Abolition of the Death Penalty (1965)
The campaign to abolish capital punishment was long and controversial. Key cases raised doubts about the justice of execution:
- Ruth Ellis (1955): Last woman hanged in Britain — her case generated widespread public unease
- Timothy Evans (1950): Hanged for murders he did not commit — posthumously pardoned in 1966
- Derek Bentley (1953): Learning difficulties; hanged for murder despite not firing the shot; posthumously pardoned 1998
In 1965, the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act suspended the death penalty. It was made permanent in 1969.
New Types of Crime
The 20th and 21st centuries created entirely new categories of crime:
| New Crime Type | When It Emerged | Why It Emerged |
|---|---|---|
| Drug offences | From 1920s; major legislation 1971 (Misuse of Drugs Act) | Industrial production of addictive substances; global trade networks |
| Terrorism | IRA bombing campaigns 1970s onwards; 9/11 2001 era | Political extremism; globalisation; religious radicalisation |
| Cybercrime | From 1990s; Computer Misuse Act 1990 | Internet and digital technology — fraud, hacking, identity theft possible at scale |
| Hate crimes | Formally defined in UK law: Crime and Disorder Act 1998 | Changing social attitudes — racist, homophobic, disability-targeted crimes newly recognised |
Modern Policing Technology
Technology transformed crime detection in the 20th and 21st centuries:
- Fingerprinting: Introduced in Scotland Yard 1901
- DNA profiling: First used to solve a crime in 1986 (Colin Pitchfork case)
- CCTV: Britain has more CCTV cameras per person than almost any other country
- National DNA database: Established 1995 — helped convict thousands
This deep dive covers The 20th and 21st Centuries: New Crimes, Modern Justice within Crime and Punishment, c.1250-present for GCSE History. Revise Crime and Punishment, c.1250-present in Component Group 1 — Thematic Studies for GCSE History with 14 exam-style questions and 17 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 5 of 16 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Practice questions for Crime and Punishment, c.1250-present
Describe two features of law enforcement in medieval England.
Describe two features of punishments under the Bloody Code.