Difficulties of Policing- Immigration

What difficulties of policing did Immigration cause 
There were tensions between Immigrants and Londoners. More Londoners held and focused on the stereotypes of Jews as greedy and dishonest. Suspicion and anti- Semtitism caused problems for Jews living in Whitechapel. In turn, many (especially new) Jewish immigrants tended to police their own problems because of the persecution they faced from the police in Russia.

The police and judge were also nervous and suspicious by the presences of many Eastern European Jews.

Matters were futhermore complicated by the fact that many newly arrived Jewish immigrants only spoke Yiddish.

What did the police do about this issue 
In 1904 the superintendent of Whitechapel Divison wrote to the Home Office to ask for funds for language lessons in Yiddish.

Violent Demonstrations and Attacks on Jews 
Jewish people targeted because of their religion- there were some clumsy attempts by Christians to convert them.

Protests that could lead to marches

Assults on offciers during attack

Strikes

Crimes and some anti- sentimtic attacks on Jews

What did the police do about this issue 
Arrested leaders of protest

Brought crowds under control

Difficulties of policing- Gangs and protection rackets

What difficulties of policing did gangs and protection rackets cause? 
What was racketeering? 
Associated with organised crime. It is a crime committed through extortion or coercion. To be a racketeer is to obtain money or property from another person, usually through intimidation or force.

Racketing in Whitechapel
It was often run by well organised gangs and were most common in illegal pubs and unlicensed boxing matches 

What was a protection racket? 
A protection racket was taking money from people in exchange for agreeing not to hurt them

An example of a protection racket and why is caused problems for the police 
Within W.G Cornish detective Whitechapel memoirs it has the details of gangs threatening Jewish businesses. This caused problems as these Immigrants held a fear of the authorities due to their treatment of them in Russia where they were persecuted by the police. Therefore, they tried to sort out the issue without police involvement. This caused issues because it means there was little evidence left for the police for them to prosecute them.

Examples of gangs 
Bessarabian Tigers
Odessians

Problems caused by young people 
Some stories of groups of youths getting into fights, or stealing. However, most of the problems caused by young people were less dramatic than that. For example, gambling.

What did the police do about this? 
There were attempts to investigate. However, people were scared of gangs in case of violence towards them. Therefore, few were arrested or put on trial.

Because they were overstretched and understaffed, the H division made no attempt to shut down fights and other criminal activity in some areas of whitechapel which they would have acted upon in other neighborhoods.

Difficulties of policing- Prostitution

What difficulty did prostitution cause in Whitechapel?
Necessity in desperate situations or when their lives were effected by alcoholism.

It makes women vulnerable- all the Ripper's victims were prostitutes

Leads to violent crimes where the prostitute hurts the man

1888: 1200 prostitutes in Whitechapel

Not illegal but a serious social problem

Sometimes led to the crime Petty Theft being committed by prostitutes

What did the police do about the issue?  
Turned a blind eye to the legal abortions that were necessary as there were no forms of contraception available

However, their attempts to control prostitution were resented by woman. This was because their lives depended on prostitution for their survival and a way to avoid starvation

Difficulties of policing- Alcohol and pubs

What Difficulties did Alcohol and pubs cause for policing? 
Very strong drink affordable to everyone but the poorest and there a pubs and gin houses on every corner. For example, from one mile off Whitechapel road there was no less than 45 pubs of gin houses

Alcohol made more people vulnerable to becoming a victim of crime. For example, all of the Ripper's  victims were alcoholics and it was likely they were all drunk when attacked. Furthermore, there a many examples of victims being robbed whilst drunk

Alcohols turn to crime to get money for drink (perhaps after losing jobs)

Alcohol reduced people's inhibitions and affected judgement- leads to wrong choices and committing crimes. Also makes small disputes much worse and make work harder and more dangerous for policemen

Finally, it plays a part in violence and abuse in families

What did the police do about this issue? 
Made sure landlords of pubs don't break the terms of their licenses
Check landlords are closing pubs on time, not allowing gambling or illegal boxing to take place on their premises.
After 1870s it became illegal to serve someone who is already drunk