Criminal justice through the ages

By contrast, violent crime of the late twentieth century in U.S. cities was characterized by the randomness of the victimization.
Almost anyone could fall victim to a violent crime — a fact that contributed greatly to raising fear of crime, increasing seclusion and the taking of strict security measures.

Throughout the history of criminal justice, evolving forms of punishment, added rights for offenders and victims, and policing reforms have reflected changing customs, political ideals, and economic conditions.
Primates often have notions of fairness and sharing, with violations punished by exclusion or banishment from social groups.

During the Middle Ages, crime and punishment were dealt with through blood feuds (or trial by ordeal) between the parties.
Payment to the victim (or their family), known as wergild, was another common punishment, including:

71 The history of crime and criminal justice has also been a history of the cultural representations of crime.
Numerous researchers initially believed in the unvarying nature of « crime » and « deviance », beliefs which can still be found a few contemporary studies.