Nature of Crimes

Early Middle Ages (c.500-1066)

Crimes were often viewed in relation to sin and morality, reflecting the cultural and religious influences of the period.
Widespread crimes included theft, violence, and murder.
Legislation and enforcement were localised, with a system of tithings able to enforce local rules.
Social order was maintained through violent punishments, social shaming, or compensation.

Late Middle Ages (1066-1500)

Serious crimes including treason, heresy, and witchcraft became more prevalent.
The influence of the Normans impacted the English legal system, introducing the feudal system of justice.
Less violent crimes such as vagrancy were increasingly seen as a problem as society became more urbanised.
Legal codes such as the ‘forest laws’ and ‘assizes’ were introduced to standardise crimes and punishments.

Early Modern Period (1500-1700)

The significant event of the English Reformation led to religious crimes such as heresy.
A growth in population and urbanisation increased occurrence of crimes like begging and vagrancy.
Witch hunts became prevalent due to changes in religious beliefs.
Changes in understanding of property rights led to an increase in crimes against property such as poaching and theft.

Industrial Revolution (1700-1900)

The rise of industrialisation saw crimes associated with education, employment and the poor law.
Changes in social expectations and legislation resulted in the rise of ‘morality crimes’, such as drunkenness.
The development of a market economy and new forms of property saw an increase in white-collar crimes such as fraud.
Transportation crimes, committed by those trying to secure a passage to the New World, were common.

20th Century Present (1900-Present)

The World Wars led to an increase in crimes such as desertion, looting and black market trades.
As society modernised and roles changed, crimes like domestic abuse and hate crimes became legally recognized and robustly dealt with.
The development of technology resulted in new crimes, such as computer crimes and internet fraud.
Changes in societal perspectives led to laws addressing crimes such as drunken driving, drug abuse and environmental crimes.