The History of Crime and Punishment in the United Kingdom

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Social History The History of Crime and Punishment in the United Kingdom

Pupil Workbook Year 6 Unit 4

Name:

Existing Knowledge:

What do you know about Crime, Punishment and the Justice System? Try to name 5 facts. Below are some pictures to help.

1. A crime is an action punishable by law. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Session 1: Were the Anglo-Saxons aggressive in their approach to crime and punishment?

Key Knowledge Key Vocabulary

 People took an oath from the age of 12 that they would not  Moot commit any major crime  Thane  Corporal and capital punishment was used regularly to deal  witnesses with crimes committed  innocent  Officials of the court (known as a Moot) were known as agents of the King and these royal appointees would preside  Ordeals in the courts  Punishment also included ‘Ordeals’, which were various tasks e.g. being tied and thrown in the river, that if people survived, they were seen as innocent in the eyes of God

This timeline shows you the order of British History and how long each time period was compared to the others. You can come back to this timeline at the beginning of each session and see where in history you are learning about. You may have studied these time periods in your other history units – remember the knowledge you have from those lessons!

Reviewing Learning: The Anglo-Saxon Invasion What can you learn from this map about the impact the Anglo-Saxons had on Britain once the Romans had left?

When the Romans left Britain, it was obvious there would be changes to the rules and laws because the country was invaded by other tribes of people who had different views on life. 4

Do you agree? Write your ideas here: ______

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Anglo-Saxon Crime and Punishment During the Saxon times, different crimes carried different punishments depending on the crime itself. Early Anglo-Saxon kings allowed victims of crime to punish the criminals themselves. If someone was murdered, the family of the victim had the right to track down and kill the murderer. This system, known as ‘blood feud’, was all about retribution (revenge) and often led to more violence. Furthermore, it offered no justice for those unable or unwilling to use violence themselves. By c.1000 England had united into a single Anglo-Saxon kingdom and found more effective ways of upholding the law. Anglo-Saxon society was based on close-knit farming communities who shared responsibility for maintaining law and order in the village. By far the most common crimes were against property, usually in the form of petty theft. The Anglo-Saxons used two types of trial. The first relied on the local community and used a form of trial by jury. The jury was made up of men from the village who knew both the accuser and the accused. The accuser and the accused would give their version of events and it was up to the jury to decide who was telling the truth. If there was no clear evidence such as an eyewitness to the crime, the jury decided guilt or innocence based on their knowledge of the people concerned. If the jury felt that the accuser was more honest than the accused, they would swear an oath that the accused was guilty. This oath taking was called compurgation. Hodder Education (Alec Fisher & Ed Podesta) The Anglo-Saxons didn't have prisons. People found guilty of crimes were either executed or punished with fines. If someone shouted ‘Thief!’ they raised the ‘hue and cry’ and everyone in the village had to stop what they were doing and chase after the criminal or they would have to pay a fine. People who hurt or killed others had to pay a fine called ‘Wergild’. This means man price. Important nobles (thanes) were worth more than farmers (churls). If you didn’t have enough money to pay the wergild, then you became a slave. Slaves did not pay wergild because they did not have money. Slaves who committed crimes were whipped, hanged or put in the stocks. If you said that you were not guilty then you had to find men who would swear you were innocent. These were called oath helpers. If you could not find oath helpers, then you had to go through an ordeal.

Collaborative Learning Project Crime Wergild Crime Wergild killing a thane 1200 shillings cutting off a big toe 20 shillings

killing a churl 200 shillings cutting off a little toe 9 shillings cutting off a nose 60 shillings killing a slave 2 shillings to the owner cutting off an ear 30 shillings 5

This is what a Saxon shilling looked like: Examples of ‘Ordeals’ were: • Walking at least nine feet on hot coals • Putting your hand in boiling water • Picking up a red-hot iron • Tied up and thrown into a river

Task: Using as much information as you can from above and based on what you can see in the picture, write a short, detailed summary of what you think has happened. Include:  What crime may have been committed  Who committed the crime  How the crime was investigated and by whom  What the punishment was

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Challenge: Anglo-Saxon punishment is often said to be based on an ‘eye-for-an-eye’ approach. Do you think this is true? Does Anglo-Saxon punishment seem fair and equal to you?

