Acid Attacks in Britain, 1760-1975

This Palgrave Pivot examines the history of the largely urban offence once known as vitriol throwing because the substance most commonly used was strong sulphuric acid, oil of vitriol. A relatively rare form of assault, it was motivated largely by revenge or jealousy and, because it was specifically designed to blind and mutilate, commonly targeted the victim's face. The incidence of what was thus widely acknowledged to be an exceptionally cruel crime plateaued in the period 1850-1930 amid a sometimes surprisingly lenient legal response, before declining as a result of post-war social changes. In examining the factors that influenced both the crime and its punishment, the book makes an important contribution to criminal justice history by illuminating the role of gender, law and emotion from the perspective of both victim and perpetrator.

List of contents

1. Introduction.- 2. Facts and Figures.- 3. Motives and Contexts.- 4. Law and Justice.- 5. Conclusion

Product details

• Authors: Katherine D Watson, Katherine D. Watson
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.10.2024
• EAN: 9783031272745
• ISBN: 978-3-0-3127274-5
• No. of pages: 135
• Dimensions: 148 mm x 8 mm x 210 mm
• Weight: 207 g
• Illustrations: XV, 135 p. 4 illus.
• Series: World Histories of Crime, Culture and Violence
• Subject: Social sciences, law, business > Law > General, dictionaries