EDEXCEL GCSE HISTORY · PAPER 1 · CRIME & PUNISHMENT
Exam Practice - Changing Views
Changing Views: Attitudes and the Law · Chapter 4: Crime, punishment and law enforcement in recent times, c1900-present · Lesson 1 of 4 · 32 marks · 35 minutes
Name Date
Answer all questions. Use specific names, dates and examples in every answer.
Question 1 EXPLAIN ONE WAY [4 marks]
Explain one way in which the treatment of conscientious objectors in the First World War was different from their treatment in the Second World War.
Question 2 EXPLAIN WHY [12 marks]
Explain why there were changes in the definition of crime in the period c1900-present. You may use the following in your answer: the Sexual Offences Act (1967); drink driving. You must also use information of your own.
Question 3 HOW FAR DO YOU AGREE? [16 marks]
"Changing attitudes in society were the main reason for new definitions of crime in the period c1900-present." How far do you agree? Explain your answer. You may use the following in your answer: race hate crime; cyber crime. You must also use information of your own. (16 marks, plus 4 for spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology)
Answers
Check your answer only once you have written one.
Question 1 [4 marks]
In the First World War, tribunals were often hostile and rejected most applications, and many "absolutists" who refused all war work were imprisoned; some were sent to France, where they could be shot for disobeying orders. In the Second World War, tribunals were more understanding and many objectors were allowed to do civilian work instead, such as farming, firefighting or bomb disposal, so far fewer were imprisoned. So the difference is that objectors were treated much more tolerantly in the Second World War.
▸ A valid difference identified 1-2 marks
▸ Supported with specific knowledge of both wars 3-4 marks
Question 2 [12 marks]
One reason was changing attitudes to private behaviour. After the 1960s many people became more tolerant of behaviour that did not harm others, and campaigners argued that it was wrong to criminalise people for their private lives. The Sexual Offences Act of 1967 decriminalised homosexual acts between men over 21 in private, and the Abortion Act of the same year allowed legal abortion in many circumstances. A second reason was new technology, especially the car. As car ownership grew, so did deaths on the roads, and drink driving came to be seen as a serious danger. The breathalyser was introduced in 1967, making it possible to enforce a legal alcohol limit, and later using a hand-held phone while driving became a crime in 2003. A third reason, beyond the stimulus, was the campaign for equality. Campaigns for the rights of ethnic minorities and women led to new crimes: the Race Relations Act of 1965 made racial discrimination in public places illegal, the Crime and Disorder Act of 1998 created racially aggravated offences, and rape within marriage was recognised as a crime in 1991. The definition of crime changed because society's idea of what was harmful changed.
▸ Level 1 (1-3) A simple or general answer
▸ Level 2 (4-6) Some explanation of one or more reasons, with some knowledge
▸ Level 3 (7-9) A developed explanation linked to the question, with accurate knowledge
▸ Level 4 (10-12) An analytical explanation of several reasons, with knowledge that goes beyond the stimulus points
Question 3 [16 marks]
On the one hand, changing attitudes were very important. Greater tolerance led to homosexuality and abortion being decriminalised in 1967. Campaigns for equality led to new crimes: the Race Relations Act of 1965 outlawed racial discrimination, and the Crime and Disorder Act of 1998 created racially aggravated offences, so race hate crime became a specific crime. Changing views of women's rights led to rape within marriage being recognised as a crime in 1991. On the other hand, new technology created many new crimes too. The spread of the car led to new motoring offences, from drink driving - enforced by the breathalyser from 1967 - to using a hand-held phone while driving in 2003. The growth of computers and the internet created cyber crime, and the Computer Misuse Act of 1990 made hacking a crime. These crimes existed because new technology created new opportunities, not because attitudes changed. Overall, changing attitudes were the main reason for changes in which behaviours were seen as wrong, but technology was the main reason for the creation of completely new types of crime. The best judgement is that both were important, with attitudes explaining decriminalisation and equality laws, and technology explaining motoring and cyber crime.
▸ Level 1 (1-4) A simple or generalised answer
▸ Level 2 (5-8) Some analysis, with a judgement that is asserted
▸ Level 3 (9-12) Analysis of both sides with accurate knowledge and a supported judgement
▸ Level 4 (13-16) Sustained analysis, knowledge beyond the stimulus, and a clear, justified judgement
▸ SPaG (4) Accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar, with specialist terms such as decriminalise and hate crime