City of London appointed under the City local Act of 1839, 649: total police and constabulary, 23,250.

The numbers of the different police forces for the year 1864-5 in proportion to the population of their respective districts, were, as calculated on the census of 1861: borough constables, 1 to 787; county constables, 1 to 1,371 metropolitan police, 1 to 457; City of London police, 1 to 172; total police to total population, 1 to 863; or, in proportion to the estimated population for 1865, 1 to 902. In Ireland, according to the judicial statistics of that country for 1864, the proportions were 1 to 297 in the metropolitan district; 1 to 431 in the rest of Ireland; 1 to 420 of the total number of police to the total population.

The cost of the police for the year, as shown under the following headings, was,— salaries and pay, 1,323,0771. 17s. 4d. ; allowances and contingencies 38,2931. 11s. 1d.; clothing and accoutrements, 137,491l. 14s. 11d.; superannuations and gratuities, 43,1467. 17s. 10d. ; horses, harness, forage, &c., 35,324l. 18. Od.; station-house charges, printing, stationery, &c., 139,4041. 9s. 9d. ; other miscellaneous charges, 32,0197. 7s. 7d.: 1,748,7571. 19s. 6d.

The

total costs,

average per man for the total number of the police and constabulary in 1864-5, as shown above, and in each of the six preceding years was as follows, as calculated upon the total costs; 1865, 751. 4s. 3d.; 1864, 741. 9s. 11d.; 1863, 731. 6s. Od.; 1862, 721. 1s. 3d.; 1861, 781. 15s. Od.; 1860, 73l. 15s. Od.; 1859, 721. 2s. Od.

Of the total cost of the forces for the year ended the 29th September 1865; total charge, borough police, 437,1091. 6s. 9d.; county constabulary, 651,8831. 14s. 4d.; metropolitan police, 554,414. 11s. 7d.; her Majesty's dockyards police, including military stations, 49,8771. 2s. 6d.; City of London police, 55,4731. 4s. 4d.; amounting to 1,748,7571. 19s. 6d.; and 426,654l. 18s. 5d. was contributed from public revenue.

The number of the criminal classes at large, so far as known to the police in 1865, was as follows:

Known thieves and depredators, 17,377 males, 5,396 females, total 22,773; receivers of stolen goods, 2,391 males, 633 females, VOL. IV.

total 3,024; prostitutes, 27,548; suspected persons, 24,012 males, 5,579 females, total 29,591; vagrants and tramps, 22,383 males, 11,307 females, total 33,690; total 66,163 males, 50,463 females, total 116,626.

Under each class excepting vagrants and tramps a decrease appears in 1864-5.

The following are the numbers of the criminal classes, as shown in the return for 1865, and their proportion to the population according to the census of 1861, in the metroplitan police district with the City of London, and in the different groups of towns which have been classed together for compariin former years :

1. The Metropolis.-Including an average radius of 15 miles round Charing Cross, and comprising the district of the metropolitan police and the City of London police criminal classes, 17,034, or 1 in 188-8; prostitutes separately, 5,911, or 1 in 544-2. 2. Pleasure Towns.-Brighton, Bath, Dover, Leamington, Gravesend, Scarborough, and Ramsgate: criminal classes, 2,743, or 1 in 81-1; prostitutes separately, 913, or 1 in 243.7. 3. Towns depending upon Agricultural Districts-Ipswich, Exeter, Reading, Shrewsbury, Lincoln, Winchester, Hereford, and Bridgwater: criminal classes, 1,316, or 1 in 118-9; prostitutes separately, 505, or 1 in 309-9. 4. Commercial Ports.-Liverpool, Bristol, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Kingston-on-Hull, Sunderland, Southampton, Swansea, Yarmouth, Tynemouth, and South Shields: criminal classes, 9,879, or 1 in 109-4; prostitutes separately, 5,597, or 1 in 193.0. 5. Seats of the Cotton and Linen Manufacture.-Manchester, Preston, Salford, Bolton, Stockport, Oldham, Blackburn, Wigan, Staly-Bridge, and Ashton-under-Lyne: criminal classes, 6,401, or 1 in 137-8; prostitutes separately, 1,583, or 1 in 557-3. 6. Seats of the Woollen and Worsted Manufacture. Leeds, Bradford, Halifax, Rochdale, Huddersfield, and Kidderminster: criminal classes, 3,576, or 1 in 122-7; prostitutes separately, 670, or 1 in 654.9. 7. Seats of the Small and Mixed Textile Fabrics.-Norwich, Nottingham, Derby, Macclesfield, Coventry, Newcastleunder-Lyne, and Congleton: criminal classes, 1,809, or 1 in 163.0; prostitutes separately, 617, or 1 in 4781. 8. Seats of the Hardware Manufacture.-Birmingham, Sheffield, and

