2017/02/09 by Adam Crymble · 1 citation
Economics, Econometrics and Finance · #Historical Economic and Social Studies #Irish #Currency #Criminology #Reputation #Political science #Law #Economics #Sociology #Monetary economics
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/03058034.2016.1270876
openalex publication_date 2017/02/09 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/19
Currency-related crime was endemic in London during the Restriction Period (1797–1821). This article looks at 884 individuals suspected or charged by the Bank of England, and considers how changes in detection strategy affected the prevalence of ethnically Irish people within that list of suspects. It rejects an anti-Irish bias, and concludes that from 1812 a reduced reliance upon shopkeepers to catch people passing off false currency, and a subsequent rise in ‘sting operations’ initiated by paid officers and local informants, resulted in a significant increase in non-Irish culprits coming under suspicion and a proportionate decline of Irish accused. This change was the result of the Bank's newfound ability to target local networks involved in the less public forms of currency crime (selling, counterfeiting, forging) for which the Irish were less well known. These findings challenge the Irish criminal reputation by highlighting the important role of detection strategies in accusations.