11. The first laws

One of the most detailed ancient legal codes was drawn up in about 1758 B.C. by Hammurabi, a king of Babylonia. The entire code, consisting of 282 paragraphs, was carved into a great stone, which was set up in a temple to the Babylonian god so that it could be read by every citizen. The laws of Babylon laid down by Hammurabi covered crime, divorce and marriage, the rights of slave owners and slaves, the settlement of debts, inheritance and property contracts; there were even regulations about taxes and the prices of goods.

Punishments under the code were often severe. The criminals had to receive as punishment precisely those injuries and damages they had inflicted upon their victims. Not only murderers but also thieves faced the death penalty. And a child who hit his father could expect to lose the hand. In addition, the new laws took account of the circumstances of the offender as well as of the offence. So a lower-ranking citizen who lost a civil case would be fined less than an aristocrat in the same position.

The ancient Greeks were among the first to develop a concept of law that separated everyday law from religious beliefs. Before the Greeks most civilizations attributed their laws to their gods or goddesses. Instead, the Greeks believed that laws were made by the people for the people.

In the seventh century B.C., Draco* drew up Greece's first written code of laws. Under Draco's code death was the punishment for most offenses. Thus, the term draconian usually applies to extremely severe measures. What the Greeks may have contributed to the Romans was the concept of ‘natural law’. In fact, natural law was based on the belief that certain basic principles are above the laws of a nation. These principles arise from the nature of people. The concept of natural law and the development of the first true legal system had a profound effect on the modern world.

The British police officer

The British police officer is a well-known figure to anyone who has visited Britain or who has seen British films. Policemen are to be seen m towns and cities keeping law and order, either walking in the streets or driving in cars. The police in Britain are organized very differently from many other countries.

Britain has is a separate police force for each of 52 areas into which the country is divided. A Chief Constable (the most senior police officer of a force) may sometimes ask for the assistance of London's police force, based at New Scotland Yard.

In most countries the police carry guns. The British police generally do not carry firearms, except in Northern Ireland. Only a few police are regularly armed - for instance, those who guard politicians and diplomats or who patrol airports. In certain circumstances specially trained police officers can be armed, but only with the signed permission.

All members of the police must have gained a certain level of academic qualifications at school and undergone a period of intensive training. Like the army there are a number of ranks. Women make up about 10 per cent of the police force. The police are helped by a number of Special Constables - members of the public who work for the police voluntarily for a few hours a week.

Each police force has its own Criminal Investigation Department. Its members are detectives, and they do not wear uniforms. The other uniformed people you see in British towns are traffic wardens. Their job is to make sure that drivers obey the parking regulations. They have no other powers - it is the police who are responsible for controlling offences like speeding, careless driving and drunken driving.

The duties of the police are varied, ranging from assisting at accidents to safeguarding public order and dealing with lost property. One of their main functions is, of course, catching criminals.