Criminality and economic conditions - Willem Adriaan Bonger

In another way Lombroso attempts to compare the economic conditions of different countries and their criminality, namely, by means of the number of savings-bank books. For Europe the figures are as follows (taken from Coghlan):

	Persons to Each Savings-bank Book.		Crimes to 100,000 Inhabitants.
	Persons to Each Savings-bank Book.		Homicide.		Theft.
Switzerland	4	.5	16		114
Denmark	5		13		114
Sweden	7		13		—
England	10		5	.6	163
Prussia	10		5	.7	246
France	12		18		103
Austria	14		25		103
Italy	25		96		150

These figures show how homicides move in inverse ratio to the number of savings-bank books, while the contrary is the case with thefts. The author forgets to point out that there are five exceptions to this rule.

In Italy the greatest number of accounts corresponds to the smallest number of homicides, as the following table shows: [[94]]

Average Number of Crimes in 20 Provinces in which the Wealth (According to the Number of Savings-Bank Books) is:
	Maximum.	Intermediate.		Minimum.
Fraudulent crimes	57	45		45
Sexual crimes	11	12	.6	20
Thefts	132	133		160
Homicides	10	12	.6	27	.4

There are several exceptions to this rule; for example, the richest, like Palermo, Rome, Naples, and Leghorn, give very high figures for homicides. According to Professor Lombroso the explanation in the case of Palermo and Naples is to be found in the geographical situation; in the case of Palermo, in race and the abuse of alcohol; and in the case of Rome, in race, the abuse of alcohol, and in the political situation.

For France we get the following results:

In Departments where the Degree of Wealth is:	Average Number of:
In Departments where the Degree of Wealth is:	Homicides.	Thefts.	Rapes.
Minimum	64	83	17
Medium	86	99	26
Maximum	89	186	29

Here is just the opposite of what we get in Italy. The author explains this in the following manner: first, the richest districts are those that are industrial, where the influx of immigrants is greatest (these latter committing four times as many crimes as the French); second, because of ethnic and climatic factors; third, because of the greater wealth of France, which is four times as rich as Italy; and fourth, because of the demoralizing influence of quickly acquired wealth.[9]

The industrial activity of a country causes a considerable increase of criminality, especially when it displaces agriculture. Of 42 agricultural departments only 11, or 26%, go beyond the average number of assassinations in France; while the average is exceeded by [[95]]10 out of the 26 departments of mixed industry, or 38%, and by 7 out of 17 manufacturing departments, or 41%. Rapes upon adults and crimes against persons show similar results.[10]