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What were the big patterns of change and continuity, and what factors drove them?

The long-term patterns of change and continuity in law enforcement and punishment across the whole period, the factors that drove change (attitudes and religion, government, individuals, science and technology, and social and economic change), and how to compare across time.

A focused answer to change, continuity and the factors of change in the Eduqas Crime and Punishment thematic study, covering the long-term patterns in policing and punishment, the key factors driving change, and how to compare across the whole period.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.813 min answer

Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed

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  1. What this dot point is asking
  2. The long-term patterns of change
  3. The continuities
  4. The factors that drove change
  5. Comparing across time
  6. Try this

What this dot point is asking

This dot point pulls the whole thematic study together for Eduqas's Component 2. You need to explain the long-term patterns of change and continuity in law enforcement and punishment across the period c.500 to present, the factors that drove change (attitudes and religion, government, individuals, science and technology, and social and economic change), and how to compare across time. The thematic study's essay and comparison questions reward exactly this overview, so it is essential exam knowledge.

The long-term patterns of change

The continuities

The factors that drove change

Comparing across time

Try this

Q1. Name the five factors Eduqas uses to explain change in crime and punishment. [Knowledge recall]

  • Cue. Attitudes and beliefs (including religion); the role of government; the role of individuals; science and technology; and social and economic change.

Q2. Explain why it is important to discuss continuity as well as change in this thematic study. [Short explanation]

  • Cue. Although policing and punishment changed dramatically, important things stayed the same (theft as the commonest crime, deterrence as an aim, removal of offenders), so recognising continuity gives a balanced, top-band answer rather than a one-sided story of progress.

Exam-style practice questions

Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.

Eduqas C100 20198 marksCompare law enforcement in the medieval period with law enforcement in the nineteenth century. In what ways were they different?
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The thematic-study comparison question (8 marks, AO1 and AO2). Reward a focused comparison of two periods, identifying clear differences with support, not two separate descriptions.

Difference one. Medieval enforcement was amateur and communal (tithings, the hue and cry, unpaid constables and the sheriff's posse), whereas the nineteenth century had a professional, paid, uniformed police force after Peel founded the Metropolitan Police in 1829.

Difference two. Medieval enforcement aimed mainly to catch criminals after the event, whereas the new police aimed to prevent crime by patrolling, and increasingly used organisation and (later) science.

Top marks. Make explicit, supported comparisons (in medieval times... whereas by the nineteenth century...), rather than describing each period in turn.

Eduqas C100 202112 marks'Government was the most important factor in changing punishment over time.' How far do you agree? [This question carries marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar.]
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The thematic-study extended essay (cap shown is 12; the real Eduqas thematic essay carries the SPaG marks). Argue across the whole period using several factors and reach a supported judgement.

Agree. Government drove key changes: abolishing the Bloody Code, founding the police (1829), building prisons such as Pentonville, ending transportation and public execution (1868), and abolishing the death penalty (1965).

Disagree. Other factors mattered: attitudes and religion (deterrence, then humanity); individuals (Peel, Howard, Fry, Silverman); science and technology (forensics); and social and economic change (urbanisation creating new crime and the need for police).

Judgement. Decide how far government was most important. A strong line is that government often acted, but usually because changing attitudes, reformers or social change pushed it to, so factors worked together. Write accurately to secure the SPaG marks.

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