Crime Control and Everyday Life in the Victorian City : The Police and the Public

The history of modern crime control is usually presented as a narrative of how the state wrested control over the governance of crime from the civilian public. Most accounts trace the decline of a participatory, discretionary culture of crime control in the early modern era, and its replacement by a centralized, bureaucratic system of responding to offending. The formation of the 'new' professional police forces in the nineteenth century is central to this narrative: henceforth, it is claimed, the priorities of criminal justice were to be set by the state, as ordinary people lost what authority they had once exercised over dealing with offenders. This book challenges this established view, and presents a fundamental reinterpretation of changes to crime control in the age of the new police. It breaks new ground by providing a highly detailed, empirical analysis of everyday crime control in Victorian provincial cities - revealing the tremendous activity which ordinary people displayed in responding to crime - alongside a rich survey of police organization and policing in practice. With unique conceptual clarity, it seeks to reorient modern criminal justice history away from its established preoccupation with state systems of policing and punishment, and move towards a more nuanced analysis of the governance of crime. More widely, the book provides a unique and valuable vantage point from which to rethink the role of civil society and the state in modern governance, the nature of agency and authority in Victorian England, and the historical antecedents of pluralized modes of crime control which characterize contemporary society. Cover Crime Control and Everyday Life in the Victorian City: The Police and the Public Copyright Dedication Acknowledgements Contents List of Illustrations List of Tables List of Maps Introduction The Problem Conceptual Frame The Setting Sources and Method Outline Part 1 1: The Urban Police From Old to New Police The Development of the New Police Conclusion 2: The Scope of Policing AN ‘OMNIBUS MANDATE’ POLICE POWERS AND DISCRETION THE PREVENTATIVE STRATEGY POLICING: A STATISTICAL PROFILE CONCLUSION 3: Crime Control and the Police CRIME, PROPERTY, AND COMMUNITY ENLARGING THE FIELD OF CRIME CONTROL POLICING CRIME: THE STATISTICAL RECORD CRIME AND THE CITY POLICING IN PRACTICE CONCLUSION 4: Policing the City Nuisance, Property, and Order The State of the Streets Cities of Disorder Limits to Policing Police-Consciousness Conclusion Part 2 5: Crime Prevention SECURING THE CITY MARKETS IN SECURITY CRIME PREVENTION ABOUT TOWN THE PREVENTATIVE MENTALITY CONCLUSION 6: Criminal Investigation Discovering Offences: Surveillance and Suspicion Tracing Goods and Suspects Investigative Networks and the Trade in Stolen Goods Criminal Inteligence and the Pres Conclusion 7: Confronting the Criminal Confrontation and Aprehension Sumoning Asistance: The Constable and the Crowd A Culture of Confro ntation Conclusion 8: Resolution and Criminal Justice The Criminal Justice Process Reluctant Prosecutors Out of Court : Alternative Resolutions Private Justice: Victims and the Problem of Discretion Conclusion Part 3 9: The Police and the Public Grounds for Optimism? Everyday Conflicts Politics and Principle A Policeman’s Work is Never Done: Managing Public Expectations Conclusion Conclusion A MIXED ECONOMY OF CRIME CONTROL THE STATE MONOPOLY: DEFERRED OR DENIED? THE VICTORIAN ANTECEDENTS OF CONTEMPORARY CRIME CONTROL AGENCY AND AUTHORITY IN THE GOVERNANCE OF CRIME Bibliography Primary Sources Archival and Manuscript Sources Printed Primary Sources Books Book Chapters Articles Secondary Sources Books Book Chapters Journal Articles Unpublished Works Index The History Of Modern Crime Control Is Usually Presented As A Narrative Of How The State Wrested Control Over The Governance Of Crime From The Civilian Public. Most Accounts Trace The Decline Of A Participatory, Discretionary Culture Of Crime Control In The Early Modern Era, And Its Replacement By A Centralized, Bureaucratic System Of Responding To Offending. The Formation Of The 'new' Professional Police Forces In The Nineteenth Century Is Central To This Narrative: Henceforth, It Is Claimed, The Priorities Of Criminal Justice Were To Be Set By The State, As Ordinary People Lost What Authority They Had Once Exercised Over Dealing With Offenders. This Book Challenges This Established View, And Presents A Fundamental Reinterpretation Of Changes To Crime Control In The Age Of The New Police. It Breaks New Ground By Providing A Highly Detailed, Empirical Analysis Of Everyday Crime Control In Victorian Provincial Cities - Revealing The Tremendous Activity Which Ordinary People Displayed In Responding To Crime - Alongside A Rich Survey Of Police Organization And Policing In Practice. Introduction -- The Urban Police -- The Scope Of Policing -- Crime Control And The Police -- Policing The City -- Crime Prevention -- Criminal Investigation -- Confronting The Criminal -- Resolution And Criminal Justice -- The Police And The Public -- Conclusion. David Churchill. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 261-283) And Index. "The history of modern crime control is usually presented as a narrative of how the state wrested control over the governance of crime from the civilian public. Most accounts trace the decline of a participatory, discretionary culture of crime control in the early modern era, and its replacement by a centralized, bureaucratic system of responding to offending. The formation of the 'new' professional police forces in the nineteenth century is central to this narrative: henceforth, it is claimed, the priorities of criminal justice were to be set by the state, as ordinary people lost what authority they had once exercised over dealing with offenders." [Source : éditeur] This new study shows how the history of British crime, policing, and criminal justice was shaped in cities like Leeds, Liverpool, and Manchester, detailing how Victorian police forces were organized, how they sought to deal with crime and urban disorder, how ordinary people dealt with crime and the police force as part of everyday life. This work shows how the history of British crime, policing, and criminal justice was shaped in cities like Leeds, Liverpool, and Manchester, detailing how Victorian police forces were organized, how they sought to deal with crime and urban disorder, how ordinary people dealt with crime and the police force as part of everyday life.