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Bloody Code

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927: 112:, parliament claimed its continuance was "found to be attended with various inconveniences, particularly by depriving this kingdom of many subjects whose labour might be useful to the community, and who, by proper care and correction, might be reclaimed from their evil course." This law would become known as the Hard Labour Act and the Hulks Act for both its purpose and 343:
made the death penalty discretionary for all crimes except treason and murder. Gradually during the middle of the nineteenth century the number of capital offences was reduced, and by 1861 was down to five. The last execution in the UK took place in 1964, and the death penalty was legally abolished
72:, but that number had almost quadrupled by 1776, and it reached 220 by the end of the century. Most of the new laws introduced during that period were concerned with the defence of property, which some commentators have interpreted as a form of class suppression of the poor by the rich. 45:
In 1689, there were 50 capital offences in England and Wales; this increased to 220 by the end of the 18th century. This period saw the introduction of new laws focused on property defence, which some viewed as class suppression. As convictions for capital crimes increased,
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became a more common punishment. In 1785, Australia was deemed suitable for transporting convicts, and over one-third of all criminals convicted between 1788 and 1867 were sent there. The Bloody Code listed 21 categories of capital crimes in the 18th century. By 1823, the
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made the death penalty discretionary for most crimes, and by 1861, the number of capital offences had been reduced to five. The last execution in the United Kingdom took place in 1964, and the death penalty was abolished for various crimes in the following years.
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As the number of capital crimes increased, lawmakers sought a less harsh punishment that might still deter potential offenders, and penal transportation with a term of indentured servitude became a more common punishment. This trend was expanded by the
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for a wide range of crimes. It was not referred to by this name in its own time; the name was given later owing to the sharply increased number of people given the death penalty, even for crimes considered minor by 21st century standards.
116:. With the removal of the important transportation alternative to the death penalty, it would in part prompt the use of prisons for punishment and the start of prison building programmes. In 1785 88:, about one-twentieth of the weekly wage for a skilled worker at the time. As the 18th century proceeded, jurors often deliberately under-assessed the value of stolen goods in order to avoid a 642:"The Statutes at Large from the Magna Charta, to the End of the Eleventh Parliament of Great Britain, Anno 1761 [continued to 1806]. By Danby Pickering" 715:
Brodeur, Jean-Paul; McCormick, Kevin R. E.; Visano, Livy A. (1992), "High Policing and Low Policing: Remarks about the Policing of Political Activities",
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It is a melancholy truth, that among the variety of actions which men are daily liable to commit, no less than a hundred and sixty have been declared by
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in 1787. It has been estimated that over one-third of all criminals convicted between 1788 and 1867 were transported to Australia, including
614: 816: 334: 38: 104:(16 Geo. 3 c.43), which regulated and subsidised the practice, until its use was suspended by the Criminal Law Act 1776. With the 672: 73: 668: 848: 800: 782: 764: 746: 534: 961: 412: 871: 1115: 1110: 1012: 876: 728: 624: 422: 175: 439: 1120: 466:"Rethinking the Bloody Code in Eighteenth-Century Britain: Capital Punishment at the Centre and on the Periphery" 96:, a subordinate but separate state, a similar "Bloody Code" existed, but there were not as many capital crimes. 946: 179: 956: 84:
was one of the crimes that drew the death penalty; it was defined as the theft of goods worth more than 12
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Sharpe, Jim (2001), "Crime, Order and Historical Change", in Muncie, John; McLaughlin, Eugene (eds.),
987: 951: 916: 841: 203: 1042: 354: 89: 992: 101: 896: 215: 76:, expressed a contemporary view when he said that "Men are not hanged for stealing horses, but 655: 641: 1130: 121: 77: 717: 167:
listed 49 pages of "Capital Statutes of the Eighteenth Century" divided into 21 categories:
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Law's Imagined Republic: Popular Politics and Criminal Justice in Revolutionary America
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Capital Punishment in Independent Ireland: A Social, Legal and Political History
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of deeds, bonds, testaments, bills of exchange, stocks, stamps, banknotes, etc.
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Amnesty International: History of the Abolition of the Death Penalty in the UK
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The death penalty was formally abolished under any circumstances in 2004.
