H.—l6.
Police Prosecutions. The following is a return of the number of convictions for which fines were imposed and the total amount of such fines in respect of prosecutions instituted by the police during the year ended 31st March, 1931 :—
Criminal Registration Branch. At headquarters the finger-impressions of 3,340 persons were received, classified, searched, and filed during the year ; 257 persons were identified as previous offenders who, had it not been for the finger-print system, would probably have passed as first offenders ; 1,316 photographs were taken by the photographers attached to the Branch ; the photographs of 4,344 prisoners (6,674 photographs) were dealt with, and 624- photographs were reproduced in the Police Gazette. In twenty-four cases of breaking and entering finger-prints left by the offenders when committing the crimes were identified and the offenders brought to justice. In twenty-two of these cases the offenders pleaded guilty at the Lower Court, thus saving the expense of Supreme Court trials. The most noteworthy of these were the following :— (1) A tobacconist's premises were broken into and finger-prints found on a fanlight through which entrance had been effected. These finger-prints were later identified, and the person concerned when confronted with the fact that his finger-prints had been found on the fanlight at once admitted that he had committed the offence, and implicated an accomplice. He also admitted having committed another burglary, and indicated that others had assisted him.. He was later sentenced to a term of imprisonment, while three of his confederates were also convicted and sentenced. Thus finger-prints in this case were the cause of four offenders being brought to justice and two offences cleared up. (2) In another case a motor-car was stolen and driven to another town, where premises were broken into and goods stolen therefrom. Finger-prints found at the scene were identified, and when their owner was interviewed and informed that his finger-prints had been found he admitted the offences. During the year the finger-print system was responsible for the identification of twenty-three persons wanted by the police, and also three deceased persons. The work in this Branch shows a considerable increase over that for the preceding year. The following table shows the increase in the finger-print collection since the introduction of the finger-print system of identification in March, 1903 :—
The section of the Criminal Registration Branch at Auckland, which was established in June, 1928, reports that the finger-impressions of 878 persons were received, classified, searched, card-indexed, and filed during the year, and of this number 170 were taken at that office. Eleven persons were identified as previous offenders. The finger-print collection now totals 2,050 impressions, and 214 reconvictions have been recorded. In four cases of breaking and entering finger-prints left by offenders when committing the crimes were identified, and the offenders pleaded guilty. The photographs of , 371 prisoners were taken, and 1,722 photographs with descriptions and criminal histories were supplied to the Department; 194 miscellaneous photographs of exhibits, views of localities, &c., required in investigations and prosecutions were also supplied. The results of prosecutions and particulars of previous local criminal history were furnished in 429 cases to the Criminal Registration Branch in Wellington.
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Pines payable to Number of Total Amount of r Convictions. Fines imposed. £ Consolidated Fund .. .. .. .. .. .. 12,210 29,565 Main Highways Revenue Fund (section 24, Motor-vehicles Act, 1924) 5,437 10,671 Local authorities (by-law offences) . . . . .. .. 572 449 Total .. .. .. .. .. 18,219 40,685
Number of Increase on Prisoners Number of Increase on Prisoners Year. Prints in Previous aced as Year. Prints in Previous traced as Collection. Y„, 0 P ™ I CoUooti.o. Y,„. 0 ,"XI 1904 .. 3,500 3,500 117 1918 .. 20,982 1,474 132 1905 .. 4,200 I 700 72 1919 .. 22,332 1,350 153 1906 .. 5,000 1 800 88 1920 .. 23,686 1,354 176 1907 .. 6,151 I 1.151 104 1921 .. 26,650 2,964 232 1908 .. 7,622 1,471 123 1922 .. 28,408 1,758 255 1909 .. 8,718 1,096 138 I 1923 .. 30,284 1,876 292 1910 .. 9,919 1,201 140 I 1924 .. 31,929 1,645 289 1911 .. 10,905 986 148 1925 .. . 33,802 1,873 267 1912 .. 12,097 1,192 178 1926 .. j 35,844 2,042 292 1913 .. 13,552 1,455 183 1927 .. 37,808 1,964 255 1914 .. 15,302 1,750 230 1928 .. 39,409 1,601 276 1915 .. 16,682 1,380 270 1929 .. 40,852 1,443 208 1916 .. 18,134 1,452 218 j 1930 .. 42,371 1,519 239 1917 .. 19,508 1,374 166 1931 .. 43,973 1,602 | 257