| Years. | Good Character Hitherto. | Character Unknown. | Price of Wheat. | |
| Sh. | d. | |||
| 1858 | 153,576 | 138,388 | 43 | 11 |
| 1859 | 153,369 | 150,084 | 43 | 8 |
| 1860 | 137,574 | 144,485 | 52 | 9 |
| 1864 | 167,038 | 165,808 | 40 | 2 |
The author explains that the crimes against property are one of the consequences of the struggle for existence, a fact which accounts in part for the high figures for criminality in the great cities, where competition is most intense. The author treats of theft, and begins by saying that the connection between the price of provisions and theft is very close.
France.
| Years. | Thefts. | Price of Cereals. |
| fr. | ||
| 1856 | 18,222 | 16.75 |
| 1857 | 17,218 | 16.75,, |
| 1858 | 15,537 | 16.75,, |
| 1859 | 14,755 | 16.75,, |
| 1860 | 15,707 | 20.24 |
During the following years the prices fell. Nevertheless the number of thefts increased. According to Fuld we can draw the conclusion that the influence of price is only relative!—This table proves little. For, while in 1856 criminality attained its highest point, prices were lower than in 1860; and, while the figures for theft diminished greatly, prices remained constant.—
England.
| Years. | Thefts. | Price of Cereals. | ||
| With Violence. | Without Violence. | |||
| Sh. | d. | |||
| 1857 | 6471 | 43,397 | 42 | 10 |
| 1858 | 5723 | 45,618 | 43 | 11 |
| 1859 | 4433 | 41,370 | 43 | 8 |
| 1860 | 4065 | 41,151 | 52 | 9 |
| 1861 | 5062 | 40,242 | 55 | 4 |
| 1862 | 5746 | 40,191 | 55 | 5 |
| 1863 | 5433 | 39,801 | 44 | 9 |
| 1864 | 5022 | 39,481 | 40 | 2 |
| 1865 | 5160 | 40,383 | 41 | 10 |
| 1866 | 5088 | 39,731 | 43 | 10 |
| 1867 | 6355 | 46,502 | 49 | 10 |
[[59]]
Here there is some agreement between the number of thefts and prices. But it is not as great as Fuld would make out. For example, notwithstanding the sudden rise on prices in 1860, criminality diminished, while the year following there was a still further fall in the thefts without violence.