Nineteenth century criminal justice: uniquely Irish or simply not English?

This article examines the supposed uniqueness of the Irish criminal justice system in
the nineteenth century. Although the English and Irish systems of criminal justice
shared common roots, by the nineteenth century it was becoming apparent that
there were differences in the way that law and justice were perceived and
administered. The post-Famine years had a significant (and arguably negative)
impact upon British perceptions of the Irish. This article examines both general
perceptions of Ireland and Irishness, from the perspective of its relationship with
England, and its position in the Empire. Outsiders’ perceptions and attitudes
indicated that Irish criminality and criminal justice were considered to be distinctive.
However, a question arises as to whether Irish criminal justice were uniquely Irish
or simply “not English”?