By Frederick Porter Wensley

“Forty Years of Scotland Yard” by Frederick Porter Wensley is an autobiographical account of Wensley’s extensive career in the Criminal Investigation Department (C.I.D.) of Scotland Yard. The book provides a detailed narrative of his experiences, highlighting significant cases he worked on, including notorious crimes like the Houndsditch murders and the Sidney Street siege. Wensley shares insights into the evolution of detective work, the challenges faced by the police, and the methods used to solve complex cases. His stories reflect the gritty reality of crime in early 20th-century London and the relentless pursuit of justice by the detectives of Scotland Yard. Throughout the book, Wensley emphasizes the importance of thoroughness, patience, and resourcefulness in detective work. He recounts various encounters with criminals, ranging from cunning burglars to violent gangsters, and illustrates how meticulous investigation and collaboration with colleagues led to successful resolutions. Wensley’s memoir also sheds light on the personal qualities required for effective policing, such as courage, integrity, and a keen understanding of human nature. His reflections offer a fascinating glimpse into the life of a detective and the inner workings of one of the world’s most famous police forces.

NY. Garden City Publishing Company, Inc.. 1931. Read-Me.Org 2025. 202p.

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By Virginia J. Hunter

FROM THE INTRODUCTION: “The title of his work, Policing Athens, is deliberately ambiguous, meant to convey the ambiguity inherent in the notion of policing itself, since policing has a number of connotations. In the first place, it may refer to social regulation, or the role played by government in "regulating the welfare, security, and order of a city"-a government may, for example, have institutionalized procedures for ensuring the supply of food or for controlling nuisances (Hay and Snyder, 1989:5, 21; cf. Critchley, 1972:24). Policing of this kind was certainly not absent from the city-state. In fact, Athens had a whole host of officials, for the most part annually selected boards of magistrates, each devoted to an aspect of social regulation.”

Princeton, New Jersey. Princeton University Press. 1994. 305p.

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By David Taylor

FROM THE COVER: “Between 1750 and 1914 the English criminal justice system was transformed. George Ill's England was lightly policed, and order was maintained through a draconian system of punishment which prescribed the death penalty for over 200 offences. Trials, even for capital offences, were short. The gallows were the visible means of showing justice in action and were intended to create awe among the public witnessing the death throes of a felon. However, by the time of Queen Victoria's death, public executions had been abolished, and the death penalty was confined in practice to cases of murder. The prison, that most lasting legacy of Victorian England, was the dominant site of punishment, society was more heavily policed, and court procedures had become longer, more formal and more concerned with the rights of the defendant.

Drawing upon recent research in one of the fastest-growing and most exciting areas of social history, this book offers a comprehensive and up-to-date account of these important developments. As well as looking at the underlying causes of change in the criminal justice system, the book concludes with a consideration of the ways in which the evolution of modern society has been shaped by the developments in the criminal justice system.

NY. St. Martin's Press. 1998. 219p.