It will be seen that the category (16-21) has fallen from 13,433 males in 1896 to 6,320 in 1913-14. In the 'seventies it represented 1,306 per 100,000 of the population of the country of that particular age, and since that time the ratio has fallen as shown below:—

1883 1,164 per 100,000 of population 16-21
1893 728 " " "
1903 499 " " "
1914 212 " " "

The following Table is interesting as showing the higher average age of the prison population in 1913-14 as compared with ten years before that date, indicating the fact that the supply of younger recruits is failing:—

Age on conviction, and the Proportion Per
Cent. which each Category bears to the Total.
Under
21		21 to
30		30 to
40		40 to
50		50 to
60		60 and
over
Males—
1902-311·626·726·918·2 8·1 8·2
1913-14 6·124·828·821·310·0 9·0
Females—
1902-3 4·825·335·022·6 7·8 4·3
1913-14 2·518·434·129·111·3 4·4

As described in a foregoing Chapter, it was about the time of the year first-named in the above Table that the Borstal System was inaugurated, and to its operation (both "Full" and "Modified" Systems) the decline in the rates of the first two columns is doubtless largely due. Shortly before the outbreak of War, the Borstal Association furnished remarkable figures showing that, since the Borstal System was made statutory in 1909, only 392, out of 1,454 lads, or 27 per cent., discharged from Borstal Institutions during that period had been reconvicted. Bearing in mind that all these lads had qualified for Borstal detention as being "of criminal habits or tendencies," it is not surprising to find that the successful efforts of the Association, and of those of Borstal Committees in Local Prisons, are resulting in a decreasing number not only of the age with which they are directly concerned, 16-21, but with the following one (21-30), which has hitherto contributed some 30,000 cases annually.

But while the statistics of 1913 showed a decrease in the volume of serious crime, and a falling-off both in the total number committed to prison for these as well as for less serious offences, (and of those so committed a decreased proportion of young and first offenders) there remained both in Local and Convict Prisons a large body of reconvicted men and women. Thus, in Local Prisons, the percentage of reconviction stood at 61 and 77 for men and women, respectively: while in Convict Prisons, presumably for more serious offences, the percentage was 87 and 67 respectively. But this high figure, taken in conjunction with the falling prison population and the decreased number of young and first offenders shows conclusively that recidivism in both cases is being localized, and that, in course of time, (if even at this late stage the many agencies now operating fail to reform) this large body of men and women will disappear from criminal statistics, leaving a reduced number to take their place. So far as penal servitude prisoners are concerned, their number is relatively small. An inquiry made in 1910 into the careers of ex-convicts showed the rate of reconviction to be about 70 per cent. Since that date the Central Association for the Aid of Discharged Convicts has been established, and they were able to report in 1915 concerning nearly 2,800 men, largely Recidivist convicts, the majority of whom had been at liberty for more than two years, that only 50 per cent. had been reconvicted.

With regard to petty recidivism in Local Prisons, the number, prior to the great reduction since 1914, was largely composed of persons of vagrant habit: many, too, were mentally defective. As an example, it was found at a particular prison that out of 700 vagrants received in a year, 236 served from two to seven imprisonments during the year, and that the total previous convictions of these 236 men amounted to considerably over 2,000: while 92 reported in one year at another prison as being of feeble mind had together amassed a total of 1,270 convictions. Although the total of the latter category has diminished, recent statistics show that the proportion of mentally defective in the prison population remains about the same. So far as these are concerned, it had been hoped that when the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913, was brought fully into operation, the Prisons would have been purged of this class, who are unfitted for prison discipline; but these hopes remain to a large extent unfulfilled, chiefly owing to difficulties arising out of the War in finding accommodation for defective persons. Should legislation proceed on the lines of the recommendations of the Vagrancy Committee of 1906, and should restriction on the sale of intoxicating liquor still be enforced, there is little doubt that the high rate of petty recidivism in Local Prisons will be permanently reduced.

(B) THE RESULT OF THE WAR.

The European War broke out in August, 1914, and it is the purpose of the following pages to show, as far as possible, the effect of the many changes brought about by the social upheaval consequent upon war-time conditions and legislation upon the crime of the country.