INCREASE IN CRIME

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23393, 7 January 1938, Page 8

INCREASE IN CRIME

AUCKLAND STATISTICS LESS JUVENILE DELINQUENCY (Special to Daily Times) AUCKLAND, Jan. 6. Criminal offences were more prevalent in Auckland last year than in either of the two previous years. The figures indicate that the increased prosperity of the people generally has had a tendency to create more crime. The number of cases grew steadily for the first nine months but in the final term there was a slight decrease. The total number of cases dealt with by magistrates in the Police Court was 9683. representing a gam of 1074 on the number of offenders charged in 1936. Once again there was a marked increase in crime among men, of whom 8325 were brought to book. There were 349 fewer in the former year More trouble was also caused by women, there being an increase of 165 in the number of such offenders who totalled 883.

More men were charged between July and September than at any other time in the year, proceedings being taken against 2541 in that period, Women offended most between October and December, when 294 were taken to court, Juvenile delinquency revealed some measure of encouragement in its tendency to decline. During the year 475 cases came before the Children’s Court, against 508 the year before, or a decrease of 33 Boys were by far the more frequent troublemakers, nearly ten times as many as girls being reprimanded There were 427 boys and 48 girls brought before the court.