Crime Trends in the 20th Century

How did crime change in the 20th century?

The definitions of crime changed over the 20th century. Some past crimes continued in different forms and some new crimes were identified.

How much crime was there in the modern period?

There are 3 important factors to take into account when considering crime rates in 20th century Britain:

• ❖ The 20th century did see a rise in recorded crimes.
• ❖ Some people argue the amount of crime committed isn't much higher than before - society is just better at recording it.
• ❖ Others argue that the percentage of those committing crimes has increased.

Why was more crime recorded in the 20th century?

The rise of crime in the 20th century can be attributed to people reporting it more frequently. There were 3 main reasons for this.

• ❖ The police became more approachable, which led to violent crimes being reported more readily.
• ❖ The police began to record crime consistently, which meant crime statistics appeared to increase.
• ❖ Additionally, the increasing use of technology, like telephones, made it easier to report crime. This made it appear that crime had risen.

Why did crime rise in the 20th century?

Various explanations have been given for the rise in crime during the 20th century, including these 10 possible causes:

• ❖ Unemployment.
• ❖ Inequality.
• ❖ Soft punishments.
• ❖ Materialism.
• ❖ Drugs.
• ❖ Poor access to education.
• ❖ Poor parenting.
• ❖ The media.
• ❖ Loss of discipline.
• ❖ Loss of community.

What role did the media play to increase the fear of crime in the 20th century?

The media has played 3 key roles in increasing the fear of crime, separately from any rise in crime rates:

• ❖ Violent crimes receive widespread coverage.
• ❖ So do crimes where the victims are particularly vulnerable, such as the elderly or very young.
• ❖ These crimes make the headlines almost every day, so it seems as if we are living in the middle of a crime wave.

Who are the criminals in modern times?

There are 3 main sociological trends that are clear in the identity of 20th century criminals in Britain:

• ❖ At the end of the 20th century, 85% of recorded crimes were committed by men.
• ❖ Over half of these were committed by young men aged 21 and under.
• ❖ The crime rate among teenage boys increased faster throughout the century than for any other group.

What happened to the definition of crime in the 20th century?

Changing attitudes during the 20th century led to some behaviours being decriminalised, others becoming more criminal, and others being made illegal for the first time, thus creating new crimes.

Which behaviours are no longer crimes in the modern period?

Two main behaviours that were decriminalised during the 20th century were:

• ❖ Homosexuality.
• ❖ Abortion.

Which behaviours became more criminal in the modern period?

Domestic violence is an example of a behaviour that became more criminal as the 20th century progressed.

Which new crimes were there in the 20th century?

There were 5 main behaviours that became new crimes during the 20th century:

• ❖ Hate crime.
• ❖ Race crime.
• ❖ Driving offences.
• ❖ Consumption of some drugs.
• ❖ Conscientious objection.

What crimes continued in the modern period?

There are 9 types of older crimes that are still carried out in the 20th century but use different means:

• ❖ Theft.
• ❖ Terrorism.
• ❖ Social crimes.
• ❖ Murder.
• ❖ Smuggling.
• ❖ Fraud.
• ❖ Copyright theft.
• ❖ Extortion.
• ❖ Drug-taking.

How did theft change as a crime in the modern period?

Theft continued in the modern period in the form of shoplifting, which increased in the second half of the 20th century as more shops placed goods on display. This made shoplifting easier and more tempting. Car theft was also common.

What social crimes exist in the modern period?

There are both old social crimes that existed in previous periods and new social crimes in the modern period.

What old social crimes still exist in the modern period?

Some of today's social crimes are similar to those in previous periods, such as smuggling, poaching and copyright theft.

What new social crimes were created in the modern period?

There are 3 main social crimes that are new:

• ❖ Tax evasion.
• ❖ Consumption of some illegal drugs.
• ❖ Minor driving offences.

What was murder as a crime like in the modern period?

Although the number of murders increased after 1900, the figures didn't rise as quickly as other crimes. The majority of murderers know their victim and have never committed a serious offence before.

How did smuggling change in the modern period as a crime?

Smuggling changed in 4 main ways in the modern period:

• ❖ Improved transport during the 20th century has made smuggling increasingly difficult to prevent.
• ❖ Legal items such as drugs and tobacco might be smuggled to avoid import duties. This is known as social smuggling.
• ❖ Illegal drugs might also be brought into the country. This is drug smuggling.
• ❖ People might be brought into the country illegally, either to avoid immigration controls or to be forced into slavery. This is known as people smuggling or human trafficking.
• ❖ Today, smuggling of legal items continues to be viewed as a social crime while the smuggling of people and illegal items is viewed as a dangerous crime.