Crime, Policing and Punishment in England, 1660-1914 offers an overview of the changing nature of crime and its punishment from the Restoration to World War 1. It charts how prosecution and punishment have changed from the early modern to the modern period and reflects on how the changing nature of English society has affected these processes. By combining extensive primary material alongside a thorough analysis of historiography this text offers an invaluable resource to students and academics alike.
The book is arranged in two sections: the first looks at the evolution and development of the criminal justice system and the emergence of the legal profession, and examines the media's relationship with crime. Section two examines key themes in the history of crime, covering the emergence of professional policing, the move from physical punishment to incarceration and the importance of gender and youth. Finally, the book draws together these themes and considers how the Criminal Justice System has developed to suit the changing nature of the British state.
Drew Gray has provided a much needed new survey of the rapidly evolving field of English criminal justice history. He offers a balanced and nuanced reading of the older debates that launched the subject forty years ago, and he charts promising paths for future research. His book is particularly strong on topics that other texts have neglected -- juvenile crime, the role of magistrates in summary justice, mundane criminality. He displays impressive mastery of the secondary literature even as he builds upon his own deep understanding of justice in the period. His book will provide a valuable introduction to students new to the subject and a useful overview to scholars who work in this area.