Types of Crime
KS4: History Crime and Punishment Resource
1)“The pattern of crime had not really changed from the Middle Ages, minor theft still counted for 75% of recorded crime. Violent crimes were a small minority of crimes.”
Is this statement true for the 19th century in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Huntingdon? Use the database to investigate the hypothesis. You will need to use data to back up your answer.
(Hint: Start off searching for stealing then investigate others e.g. murder, assault, arson, etc…)
2)Can you use the database to find crimes that you have not come across in earlier periods? Does this mean that they did not exist in other periods or is there another reason why you have not heard of them before? Explain your answers.
3)Historians tend to agree that the following statements are fairly accurate:
a)There was a rapid increase in crime between 1810 and 1820.
b)There was a steady increase in crime between 1820 and 1850.
c)There was a gradual fall in crime between 1850 and 1900.
Use the data to see whether this is an accurate summary of crime rates for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Huntingdon. Then ask yourself the following questions:
Does it match the national picture?
If it doesn’t match the national picture does this mean the general statements made by historians are wrong? Why might there be discrepancies? Explain your answer.
4)Some historians suggest that there is an increase in crime when there are food shortages or political discontent. You are going to see if this is the case for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Huntingdon.
a)Rostow created his Social Tension Chart that showed when food prices were high and linked this to unrest. Find a copy of Rostow’s Social Tension Chart (use the internet) and then use the graphing feature of the database to see if you can find any patterns that match Rostow’s claim that high food prices led to unrest. (After you have looked at general crime do some more specific searches e.g. stealing, riots, arson).
b)Were there more crimes committed in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Huntingdon during political discontent? Find dates and methods of protest for the following events and see whether or not there were more reported crimes in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Huntingdon at the same time.
Protesters / Date / Reason for protest / Method of protest / Increased unrest in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Huntingdon?The Luddites
Peterloo
The Swing Riots
The Tolpuddle Martyrs
The Chartists
The Rebecca Riots
5)Once you have finished studying crime in the 19th century in your history lessons, have a go at writing your own hypotheses about crime and then see whether or not the data from Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Huntingdon support your hypothesis.
Hypothesis 1:
Conclusions: (do not forget to use specific data)
Hypothesis 2:
Conclusions:
Hypothesis 3:
Conclusions:
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