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Crime
and Punishment
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The
Crime Library: This website site was founded by Marilyn J. Bardsley in January
1998. The Crime Library is a rapidly growing collection of more than over 500
nonfiction feature stories on major crimes, criminals, trials, forensics and
criminal profiling, as well as award-winning fiction short stories by prominent
writers. The stories focus mostly on recent crimes, but an expanding collection
also delves into historically notorious characters, dating back to the 1400s
and spanning the globe. The Crime Library serves as an important resource for
students researching current and historical subjects.
Crime and Punishment: In the years after 1660 the number of offences carrying the death penalty increased enormously, from about 50, to 160 by 1750 and to 288 by 1815. You could be hanged for stealing goods worth 5 shillings (25p), stealing from a shipwreck, pilfering from a Naval Dockyard, damaging Westminster Bridge, impersonating a Chelsea Pensioner or cutting down a young tree. This series of laws became known as "The Bloody Code." This Public Record Office website takes a close look at why the Bloody Code passed by parliament.
History
of the Metropolitan Police Service: This website provides a comprehensive
history of the Metropolitan Police from 1829 to the present. This includes biographies
of key figures and details of famous cases such as Jack the Ripper (a famous
series of murders that took place between 1888 and 1891), the Brighton Trunk
Murders (a notorious double murder case), Dr Crippen (the case of a murdered
wife which provided a historic instance of a criminal being caught with the
aid of radio), the Antique Shop Murder (a brutal killing that led to the first
use in Britain of the 'Identikit' technique) and Brides in the Bath Murders
(zealous detective work that finally solved the intricate case of a serial adulterer
and wife killer).
Murder Research: Serious crime down through the ages has affected every class of family. Today genealogists are more interested than ever to find out the facts behind a story, legend or suspicion that has either been passed down through the generations or has recently been uncovered. Anyone who participates in family history or historic research is aware that murder - or at least serious crime - has been a fact of life down through the centuries. There is a very high possibility that a member of your family at sometime during the past few hundred years was involved in a criminal activity, either as the victim or the criminal. The good news is that there is an equally high chance that the crime was reported in the newspapers creating an opportunity to learn more about the person you are researching. The press, particularly in days gone by, are extremely revealing and a fantastic source of information. Murder Research is an online historic murder research service for history explorers worldwide.
Jack the Ripper: Stephen P. Ryder & John A. Piper, the creators of Casebook: Jack the Ripper website, claim that it is the world's largest public repository of Ripper-related information! The website includes sections on Victims, Suspects, Witnesses, Ripper Letters, Police Officials, Official Documents, Press Reports, Timeline and Games & Diversions. The section on Victorian London will be particularly useful for history teachers.
Cato Street Conspiracy: On 22nd February 1820, Arthur Thistlewood discovered that several members of the British government were going to have dinner at Lord Harrowby's house at 39 Grosvenor Square the following night. Thistlewood argued that this was the opportunity they had been waiting for. It was decided that a group of his followers would gain entry to the house and kill all the government ministers. The heads of Lord Castlereagh and Lord Sidmouth would be placed on poles and taken around the slums of London. Thistlewood was convinced that this would incite an armed uprising that would overthrow the government. This website provides an account of what became known as the Cato Street Conspiracy.
Newgate Calendar: Newgate was used as a prison from at least 1188, and rebuilt as such in 1420. It was destroyed in the Gordon Riots in 1780 but rebuilt in 1783 and used for both civil debtors and criminals until 1815. Thereafter, it was used for criminals only, and from 1881, only during the sittings of the Central Criminal Court. It was finally destroyed in 1902, part of the site being occupied by the Central Criminal Court then built. The Newgate Calendar was published in five volumes in 1760. There were many later editions. Later series were issued from about 1820 as the Newgate Calendar, and the New Newgate Calendar appeared weekly in 1863-65. This online version of the Newgate Calendar has been produced by the University of Texas School of Law.
Jack Sheppard: In 18th-century England, many criminals were children who were trained as pickpockets or put through windows to burgle the houses of property owners. Between 1700 and 1725, nearly half of all those hanged at Tyburn were apprentice boys. One of them was Jack Sheppard (1702-24), an apprentice carpenter who, as a thief, made more money in a month than a qualified carpenter made in a year. By the time he was executed, he had become a hero, idolised for his daring escapes from prison.
American Mafia: The Mafia is a group of criminals organized into "families," and operating primarily in North America. Also known as La Cosa Nostra, at one time there were 26 families in the United States - roughly one for each major city. The Mafia has its roots in Sicily, where the larger and more powerful Sicilian Mafia operates. This website produced by Rick Porrello's provides background information on the Mafia plus links to a large number of articles on the subject.
18th Century Crime Reports: This collected of early 18th century newspaper reports have been compiled by Rictor Norton. The website includes accounts of several criminal cases including Catherine Hayes (burned alive for murdering her husband), Captain Jane (murdered his cabin boy), Mary Harvey (highway robber), Moll Freeman (criminal from Covent Garden), Mary Taylor (executed in Norwich for killing her mistress) and John Ellis (a soldier shot for desertion).
Victorian Child Criminals: Young people have always got into trouble with the law. What changes over time is how society deals with its young offenders. Before Victorian times no distinction was made between criminals of any age. Accordingly, young children could be sent to an adult prison. There are records of children aged 12 being hanged. The Victorians were very worried about crime and its causes. Reformers were asking questions about how young people who had broken the law ought to be treated. They could see that locking children up with adult criminals was hardly likely to make them lead honest lives in the future. On the other hand, they believed firmly in stiff punishments. This Public Record Office website looks at the cases of two child criminals, Elizabeth Roberts and George Page.
Powys County Archives (Crime and Punishment): This local history website was created by Powys County Archives with the help of the county museums and libraries in the area. Subjects covered include Religion, Education and Poverty. The Crime and Punishment section provides a large collection of primary sources on the way in which offenders were dealt with by the authorities in the counties of Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire and Breconshire in earlier times.
Famous Trials: Douglas O. Linder, professor of law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School, has created an outstanding website on famous trials. Those covered so far include the Salem Witchcraft Trials (1692), Amistad Trials (1839-40), Andrew Johnson Impeachment Trial (1868), Susan Anthony Trial (1873), Sacco-Vanzetti Trial (1921), Scopes Monkey Trial (1925), Scottsboro Trials (1931-37), Nuremberg Trials (1945-49), Rosenberg Trial (1951), Mississippi Burning Trial (1967), Chicago Seven Conspiracy Trial (1969-70) and the My Lai Court Martial (1970). Most of these include background information on the case, biographies and photographs of trial participants, trial transcript excerpt and articles from newspapers that covered the trial.
Crime Team: Channel 4's Crime Team lifts the lid on grisly murders from the crime history books. Each week two celebrity sleuths, from politicians to art critics, turn detective; their powers of deduction tested to the full, pitted against investigators of another era with only the forensic tools of the time to crack the case. Starting at the real murder scene, they must ask the right question of adjudicator Jerome Lynch QC to gain the next piece of evidence, before naming their killer. But immersing themselves in the historical period of the time, another picture emerges - often of social inequality and harsh justice. This website looks at the people and the influences at work. And having learned how to chase leads and rule out red herrings, you can take the challenge and have a go at cracking the site's own murder mystery.
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Educational Websites
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