The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-16 00:00:00

S

CRIME IN. PRANCE,,-
The statistics of Criminal justid4 for the
1849 inform us that the number of crimes and .
demeanours considerably increased in, that year. 4.11.
the same time it is apparent that this augmentation is
eiplained by a fortuitous and aceidental circumstance
—viz., the deficiency of the harvest, and the conse-
quent pressure on the labouring classes. In this,
then, we recognise one of those insignificant varia-
tions from which no deduction can or ought to be
drawn, since there is no reason for supposing that in
the next year the whole phenomena may not be re-
versed. If we would really profit by statistics, if we
would derive light and certainty from that source,
we must follow the course of criminal statistics
throughout the twenty•two years of which we pos-
sess the exact history. Of those years a. table has
been prepared, in which they are divided into four
periods of five pears, besides the two years which
commenced the course; in juxtaposition with this iv
'laced the number of :accused who were tried in each
year, and the average number of trials fur each period
of five years.
From this table it appears that the mean number
of accused has been fir the first period-1826 to
1880, 7,130 ; for the second period, 1831 to 1835,
7,466 ; for the third period, 1836 to 1840, 7,885 ;
for the fourth period, 1841 to 1845, 7,106. The
figures for the two intermediate periods, it will be
sect:, are higher than those for the two other,,, and
that the figures of the last are lover than of the first.
But the proportions are not the same, if we consider
the accused according as they have committed crimes
against persons or against property. It it the first
period that contains the lowest number of crimes
against property, only 1,824 per aunnrn on an
average. The second period offers the greatest num-
ber of these, 2,371 ; while the third and fourth have
only produced 2,153 and 2,220 respectively. But if
we deduct from the number accused of crimes against
the person during the second period, 1831 to 1835,
about 1,000 accused of political offences, we shall
have for the second period an average number of
2,170 accused of crimes against the person ; a
number which differs very little from those which
we have found in the third and fourth periods.
With respect to persons accused of crimes against
property their number is the lowest in the last
period, 1841 to 1845, the average per annum being
4,918. After it comes the second period, which
counts 5,095: the first 5,306 ; the third 5,732.
Thus the difference between the third and fourth
period is 814 accused, that is to say, that from .1841
to 1845, the mean annual number of persons accused
of crimes against property was less, compared with
the preceding five years, by more than 14 per cent.
What is the corollary to be drawn from these
figures ? Is it true, as is often asserted, that the
number of crimes increases year by year in a fright-
ful manner ? Such is not the teaching of statistics :
on the contrary, this science attests that from 1826 to
1847, the number of crimes properly so called, and
qualified as such by the penal code, has not increased.
If we leave out the exceptional year 1847, it has
even diminished ; and still more remarkable,
it has diminished, although the population of France
has augmented during that period by more than one-
tenth. It is true that by the side of this result sta-
tistics place another of a less satisfactory character;
it is, that while certain classes of crimes have re-
mained stationary or diminished since 1826, there are
others which have augmented in considerable pro-
portion. Thus the number of forgeries, which iu
the period 1826-1830 was only 403 per annum, has
progressively increased, and in 1847 attained the
height of 682. Fraudulent bankruptcies, which
from 1826 to 1830 did not exceed an average of 99,
rose in 1846 to 170, falling to 146 in 1847. In the
same lapse of time the crime of coining has increased
to a fourfold extent.
A sad progression is likewise to be noticed in the
excesses resulting from disordered passions. Viola-
tions and assaults with intent oa adults have increased
from 166 to 227 in twenty years. The same crimes
committed on persons of tender years have progressed
from an average of 139 to 359. The number for
1847 was 384.
Hitherto we have spoken only of acts qualified as
crimes by the penal law, and submitted as such to
the courts of assize. As to those which are classed
under the term of offences, and as such sent to the
police courts, they have followed, since 1846, the as•
cending movement. These offences are divided into
two classes, according as they come before the court
on the complaint of the public authorities, or as mere
civil cases. Charges of the first class are more seri-
ous, since they have for their object the repression of
conduct which attacks the public morals, or social
order. The others affect only private interest, and
those but feebly. But during the twenty-two years
embraced by statistics, we find that the number of
persons tried on the demand of the Minister has more
than doubled.
This number which in 1826 was only 47,443 has
gradually ascended to 124,159, the figures for 1847.
It is to be noticed that the cases f,l. swindling, abuse
of confidence, and simple bankruptcy present an in-
crease corresponding to that which we have remarked
of the crimes of forgery, coining, and fraudulent
bankruptcy.
We are thus enabled to discriminate in the in-
crease of crime. It is not that all crimes are multi-
plied, but only certain kinds ; and these would be
more properly styled delinquencies. The crimes
and offences whose numbers have most signally aug-
mented are those which have their source in private
interests.