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In 1689 there were 50 offences on the statute book punishable by death in
1067: 857: 297: 140:). Some criminals could escape transportation if they agreed to join the 129: 113: 1088: 1052: 1002: 997: 926: 360: 279: 219: 117: 351:, 1969 in England, Wales and Scotland, and 1973 in Northern Ireland 285: 256: 137: 372: 290: 34: 26: 348: 322: 228: 826: 16:
English, Welsh and Irish criminal law from around 1700 to 1823
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A History Of English Criminal Law and its Administration
124:; transportation resumed, now to a specifically planned 37:
in the 18th and early 19th centuries which mandated the
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Doyle, David M.; O'Callaghan, Liam (January 31, 2020).
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Britain, Great; Pickering, Danby (September 8, 1775).
759:(2nd ed.), Sage Publications, pp. 107–150, 656:
Crime, Policing and Punishment in England, 1660–1914
612: 160:; or, in other words, to be worthy of instant death. 716: 521:. World Histories of Crime, Culture and Violence. 1102: 639: 596: 594: 518:The Bloody Code in England and Wales, 1760–1830 822:Rough justice – Victorian style, BBC News 739:Holding up a Mirror: How Civilizations Decline 842: 591: 464:King, Peter; Ward, Richard (10 August 2015). 410: 233:Stabbing, maiming and shooting at any person 688: 849: 835: 741:(Revised 2nd ed.), Imprint Academic, 736: 600: 344:in the following years for the crimes of: 316:Malicious injuries to property, including 491: 1126:Capital punishment in the United Kingdom 463: 437: 335:Capital punishment in the United Kingdom 328: 120:was deemed a suitably desolate place to 514: 1103: 754: 644:. J. Bentham – via Google Books. 579: 573: 417:. Institute of Public Administration. 74:George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax 830: 303:Destroying ships to the prejudice of 790: 772: 585: 561: 549: 440:"The long road from the Bloody Code" 411:O'Mahony, Paul (September 8, 2002). 378:Six military offences, November 1998 13: 707: 682: 14: 1142: 810: 174:, including offences against the 925: 775:Britain's Most Notorious Hangmen 184:Other offences against the State 856: 661: 648: 633: 606: 795:, Cambridge University Press, 567: 555: 543: 539:– via link.springer.com. 508: 457: 438:Campbell, Noel (2 June 2017). 431: 404: 300:another with intent to defraud 1: 777:, Wharncliffe Local History, 702:. London: Stevens & Sons. 78:that horses may not be stolen 723:, Canadian Scholars’ Press, 397: 273:employees, clerks and other 128:, with the departure of the 7: 972:Courts of England and Wales 619:. Oxford University Press. 414:Criminal Justice in Ireland 385: 341:Judgement of Death Act 1823 10: 1149: 332: 63: 25:" was a series of laws in 1076: 980: 934: 923: 864: 737:Glyn-Jones, Anne (2000), 629:– via Google Books. 527:10.1007/978-3-319-74561-9 427:– via Google Books. 204:administration of justice 148:said of the Bloody Code: 1116:Legal history of Ireland 1111:Legal history of England 355:Arson in royal dockyards 180:Protestant establishment 156:to be felonious without 90:mandatory death sentence 700:The Movement for Reform 262:Larceny from the person 102:Transportation Act 1717 1121:Legal history of Wales 1013:British Virgin Islands 773:Wade, Stephen (2009), 719:Understanding Policing 667:Radzinowicz 1948, pp. 515:Walliss, John (2018). 