The Sun. — 1839-08-23 (London, England)

STATE OF CRIME IN THE COUNTY OF EDINBURGH.  (FROM MR. HILL'S REPORT.) Of the county generally and the city, Mr. Hill re  ports as follows " STATE OF CRIME, licc.--About the same, apparently, as at the time of the last report. The prisons of Edinburgh have been unusually full during part of the year ; but it is believed that this is a matter of accident, rather than an evidence of an increase of crime. Several gentlemen concerned in the administration of justice (including the Superintendent of the Edinburgh police) are of opinion that, while there have been more offenders than usual in prison of late, there have been fewer at large ; and it will be seen, by referring to the evidence given in the Report on the Edinburgh Bridewell, that the same opinion is entertained by some of  the prisoners. " Captain Stuart, the superintendent of police, states that there are about 35 convicted and reputed thieves at present at large in Edinburgh, of whom about 26 are males, and aout 15 females. Of the males, he says, about seven are above 20 years old ; and that of these three have returned from transportation, having received a pardon before the expiration of their sentence. The other male thieves are from 10 to 20 years old. Of the females six or seven are stated to be above 20 years old, and the others between 14 and 20. Captain Stuart further states, that there are about 800 prostitutes within the bounds of the police ; and he adds that the greater part of the thieves are the children of profligate parents, who first sent them out to beg. " The sheriff-substitute, the procurator-fiscal for the city and county, and the superintendent of police (all of whom were present at the meeting at which I made my inquiries), believe that there were only three heinous offences committed it: the county during the year 1838 ; namely, one murder and two highway robberies. So far as they know, there was no rape, no case of housebreaking With violence to the inmates, and no case of fireraising. " The following is a statement of the average number of cases in the Edinburgh Police Court during the last fifteen years ; and when it is considered that the pop lation has considerably increased during that time, that the boundaries of the police have been extended, and that there has, at least, been no falling off in the efficiency of the police, the result appears satisfactory.  1824...8,022 1825...8,055  1829...7,178 1834...7,621 1830...6,930 1835...6,226  1826-.7,645  1831...7,283 1836...6,832  1827...6,660 1832...7,220 1837...6,933 1828...7;391 1833...8,382 1838...6,351 Average of 5 years Average of 5 years Average of 5 years eading1828,7,554, ending 1833,7,398. ending 1838,6,792." Mr. 11111 states elsewhere that the property abstracted by a professional thief is supposed to average 12s. or 15s. per day, which is divided between himself and the receiver. It would follow that the thirty-five thieves plying their vocation here must, at 12s. a-day, levy a tax of 6,0001. per annum on the city. Instead of confining his inquiries to the officers, Mr. Hill examined a number of the prisoners, whose evi dence occasionally throws light on the causes of crime, and the effects of imprisonment and jail discipline. We give a few short extracts