On the offences against the Person Act, 1828
Date
2013
Authors
Surridge, Lisa
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Publisher
BRANCH: Britain, Representations, and Nineteenth-Century History
Abstract
The early nineteenth century saw a new valuing of self-restraint and heightened social anxiety about interpersonal violence and unruly behaviour. The 1828 Offenses Against the Person Act streamlined penalties for assault, battery, rape, infanticide, attempted murder, manslaughter, and murder. It also granted to magistrates summary powers over common assaults, making prosecution of such offenses quicker and more accessible to the poor. Part of Sir Robert Peel’s larger program of legal reform, it heralded a new focus on social regulation, public order, and manliness as self-discipline.
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Citation
Surridge, L. (2013). On the offences against the Person Act, 1828. BRANCH: Britain, Representations, and Nineteenth-Century History. https://branchcollective.org/?ps_articles=lisa-surridge-on-the-offenses-against-theperson- act-1828