STATISTICS OF DRUNKENNESS.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 261, 13 April 1875, Page 3

STATISTICS OF DRUNKENNESS.

We recently had occasion to compare the statistics of drunkenness as set forth in a return of offences under the Licensing Act, 1872, with figures of the same apparent import in the Blue-book of Judicial Statistics. The comparison disclosed a large increase of cases. There was, however, a doubt, which we expressed, as to the offences recorded in Mr Ratlibone’s paper being identical with the class ordinarily defined and published by the Home Office as “ drunkenness, and drunk and disorderly.” It is now evident that Mr Rathbone’s return includes a number of cases which the judicial statistics omit or probably place under some other head, as “ assaults,” aggravated or common ; “ breaches of the peace,” &c. For the introductory report to the judicial statistics of 1873. Mr Cross’s department has tabulated those offences which were treated by the Magistrates summarily during the five last years. We have thus the means of instituting a just comparison ; the figures are given for each year without any qualification, and therefore as absolutely correct for our purpose. They are entered in the following table, to which we have added the rates of drunken offences to the estimated population of each year :

Number of persons proceeded against summarily for the offences of “Drunkenness and Drunk and Disorderly” in England and Wales during the five years named below: Years ending Sep- No. of Ratio for tember 29. Population. Persons. 1,000. 1869 22,223,000 122,310 55 1870 22,501,000 131,870 59 1871 22,783,000 142,343 62 1872 23,068,000 151,084 6’5 1873 23,356,000 182,941 7*B From 1869 to 1872 there was in cases of drunkenness an annual increase of 10,000 or thereabouts. The Licensing Bill was passed in the last-named year. In 1873 the increase of offenders was very nearly 32,000, or more than the increase which the three previous returns in the aggregate represent. Again, comparing the last with the first year of the table shows that in the last year the offenders had increased upwards of 60,000 — i.e., from 122,310 to 182,941. The final column above furnishes the evidence that the cases of summarily treated drunkenness are increasing quicker than the population. In 1869 to every 10,000 of the people there were 55 cases' (or 5.5 per 1,000); by 1873 the proportion had risen to 78, or 23 per 10,000 over the ratio of 1869. —Pa1l Mall Gazette.