The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1914. CRIME IN SCOTLAND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 41, 18 February 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1914. CRIME IN SCOTLAND.

A report has been issued by the Imperial Government on the judicial statistics of Scotland for the year 1912, which surprisingly indicates that there was a notable and general increase in crime, which was most marked in assaults, theft, theft by housebreaking, and other offences, including drunkenness. The total number of persons dealt with in the criminal courts during the year was 162,886, an increase of 7,439, or 4.7 per , cent on the previous year. With regard to serious crime the total number of persons proceeded against in 1912 was 26,949, an increase of 1,217, or nearly 9 per cent on the figure for the previous year. The rise in crimes against the person occurred almost entirely in assaults — largely by husbands on wives—and cruel and unnatural treatment of children, whilst the dominant feature in crimes against property with violence was theft by housebreaking, in which there was a rise of nearly 13 per cent. No capital sentence was passed in 1912, and the number sentenced to penal servitude was 98 (including three females), the lowest total recorded since 1906. Special attention is directed in the report to a large number of persons committed to prison in Scotland in default of payment of fines — namely, 36,731 out of a total of 89,031 sentenced to pay fines. The report proceeds: “The Commissioners continue to believe that were greater care taken to assess fines on a basis which would bring them within the reach of offenders the number going to prison in default would lie greatly reduced, and whilst the total amount received! from lines, most of which goes in aid I of local rates, might perhaps bo less, a.'.-! saving to the State in the cost of I imprisonment, which falls ou the Go■fViunent, 11011111 he very considerable, an I the sentence, which presumably was intended for one of fine, would be more generally carried out.”