The statistics that give information upon the degree of education of these criminals are more interesting still. As we have seen above, only 0.1% of those guilty of assault had a higher education, while 40.5% of these criminals were illiterate, and 59.4% knew only how to read, or to read and write. In France from 1896 to 1900 the completely illiterate constituted 16% of those guilty of assault, and 15% of the assassins, while in the general population there were only 4.5% who did not know how to sign their names. In Italy only 1% of the assassins and only 0.6% of those guilty of assault had a higher education, 99% and 99.4% respectively were illiterate or knew only how to read and write. These are striking figures.
In this connection let us stop for a moment to consider the geography of these crimes, and place beside the figures on this point those of illiteracy. We will begin with a table of figures for homicide and assaults followed by death, for some of the countries of Europe.[520] [[631]]
| Country.[521] | Years. | Homicides and Assaults followed by Death to 100,000 Inhabitants. | Years. | Illiteracy %. |
| Italy | 1880–84 | 70.0 | 1882 | 57.43 |
| Spain | 1883–84 | 64.9 | 1889 | 68.10 |
| Hungary | 1876–80 | 56.2 | 1880 | 59.70 |
| Austria | 1877–81 | 10.8 | 1880,, | 40.10 |
| Belgium | 1876–80 | 8.5 | 1880,, | 21.66 |
| Ireland | 1880–84 | 8.1 | 1882 | 30.00 |
| France | 1880–84,, | 6.4 | 1882,, | 13.10 |
| Scotland | 1880–84,, | 4.4 | 1882,, | 11.00 |
| England | 1880–84,, | 3.9 | 1883 | 14.00 |
| Germany | 1882–84 | 3.4 | 1881–82 | 1.54 |
| Holland | 1880–81 | 3.1 | 1880 | 11.50 |
No one will deny the striking parallelism between these columns, the highest figures for homicide being found where there are also the largest figures for illiteracy. As we have seen already, however, international statistics have inherent defects. The following figures are better in this regard:[522]
United States.
| Birthplace. | Number of Homicides to 100,000 Inhabitants. | Illiteracy %. |
| Sweden, Norway, Denmark | 5.8 | 0.42 |
| Germany | 9.7 | 0.57 |
| England and Scotland | 10.4 | 2.50 |
| Austria | 12.2 | 16.73 |
| Ireland | 17.5 | 41.65 |
| France | 27.4 | 43.60 |
| Italy | 58.1 | 51.77 |
We have here also, then, a striking parallelism. We will now take up the geography of homicide, etc., in different parts of one country; some of the faults inherent in the geography of crime are thus eliminated. [[632]]
Germany, 1893–1897.[523]
| States and Provinces. | Number of Persons Convicted for Serious Assaults to 100,000 Inhabitants over 12 Years of Age.[524] | Percentage of Illiterates among the Recruits 1892–1893. | Percentage of Votes Given to the Socialist in the Election of 1898.[525] |
| Bavaria | 391 | 0.03 | 18.0 |
| West Prussia | 334 | 4.01 | 4.9 |
| Posen | 326 | 1.72 | 1.7 |
| East Prussia | 265 | 0.98 | 18.3 |
| Silesia | 252 | 0.57 | 22.3 |
| Baden (Grand Duchy) | 250 | 0.02 | 19.1 |
| Hesse | 248 | 0.03 | 33.9 |
| Alsace-Lorraine | 237 | 0.30 | 22.7 |
| Pomerania | 227 | 0.22 | 17.2 |
| Westphalia | 223 | 0.08 | 17.7 |
| Germany | 219 | 0.38 | 27.1 |
| Prussia | 211 | 0.59 | 24.1 |
| Rhine Province | 201 | 0.08 | 15.0 |
| Wurtemberg | 197 | 0.04 | 20.3 |
| Saxony (Province) | 185 | 0.07 | 34.0 |
| Brandenburg | 184 | 0.15 | 35.6 |
| Hesse-Nassau | 161 | 0.14 | 30.9 |
| Hanover | 146 | 0.04 | 25.6 |
| Sleswick-Holstein | 106 | 0.10 | 38.9 |
| Saxony (Kingdom) | 82 | 0.01 | 49.4 |
The parallelism between the first two columns is undeniable; the states and provinces with low figures for illiteracy show also a small number of assaults, and vice versa, with some exceptions—notably Bavaria. The reason why Bavaria is at the head of the list is undoubtedly because of the alcoholism that prevails there. [[633]]