But besides a statement of the number and nature
of indictments and police charges, our statistics fur•
nish us with the results of trials. Upon the whole
this result agrees exactly with those of the two pre-
ceding years. Of 100 accused we find in the last
three years 33 have been acquitted, 27 condemned to
personal and ignominious punishment, and 40 to cor-
rectional penalties. There has thus been no increase
in the vigour of repression during the last threa years.
It is nevertheless true that since 1835 the repression
of crime has made way.
The jury, as well as the magistrate, bring more
intelligence and firmness to the accomplishment of
their duties. This is in some measure due to the
number of modifications to which our criminal law
has been submitted during several years past. It
was under the reign of the Code Napoleon and its
Draconian provisions, that the proportional number
of acquittals increased from 1826 to 1831, while the
number of condemnations to ignominious punish-
ments followed an inverse movement. The law of
1831, requiring for a verdict of " guilty" eight
voices in the jury-box, instead of seven as before,
greatly increased the number of acquittals, which in
that same year reached 46 per cent. The law of
April 28, 1832, followed, moderating the severity of
many of the penalties prescribed by the Imperial
code and extending to all offences within the pur-
view of that code the faculty of admitting of ex-
tenuating circumstances, which had been as-
signed to as mall number of cases by the law of June
25, 1824. The effect of these modifications was an
immediate and sensible diminution of the number of
acquitments, but at the same time they served to
diminish the number of the more aggravated punish-
ments which has not ceased to decrease since 1837.
The law of September 9, 1837, reducing again the
number of votes necessary to conviction from 8 to 7,
powerfully contributed to confirm the power of the
law, and it is under the influence of this statute that
we have seen the average number of acquittals de-
scend from 39 to 32 per cent., while the average of
condemnations to ignominious and personal punish-
ment has during the same period been raised from 23
to 29 per cent.
The law of September, 1835, that liberticide law,
as it was called, exists to-day no more. Within the
last two years the law of the jury majority has been
twice changed. M. Cremieux, by an an act of
authority, raised the number from 7 to 9 ; the con-
stituent then reduced it from 9to 8 voices. One day
statistics will inform us what has been the result of
these variations.

The table of second offences continues to exhibit
the saddest results. It gives an almost regular in-
crease in the number of repeated offences since 1826,
and especially since 1835, the date since which the
previous conduct of culprits has been more search-
ingly investigated than in anterior years. In 1825
the number of offenders whose previous convictions
could be ascertained was 11 per cent. ; in 1835, 21
per cent. In 1842 the proportion had attained to 25
per cent. ; at this figure it stood for three years ; in
1846 it was 26, and in 1847 25 per cent. Thus one
criminal in four has undergone previous punishment.
Such is the result of statistics, but it is below the truth,
because, , by concealing their names, many criminals
escape the penalties which the law prescribes for a
second Onviction. It very frequently happens that
individuals, who have been convicted as if for a first
offence, are not recognised under their true name and
antecedents until they arrive as the places where they
are to undergo punishment. Official documents prove
that in the year 1846 the number of criminals liable
to punishment as having been previously convicted,.but
against whom that charge was never preferred, ex-
ceeded by one-fourth that of the number recognised
erd condemned as offenders for at least the second
time.

These figures prove the character of that regimen
to which our criminals are subjected in our prisons
and penitentiaries. They prove that the reforms of
detail which we have attempted are completely ineffi-
cacious. They prove something more ; they show
how vicious is the system under which our convicts
pass the period of their punishment.

GeRMANIA j ITs Cots CABIPS, AND PEOPLE.—
The startling revelations made in the most fearless spirit
throughout the numerous pages of this work, have naturally
directed public attention towards its author, but we believe
it is not generally known that the gifted writer who has ex-
cited so much interest and curiosity has already figured in
the world of letters with signal éclat, it being to her able pea
that we are indebted for the very graphic novel of "?Mildred
Yernon."—.Evening raper.

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