What was crime and punishment like in Tudor times?

Watch: Punishing crime in Tudor Britain

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Watch this video to find out how crime was punished in Britain during Tudor times.

The Tudor period was from 1485 to 1603CE.
This was a time of many changes. Explorers discovered new lands. Maps had to be rewritten and there were religious changes in England and Wales.
There was religious fighting between the Protestant and Catholic faiths.
The church was a centre for communities. Most people were very religious and went to church regularly.
Life for people hadn't changed much since medieval times.
Life could be harsh and many people died before they were 35.
Most of the population lived in small villages and worked by farming.
When the harvest failed it was tempting for poor people to steal food to feed their families.

There was no police force in Tudor times.
Often in smaller towns and villages, preventing crime was left up to the people. Some villages and towns employed Parish Constables who would be responsible for keeping the peace and catching criminals.
The laws were strict and most crimes were punished severely.

Whipping was used often. Vagrants (homeless people), thieves who stole goods worth less than a shilling and those who refused to go to church could all be whipped.
Being branded (burned) with a hot iron was also used a lot.
Criminals were also locked in stocks. These were large wooden frames that held your head between two planks of wood. Stocks were placed in the centre of the village so everyone could make fun of you.
The worst punishments were for the most serious crimes. Executions, such as beheading, being hung, drawn and quartered or being burnt at the stake were punishments for people guilty of treason (crimes against the king).
Executions were public events that huge crowds would come to watch.