In the early 1800’s, urban cities such as New York City began to boom. Cities were growing larger, taller, and ever-more populous with no indication of slowing down; people were crowding in from every direction. Rural areas became a thing of the past and urban areas began to expand. With expansion comes opportunity and not always the legal kind. With the quick immigration of thousands of immigrants into New York City, a large populous of illegal workers began to emerge: counterfeiters, pickpockets, and burglars. Counterfeiters made loads of money. At the time, counterfeiters had many different types of money to counterfeit. Moreover, the government and private companies didn’t take as much time and energy into anti-counterfeiting their bills. For example, today, every dollar bill has small pigmented strings inside it to ensure its validity. Others such as pickpockets used another advance, they distracted someone and then stole their goods and money directly from their pockets (hence the nickname…pickpockets). Burglars were just what you think they would be – burglars would steal goods from one persons home and sell them to a flea market or pawn store. In any case, urbanization sure did bring a lot of change to New York City; urbanization brought about the rise of the police force.
Due to the change in illegal activities taking place which not only includes the pickpockets, counterfeiters, and burglars, but also included the malfia and gangs, merchants and other citizens were begining to understand the importance of the police force. They saw that “‘capital criminals may, through the want of competent remuneration to…inferior officers, justice, baffle pursuit and escape the penalties of the law'”(Johnson 45). Therefore, many people were affected in the change. Citizens understood that it would cost more money to accumulate a proper police force and communities that could afford to do so, did so. The upper-class and middle-class were the prime recipients of this luxury – the police force mostly helped them. Unluckily, the lower-class had a weak police force and usually has gangs living in their midsts.
As seen in the picture above, the police were more generous to the rich than the poor, beating the poor man, but not the rich man
Not only did this discrimination of the poor happen during the early 1800’s, but it is also happening now. The wealthy are able to be freed of their charges by paying the bail, allowing them to escape the punishment of their crimes. Although not clearly evident, the law is indeed on the side of those who are able to afford.