PRISON POPULATION

Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1931, Page 3

PRISON POPULATION

EFFECT OF DEPRESSION, leitfei upn, 1 uj Piuc'o Aowimiiuu,, WELLINGTON, July 27. During times ol industrial itepiession crime seems to inciease. The general depiv sion m New Zealand nas ueeu accompanied by a marked increase during the past year in the number of persons admitted to ’ prison. Inquiries show that the "daily average m custody was 1466—28 in excess ctf the previous year. Although the prison population towards the end of 1930 was larger than it had been tor many years, it is reported that there has been a slight decrease in numbers since then. Although the depression has resulted in a momenary increase,' tlie general trend for the past few years has been downward. In 1929 tbe number of persons sentenced to imprisonment in New Zealand was 50 per cent, less per 10,000 of the general population than it was 25 years ago. The drop since the immediate pre-war years has been from 31 per 10,000 to 12 per 10,000 for last year. The ratio per 10,000 for the pastfew years has been as follows: —1925, 20:8 ;’ 1926,; 19.4; 1927, 18.8; 1928, 17.4 ; 19'9, 17.6-;l 7 . 6-; 1930. 19,2; CAUSES OF CRIME. At the opening of tile-Survey Assizes reeei 11 !y, Mr Justice' McCardie that tlui volume of indictable crime in England, was greater than in any period during the last sixty years. It-was: true that .there .had been no increase in j crimes of violence but there had been; a most striking increase' pi crime such j as house-breaking, larceny,' embezzle-! inent, and false pretences. Moreover, there had been a deplorable increase in "blackmail. “Having often analysed the cause of serious crime,” said His Lordship, “I have (found that drink lias remarkably little to do with it, and striking though the circumstances might appear, poverty has very little to do with it also. The causes of crime still remain as they have largely in the pest —lust, greed, vanity, and jealousy—just the fundamental weaknesses of mankind and womankind.” Tn the 1928 report of the English Prison Commissioners it was stated that crime at Home had not .decreased in the last twenty years. The volume oP indictable offence bed increased and in many of 'tbe serious ! offences, such as h'Misc-brenkiwt and slmn-hvenk in a and false nreteneos the increase was suhstantbil;