2

Wolverhampton criminal classes, 4,499, or 1 in 120-4; prostitutes separately, 764, or 1 in 709.0.

Notwithstanding the increase in the numbers of the criminal classes generally as shown in the returns for the metropolis, the proportion to the population is still lower than in any of the groups of towns. It continues highest in the pleasure towns. The proportion of prostitutes to the population also continues, as in former years, highest in the commercial ports, and lowest in the seats of the hardware manufactures.

:

The numbers of each of these classes, as shown in the returns for 1865, and their proportion to the population in each of the groups of agricultural counties, are as follows:9. Eastern Counties. Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Lincoln: criminal classes, 5,474, or 1 to 214-6; prostitutes separately, 620 or 1 to 1,990 0. 10. South and South-western Counties. Southampton, Wilts, Dorset, Somerset : criminal classes, 7,053, or 1 to 153.9; prostitutes separately, 1,031, or 1 to 1,053 0. 11. Midland Counties.-Cambridge, Bedford, Northampton, Hertford, Oxford, Bucks, Berks: criminal classes, 6,321, or 1 to 157.5; prostitutes separately, 453, or 1 to 2,197-6.

Estimating the number of the criminal classes in the same manner for 1864-5 as has been done for preceding years, the following result appears. Criminal classes at large (including 31,932 tramps and vagrants), 116,749 ; in local prisons (exclusive of debtors and military prisoners), 17,346; in the convict prisons, 7,558; in reformatories, 3,388; total 145,041; being less than the number shown for the preceding year by 215.

The following are the numbers under each head, as shown in the returns for 1865.

Houses of receivers of stolen goods, 2,328; houses the resort of thieves and prostitutes, viz. public houses, 2,107; beer shops, 2,006; coffee shops, 413; other suspected houses, 1,342; brothels and houses of ill-fame 6,949; tramps' lodging-houses, 5,544: total houses of bad character, 20,689.

The following are the numbers of the crimes. committed, and of the persons apprehended in each of the four periods of three months commencing with October 1864 :

October, November, and December, 13,758

crimes committed, 7,573 persons apprehended; January, February, and March, 13,893 crimes committed, 7,354 persons apprehended; April, May, and June, 12,353 crimes committed, 6,904 persons apprehended; July, August, and September, 12,246 crimes committed, 7,218 persons apprehended: total 52,250 crimes committed, 29,049 persons apprehended.

In the number of offences committed there is an increase of 1,192, or 2.3 per cent., as compared with the number for the preceding year. The number of persons apprehended also shows an increase of 315, or upwards of 10 per cent. The proportion of apprehensions to the number of crimes committed, viz., 55.6 per cent., is lower by 0-6 per cent. only than the proportion in the preceding year, the only higher proportion having been 58.2 per

cent. in 1863.

The less number of crimes and the higher proportion of apprehensions in the summer quarters is apparent, as in former years.

The disposal of the 29,049 persons stated above to have been apprehended for indictable offences was as follows, upon their being bronght before the magistrates:-Discharged, 6,039 males, 2,775 females, total, 8,814; discharged on bail for further appearance if required, 147 males, 27 females, total, 174; bailed to appear for trial, 1,387 males, 295 females, total, 1,682; committed for want of sureties, 89 males, 8 females, total, 47; committed for trial, 14,432 males, 3,900 females, total, 18,332: total, 22,044 males, 7,005 females, total, 29,049.

per

The numbers discharged were 30.3 per cent. of the whole number apprehended, leaving 69-7 per cent. as the proportion of those against whom the offences were proved. Calculated in the same manner these proportions in the preceding year were 30.4 and 69.6 cent. respectively. In 1864-5 the proportion of those committed or bailed for trial was 68.9 per cent. of the whole number apprehended. Those discharged on bail for further appearance if required were 0.6 per cent. of the whole; those committed for want of sureties were 0.2 per cent. These proportions in the preceding year were, respectively, 69.0, 0.5, and 0.1 per

cent.

