The forces methods of solving crime were limited at first, as the force relied on officers to catch the criminals while on the “beat” or follow any cagey individuals by the crime scene, but late in the century detectives were installed and forensics started to make some progress with fingerprints etc. Crime though generally decreased due to the presence of the police and the gradual much-needed introduction of gas lamps in London’s dark streets.
By the late 19th Century public executions were abolished and 90% of those found guilty were placed in prisons across London. The state of London’s jails in the early 1800’s century were abysmal, as they were put in as a place of punishment, as inmates would be mis-treated and had to endure tedious tasks such as the “crank”. Though late in the century the idea of solitude and servitude in jails were set up. Instead of being places of severe punishment jails were seen as a place of rehabilitation. The Judicial System by the late 19th Century hadn’t changed much, with cases only lasting few minutes and the system in general being a bit shabby. Generally the punishments given out were more justified in the late 19th Century, as previously you could serve 10 years imprisonment for stealing a loaf of bread.
In conclusion Law and Order in London was forced to improve under the threat of Law and Order collapsing under the Industrial Revolution.
Question 2
The Whitechapel murders attracted a lot of attention in 1888 due to many factors surrounding the nature and timing of the murders.
Arguably the most significant reason why the murders attracted so much attention is the way the media covered theses ghastly crimes that occurred on the streets of Whitechapel. They reported the horrific methods the ripper used to kill and mutilate his victims. The media would often exaggerate these details of the Whitechapel murders, as they knew that by creating terror they would sell more papers. These sometimes fabricated gruesome details published concerning the murders caused people all around the world to have a curious fascination with the ripper, especially as these murders had a sexual element connected to them. The media also livened up the hysteria surrounding the murders by sending hoax letters said to be from the murderer to themselves creating a lot of hype, the name “Jack the Ripper” and conspiracies of who the murderer could be.
Jack the Ripper was the first documented serial killer, as 1888 was in a period of history where newspaper production boomed dramatically. Being the first serial killer to hit the headlines consequently grasped the people’s interest in the murder, as the public had never come across such crimes and they were intrigued to hear the next chapter in the saga of the Jack the Ripper murders.
Attention of the murders was maximised further due to the location. Whitechapel in the East End of London was in a dreadful state where poverty was rife and was seen from outside as a sleazy immoral area. This image made people even more curiously fascinated with the murders.
The police forces controlling the investigation also caused the murders to receive attention, as they used what was seen as unique and unusual methods. They installed bloodhounds on the streets and made police officers dress up as prostitutes in an attempt to discover new leads. As you can imagine the press relished these stories. The police would plead openly to the public for any information regarding the murders. The huge attention spent on the murders by the Metropolitan Force caused the public to bring their attention to the murders as well.
The police seemed to be unsuccessful in catching the ripper and this left an irresistible puzzle to remain. This puzzle intrigued those in 1888 considerably, as new conspiracy theories were made all the time and masses of information regarding the murders was plastered around everyone, but still nobody had any answers despite incredible efforts to do so.
In conclusion the Whitechapel Murders attracted a huge amount of attention due to the uniqueness of the crimes taking place on the streets of the East End. Consequently people in 1888 stood up and took notice of the murders, becoming more and more obsessed with them each time the ripper struck.
