An examination of the criminality of women in the different parts [[474]]of the same country, Germany for example, shows that the highest figures for female criminality are furnished by the great cities and the countries most developed economically.

Germany, 1897–1898.[188]

Cities or Countries.Percentage of Women among the Convicts.
1897.1898.
Berlin 27.8 27.6
Hamburg 24.7 25.3
Saxony 22.0 21.7
Prussia 21.8 21.5
Germany as a whole 20.6 20.3
Bavaria 18.6 18.6
Alsace-Lorraine 17.3 18.1
Wurtemberg 16.7 15.8
Hesse 15.2 14.4
Baden 13.8 12.1

As regards England, Morrison says that of misdemeanors 25% are committed by women in London (Metropolitan Police District), and 33% in Manchester; while women commit only 10% of the misdemeanors in Surrey, and about 14% in Lancashire.[189] The high percentages come then in the places where the social position of woman is most nearly equal to that of man.

Dr. H. Hoegel gives the following table for Austria. As the author says it proves that the country where the woman takes the greatest part in the economic life gives the highest figures for female criminality.

As to the movement of the criminality of women the data that I have given, and others that I have at my disposal, are not significant enough to lead to a definite conclusion. In England it has been made out that there is a small diminution of serious crimes and a slight increase of minor offenses, though the period of observation is very short. Between 1881 and 1900 the relative criminality of men and women remained constant. In Italy there was between 1890 and 1895 a slight increase in the absolute number, and a slight, but fluctuating, diminution in the relative number. In the Netherlands the proportions remained pretty constant from 1896 to 1901. [[475]]

Austria, 1889–1893.[190]

Country.Number of Women toNumber of Convictions for Crime to 10,000 of Population.
100 of Population.100 Convicts.
Moravia 52.5 18.0 15.9
Silesia 52.5 17.8 17.8
Salzburg 50.9 17.6 17.6
Bohemia 52.0 17.2 8.9
Lower Austria 51.4 16.7 14.1
Upper Austria 50.9 16.1 13.9
Austria 51.4 14.9 12.6
Carinthia 51.6 14.7 18.5
Galicia 51.0 13.7 13.7–10.4[191]
Tyrol and Vorarlberg 51.4 13.5 10.5–12.0[192]
Styria 50.7 12.9 17.3
Bukowina 50.0 11.8 13.3
Littoral of Trieste 50.2 8.8 14.2
Carniola 52.5 7.5 19.5
Dalmatia 50.0 6.8 13.9

The following are the figures for Germany and Austria:

Germany, 1888–1900.[193]