Historical ways of dealing with crime

Throughout history ways of dealing with criminals have swung from the ridiculous to the barbaric. The seriousness of different crimes has also changed from time to time. At one point in 'ye olde Englande', to be found guilty of murder meant no more than a fine of 100 shillings...property was held in as high regard as life with forgery, pickpocketing, house breaking and stealing cattle as well as murder and rape,all being punishable by death in 18th century England, as was escaping from prison, arson and treason. However there were ways to escape the death sentence once convicted. An ability to recite the 51st psalm proved literacy (this was called 'Benefit of Clergy' and therefore you were worth saving and the death sentence would be commuted to 'flogging, imprisonment or deportation'. 

 Early 19th century english records tell us that public humiliation was a popular punishment for various crimes. A dishonest baker caught conning his customers could expect to be nailed to his own shop door by his ear. A butcher selling bad meat would have to suffer the offending piece of meat being tied under his nose whilst tied up in the town square for public ridicule. Of course there were the stocks as well, with the duel humiliation of being held in the stocks by both hands and feet, and gatherers throwing rotting vegetables in thy face. The ducking stool was another popular device. Women believed to have less than appropriate lifestyles would have all their hair shaved off. Gossiping women would be sentenced to wearing bridles fitting over the head with a metal plate in the mouth so talking was no longer an option.

It was sometimes a merciful thing to be put to death. Often torture came first, or as an alternative punishment.

Water torture: A bag placed into the throat would be filled with water, forcing the bag into the stomach.

Branding: In practice until the late 18th century, the letter a person was branded with - on either hand or forehead - was an indicator of the crime committed. Theft, for instance meant the brand was the letter 'T'; 'M' was for murder.

Ducking: Most familiarly used as a device for hunting out witches but also used in other instances.

The Iron Boot: the convicted would be forced to put their lower legs into this then "wooden wedges would be driven down into the boot." The bones would be crushed and the flesh turned to mince.

Flogging: favoured punishment of the navy and a popular punishment in British prisons until 50 years ago.

Hanging was in practice in England until half a century ago, or so. If convicted today of treason it is in fact still punishable by death. The gallows at Wandsworth prison is still tested on a regular basis..

A form of execution favoured by royalty once upon a time was to be hanged, drawn and quartered. This involved being hanged and cut down while still alive, then stretched on a rack before being disembowled. Then the head, arms and legs would be cut from the body. Talk about overkill..

Burning at the stake was not just for witches but also for heretics. Unfortunately for the English, there was a period in history during the 16th and 17th centuries when the religion of the country seemed to be changing on a regular basis and to follow anything but the religion of the reigning monarch was heretical and punishable by burning at the stake. So Henry VIII burnt catholics who didn't agree with him and protestants who strayed too far from catholic dogma. His son Edward burnt catholics and Mary I burnt protestants with a vengeance. What a headache for absolutely everyone.

'Lucky' people got to have their heads chopped off. In revolutionary France they used the guillotine but in England it was a man with an axe. And the head didn't always come off with the first chop.

More recently there has been death by firing squad. In America the electric chair, gas chamber and lethal injection are used depending on the state. Of course, not all states use the death penalty. Around the world various methods of execution are used, including stoning, firing squad, hanging and so on.

It's worth considering there is the ability in all of us to do harm. How else could anyone be found willing to carry out the role of hangman, or commit the torture of another human being and why would so many turn up to view public executions? It seems one man's crime is perhaps another man's civic duty...?