The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1883-12-08 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

THE STATISTICS OF CRIMINALITY IN TIIE BOROUGH.  From the report for the year ended 29th September, 1683, of the Chief Constable of the Borough (Major Barker. we gather that of indictable offences the number of crimes committed during the past year is 365, being 27 in excess of the number for the previous year. This was due to larceny, which appeared to be on the increase. There had been 295 indictable offences of larceny above ss. and 377 offences disposed of summarily, making a total of 672 against 610 of last year. This gave an increase of 52 crimes. Oue attempt at murder had been recorded, which was that of Joseph Teece, who shot a girl Reined Jane Wainwright through the head and was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. In less flagrant offences, including assaults and cases heard on summons, there was an increase of 633 persons proceeded aeaiust, but this was deed', due to 30 more crimes of violence, 412 school offences, 153 offeuces under the licensing acts, and 47 of inalieions injury. Of children and young persons apprehended under the Summary Jurisdiction act, for larceny and other offences, there was an increase of 10 over those of last year. The total number brought up was 192, of whom 96 were convicted and 96 discharged, the last item representing the leniency of justices in giving children '• up to their parents and not that the prosecutions failed for want of evidence. There was altogether an increase of ill persons betted , up, the number in 1832 being 1,935 and in 1883,2,026. The number of iufor mations laid by the police were about the same as those •of last year. Two beerhouses, two refreshment houses, and three grocers' licenses had lapsed while no new licenses had been granted, and by the 45th and 46th Vic., c. 34, the justices could now refuse an application fcr an " off " beer license without right A appeal. Under the licensing acts 33 persons were summoned and 20 convicted, while last year there were 26 summoned and 16 convicted. The steady decrease of drunkenness from year to year had not been maintained this year, there having been a total increase of 130 drunken persons, 94 of whom were men and 36 women. Among other things the report stated that the number of uninhabited houses and shops in the borough was 1,438, giving an increase of 160, which was due to enterprise of builders in erecting new property. Persons moved from the old parts of the borough into the clean, new property, the old remaining unoccupied. The total strength of the police force is 146, including officora of all grades. Two constables had been added daring the past year. The conduct of the men had been very geed, only two having been dismissed. The foregoing statistics taken altogether, though hopt ful in some respects, are disagreeably suggestive on a few points, including drunkenness. It is just poosible, however, that the appointment of two additional constables may have made all or nearly all the difference between the ileums of the past year and those of the present. Certainly 116 men ought to be able to do more work than 144, apart from the emulation which "fresh blood" may have inspired. Besides, police acumen cannot be eepected to be regulated with the nicety of a steam pressure guage, so as to make apprehension or summons the certain consequence of ' reaching a certain given line. Possibly the evening school for the policemen, referred to in the report as having been well patronised. may have been instrumental in enabling the student to fix the exact position of the line dividing sobriety from ebriety. Let not the social reformer, however, who may find any apology in these theories for a higher criminal list, slacken his efforts on that accouut.