Crime and Punishment in Britain since c.1900 - OCR BCorporal and capital punishment

The 20th century saw the decline and eventual abolition of corporal and capital punishment, as more liberal views about the nature and purpose of punishment spread.

Corporal punishment

In 1900, corporal punishment was still used as a form of punishment (including in prisons). It was generally viewed as a cheap and effective deterrent, particularly for young offenders. Even some liberal-minded people believed it was less brutal than a long prison sentence. Forms of corporal punishment included:

• beating
• whipping
• birching

However, others campaigned to end physical punishments. They were abolished as punishments for young offenders in 1933 and then for all offenders in 1948. After 1962, corporal punishments were no longer used against prisoners either.

Capital punishment

Abolition of the death penalty

Attempts by campaigners to totally abolish the death penalty repeatedly failed throughout the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. This meant that capital punishment in Britain was ended in stages:

1. In 1908, it was abolished for children under 16.
2. In 1957, it was abolished for all murders except for:
   • the murder of a police officer or prison officer
   • murder by shooting or by explosion
   • murder committed while resisting arrest
3. In 1965, it was abolished for all murder, initially for five years. It was kept for treason (and some other crimes) but was never used.
4. In 1969, the abolition was made permanent.
5. In 2004 it was officially abolished for all types of crime, even treason.

Debates about the death penalty

There was an ongoing debate about the use of the death penalty throughout the 20th century, and the question still divides public opinion today.

Arguments that have been made in favour of capital punishment include:

• The death penalty can be a strong deterrent, which will prevent more people from committing murder.
• Unless murderers are kept in prison until they die, at some point they will be released back into the community and could kill again.
• The British legal system can be trusted and will not execute innocent people.
• Prisons are too comfortable for people who have committed extreme crimes such as multiple murder.

Arguments that have been made against capital punishment include:

• Many murders are carried out spontaneously and their perpetrators do not consider the severity of the punishment when they commit the act.
• It is illogical and irrational for the state to punish murder with murder.
• Miscarriages of justice do occur within British legal systems. Since 1969, over 50 people who were found guilty of murder have since been cleared.