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Session 2: How terrible were the Tudors in their approach to crime and punishment?

Key Knowledge Key Vocabulary

 Violent and cruel punishments were adopted during the  treason Tudor era.  execution  Punishments ranged from beheading to hanging and pressing and were designed to deter criminals from  deterrent committing crimes again.  tudor  70,000 people suffered the death penalty during the reign of King Henry VIII.

Knowledge Quiz

1. For what crime would the Anglo-Saxons raise the ‘hue and cry’?

murder theft fighting

2. What was the Wergild owed to the slave-owners for the killing of the slave?

5 shillings 2 shillings 9 shillings 1 shilling

3. What did the most common crimes during the Anglo-Saxon period concern?

theft property slavery

4. Who was the jury in Anglo-Saxon trials made up of?

kings

Reviewing Learning: Tudor Era

The Tudor period is the period between 1485 and 1603. This was when the Tudors were the ruling family in England. The first Tudor monarch was King Henry VII who claimed the throne when his forces defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. He ruled until his death in 1509.In Tudor England, there was a massive gap between the rich and poor. If you were poor, you were very poor. You owned hardly anything. If you were rich, though, you were very rich. You owned just about everything around - including lots of poor people! So, for the rich and poor, life was very different.

Task: What can we assume from source A about crime and punishment between 1500 and 1750? (assume means to infer)

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Tudor Crime and Punishment Those who committed a crime during the Tudor times were often given violent and cruel punishments. People thought that such a punishment would deter a criminal from repeating the crime. People would watch punishments take place as if it were an exciting leisure activity! Crimes of royalty and wealthy Tudors included treason (plotting to do something horrible to a King or Queen), blasphemy (insulting God), spying, witchcraft and murder. ‘Commoners’ often committed crimes because they were so poor and desperate. Some of the most common crimes including stealing, begging, murder, treason and fraud. Some 70,000 people suffered the death penalty during the reign of Henry VIII. Punishments were particularly gruesome during the Tudor times and included methods of execution dreamt up by King Henry VIII himself. Execution was the punishment of being killed and the Tudors had multiple ways of executing criminals.

Beheading: criminals were forced into the Tower of London to a ‘chopping block’ where their heads would be chopped off. Sometimes their heads were displayed on spikes along London Bridge. More wealthy people were more likely to be beheaded than hung. Two of Henry VIII’s wives (Anne Boleyn and her cousin Catherine Howard) were beheaded for going against the king.

Pressing: being pressed was when the victim was crushed. They were placed under large wooden boards and heavy blocks were placed on top.

Hanging: hanging was a common punishment for a range of crimes. A ‘noose’ (a piece of rope as seen in the picture) was put around the victim’s neck making it hard for them to breathe. People were hanged in the ‘gallows’ (a large, wooden frame) in town squares so that people could watch.

Being burnt at the stakes: women found guilty of treason were burnt alive; sometimes victim died due to suffocation because of the smoke or a lack of oxygen.

Stocks: the feet of a criminal were locked into the holes in this large wooden device so that people could throw rotten food at them.

Task: Match the crime to the punishment by drawing lines from the number to the letter in the picture below and then complete the Tudor sentencing using the example to help. Choose any of the crimes from the picture in your sentencing and also draw the criminal!

Collaborative Learning Project

Task: What were the similarities and differences between crime and punishment during the Medieval times (Anglo-Saxon era) and the Middle Ages (Tudor era)?

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5 8

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Session 3: What kind of punishments did Victorian child criminals receive?

