Criminal Sociology [32]
support of M. Oettingen, that we cannot separate crimes and offences tried by the Assizes from those tried by the Tribunals, for there is only a difference of degree between them, as is clear in regard to theft, assaults and wounding, forgery and the like.
It is a curious fact that similar illusions have existed in all countries through the same causes and prejudices which have been mentioned above. In France, for instance, we often find that the keepers of the seals, reporting on volumes of the excellent and valuable series of criminal statistics since the year 1826, occasionally remark on these oscillatory diminutions, and make a point of treating them as signs of a constant and general tendency, which succeeding years have always contradicted.
In France also, the same controversy has been kept up since 1840, with the same polemical artifices as were employed more recently in Italy, on the question whether crime has increased or decreased. Dufau, Beranger, Berrzat de St. Prix, and Legoyt affirmed that it had diminished since 1826, against the true opinion of de Metz, Dupin, Chassan, Mesuard, and Fayet, the last of whom quotes the others in one of his essays on criminal statistics, now undeservedly forgotten, though they abound in striking and profound observation.
But, as for France in those days, so for Italy to-day, the statistics of succeeding years quickly proved that what official optimism and national self-complacency spoke of as pessimism on our part was but a conscientious inference from lamentable facts, established in every country by the influence of civilisation on crime, which I have described in preceding pages.
After these general statements we ought logically to watch the periodic movement of each leading category of crimes and offences in each division of the country; for not all crimes, nor all districts, pursue the same course from year to year. But as this inquiry is impossible in the present work, we may pass on to the general figures for other European countries.
FRAN 1826-8. 1895-7. Police Contraventions ... ... ... 100 391| Offences ... ... ... ... ... ... 100 397| Crimes against the person ... ... 100 98|in 61 years '' property ... ... ... 100 41| BELGIUM. 1850-2. 1883-5. Tried by the Correctional Tribunals, for crimes against the person 100 109|in 36 years '' property ... 100 162| 1840-2. 1883-5. Tried by the Tribunals for ``Offences'' 100 260| Tried at Assizes, crimes against the person 100 65|in 46 years '' '' property 100 21|
ENGLAND. 1857-9. 1884-6. Tried summarily, for offences ... 100 176 in 30 years. 1835-7. 1884-6. Criminal cases, against the person 100 143| '' against property, and for |in 55 years. circulation of false money ... 100 55|
IRELAND. 1864-6. 1886-8. Tried summarily ... ... ... 100 95| Crimes against the person ... .. 100 57|in 25 years. '' property, and false money 100 52|
PRUSSIA. 1854-6. 1876-8. Contraventions and ``vols de bois'' 100 l32|in 25 years. Crimes and offences ... ... 100 134|
GERMANY. 1882-4. 1885-7. Crimes and offences against public order 100 110| '' '' the person 100 116|in 6 years. '' '' property 100 95|
AUSTRIA. 1867-9. 1884-6. Prisoners condemned for crimes -- 100 122|in 20 years. '' '' offences ... 100 495|
SPAIN. 1883-4. 1886-7. Tried for crimes and offences -- 100 {X}3|in
It is a curious fact that similar illusions have existed in all countries through the same causes and prejudices which have been mentioned above. In France, for instance, we often find that the keepers of the seals, reporting on volumes of the excellent and valuable series of criminal statistics since the year 1826, occasionally remark on these oscillatory diminutions, and make a point of treating them as signs of a constant and general tendency, which succeeding years have always contradicted.
In France also, the same controversy has been kept up since 1840, with the same polemical artifices as were employed more recently in Italy, on the question whether crime has increased or decreased. Dufau, Beranger, Berrzat de St. Prix, and Legoyt affirmed that it had diminished since 1826, against the true opinion of de Metz, Dupin, Chassan, Mesuard, and Fayet, the last of whom quotes the others in one of his essays on criminal statistics, now undeservedly forgotten, though they abound in striking and profound observation.
But, as for France in those days, so for Italy to-day, the statistics of succeeding years quickly proved that what official optimism and national self-complacency spoke of as pessimism on our part was but a conscientious inference from lamentable facts, established in every country by the influence of civilisation on crime, which I have described in preceding pages.
After these general statements we ought logically to watch the periodic movement of each leading category of crimes and offences in each division of the country; for not all crimes, nor all districts, pursue the same course from year to year. But as this inquiry is impossible in the present work, we may pass on to the general figures for other European countries.
FRAN 1826-8. 1895-7. Police Contraventions ... ... ... 100 391| Offences ... ... ... ... ... ... 100 397| Crimes against the person ... ... 100 98|in 61 years '' property ... ... ... 100 41| BELGIUM. 1850-2. 1883-5. Tried by the Correctional Tribunals, for crimes against the person 100 109|in 36 years '' property ... 100 162| 1840-2. 1883-5. Tried by the Tribunals for ``Offences'' 100 260| Tried at Assizes, crimes against the person 100 65|in 46 years '' '' property 100 21|
ENGLAND. 1857-9. 1884-6. Tried summarily, for offences ... 100 176 in 30 years. 1835-7. 1884-6. Criminal cases, against the person 100 143| '' against property, and for |in 55 years. circulation of false money ... 100 55|
IRELAND. 1864-6. 1886-8. Tried summarily ... ... ... 100 95| Crimes against the person ... .. 100 57|in 25 years. '' property, and false money 100 52|
PRUSSIA. 1854-6. 1876-8. Contraventions and ``vols de bois'' 100 l32|in 25 years. Crimes and offences ... ... 100 134|
GERMANY. 1882-4. 1885-7. Crimes and offences against public order 100 110| '' '' the person 100 116|in 6 years. '' '' property 100 95|
AUSTRIA. 1867-9. 1884-6. Prisoners condemned for crimes -- 100 122|in 20 years. '' '' offences ... 100 495|
SPAIN. 1883-4. 1886-7. Tried for crimes and offences -- 100 {X}3|in