Common Crimes in the 20th & 21st Centuries (WJEC Eduqas GCSE History): Revision Note

How did technology and transport change the nature of crime in the 20th and 21st centuries? - Summary 

While many crimes, such as theft and fraud, have existed for centuries, the 20th and 21st centuries saw major changes in how these crimes were committed. Developments in technology and transport created new opportunities for crime. The mass production of cars led to new offences such as speeding, drink driving, and vehicle theft, while the rise of computers and the internet introduced cybercrime, including hacking, online fraud, and identity theft.

These changes also meant that crime was no longer linked only to poverty or the lower classes. Increasingly, middle-class offenders use technology and business networks to commit crimes such as fraud or online scams. Advances in communication and global trade have made it easier for criminals to act anonymously and across borders. In modern Britain, crime has adapted to the pace of technological and social change, reflecting how society itself has evolved.

Technology & Crime

Vehicle Crimes 

• Cars first appeared on the roads in the UK in 1894 

• Laws were introduced to ensure the safety of drivers and the public; they included 

  • The Locomotive Acts in the late 19th century, which 

    • Set speed limits 

    • Enforced safety procedures for self-propelled cars 

  • In 1865 alaw was introduced forcing drivers to have someone walk in front of the car with a red flag or lantern

  • The law also set maximum speeds of

    • 4 MPH in the country 

    • 2 MPH in the towns and cities 

  • In 1896, the speed limit increased to 14 MPH, and removed the need for someone to talk in front of a car with a flag or lantern 

• Before the 1920s, only wealthy people owned cars 

  • However, once mass production methods were introduced in the UK, cars were more affordable, and middle-class people were able to afford them 

    • From 1924 to 1936, car prices fell by 50%

  • The affordability of cars increased crime 

    • Which saw more crimes being committed by the middle classes, such as speeding and drink driving

• Between 1933 and 1934, there were 7,000 fatal car accidents, which resulted in the Ministry of Transport introducing 

  • Speed limits 

  • Tests for new drivers 

  • Pedestrian crossings   

• As more crimes were happening, the owners of cars were responsible for

  • Passing a driver's test and having a valid driver's license

  • Vehicle tax and insurance 

  • MOT certificate when a car is three years old or older 

  • Following the rules of the highway code, road signs, and speed limits 

• From the mid-20th century to the present day, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of cars on the road

• This has increased car-related crime, including: 

  • Drink driving 

    • Breathalysers were introduced in 1967

    • Men aged 17-29 are more likely to drink and drive 

    • Approximately 3,000 people are killed or seriously injured every year due to drink driving 

    • In 2004, drink driving crimes decreased as the maximum prison sentence was increased to 14 years 

  • Drug driving

    • In 2011, 22% of those killed in road traffic accidents had drugs in their blood

    • Drug driving is common among 20 -24-year-olds 

  • Theft of vehicles 

    • One of the biggest categories of crime in the UK 

    • Initially, poor security made it easy for cars to be stolen; however, car manufacturers improved their security 

    • Car thieves break into homes to steal car keys 

    • Some gangs hire trailers for cars that have been stolen to order, and within 24 hours, the car has been shipped abroad 

  • Car-jacking 

    • Criminals have staged fake crashes to steal someone else's car after they have left their car to help them 

    • Criminals have waited for a red light and forced drivers out of the driver's seats, and stolen their cars 

    • Carjackers can sometimes work in gangs 

  • Joy-riding 

    • Young men aged 17-25 are most likely to commit this crime 

    • There are 10,000 cases a year in the UK 

  • Speeding 

    • This is the most common car crime 

    • In 1934, a 30 MPH speed limit was introduced in built-up areas to reduce car accidents 

    • In the 1990s, speed cameras were introduced 

    • The punishment for speeding is either a fine and penalty points or the option to attend a speed awareness course 

Computer Crimes 

• Most computer crimes are new versions of old crimes:

  • Theft

    • The internet has made it easier for people to illegally download films and music