Key Knowledge Key Vocabulary

 There was a rising crime rate during the Victorian era  tried  This was particularly juvenile crime (crimes committed by  reform children).  Reformatory Schools  The Juvenile Offences Act 1847 changed the way children were tried and punished for crimes.  magistrate

Knowledge Quiz

1. What was the name of the crime of plotting against the King or Queen?

murder blasphemy treason

2. Which one of Henry VIII’s wives were killed by beheading?

Anne Boleyn Jane Seymour Catherine Parr Anne of Cleves

3. What punishment was a ‘noose’ used for?

beheading stocks pressing

4. How many people were given the death penalty during Henry VIII’s reign?

50,000

Reviewing Learning: Victorian Era Here are some images to remind you about life in the Victoria Era:

Victorian Children in Trouble with the Law (Taken from The National Archives and The British Library)

Crime, and how to deal with it, was one of the great issues of Victorian Britain. In the first place there seemed to be a rising crime rate, from about 5,000 recorded crimes per year in 1800 to 20,000 per year in the 1830s. The Victorians had a firm belief in making criminals face up to their responsibilities and in punishment.

Between 1842 and 1877, 90 new prisons were built in Britain. Child crime shocked the Victorians. Dickens’ account of Fagin’s gang of young pickpockets led by the Artful Dodger, in ‘Oliver Twist’ published in 1837, played to this popular concern. In 1816, Parliament even set up a ‘Committee for Investigating the Alarming Increase in Juvenile Crime in the Metropolis’ (London). But how far should ideas of punishment, of making the criminal face up to their actions by a long, tough, prison sentence, apply to children? A step towards treating children differently was the Juvenile Offences Act of 1847, which said that young people under 14 (soon raised to 16) should be tried in a special court, not an adult court. More far-reaching were the first Reformatory Schools, set up in 1854.

Young people were sent to a Reformatory School for long periods – several years. The long sentences were designed to break the child away from the “bad influences” of home and environment. Reformatories were as far as the government was prepared to go towards treating children differently for most of the 19th century. Attitudes began to swing towards reform in the early 20th century. From 1899 children were no longer sent to adult prisons. In 1902 an experimental school was set up at Borstal, in Kent. It was run like a boarding school, with lots of sport, staff not in uniform and a more encouraging attitude towards the children. Several more ‘Borstals’ were set up, but in 1982 there was a swing away from reform towards punishment and they were mostly turned into Young Offenders Institutes.

Task: Look at Source 1. Read through the document to make sure you understand what it is telling you. How old was Joseph?

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What offence had he committed?

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What was his sentence?

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Challenge: There are two parts to John’s sentence. What do you think the Victorians thought was the point of:  Sending the offender to prison?

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 Sending the offender to the Reformatory?

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Evidence from the courts and newspaper articles during the first half of the 19th century suggests that juvenile crime was indeed a genuine problem. Picking of pockets was especially troublesome, particularly the theft of silk handkerchiefs, which had a relatively high value and could be easily sold. Field Lane in London for example (the setting of Fagin’s den in Oliver Twist) was the home to several notorious receivers of stolen goods, where it was believed more than 5,000 handkerchiefs were handled each week. Often these were hung on poles outside the shops for sale to passers-by, many of whom went there to buy back their own stolen property. Crowded places such as fairs, marketplaces and public executions were particularly profitable for young thieves. In 1824 for example a 15-year-old boy, Joseph Mee, was charged with picking- pockets at a public execution taking place at the Old Bailey; a youth described by the magistrate as a ‘hardened and unconcerned’ offender. At Greenwich Fair in 1835 13-year-old Robert Spencer was caught by a policeman drawing a handkerchief from the pocket of a gentleman in the crowd, while later in 1840 another constable stated in court how he witnessed 11-year-old Martin Gavan and another boy ‘try several pockets’ before stealing a gentleman’s handkerchief among a crowd that had gathered around a traffic accident. Around three in every four petty thefts of personal property recorded in the county of Middlesex in the first quarter of the 19th century were committed by people under 25 years old, the vast majority of whom were teenagers or younger boys. Between 1830 and 1860, over half of all defendants tried at the Old Bailey for picking pockets were younger than 20 years of age. The Establishment of a Police Force One of the biggest changes to the justice system in the Victorian era was the introduction of the Police form. This began with the ‘Bow Street Runners’, the first professional police force organised in London by magistrate and author Henry Fielding in 1749. This organisation successfully prevented crime and solved crimes until 1839 when the Metropolitan Police Act was passed. The first professional policemen, in England, known as 'Peelers' or 'Bobbies', were set up in London in 1829 by Robert Peel, the then Home Secretary, after 'The Metropolitan Police Act' of 1829.It was the start of a campaign to improve public law. Reform, however, was slow as there was distrust of the police at all levels. By September of 1829, the first Metropolitan Police were patrolling the streets of London. There were 17 divisions, which had 4 inspectors and 144 constables each. The force headquarters was Scotland Yard, and it answered to the Home Secretary.

