Introductory description

This module covers the period from the late eighteenth century to the start of the twentieth. This is a transformative period in the history of crime and punishment in Britain moving from the ‘Bloody Code’ which characterised eighteenth century Britain to a punishment code resting on the prison system. The period witnessed the introduction of the police force, the rise and fall of transportation and debates about the nature of prison. The module is interdisciplinary drawing on scholarship from history, law, sociology, criminology, literature and politics. A variety of sources are consider including novels, memoirs, criminal records, newspapers and satire.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Note: this is an indicative syllabus. The precise content will be negotiated between students and tutor each academic year to reflect student interests and involve the students in all aspects of curriculum design and assessment as well as providing them with as many opportunities for practical research as possible. The tutor will provide template seminar outlines (with questions, sources, and bibliography) for students. The tutor, in conjunction with archivists at the MRC and Warwick Records Office, will provide descriptions of the available archives and other primary sources.

1. (Modern Records Centre) - syllabus design; selection of primary source material; introduction to archives for crime and punishment
2. (Warwick Records Office) - introduction to local archives particularly quarter sessions material; further selection of primary source material for module
3. The Victorian underworld – historiography
4. The Victorian underworld – sources
5. The Criminal Justice system – historiography
6. The Criminal Justice system – sources
7. Policing the city – historiography
8. Policing the city – sources
9. Prisons: a just measure of pain? – historiography
10. Prisons: a just measure of pain? – sources
11. The Garrotting Panic and the role of the press – historiography
12. The Garrotting Panic and the role of the press – sources
13. Violent women and girl gangs – historiography
14. Violent women and girls gangs – historiography
15. The construction of the juvenile delinquent – historiography
16. The construction of the juvenile delinquent – sources
17. A Study in Scarlet: literature and crime – historiography
18. A Study in Scarlet: literature and crime – sources

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate a systematic knowledge and understanding of key themes in the history of crime and punishment in the long nineteenth century
• Critically analyse and evaluate a broad range of primary sources (including archival sources at the Modern Records Centre) relating to the history of crime and punishment
• Effectively communicate ideas, and make informed, coherent and persuasive arguments, relating to the history of crime
• Critically review and consolidate theoretical, methodological, and historiographical ideas relating to the study of crime from history and related disciplines (eg Sociology, Law, Literature)

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Specific reading list for the module

Subject specific skills

See learning outcomes.

Transferable skills

See learning outcomes.