It is a curious fact that similar illusions have existed in all countries through the same causes and prejudices which have been mentioned above. In France, for instance, we often find that the keepers of the seals, reporting on volumes of the excellent and valuable series of criminal statistics since the year 1826, occasionally remark on these oscillatory diminutions, and make a point of treating them as <p 68>signs of a constant and general tendency, which succeeding years have always contradicted.
In France also, the same controversy has been kept up since 1840, with the same polemical artifices as were employed more recently in Italy, on the question whether crime has increased or decreased. Dufau, B<e'>ranger, Berrzat de St. Prix, and Legoyt affirmed that it had diminished since 1826, against the true opinion of de Metz, Dupin, Chassan, Mesuard, and Fayet, the last of whom quotes the others in one of his essays on criminal statistics, now undeservedly forgotten, though they abound in striking and profound observation.
But, as for France in those days, so for Italy to-day, the statistics of succeeding years quickly proved that what official optimism and national self-complacency spoke of as pessimism on our part was but a conscientious inference from lamentable facts, established in every country by the influence of civilisation on crime, which I have described in preceding pages.
After these general statements we ought logically to watch the periodic movement of each leading category of crimes and offences in each division of the country; for not all crimes, nor all districts, pursue the same course from year to year. But as this inquiry is impossible in the present work, we may pass on to the general figures for other European countries.
FRANCE.
1826-8. 1895-7.
Police Contraventions … … … 100 391 |
Offences … … … … … … 100 397 |
Crimes against the person … … 100 98 |in 61 years
'' property … … … 100 41 |
<p 69>
BELGIUM.
1850-2. 1883-5.
Tried by the Correctional Tribunals,
for crimes against the person soO log t in 36 years
'' property … IOO 162)
1840-2. 1883-5.
Tried by the Tribunals for ``Offences'' loo 260l
Tried at Assizes, crimes against the person loo 65 W in 46 years
'' '' property loo 2I )
ENGLAND.
1857-9. 1884-6.
Tried summarily, for offences … Ioo 176 in 30 years.
1835-7. 1884-6.
Criminal cases, against the person Ioo 143 }
'' against property, and for Win 55 years.
circulation of false money … too 55 )