The correct answer is B) Vigilantes punished lawbreakers.
The new mining towns enforce laws and keep the peace by vigilantes punished lawbreakers.
The western communities dedicated to mining the goal often were attacked by thieves. There was no law enforcement by the government authorities in those regions. That is why mining towns enforce laws and keep the peace by vigilantes punished lawbreakers. The members of the western communities had to defend themselves and they formed groups of vigilantes to secure their property.