The total number of murders reported was 135, exceeding by one the number in the pre

In

ceding year. Seventy-six cases were reported from the counties, fifty-one from boroughs, and eight by the metropolitan police. In Lancashire twenty-eight cases occurred, of which six were reported by the county constabulary; thirteen cases occurred at Liverpool, four at Manchester, and five in other boroughs. the preceding year the number of cases was twenty-three, of which five were reported by the county constabulary; nine occurred at Liverpool, three at Manchester, three at Wigan, and three in other boroughs. In Yorkshire there were fifteen cases, seven reported by the county constabulary, and eight in the boroughs. In the preceding year there were but five cases in the West Riding, with one at Bradford and one at Sheffield. In Durham there were ten cases, inclusive of one at Sunderland; in the preceding year there were but three cases in the county. In the metropolitan police district eight cases occurred, against fourteen in the preceding year, there having been no case in the City of London in either year. In Somerset there were seven cases, four in the county and three in boroughs; in Southampton seven, five in the county and two in boroughs; in Devon six, five in the county and one at Devonport; in Kent six, three in the county and three in boroughs; in Gloucestershire five, inclusive of one at Bristol; in Staffordshire five, inclusive of one at Wolverhampton; in Worcestershire five, inclusive of one in the city of Worcester; in Berks and Leicester three each; in Cheshire two, including one at Birkenhead; in Lincolnshire and Shropshire two each; in Norfolk two, including one at Norwich; in Oxfordshire two, including one in the city of Oxford; in Sussex two, including one at Hove; in Cumberland, Herefordshire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, and Westmorland, one each; in Derbyshire, one at Derby; and in Monmouthshire, one at Newport; in Wales eight cases were reported; in Anglesey, Brecon, Denbigh, and Merioneth, one each; in Glamorganshire four, inclusive of one at Cardiff and one at Swansea; in thirteen English and Welsh counties no case of murder occurred. There were fifty-four attempts to murder, thirty-two of which were reported by the county constabulary, five by the metropolitan, and seventeen by the borough police.

The cases of manslaughter were 279, show

ing an increase of 65, or 30.3 per cent., as compared with the number in the preceding year. Of these 123, or 44.1 per cent., were reported by the county constabulary; 95, or 34.1 per cent., were in cities, boroughs, &c.; 57, or 20-4 per cent., in the metropolitan police district; and 4, or 1.4 per cent., in the City of London.

In 1864-5 there were 769 cases of shooting at, stabbing, &c., being less by four than the number of these offences in the preceding year. Of these 299, or 38.9 per cent., were in the counties; 336, or 43-8 per cent., in boroughs, &c.; 132, or 17.1 per cent., in the metropolitan police district; and 2, or 0-2 per cent., in the City of London.

The cases of concealment of birth were 232 in 1864-5, or less by three than in the preceding year. Of these 119, or 51.3 per cent., were in the counties; 25, or 10.7 per cent., in boroughs, &c.; 88, or 39.9 per cent., in the metropolitan police district; and none in the City of London.

The number of burglaries reported in 1864-5 was 2,615, being an increase of 21 upon the number in the preceding year. Of these, 1,082, or 41.4 per cent., were in the counties; 1,177, or 450 per cent., in boroughs, &c.; 342, or 13.1 per cent., in the metropolitan police district; and 14, or 0.5 per cent., in the City of London.

In the cases of robbery on the highway, and attempts, and demanding money with menaces, there was an increase of 15, as compared with the number in 1863-4. Of 716, the total number of these cases reported in 1864-5, 156, or 21.8 per cent., were in the counties; 443, or 61.9 per cent., in boroughs, &c.; 115, or 160 per cent., in the metropolitan police district; and 2, or 0.3 per cent., in the City of London.

