Capital Punishment

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The Abolition of the Death Penalty in Modern Britain

The abolition of the death penalty reflects the changing attitudes of the period.

The scale of capital punishment

Public execution ended in 1868 but the death penalty continued to be used in prisons until 1965.
In reality, however, there were a low number of executions each year.
- An average of 14 people a year were executed for murder.

Impact of WW2

Following the Second World War attitudes towards capital punishment began to change.
As a result of the Holocaust, there was an increasing feeling that the death penalty was un-Christian and barbaric.
- The 1948 Declaration of Human Rights issued by the United Nations stated that ‘everyone has a right to life’.

The death penalty in 1957

In 1957 the British government abolished the use of the death penalty for all cases except the murder of a police officer, murder by shooting or explosion, murder whilst resisting arrest, murder whilst carrying out theft and murder of more than one person.
High profile cases where there was a miscarriage of justice helped change attitudes towards the use of capital punishment.

The death penalty from 1965-98

Capital punishment was abolished in 1965 for all crimes except treason in times of war and piracy.
This was initially for a 5-year trial but the government abolished its use permanently in 1969.
Capital punishment could still legally be used in cases of treason and piracy, however, this was also abolished in 1998, making Britain fully abolitionist.

The last execution

The last woman to be hanged was Ruth Ellis in 1955 for the murder of her lover David Blakely in a crime of passion.

Evaluating Capital Punishment

The issue of capital punishment provokes debate and controversy. There are arguments for and against it.

Arguments for capital punishment

It was the greatest deterrent against crime possible.
- Criminals would be more likely to carry weapons if there was no danger of them being hanged for murder.
Life imprisonment costs a lot and in many ways is more cruel to an offender.
Those who have completed a sentence for murder are likely to kill again.
Execution proved how serious the crime of murder is and furthermore it avenged the death of the victim.

Arguments against capital punishment

Sometimes mistakes are made and the wrong person is executed.
Examples of this include:
- The case of Timothy Evans who was hanged for murder in 1950 and posthumously pardoned in 1966.
- The case of Derek Bentley who was executed for murder in 1953.
Many murders are spur of the moment things.
- This means that capital punishment is not really a deterrent in these cases.
Execution is not Christian and goes against the idea of the sanctity of life.

1Medieval England, 1000-1500

1.1Changing Definition of Crime in Medieval England

1.1.1Early Medieval Society

1.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment

1.2.1Enforcing the Law in Medieval Society

1.2.2Punishments in Medieval England

1.2.3End of Topic Test - Early Medieval Society

1.3Case Studies From 1000-1500

1.3.1The Church

1.3.2End of Topic Test - The Church

1.3.3Grade 9 - Medieval England

2Early Modern England, 1500-1700

2.1Changing Definitions of Crime

2.1.1Early Modern Society

2.1.2Crime in the Early Modern Period

2.1.3End of Topic Test - Early Modern Crime

2.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment

2.2.1Punishments in Early Modern Society

2.2.2Law Enforcement in Early Modern Society

2.2.3End of Topic Test - Early Modern Law Enforcement

2.2.4Grade 9 - Early Modern England

2.3Case Studies From 1500-1700

2.3.1Key Individuals

2.3.2End of Topic Test - Case Studies 1500-1700

2.3.3Grade 9 - Case Studies From 1500-1700

318th & 19th Century Britain

3.1Changing Definition of Crime in Industrial Britain

3.1.1Society in Industrial Britain

3.1.2Crime in Industrial Britain

3.1.3End of Topic Test - Crime in Industrial Britain

3.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment

3.2.1Punishment in Industrial Society

3.2.2Punishment in Industrial Society 2

3.2.3Policing in the Industrial Period

3.2.4End of Topic Test - Punishment

3.3Case Studies From 1700-1900

3.3.1Changes to the Prison System

3.3.2End of Topic Test - Case Studies From 1700-1900

3.3.3Grade 9 - 18th & 19th Century

4Modern Britain, 1900-Present

4.1Changing Definition of Crime in Modern Britain

4.1.1Society in Modern Britain

4.1.2Crime in Modern Britain

4.1.3End of Topic Test - Crime in Modern Britain

4.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment

4.2.1Punishment in Modern Britain

4.2.2Attitudes Towards Punishment

4.2.3Capital Punishment

4.2.4End of Topic Test - Punishment in Modern Britain

4.2.5Grade 9 - Modern Britain

4.3Case Studies 1900-2000

4.3.1Modern Britain Case Studies

4.3.2End of Topic Test - Modern Britain Case Studies

4.3.3Grade 9 - Case Studies 1900-2000

5Whitechapel Local Study

5.1The Geographical Area & Living Conditions

5.1.1Accommodation in Whitechapel

5.1.2Living Conditions

5.1.3End of Topic Test - Whitechapel Local Study

5.2The People of Whitechapel

5.2.1Alcohol & Immigration

5.2.2Prostitution

5.2.3Racial Tensions

5.2.4End of Topic Test - The People of Whitechapel

5.2.5Grade 9 - Whitechapel

5.3Policing in Whitechapel

5.3.1The Police Force in Whitechapel

5.3.2Jack the Ripper

5.3.3Challenges Facing the Police

5.3.4End of Topic Test - Policing in Whitechapel

5.3.5Grade 9 - Policing Whitechapel

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