Crime and Punishment / 1900-present
Crime and Punishment: New Modern Crimes
Modern life created new crimes, from drugs and cybercrime to a wider definition of abuse.
What To Remember
- Some modern crimes were old offences, such as fraud and smuggling, carried out with new technology and travel.
- Other crimes changed because attitudes changed, especially around domestic abuse, abortion, sexuality and drugs.
- The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, Domestic Violence Act 1976 and later coercive control laws are key GCSE examples.
Drugs and changing attitudes
The 1960s brought more liberal attitudes to music, youth culture and personal freedom, but drug use also worried the government.
The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 classified controlled drugs and made possession, supply and production criminal offences.
The debate continued because some people saw drug use as personal choice, while others linked it to addiction, organised crime, gang violence and exploitation.
Cybercrime and global crime
Cybercrime means crime using digital technology, including fraud, copyright theft, hacking and online extortion.
The motive was often old: making money by deception or threat.
The change was scale, because email, websites and online payments let criminals reach victims quickly and across borders.
Domestic abuse
In the 19th century, domestic violence was often treated as a private family matter.
In the modern period, changing attitudes to women's rights led to stronger protection: the Domestic Violence Act 1976 helped victims get injunctions, rape within marriage was recognised in 1991, and coercive control became a crime in 2014.
This shows that crime can change when society redefines harm.
Revision Prompt
How did changing society and technology create new crimes?