NEW ZEALANDERS AND CRIME.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1146, 16 September 1913, Page 2

NEW ZEALANDERS AND CRIME.

A MARKED DECREASE

Napier, Sept. 15.

In his address to the Grand Jury at the Supreme Gourt, Sir Robert Stout referred to the fact that relatively, ip proportion to the population, crime bad been decreasing for years “Even the prison population has decreased,” said the Chief Justice, “ though during the last thirty years new offences had been created, and we have established a new system of dealing with offenders: the indeterminate sentence. 1 thought that would have largely : increased the prison population, and no doubt it has increased it somewhat ; at all events, in the first years of its adoption. Nevertheless, the number of prisoners has proportionately decreased. Reference to statistics will bring this out very clearly. On the 31st December, 1881, the number of persons in prison per 10,000 of the population was 1377 ; in 1886, io'6o; in ißqr, B*l2 ; in 1896, 970; in ipoiy 9*05 ; in 1906, 9-0 ; in 1911, B*sl. The Habitual Criminals v 'Act was passed in 1906, and not'dbly has the prison population ; decreased relatively to the population, but serious crime has absolutely decreased. This can be tested by sentences given. In 1906 1152 persons received sentences exceeding three months ; in 1907, 1129 ; in 1908. 805 ; in 1909, 1152 ; in 1910, 895 ; in 1911, 783 ; in' 1912, 652.

Another very satisfactory feature of the. criminal statistics, is that, taking persons ..over 15, years of age born in New Zealand, we'will find that in 1911' they amount to 47 per cent of the population, but only 36 per cent of the prisoners over 15 years of age are New Zealand born. These'facts speak well for New Zealand youths, and I think every unbiassed person will say they also redound to the efficient moral training of youths. To our system of education much of this is due.”