INCREASE IN CRIME

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 21, 20 October 1937, Page 15

INCREASE IN CRIME

Offences Reported During ; 1936 FINES FOR BOOKMAKING Offences reported to the police during 1936 to tailed 35,448, an aggregate net increase of 2280 on the figures for tlie previous year, according to the annual report of the Police Department presented in the House of Representatives yesterday. The proportion of offences to the population was 2.23 per cent., as against 2.11 per cent, in 1935. Drunkenness accounted for the largest individual increase, the number of prosecutions for this type of offence increasing from 3179 (3057 males and 113 females) in 1935 to 4186 (4043 males and 143 females) in 1936. Of the males 42.74 per cent, had previous convictions recorded against them, and in the case of females 55.04 had been convicted before. The statistics also show increases m offences reported under the headings of common assault, breaches of prohibition orders, exposure of person and grossly indecent acts, false statements and declarations, found on licensed premises after closing hours, found on premises where liquor was seized under a warrant, found in common gaminghouse, maintenance offences, causing death or bodily injury through reckless driving, intoxication in charge of motor vehicle, reckless or negligent driving, minor breaches of Motor 1 ehicles Act, selling or exposing liquor for sale without a licence, thefts by clerks or servants, and unlawfully using horses, motor-cars, etc. • The principal decreases in the offences reported were in respect to house burglary or shop-breaking, breaches of Arms Act, conspiracy to defraud, failure to comply with conditions of release under First Offenders Probation Act, false pretences, forgery and uttering, obtaining credit by fraud, opium smoking, receiving property dishonestly obtained, petty theft, theft from dwellings and vagrancy offences. Eight deaths occurred as a result of murder, this number being three less than in 1935. Of the offenders, four were arrested, one committed suicide,' and in one case no arrest was made despite.long and diligent investigation. The report states that to date the finger-print system has been responsible for the identification of 6650 persons in New Zealand. During the year ended March 31 last there were 179 prosecutions in connection with bookmaking. Convictions totalled 177, and the amount of fines imposed was £5596.