Historical newspapers are full of reports about local criminal trials. These are a great resource for both historical research and genealogy. Not only can you track the sorts of crimes that were being committed and how people were punished, you might also find your ancestors’ names mentioned.   Search local court reports   The Morning Post and the long-haired Londoner Court reports can often make for rather amusing reading, containing the actual words, excuses, and explanations of the people involved. We’ve …