The cases of arson show a decrease of 73, or 13.4 per cent., as compared with the number in 1863-4. Of the total number reported in 1864-5, viz., 470, 425, or 90-4 per cent., were in the counties; 28, or 60 per cent., in boroughs, &c.; 17, or 36 per cent., in the metropolitan police district. In 1863-4, 481, or 88.6 per cent. of the total number, were in the counties; 41, or 7.5 per cent., in boroughs, &c.; and 21, or 3.9 per cent., in the metropolitan police district. In 1864-5, as in the

preceding year, Railand was the only English county in which no case of arson was reported. Six of the Welsh counties also were free from this offence. In the remaining counties of Wales the number of cases was only sixteen, viz., in Anglesey, Cardigan, and Carmarthen one each, in Denbigh four, in Merioneth seven, and in Montgomery two. The English counties in which the cases were most numerous were, Southampton thirty-three, with three in the borough of Portsmouth and one at Southampton; Yorkshire thirty-three, viz., in the East Riding twenty, in the West Riding eight, in the North Riding five, with one in each of the boroughs of Leeds and Middlesborough ; Suffolk thirty-two; Lincolnshire twenty-seven, with one in the city of Lincoln, and nine in the borough of Stamford; Northamptonshire twenty-four, with one at Peterborough; Kent twenty-one, with one at Folkestone, one at Rochester, and one at Tunbridge; Cambridgeshire nineteen, with one at Ely.

In the number of attempts to commit suicide there was an increase of 67, or 9.8 per cent. Of 787, the total number of cases in 1864-5, 174, or 22.1 per cent., were in the counties; 244, or 310 per cent., in boroughs, &c. ; 342, or 43.5 per cent., in the metropolitan police district; and 27, or 3-4 per cent., in the City of London.

The total number of offences against the person was 3,123; the number of persons apprehended during the year for offences of this description was 3,260. Of these 674 were discharged by the magistrates, leaving 2,586 as the number against whom the evidence appeared sufficient. This number is in the proportion of 82-8 per cent. to the number of offences of this class reported.

The number of offences against property, with violence, was 5,160. The number of persons apprehended during the year for offences of this class was 2,789. Of these, 753 were discharged on being brought before the magistrates, leaving 2,036 as the number against whom the evidence appeared sufficient. This number is in the proportion of 39.4 per cent. to the number of offences of this class reported.

There were 669 malicious offences against property reported, and 562 persons apprehended for offences of this class, of whom 205 were discharged by the magistrates, leaving

357 as the number against whom the evidence appeared sufficient. This number is in the proportion of 53.3 per cent. to the number of offences of this class reported.

For the three remaining classes of offences the number of offences reported amounted together to 43,298; 22,438 persons were apprehended, of whom 7,082 were discharged, leaving 15,356 as the number against whom the evidence appeared sufficient. The latter number is in the proportion of 35.4 per cent. to the total number of offences of these descriptions taken together.

As already stated, the total number of offences reported was 52,250; the total number of persons apprehended was 29,049; the total number of persons discharged on being brought before the magistrates was 8,814; leaving 20,235 as the number against whom the evidence appeared sufficient. The latter number is in the proportion of 38.7 per cent. to the total number of offences reported.

The number of persons committed or bailed for trial having been 20,014, supposing 25 per cent. (about the usual propertion) of this number to be discharged or acquitted on trial, there would remain 15,011 as the number convicted. But this number is in the proportion of nearly

29

per cent. to the number of indictable offences reported. It would, therefore, appear that for 71 per cent. of the offences committed, or nearly three out of every four, no person is convicted. In addition to the indictable offences reported, and the persons apprehended and disposed of in the manner already shown for such offences, 312, 882 persons were summarily convicted by the magistrates. Supposing the same proportion with regard to these as in the case of the indictable offences reported, it would follow that nearly 1,100,000 offences liable to summary conviction would escape unpunished.

The total number of persons proceeded against summarily, and the number convicted and discharged respectively during the year, was as follows:-Proceeded against, 370,460 males, 88,454 females, total, 458,914; couvicted, 262,214 males, 50,668 females, total, 312,882; discharged, 108,246 males, 37,786 females, total, 146,032.

