Change in Attitudes to Punishment in the 20th Century (WJEC Eduqas GCSE History): Revision Note

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How did Punishment Change in the 20th Century Compared to Earlier Periods? - Summary

Before the 20th century, punishments were often public, painful, and harsh. Offenders could be executed, transported, whipped, or imprisoned in terrible conditions. The main aims were to deter others from committing a crime and to show authority; they were not to help offenders change.

In the 20th century, attitudes began to shift. The focus moved towards reform and rehabilitation, with better prison conditions, education, and training. Probation, parole, and community service were introduced to help offenders reintegrate into society. The abolition of the death penalty in 1965 showed how people now saw punishment as a way to improve lives rather than destroy them.

Changing Attitudes to Punishment

• Attitudes towards punishments started to change in the 19th century and continued into the 20th century 

• Reforming Prison Commissioners, Sir Evelyn Ruggles-Brise and Sir Alexander Paterson, led the way for changes to the treatment of prisoners 

• The following changes to punishment in prisons were introduced 

  • In 1902, hard labour was stopped 

    • Such as the crank 

  • In 1907, the Probation Service was introduced 

  • In 1921, the cropping of prisoners' hair and the wearing of broad arrow uniforms were abolished 

  • In 1923, the silent system ended as prisoners could meet and talk to each other 

  • In 1936, the first Open Prison was created 

  • In 1948, flogging in prison was abolished 

Dealing with Young Offenders

• Towards the end of the 19th century, attitudes towards the treatment of young offenders started to change 

  • There were calls for young offenders to be treated differently from older offenders 

    • The aim of this was to prevent young people from starting a life of crime 

• In the 20th century, the government created the following to help reform young offenders 

  • Bortals 

  • Juvenile courts 

  • Youth detention centres 

• In the 21st century, new types of youth punishments were introduced, including 

  • Antisocial Behaviour Orders (ASBOs)

    • Introduced in 1999

  • Tagging 

    • Introduced in 2003

  • Curfew orders 

    • Introduced in 2003

• More focus was placed on the role of parents, as they could

  • Be fined 

    • If they could not control their children 

  • Lose custody of their children

    • Children would be removed from their parents' homes if they continued to engage in crime 

Abolition of the Death Sentence

• Public executions ended in 1868, as attitudes towards the death penalty changed 

• Many people were opposed to any form of capital punishment 

  • Many MPs attempted to end it between 1930 and 1956 

    • When bills were proposed to remove elements of the death penalty, they were either rejected by the Home Secretary or the House of Lords 

• A change occurred in 1957, when capital punishment was reduced to five types of murder, including 

  • Murder of a police or prison officer 

  • Murder of more than one person 

  • Murder while stealing 

  • Murder by shooting or explosives 

  • Murder whilst resisting arrest 

• In the 1950s, three court cases drew the attention of the pubic and highlighted the need for the end of capital punishment

Timothy Evans

• Timothy Evans was found guilty and hanged for the murder of his wife and child in March 1950 

  • During the investigation, Evans changed his story many times 

  • In court, Evans claimed the police threatened him into making false statements 

• In 1953, the remains of several others were found in and around the house where Timothy Evans and his family rented an apartment

  • Evans’ neighbour, John Christie, was a serial killer and had killed the wife and daughter of Timothy Evans 

  • Christie was convicted and hanged for his crimes 

• Timothy Evans was awarded a posthumous pardon in 1966 

Derek Bentley 

• Derek Bentley was hanged in 1953 for the murder of a police officer during a burglary 

  • Christopher Craig, Bentley’s friend, actually committed the murder 

  • However, Bentley was heard saying “Let him have it” before the police officer was shot 

• Craig was a juvenile and could not be given the death penalty 

• Bently had learning difficulties and a mental age of an 11-year-old 

  • This resulted in much controversy over the execution of Bentley, as many argued he should not have been tried as an adult 

• Bentley was given a full posthumous pardon in 1998

Ruth Ellis 

• Was convicted of killing her lover, David Blakley 

  • Ellis shot Blakley 

  • Blakley had physically assaulted Ellis on multiple occasions 

  • It was believed to be a crime of passion, as Blakley was having several affairs with other women 

• Ellis was the last woman to be hanged in the United Kingdom on the 13th July 1955

Abolition of the death penalty

• In 1965, the Murder Act was introduced 

  • This abolished the death penalty for five years  

• However, in 1965, the Abolition of the Death Penalty Act was made permanent in England and Wales  

  • The crime of treason and piracy still carried the death penalty until 1999

Attempts to Rehabilitate

• In the 20th and 21st centuries, punishments have continued to become more about the rehabilitation of offenders 

  • This aimsto 

    • Prevent people from continuing with a life of crime 

    • To prepare them for release 

• Many schemes were introduced to support rehabilitation, including 

  • Parole 

    • Allowed prisoners to be released early from prison if they showed good behaviour in prison

  • Community orders 

    • Offenders attended drug or alcohol treatment programmes instead of going to prison 

  • Probation centres 

    • Offenders attend group meetings to discuss what led them to commit crimes and discuss solutions 

    • Probation officers can monitor offenders at these centres