The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-04
SOME CRIMINAL STATISTIC3

Clateu A0es VIII oPPOoi'
SOME CRIMINAL STATISTICS
The statistics contained in the annual report
Of the inspectors of the Eastern Penitentiary
are of the utmost interest and Importance not
only to the lawmakers of the State, for whose
especial edifcation they are particularly pre-
pared, but to all classes of citizens Where
every man has voice in the government,
wise criminal legislation will more likely
ensue if all are informed, to some extent at
least, upon subjects connected with the pro-
gress of crime and the causes which influence
its increase or decrease; and the elaborate
tables contained in the inspectors re-
port for 1870 are full of facts that
cannot be too earnestly considered by all
who feel the Importance of good
government. The first table in the report
sets forth O number of facts of great i'm
portance. We find by this that of the per-
sons imprisoned for crimes against property
during the five years from 1866 to 1870 in
elusive, AZ were entirely illiterate, 2S could
read only, and 279 could both read and write
Of those confined for crimes against persons
IS were illiterate, could read only, and 66
could both read and write This would indi-
cate that educ ton or partial education does
not diminish crime, but the true value OF the
figures, of course, can only be obtained by
comparison with those representing the
educational relations of the entire popu-
lation. Such comparison, however,
would probably demonstrate that the
proportion of criminals who can both
read and write is very large; while, on the
other hand, the proportion, of reasonably we'll
educated persons confined for crimes is very
small.
More definite information can be OBJ
tanned by comparison OF the
figures in the table which gives the
industrial relations of the prisoners. During
the Eve years mentioned, of those confined
for crimes against property 2S9 were unap-
prenticed, 45 were apprenticed and left, and
Is were apprentlced and served; of those
confined for crimes against persons II were
unapprenticed, were apprenticed and left,
and were apprenticed and served. Here is
positive proof that vast majority of the
robberies of all grades are committed by
those who have not been trained to earn their
bread and butter by honest industry. One OF
the causes of this condition of affairs is the
decay of the apprentice system, and the OBJ
structions thrown by the workingmen them
selves in the way of boys learning useful
trades. 1t is now a matter of extreme
difficulty for boy to apprentice himself, and
it is not to be wondered at that great mum
ber of young men fall into idle and dissol ute
habits, and ultimately become criminals. Fol
the misdseds of large number of the per
sons now confined in the Penitentiary the
trades unions are directly responsible, as
they have practically broken up the old
fashioned apprentice system, and have made
no effort to provide a substitute for it.
In 1866 the number of prisoners sent to the
Penitentiary for crimes against property wai
81, in 1867 it was &C, in 1868 it was 55, il
1869 it was 80, and in 1870 it was rs. In 1856
the number confined for crimes against per
sons was &C, in 1867 it was 79, in 1868 it wa
62, in 1869 it was 1885, and in 1870 it was 107
This is a record in the highest degree com
plimentary to District Attorney Sheppard
He sent to the Penitentiary nearly twice a
many criminals per annum as his predecessor
Notwithstanding the fact that for six month
OF the two years that have passed since hi
election he was excluded from Office. In 1865
and 1870 he succeeded in having locked VI
more offenders against Persons than Mr.
Mann did during the three years preceding
and the ruffians who infsst the communit,
have been made to respect the lazy as the
had not done for long time before. Tn
figures above given are evidences OF Mr.
Sheppard's efficient performance of his duties
and they clearly demonstrate the importane
of having an honest and able District A
torney to conduct the criminal prosecution
of great city like this.