Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-04-17
THE COST OF CRIME.
Interesting Computation Which Shows How We
PAY For the Evil That Men Do.

A paper on line COSt OF crime, pre-
pared by Eugene Smith, Of this city,
for the National Prison association of
the United States, has been printed by
the order of the committee on the ju-
dietary Of the house of representatives,
says the Washington Times. In the
paper Mr.. Smith seeks to show what
share Of public taxation is properly
chargeable to crime. He says:
"This question is generally answer
ed in a most summary fashion. The
cost of maintaining the prisons, the
police and the criminal courts Is taken
to be the measure Of crime taxation.
No greater mistake than this can be
made in economics. Besides these
charges due to crime exclusively, there
is hardly an item of public expendi-
lures that is not, directly or indirectly,
enlarged by reason of the existence of
crime or that would not be diminished
If crime could be exterminated. The
cost of crime is an element prevailing
the whole budget Of taxation and en-
tering as a component part Of the cost
of every department Of it. These COM
posite items must be analyzed, and the
share of each attributable to crime Is
as surely part of the cost Of crime as
are the expenses of Jail and penitenti-
aries"
After going over the cost Of main
tanning an army and the sums spent
for charity, Mr.. Smith says:
"The cost of crime included in taxa
tion in the city Of New York, gives an
average charge Of over Sc for each in
dividual in its population; in San
Francisco, about $5 in other cities the
per capita tax runs, with slight varia-
ton, from SO to $3.50. The striking ex-
cess Of the rate in New York and San
Francisco above that of the other cities
Is explained in part by one very impor-
tant fact: The rate in New York and
San Francisco includes county taxa
ton, while the rate in other cities does
not.
From such light as can be gained
from the reports Of those cities and
from other sources, it would appear
that about 81 should be added to the
prevailing per capita of SO to $3.50 in
order to include county taxation. This
makes a total amount Of both city and
county taxation caused by crime, paid
by the dwellers in cities average from
o ;,lo ~ h11f n
cover variations and take the final re-
suit a conservative one I should prefer
to reduce the estimate as low at $3.50
per capita" .
Mr.. Smith figures that there are In
the United States 25OOOO persons who
make their living by criminal practi-
ces. Each of these, he argues, has an
average income Of $1,000 per year. He
continues:
1.-TWO hundred and fifty thousand
criminals, at $1,000 each, represents an
aggregate annual income of $4OO, ,OOO, OO0.
Add to this the yearly taxation caused
by crime of 5000, 100000 and it gives the
enormous total of s6OO,OOO,OOO. This
vast sum, exceeding the value OF the
entire cotton crop of the United States.
exceeding the value Of the entire wheat
crop of the United States, is part OF
the cost of crime. It is, all Of 1t, sheer
spoliation, without any compensating
consideration or benefit, a terrifying
incubus upon the industry and pros
perity of the people. There can be no
stronger proof of the wonderful resour-
ces and vitality Of American enterprise
than the fact that it is able to survive
and endure such desperate blood-let-
ting"