The Palatinate, the Peninsular and the Slum: The Science of Police in Victorian Durham

This book explores historical sociology of policing, particularly during the Victorian period, a time marked by significant changes in the advancements of public administration. These changes aimed to address the challenges posed by the growth of urban populations and residential expansion in the later phases of the Industrial Revolution. As crime and disorder increased, coupled with issues like poor public sanitation affecting the health of citizens in cities like Durham, a strategy which Pasquale Pasquino identifies as the 'science of police' was introduced to tackle the crises. Within this period, a polarised citizenship is observed in Durham City between an affluent element of the community and the less privileged members of the city's residents. How the administrative changes affected these groups is explored. Two particular social groups are used as a comparative analysis - Irish immigrants to Durham on the one hand and the residents of The Peninsular district of the city on the other. Ultimately, based on his personal experiences as a police officer, the author offers some comparisons between the earlier period of administration and the de-institutionalisation of policing and police in contemporary society.