At the time prosecution was a private matter and was widely used in poor communities. Victims had to bring their own cases to court themselves and present them in front of the judge. To facilitate the process of prosecuting the offender the prosecutor/victim would disburse some of their capital to the constables to help get the offender convicted. The Night Watchman was not involved in the courts as much as the Constables. Their duties were to patrol the streets twenty four hours a day at seven days a week. They made sure street lamps were lit, they watched for fire, broke up fights, and arrested suspicious individuals. They were people with ties to ward bosses. Most had strong cultural roots in the neighborhood they patrolled. Their work resembled that of social workers as they brought prostitutes, lost children, and impoverished persons to jails. They brought them to jail mostly because jails provided overnight lodging and soup kitchens. People's view of them weren't always good however as they were the target of usual criticism. Many were criticized for sleeping and drinking at the job. They only blew their whistles when the criminals were already getting away instead trying to catch them in the first place. Also they were ridiculed for running away from real dangers of the late night streets of urban communities. Some people even believed that they were more likely to join in a robbery than stopping it. The constables and the night watchmen were not the best police force; however their contribution to modern policing in the United States is essential. They were the stepping stones for the current style of policing in the country, the most complex and intricate systems, one of, if not the best in the world.
In the mid 1800s the people of the United States" hatred for the government grew. They hated their power and they hated the taxes that were implemented. Riots were growing in number and intensity during the 1830s.