Task: Looking at the two pictures of the police force, what similarities and differences can you spot between the Bow Street Runners and our modern-day Metropolitan police?

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Task: Punishment of crime has a number of aims:  punish the offender  reform the offender so they won’t do it again  deter others from committing crimes  protect the public How well were these aims being met by these sentences on Victorian young offenders in your opinion? What could have improved things? Use information from above to justify your answer.

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Session 4: What is the rule of law and why is it important in society?

Key Knowledge Key Vocabulary

 The Rule of Law is a set of rules that govern our country  norms  It us help to ensure that society is safe, happy and treated  society fairly.  Civil  The British legal system is structured in a way where different crimes are dealt with by different courts  Crown Court depending on the crime.  jury

Knowledge Quiz

1. How many recorded crimes were there per year in the 1830s?

17,000 20,000 300,000 40,000

2. When was the Juvenile Defenses Act instated?

1872 1839 1846 1847

3. What item was commonly pickpocketed due to their high value?

coins silk handkerchiefs broches earrings

4. What was the name of the first professional police force in action?

The Saville Row The Old Kent The Bond Street The Bow Street Runners Sprinters Joggers

5. In what year did the Metropolitan Police form?

1829 1847 1827 1850

Task:

What is the difference between a rule and a law? ______

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Which of the following are rules and which are laws? ______

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Why are rules/law important? ______

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How would society be different if there were no laws? ______

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The Rule of Law The rule of law is a system of laws, ‘norms’ and community commitments that help ensure society functions in a fair and safe way. It helps deliver:

The British Legal Justice System

Different types of case are dealt with in specific courts: for example, all criminal cases will start in the magistrates’ court, but the more serious criminal matters are committed (or sent) to the Crown Court. Appeals from the Crown Court will go to the High Court, and potentially to the Court of Appeal or even the Supreme Court.

Civil cases will sometimes be dealt with by magistrates but may well go to a county court. Again, appeals will go to the High Court and then to the Court of Appeal – although to different divisions of those courts. 21

The majority of criminal cases are heard in a magistrates' court. A very small percentage of cases are heard in the Crown Court.

Magistrates' court: Most criminal cases are heard in a magistrates' court. The magistrates are usually people who live in the local community, sometimes called justices of the peace. There are usually three magistrates who are supported by a legally trained advisor. Sometimes cases are tried by one magistrate, called a district judge, who is a lawyer.

Magistrates' courts are not as formal as the Crown Court, the magistrates do not wear wigs and only the ushers (court officials who keep everything running smoothly) wear black gowns. Crown Court: Some cases are heard in the Crown Court. There are three situations where a case may be 'tried' at the Crown Court:

1. Serious crimes 2. Cases where the defendant (the person accused of the crime) has asked to have his case tried by a jury 3. Magistrates may send a case to the Crown Court if they feel they do not have the power to set a sentence as severe as the crime deserves Cases at the Crown Court are tried by a jury. These are 12 people from the general public who listen to the evidence presented during the trial and decide if the defendant is guilty of the crime. The judge decides on matters of law during the trial, such as whether certain evidence is allowed to be presented. The judge also makes sure the trial proceeds in a fair way. At the end of the trial if the defendant is found guilty the judge decides the sentence for the crime (for example how long the defendant must spend in prison). When a court finds someone guilty of a crime, the most common sentences are:  A court fine  A community sentence - e.g. a curfew, unpaid work or going on a drug treatment programme  A prison sentence  A suspended prison sentence In a suspended prison sentence, the offender serves their sentence in the community, but if they commit another crime they will usually be sent to prison.