162: 791:Wilf, Steven (2010), 329:Relaxation of the law 202:Offences against the 176:Protestant succession 150: 57:Judgment of Death Act 757:The Problem of Crime 484:10.1093/pastj/gtv026 367:Piracy with violence 52:indentured servitude 48:penal transportation 259:and allied offences 253:and allied offences 195:and destruction of 877:Administrative law 471:Past & Present 241:forcible abduction 146:William Blackstone 122:transport convicts 94:Kingdom of Ireland 1098: 1097: 802:978-0-521-14528-2 784:978-1-84563-082-9 766:978-0-7619-6971-6 748:978-0-907845-60-7 690:Radzinowicz, Leon 536:978-3-319-74560-2 214:Offences against 208:Offences against 187:Offences against 158:benefit of clergy 154:Act of Parliament 134:Van Diemen's Land 106:American Colonies 70:England and Wales 1138: 993:Northern Ireland 935:Further subjects 929: 851: 844: 837: 828: 827: 805: 787: 769: 751: 733: 722: 703: 676: 665: 659: 652: 646: 645: 637: 631: 630: 610: 604: 598: 589: 583: 577: 571: 565: 559: 553: 547: 541: 540: 512: 506: 505: 495: 461: 455: 454: 452: 450: 435: 429: 428: 408: 375:, September 1998 369:, September 1998 165:Leon Radzinowicz 110:active rebellion 1148: 1147: 1141: 1140: 1139: 1137: 1136: 1135: 1101: 1100: 1099: 1094: 1072: 1048:Anglo-Saxon law 981:Related systems 976: 962:Civil procedure 947:Competition law 930: 921: 912:Retained EU law 872:UK Constitution 860: 855: 813: 808: 803: 785: 767: 749: 731: 710: 708:Further reading 698:. Vol. I: 685: 683:General sources 680: 679: 666: 662: 653: 649: 638: 634: 627: 611: 607: 601:Glyn-Jones 2000 599: 592: 584: 580: 572: 568: 560: 556: 548: 544: 537: 513: 509: 462: 458: 448: 446: 444:Mayo Advertiser 436: 432: 425: 409: 405: 400: 388: 337: 331: 245:sexual offences 66: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1146: 1145: 1134: 1133: 1128: 1123: 1118: 1113: 1096: 1095: 1093: 1092: 1085: 1077: 1074: 1073: 1071: 1070: 1065: 1060: 1055: 1050: 1045: 1040: 1035: 1030: 1025: 1020: 1015: 1010: 1005: 1000: 995: 990: 984: 982: 978: 977: 975: 974: 969: 964: 959: 957:Commercial law 954: 949: 944: 938: 936: 932: 931: 924: 922: 920: 919: 914: 909: 904: 899: 894: 889: 884: 879: 874: 868: 866: 862: 861: 854: 853: 846: 839: 831: 825: 824: 819: 812: 811:External links 809: 807: 806: 801: 788: 783: 770: 765: 752: 747: 734: 729: 711: 709: 706: 705: 704: 684: 681: 678: 677: 660: 658:p. 298 (2016). 654:Drew D. Gray, 647: 632: 625: 605: 603:, p. 322. 590: 578: 576:, p. 116. 566: 554: 552:, p. 139. 542: 535: 507: 478:(1): 159–205. 456: 430: 423: 402: 401: 399: 396: 395: 394: 392:Black Act 1723 387: 384: 380: 379: 376: 370: 364: 358: 352: 333:Main article: 330: 327: 326: 325: 320: 314: 308: 301: 294: 288: 282: 277: 263: 260: 254: 247: 234: 231: 222: 216:public revenue 212: 206: 200: 197:flood defences 185: 182: 65: 62: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1144: 1143: 1132: 1129: 1127: 1124: 1122: 1119: 1117: 1114: 1112: 1109: 1108: 1106: 1091: 1090: 1086: 1084: 1083: 1079: 1078: 1075: 1069: 1066: 1064: 1061: 1059: 1056: 1054: 1051: 1049: 1046: 1044: 1043:United States 1041: 1039: 1036: 1034: 1031: 1029: 1026: 1024: 1021: 1019: 1016: 1014: 1011: 1009: 1006: 1004: 1001: 999: 996: 994: 991: 989: 986: 985: 983: 979: 973: 970: 968: 965: 963: 960: 958: 955: 953: 950: 948: 945: 943: 940: 939: 937: 933: 928: 918: 915: 913: 910: 908: 905: 903: 900: 898: 895: 893: 890: 888: 885: 883: 880: 878: 875: 873: 870: 869: 867: 865:Core subjects 863: 859: 852: 847: 845: 840: 838: 833: 832: 829: 823: 820: 818: 815: 814: 804: 798: 794: 789: 786: 780: 776: 771: 768: 762: 758: 753: 750: 744: 740: 735: 732: 730:1-55130-005-2 726: 721: 720: 713: 712: 701: 697: 696: 691: 687: 686: 674: 670: 664: 657: 651: 643: 636: 628: 626:9781789620276 622: 618: 617: 609: 602: 597: 595: 588:, p. 10. 