The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-11-10
Relation of Sex to Crime.

SlDdller HunDef OF women than men
are convicted of crimes the conclusion
is drawn that their criminal propen-
stiles are weak or are under better
control. 1t is seldom taken into con-
sideration that young girls are watch,
ed more carefully than boys and are
kept under greater restraint. Neither
is it taken into the account that older
females spend almost all their time
at home. while males of their own
age are on the street or mingling
with persons whose habits are not
the best. Many of the temptations
to crime come from business compIi-
cations, in which women have no
share. AS women spend most Of
thelr Time at home with their chill
dren and female companions, they
are less likely to be tempted to do
acts of violence. Most hUmicides are
the results of anger inclted when
persons are away from their homes
and families. Violent quarreIs gen
orally take place in the street and
not in the sitting-room.
The history of crime, however,
shows that most of the murders COM
mitted by the administration of poi
son are perpetrated by women. They
show careful preparation and great
Irln In oil In
stance treachery is employed. The
victim is generally invited to partake
of refreshments supplied by one who
is presumed to be a friend, and does
so without the slightest suspicion.
Murder by the administration of poi
son is the darkest of all crimes, but
it is the one to which women have
been addicted more generally than
men in all ages and countries,
Statistics in relation to crime have
never been carefully compiled in this
country, and till recently little atten-
ton has been given to classifying
them. In Great Britain, however.
the matter has received more careful
consideration. In an extended re-
view of criminal matters there during
a period of fifty years the singular
fact has been ascertained that men
generally commit their crimes before
they are 40 years old. while women
commit theirs after that period in
their lives, In other words, men
generally cease TO commit crimes at
the age when women commence.
Another very remarkable fact has
recently been contributed to a Lon
don paper by the chaplain Of Clerk.
enwell Jail. 1t is to the effect that
women criminals are practically in
curables. He has prepared a table
extending through ten years, and
showing how many men and women
have been convicted of offenses more
than ten times during that period.
During last year there were commit
ted to the various prisons and jails
I in England and Wales $3.50 men and
9,734 women who had been commit
ted not less than ten times previous,
ly. Such is the case at time when
crime is rapidly decreasing, when the
number known as criminals is con-
stantly diminishing and when there
are six thousand fewer inmates of
| prisons than there were in 1886.
A partial explanation OF this
strange state of things may be found
| in the fact that women are more
thorOughg0ing in all things-gGOd,
or bad-than men are. They do
nothing by halves. Be the matter
the construction of a short cake, the
making of crazy quilt, or the
poisoning Of RIVAL, she devotes all
her time, knowledge and talents to
| it.
DOuhtlessly woman finds more
difficulty in reforming, if she ever
desires to do so. than man does,
The latter can 60 to a strange or dis
tant place, raise Whiskers, or shave
off those he had, and commence new
life. Ii he is skilled in any branch
of work he can generally find renum-
erative employment. A strange wo-
man is always looked upon with
suspicion, as it is presumed that she
would prefer to live in the town
where she was brought up and where
her old acquaintance are. A man
gets credit for his enterprise if he
goes to a new country and engages
in business for himself, Such is not
the case with women, CHICAGO
4sS-ses.