Crime, Justice, and Discretion in England 1740-1820

Focusing on the 18th-century criminal law, this volume examines its role beyond serving the landed elite, revealing it as a battleground for various social groups. Through thorough analysis of the criminal process, it addresses who utilized the law and the purposes behind it, challenging the notion of the law as merely an elite tool. The book highlights the complexities of the criminal justice system, illustrating how it both reflected power dynamics and served to constrain them.