How laws are created in the UK:

Task: Laws are in place for a reason. Write what you think may happen if these laws were not in place:

Session 5: How have science and technology changed the way we can solve crimes and the types of crimes that take place?

Key Knowledge Key Vocabulary

 Advancements in science and technology have allowed law  prove enforcement (people who uphold the law) to solve crimes more easily.  disprove  Fingerprints are a form of biometric data and because they  biometrics are so unique  database  We each have our own set of fingerprints  law enforcement  Finger prints can help those investigating crimes to find the culprit

Knowledge Quiz

1. In what court do all criminal cases start?

Houses of Supreme Court Magistrates Court Civil Court Parliament

2. Where are serious cases ‘tried’?

Civil Court Crown Court Justice Court Magistrates Court

3. How many people make up a jury?

11 12 7 9

4. Which act ensures that everyone is treated fairly?

Education Act Offences against the Human Rights Theft Act person act Act

5. Which person has to approve proposed (suggested) laws?

The Queen The Prime Minister The Prince of Judge Wales

Comprehension Task: Answer the following questions about the above extract. If you have a clock to use then you can also time yourself!

1. How old is Inspector John Smith? ______

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2. Who was the founder of the Metropolitan police force? ______

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3. What piece of protective gear did the Inspector have when he first joined the force? ______

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4. What has changed now that the Inspector works for CID? ______

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5. Which technological breakthroughs have ‘come to the police forces aid’? ______

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Advances in Crime Investigation

Fingerprint evidence can play a crucial role in criminal investigations as it can confirm or disprove a person’s identity. Dr. Henry Faulds used fingerprints to identify who had left a stray bottle lying around—he matched fingerprints left on the bottle with a laboratory worker in 1880.

Fingerprinting is one form of biometrics, a science which uses people’s physical or biological characteristics to identify them. No two people have the same fingerprints, not even identical twins. Neither do fingerprints change, even as we get older, unless the deep or ‘basal’ layer is destroyed or intentionally changed by plastic surgery. There are three main fingerprint patterns, called arches, loops and whorls. The shape, size, number and arrangement of minor details in these patterns make each fingerprint unique. When a fingerprint is found at a crime scene it is known as a ‘finger mark’ or ‘latent print’. Cross-checking these against other prints in police databases has the potential to link a series of crimes together, or to place a suspect at the scene of a crime.

INTERPOL runs an international fingerprint database known as the automatic fingerprint identification system (AFIS). Authorized users in member countries can cross-check records from their national fingerprint databases against AFIS, where they think there may be an international aspect to the crime. The AFIS contains more than 220,000 fingerprint records and more than 17,000 crime scene marks.

Other advancements in technology have meant that the police are better equipped to solve crimes and protect our society. Another technological advancement that has aided the police is smartphone tracking. While there is some debate about when and how smartphone tracking should be utilized by law enforcement, the ability to track a criminal through the use of their smartphone is an incredible advancement in technology. This technology, when accessed through legal channels, can provide law enforcement with a clear picture of a suspect's movements before, during, and after a crime. For those innocents of the crime they are accused of, the technology can save them from a criminal trial; for those who are guilty, the tracking capability of this common object can seal their fate.

Technology continues to improve law enforcement and, in turn, the relationship between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve. By providing various ways of dealing with crime, technology has made communities safer places to live and work in.

Task: Complete the table to show how new technology helps the authorities solve crime.

How it helps people solve crimes

Fingerprint technology Fingerprint

Smartphone tracking Smartphone

CCTV Surveillance CCTV

Task: Although advancements in technology have aided criminal investigations, they have also given rise to ‘cyber-crimes’- crimes that are carried out with use of the internet or technology. Complete the task below to look at the different between crimes online and off-line.

