5.3.3
Challenges Facing the Police
Challenges Facing the Police in Whitechapel
Challenges Facing the Police in Whitechapel
Unfortunately the police in Whitechapel did not track down Jack the Ripper and as a result, were regarded by many as incompetent, however, they did face a number of challenges.
![Illustrative background for The alleyways in Whitechapel](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/9eae1ca8-de2a-405e-9c72-951ae7e98148/maze,h_400,q_80,w_640.jpg)
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The alleyways in Whitechapel
The alleyways in Whitechapel
- The area of Whitechapel was a maze of alleyways and the majority of people lived in tenement buildings.
- The alleyways provided plenty of shelter for a criminal to hide and furthermore areas for crimes to be committed and undetected.
![Illustrative background for The transient population](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/chemistry/3.1.1 - Relative formula mass/question-mark-2123967_640-min,h_400,q_80,w_640.jpg)
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The transient population
The transient population
- The population was transient, meaning people moved around from place to place, so this made tracking people down very difficult.
- Doss houses did not keep records of who stayed there so there was no way of knowing who was sleeping where.
![Illustrative background for The media](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/chemistry/9.1.2 Carbon dioxide and methane as greenhouse gases/old-newspaper-350376_640-min,h_400,q_80,w_640.jpg)
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The media
The media
- The newspaper sensationalised the stories of the Ripper murders.
- Witnesses were interviewed for the newspapers, giving lurid stories about the goings on in Whitechapel.
- Cartoons would depict the police as inept and incompetent.
- The press also published letters claiming to be from Jack the Ripper.
- It was one of these that gave the Ripper his nickname.
![Illustrative background for The Whitechapel Vigilance Committee](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/3c94ff7e-1897-470d-aaa3-c39234cb1ecb/unity-hands-rights,h_400,q_80,w_640.jpg)
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The Whitechapel Vigilance Committee
The Whitechapel Vigilance Committee
- George Lusk, a builder from Whitechapel felt that the police were not doing enough to try to catch Jack the Ripper.
- The Vigilance Committee was established as a result, where the local residents took matters ‘into their own hands’.
- The committee hired private detectives to investigate the killings.
- They also offered rewards for information.
- This was a method that often caused more harm than good as people would come forward with false information.
1Medieval England, 1000-1500
1.1Changing Definition of Crime in Medieval England
1.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
1.3Case Studies From 1000-1500
2Early Modern England, 1500-1700
2.1Changing Definitions of Crime
2.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
2.3Case Studies From 1500-1700
318th & 19th Century Britain
3.1Changing Definition of Crime in Industrial Britain
3.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
3.3Case Studies From 1700-1900
4Modern Britain, 1900-Present
4.1Changing Definition of Crime in Modern Britain
4.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
5Whitechapel Local Study
5.1The Geographical Area & Living Conditions
5.2The People of Whitechapel
Jump to other topics
1Medieval England, 1000-1500
1.1Changing Definition of Crime in Medieval England
1.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
1.3Case Studies From 1000-1500
2Early Modern England, 1500-1700
2.1Changing Definitions of Crime
2.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
2.3Case Studies From 1500-1700
318th & 19th Century Britain
3.1Changing Definition of Crime in Industrial Britain
3.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
3.3Case Studies From 1700-1900
4Modern Britain, 1900-Present
4.1Changing Definition of Crime in Modern Britain
4.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
5Whitechapel Local Study
5.1The Geographical Area & Living Conditions
5.2The People of Whitechapel
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