Rules are needed in any community in order to ensure that it runs smoothly. A good example of this are the school rules. The same applies to the community that lives in a country. The rules of a country are called laws. Most people follow these laws because they realise that they enable people to go about their daily lives without fear. People who break the laws of a country can expect to be punished to discourage them (and others) from breaking the same law. Modern punishments include prison, fines and community service. At the start of the nineteenth century, crimes such as stealing a... Show more

Rules are needed in any community in order to ensure that it runs smoothly. A good example of this are the school rules.

The same applies to the community that lives in a country. The rules of a country are called laws. Most people follow these laws because they realise that they enable people to go about their daily lives without fear. People who break the laws of a country can expect to be punished to discourage them (and others) from breaking the same law. Modern punishments include prison, fines and community service. At the start of the nineteenth century, crimes such as stealing a horse or damaging Westminster Bridge were punishable by hanging.

Before 1749, enforcement of the law was in the hands of individuals. In 1749, Britain's first police force was formed - the Bow Street Runners. They did not go out on patrol, they were simply sent out by the Bow Street magistrates office to arrest criminals. The Metropolitan Police Force was created about 70 years later. They were very successful in cutting crime levels in London and in 1857, every UK city was obliged to have its own police force.

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