960s, police were beginning to realise the potential
for computers to help them in their work.
This advert from 1968 discusses how computers can quickly
handle and search data.
Now, police use computers in all areas of their work.
Computers are fitted to police cars that constantly scan the
number plates of cars to see if they have the correct insurance
and tax. Officers who answer 999 calls use computers to log
where the crime is happening and can dispatch officers to the
right location. Detectives use computers to find evidence for
crimes they are trying to solve.
These are just a few ways that they use them.
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Activity 1
Pauline Clare
(first female Chief
Constable 1996)
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Our key historical skill today is change and continuity.
I think the police force
has changed for the
better. The police can
now do their jobs
more efficiently by
introducing different
technologies.
I think the police
force was better
when they walked
the beat at the start
of the 20th century.
Officer Smith
(from 1901)
Pauline and Officer Smith are discussing the answer to the question, ‘How did
the police force develop during the 20th century?’
Who do you agree with? Using what you have learnt today, explain your answer.
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Modern Crime
Prevention and Detection
DNA testing
CCTV or video footage
Use of fingerprints
Neighbourhood watch
Trial by judge and jury
Police
Witness to a crime
House and car alarms
Improved street lighting
Modern Crime
Prevention and Detection
DNA testing
CCTV or video footage
Use of fingerprints
Neighbourhood watch
Trial by judge and jury
Police
Witness to a crime
House and car alarms
Improved street lighting
Challenge
How do you think the introduction of
modern technology has helped the
police force?
Answer this question on your
challenge worksheet.
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22
Fill in the gaps with the correct words on your stop and jot 1 activity worksheet.
Be ready to share your feedback with the class before the answers are revealed.
Stop and jot 1
At the start of the 20th century, most officers walked the _______________ . As the use of
_______________ increased so did _______________ relating to _______________ . Police began to
_______________ the _______________.
roads
monitor
vehicles
crime
traffic
beat
In the 1960s, police began to realise the _______________ for using _______________ to help them.
Computers are _______________ to police _______________. _______________ use computers to
find _______________ of _______________.
potential
crimes
evidence
Detectives
fitted
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cars
computers
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20
Stop and jot 1
beat
At the start of the 20th century, most officers walked the _______________
. As the use of
traffic
vehicles
crime
_______________
increased so did _______________
relating to _______________
. Police began to
roads
monitor
_______________
the _______________.
roads
monitor
vehicles
crime
traffic
beat
potential
computers
In the 1960s, police began to realise the _______________
for using _______________
to help them.
fitted
cars
Detectives
Computers are _______________
to police _______________
. _______________
use computers to
evidence
crimes
find _______________
of _______________
.
potential
crimes
evidence
Detectives
fitted
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cars
computers