The number proceeded against shows an increase of 18,001, or upwards of 4 per cent., upon the number in the preceding year, follow

per

in

ing an increase of 19,050, or 4.5 per cent., 1863-4 upon the number in 1862-3, and of 12,855, or 3.5 per cent., in the latter year upon the number in 1861-2. In the number convicted there is an increase of 12,151, or upwards of 4 per cent., upon the number in the preceding year. The convictions in 1864-5 were in the proportion of 68.2 per cent. to the total number proceeded against, the same as in the preceding year. In 1862-3 this proportion was 67.2 per cent. In each of the two preceding years, 66.7 per cent. In 1859-60, 66.4 per cent.; in 1858-9, 63.6 cent. The proportion of the males proceeded against to the total number proceeded against for 1864-5 is 80-7 per cent., the proportion of females being consequently 19.3 per cent. In the preceding year these proportions were respectively 80 and 20 per cent. The proportion of males convicted to the total number convicted is 83.8 per cent.; of the females, 16-2 per cent. In the preceding year these proportions were 82.9 and 17.1. The proportion of the males convicted to the total number of males proceeded against is 70-7 per cent., the same as in the preceding year. The proportion of the females, 57.2 per cent. against 58.1 per cent. in the preceding year. The disparity, in this proportion, with respect to the sexes, has been always remarkable.

The penalties imposed upon those convicted, stated under the same classification as in preceding years, were as follows:- Imprisoned above six months, 61; six months and above three months, 2,758; three months and above two months, 7,353; two months and above one month, 10,519; one month and above fourteen days, 23,082; fourteen days and under, 28,429; in reformatory schools, 1,147; in industrial schools, 426; total committed, 73,775; fined, 196,265; whipped, 470; ordered to find sureties or to enter into recognizance, 12,621; delivered up to the army or navy, 1,621; other punishments, 28,130; total convicted, 312,882.

Under the head of stealing and attempts to steal the following are the numbers for 1864-5, under each description of offence :

Larceny, by offenders under 16 years (Juvenile Offenders Acts), 8,113; larceny under the value of 58. (Criminal Justice Act), 13,578; larceny above the value of 5s. on pleading

guilty, 8,108; attempting larceny, or larceny from the person, 10,473; dogs, birds, beasts, &c., 671; fruit or vegetable productions, 3,384; trees, shrubs, fences, wood, &c., 581; total, 44,908.

Larcenies by offenders under 16 years of age, it may be repeated, have been subject to summary jurisdiction since 1847; the other larcenies since 1855, and the remaining offences since 1827.

The number of persons proceeded against in 1864-5 for malicious offences and wilful damage and trespass, was as follows:

Destroying fences, walls, gates, &c., 2,480; fruit and vegetable productions, 1,180; trees, shrubs, &c., 1,156; other malicious and wilful damage and trespass, 15,988; total, 20,804.

The assault cases in which proceedings were taken before the magistrates in 1864-5 were as follows:

On women and children, aggravated, 3,100; on peace officers, resisting, &c., 13,834; common, 81,842: total, 98,776.

The proceedings for offences against the game laws were as follows during the year 1864-5:

Trespassing in the day-time in pursuit of game, 9,008; night poaching and destroying game, 554; illegally selling or buying game, 37; Poaching Act (1862), 793; total, 10,392.

The number of persons summarily proceeded against for each of the principal remaining offences, was as follows:

Drunkenness and drunk and disorderly, 105,810; under the vagrant laws, 28,924; under local acts and borough byelaws, 24,784; under the highway, turnpike, railway, and carriage laws, 26,889; under the police Acts, 18,840; under the Licensed Victuallers and Beer Acts, 11,854; under the laws relating to servants, apprentices and masters, 10,412; under the Weights and Measures Act, 4,993; under the Mutiny Acts, 3,009; under the Poor Law Acts, 7,884; nuisances and offences against health, 5,164.

The total numbers summarily proceeded against, with the numbers convicted and discharged for the years 1864-5, are as follows:Total proceeded against, 458,914; convicted, 312,882; discharged, 146,032.

:

The class or character as well of the persons apprehended for indictable offences, as of those