    • Governments, security services, and corporations are vulnerable to hacking

  • Fraud

    • The internet has made it easier for criminals to hide their identity

    • This makes it more likely that people will fall for scams

    • Phishing scams trick people into giving them personal information 

  • Extortion

    • The internet contains a lot of personal information that is easy to access

    • Extortionists may threaten to expose this information unless their demands are met 

• The scale at which these crimes can be committed is new

  • Thousands can be targeted at once

  • Perpetrators can be overseas

    • This causes new problems in law enforcement

• New crimes have also been developed, including: 

  • Computer viruses 

    • Individuals deliberately place a computer virus to damage or destroy information 

  • Hacking 

    • Criminals gain unauthorised access to private records to blackmail or extort the owners of the stolen information 

  • Cyberterroism 

    • Attacking the government via its computer network for political reasons 

  • Cyberbullying 

  • Computers, phones, and social media are used to intimidate or hurt people by repeatedly threatening or harassing themSexual crimes 

    • Chatrooms and social media are used to groom children 

    • Making and sharing illegal images of children 

    • Sharing of sexual content of adults without consent 

Hooliganism

• The late 20th century saw a rise in violent and anti-social behaviour 

  • One example of this is hooliganism 

• Hooliganism is often related to sport, especially football 

• This often includes 

  • Rioting 

  • Violence 

  • Fighting 

  • Excessive drinking

  • Drugs

  • Destruction of property  

• Hooliganism reached its peak in the 1970s and 1980s, with rival football gangs fighting each other  

  • For example, Soul Crew is a football hooligan firm associated with Cardiff City Football Club 

    • Soul Crew was known as one of the most violent football firms in Britain 

• Football hooligans are often arrested for public order offences 

• However, the police have attempted to deal with such criminal activity by

  • Segregating fans before a match 

  • Increased police presence during games, and especially during rival matches 

  • Increased CCTV 

  • The creation of a specialised police unit dedicated to football hooliganism 

Terrorism 

• In the past, terrorism mostly targeted authorities

  • The Gunpowder Plot is an early modern example of this type of terrorism

• Nowadays, governments and ordinary people are vulnerable to terrorism

• Extremism often influences terrorists

• Modern terrorist attacks have included: 

  • Assassinations 

  • Bombings 

  • Hijackings 

  • Use of chemical weapons 

  • Cyber attacks 

  • Hostage taking 

  • Suicide bombings and attacks 

• Examples of terrorism in modern Britain include the following:

  • The Irish Republican Army (IRA)

    • Active between the 1970s and 1990s 

    • Loyalist and republican paramilitary groups carried out bomb attacks across Britain, including the 1979 assassination of Earl Mountbatten and the 1984 October attempt to bomb the Grand Hotel in Brighton, where Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was staying 

    • The 1998 Good Friday Agreement ended most of the conflict in Northern Ireland

    • There have been fatal attacks and violence since then

    • Terrorist groups linked to Northern Ireland remain a threat

  • Islamic terrorist attacks 

    • On the 7th July 2005, during the morning rush hour, 4 Islamist suicide bombers targeted commuters in central London. 52 people were killed, and around 770 were injured

    • In May 2013, outside Woolwich Barracks, two Islamist extremists attacked and killed an off-duty soldier

    • In 2017, the Manchester Arena was bombed by an Islamist terrorist 

    • Terrorist groups linked to Islamic extremism remain a threat

  • Far-right attacks 

    • In April 1999, David Copeland planted nail bombs targeting black Bangladeshi and gay people in London. The attack killed three people, and 100 people were injured 

    • In June 2016, Thomas Mair shouted ‘Britain First’ as he shot, stabbedand killed MP Jo Cox during the EU Referendum campaign

    • In June 2017, Darren Osborn drove into a crowd of people outside a mosque in Finsbury Park. Killing one man and injuring others. In his car were far-right books. 

    • Far-right extremists remain a terrorist threat in the UK