The previous activity reinforces the need for everyone to use the internet safely and responsibly. People using the internet irresponsibly has led to a rise in importance of E-Safety.

Let’s explore some golden E-Safety rules that will help you to stay safe when using the internet…

Task: Create your own E-Safety poster to help raise awareness about the dangers and risk associated with misuse of the internet.

Session 6: What made Dick Turpin a notorious criminal?

Key Knowledge Key Vocabulary

 Dick Turpin was a famous highwayman  notorious  A highwayman stole from and attacked travelers on the  highwaymen roads  robbery  He was notorious for committing multiple robberies and other crimes  footpad  It was said that ‘Highwaymen ruled the highways’ during the 17th and 18th centuries  Turpin was the inspiration for many novels, poems and films

Knowledge Quiz

1. What are the three type of fingerprint pattern? Arch, Loops and…

Whirls Whorl Swirls Twirls

2. What technology helps the police find someone’s location through their device?

Fingerprints Cyber crime Smartphone tracking CCTV

3. What are crimes carried out with use of the internet referred to as?

Cyber crime Off-line crime Net crime .com crime

4. Which organisation runs an international fingerprint database?

NHS Interpol AFIS Scotland Yard

Dick Turpin: The Original Highwayman

Robbery was a common crime in the 18th century. Highway robberies often happened on the streets and roads approaching London. A robber on foot was called a footpad and was often part of a gang. They would rob people travelling on foot and they could be very violent. Highwaymen were robbers on horseback and they usually worked alone or in small groups. They attacked travellers in carriages or on horseback.

Highwaymen increased in number in the early 18th century. They targeted stagecoaches, carriages, farmers returning from market and the mail coaches. Highwaymen were usually armed with pistols and wore masks. They are famous for the phrase, Stand and deliver. They usually did not have to use force as asking for valuables at gunpoint was enough to make most people hand them over. Highwaymen are often glamorised in books, poems and films. Indeed, some were certainly courteous to their victims, and it was widely believed at the time that highwaymen tried to ensure that they did not rob from poor people.

The most famous highwayman was Dick Turpin. Before turning to highway robbery, he was a butcher, who joined a gang of robbers. He stole cattle, burgled houses and stole money from people. He later turned to highway robbery in Lincolnshire with his partner Tom King. After shooting his partner he fled to Yorkshire and changed his name. In 1739, he was caught and jailed for horse theft in York. While in prison he wrote to his brother. The handwriting on the letter was recognised by his old teacher, who informed local JPs that they had Dick Turpin in custody. He was hanged in York in 1739.

Dick Turpin was widely glamorised. In a poem written 100 years after his death told of Turpin riding his horse, Black Bess, from London to York in record time to provide himself with an alibi for a crime. Later the poem was turned into a musical and comic book.

Task: Read the extract from the poem ‘The Highwayman’ by Alfred Noyes. What similarities can you see between the highwayman in the poem and the information about Dick Turpin and other highwaymen? ______

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Task: Create a WANTED poster for Dick Turpin. Make sure you include:  Information about who Turpin is  What his crimes are  What his punishment will be upon capture

Once you have completed the sessions in this booklet, answer this question using all of the new knowledge you now have:

Essay Question: How has Crime and Punishment changed throughout history to modern- day and what factors have been involved in this change?

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Challenge Questions: Here are some additional questions you may want to explore, research and answer:

 How do you think crime rates have changed in the last 25 years?  What kind of penalties does the law have for criminals?  Do you think criminals are punished appropriately in modern-day?  What do you think about community service as a punishment for crime?  What kind of penalties does the law have for criminals today?  What do you think are the main causes of crimes?  What factors do you think effect crime rates in a country?

Project Task: Here are some projects you may want to complete:

1. A persuasive text to explain your opinion on one of the topics 2. A leaflet informing others of the facts concerning one of the above topics 3. A double page spread about ‘Crime and Punishment through Time’ 4. A documentary (can be filmed on a device) about ‘Crime and Punishment through Time’

Further Challenge: Design and write a proposal for passing a new law that you think would make our justice system even better.