The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-05-09
What Crime Costs.

The most notable paper read be-
fore the National Prison Associa-
ton last year was one presented
by Eugene Smith on $'the cost of
crime.' So important were the
facts which Mr.. Smith brought
out, that the house of represent
atives has printed the document in
pamphlet form for general distri-
button. The figures cited are
startling.
What share Of public taxation is
properly chargeable to crime? It
is usually thought that the sum
total is the cost of maintaining
prisons, the police and criminal
courts. But Mr.. Smith shows
that this is but fraction of it.
In addition ''there is hardly any
item of public expenditure that is
not, directly or indirectly, en-
larged by reason of the existence
OF crime, or that would not be
diminished if crime could be ex-
terminated" For example, a large
part of the work of every legisla-
ture is devoted to matters relating
to crime, both in devising penal
statutes, and in providing for the
erection and maintenance of penal
and charitable institutions made
necessary by crime. So, also, the
executive and judicial departments
OF government have a large part Of
their attention engaged in dealing
with criminal matters. The cost
of criminal prosecutions is enor-
nous. Then, the annual sum ap-
propriated for the support Of
charitable institutions, amounting
in the United States to, $40,0O0,-
900, is, in for the largest part,
made necessary by crime. 1t com
monty happens that the sending of
man to prison breaks up fam
lily and throws its members on the
public for support. A careful
study of the conditions shows that
at least one-half of all public char
liable costs are due to crime.
The criminal statistics of nine
representative cities of the United
States give MI. Smith the basis
for some startling exhibits. These
cities are: New York, Cleveland,
Chicago, St. Louis, San Francisco,
Richmond, Charleston, Savannah,
and New Orleans. The cost of
crime, as measured by taxation in
these centers, may be conserva-
lively estimated at an average from
$500 to 81. 50 for each inhabitant.
But, in order not to exaggerate, he
places it at $3.50 per inhabitant.
Upon this basis he computes the
cost for the population living in
cities. For the population living
in the towns and sparsely settled
districts he places the average tax
for crime at $1.O0 per inhabitant.
In this way he obtains the follow
ing result:
City and county taxation chargeable
tocrime-3O 900. 900 inhabitants of
cltles per capita rate of $3.50. s105. 100000
Town and county taxation charge
able to crime-45. 100000 inhabl-
tants of the open country at per
capita rate OF Sl.00 49,. ... Is ON) nf)
Federal and state taxation charge
aDle to crime. not less than...... 50 600 900
But this is only the be- ginning.
IL represents only what is paid IN
the way of prevention. 1t has a
relation to the whole cost some
thing like that which the cost of
maintaining a fire department NAV
have to the losses by fire. From
reliable statistics it has been ascer-
tanned that persons who follow
crime as business realize from
their spoliations on the community
$1,000 each per annum. But this
does not represent half the loss
sustained, since it is we'll known
fact that the receivers or purchas-
ers OF stolen goods get the lions