587: 582: 575: 570: 563: 558: 551: 546: 538: 532: 528: 524: 520: 519: 511: 503: 499: 494: 489: 485: 481: 477: 473: 472: 467: 460: 445: 441: 434: 426: 424:9781902448718 420: 416: 415: 407: 403: 393: 390: 389: 383: 377: 374: 371: 368: 365: 362: 359: 356: 353: 350: 347: 346: 345: 342: 339:In 1823, the 336: 324: 321: 319: 315: 312: 309: 306: 302: 299: 295: 292: 289: 287: 283: 281: 278: 276: 272: 269:by servants, 268: 264: 261: 258: 255: 252: 251:grand larceny 248: 246: 242: 238: 235: 232: 230: 226: 225:Petty treason 223: 221: 217: 213: 211: 210:public health 207: 205: 201: 198: 194: 190: 186: 183: 181: 177: 173: 170: 169: 168: 166: 161: 159: 155: 149: 147: 143: 139: 135: 131: 127: 123: 119: 115: 111: 107: 103: 97: 95: 91: 87: 83: 82:Grand larceny 79: 75: 71: 61: 58: 53: 49: 43: 40: 39:death penalty 36: 32: 28: 24: 19: 1131:Georgian era 1087: 1080: 1062: 902:Property law 887:Contract law 882:Criminal law 792: 774: 756: 738: 718: 699: 694: 663: 650: 635: 615: 608: 581: 569: 564:, p. 9. 557: 545: 517: 510: 475: 469: 459: 447:. Retrieved 443: 433: 413: 406: 381: 338: 284:Offences by 267:embezzlement 265:Larceny and 218:, including 191:, including 189:public order 172:High treason 163: 151: 142:British Army 126:penal colony 98: 67: 44: 22: 20: 18: 1068:Hue and cry 1063:Bloody Code 1033:New Zealand 942:Company law 858:English law 574:Sharpe 2001 298:personating 271:Post Office 199:and bridges 130:First Fleet 108:already in 23:Bloody Code 1105:Categories 1053:Common law 967:Family law 952:Labour law 243:and other 114:its result 1038:Singapore 1023:Hong Kong 1008:Australia 907:Trust law 586:Wade 2009 562:Wade 2009 550:Wilf 2010 398:Citations 361:Espionage 307:companies 305:insurance 286:bankrupts 280:Blackmail 220:smuggling 144:. Jurist 118:Australia 92:. In the 1082:Category 998:Scotland 917:Case law 892:Tort law 692:(1948). 502:29780182 386:See also 313:offences 296:Falsely 257:Burglary 178:and the 138:Tasmania 988:UK-wide 897:Privacy 673:611–659 493:5955207 373:Treason 311:Coinage 291:Forgery 249:Simple 64:History 35:Ireland 27:England 1089:Portal 1058:Equity 1018:Canada 799:  781:  763:  745:  727:  669:xx–xxi 623:  533:  500:  490:  449:15 May 421:  363:, 1981 357:, 1971 349:Murder 323:Piracy 275:agents 229:murder 1028:India 1003:Wales 318:arson 136:(now 86:pence 50:with 31:Wales 21:The " 797:ISBN 779:ISBN 761:ISBN 743:ISBN 725:ISBN 671:and 621:ISBN 531:ISBN 498:PMID 451:2023 419:ISBN 237:Rape 227:and 193:riot 33:and 523:doi 488:PMC 480:doi 476:228 80:." 1107:: 593:^ 529:. 496:. 486:. 474:. 468:. 442:. 239:, 29:, 850:e 843:t 836:v 525:: 504:. 482:: 453:.

Index

England
Wales
Ireland
death penalty
penal transportation
indentured servitude
Judgment of Death Act
England and Wales
George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax
that horses may not be stolen
Grand larceny
pence
mandatory death sentence
Kingdom of Ireland
Transportation Act 1717
American Colonies
active rebellion
its result
Australia
transport convicts
penal colony
First Fleet
Van Diemen's Land
Tasmania
British Army
William Blackstone
Act of Parliament
benefit of clergy
Leon Radzinowicz
High treason

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