PART V
STATE OF CRIME AND THE CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT
GENERAL
80. The total number of reports coming to the notice of the police during the year was 403,427, an increase of 34,236 over the previous year. A breakdown of these reports, together with comparative figures for the two previous years is shown below.
Offence
1957/58
1956/57 1955/56
Serious Crime
15,705
19,923
19,603
Deportation Offences
1,155
1,356
3,745
Membership of Unlawful Societies
1,796
752
79
Miscellaneous Offences
231,696
191,756
234,838
Reports disclosing no offence
153,075
155,404
170,683
403,427 369,191
428,948
81.
SERIOUS CRIME
Offences classified as serious crime are listed in Appendix VII and the graphs following paragraph 82 show the general trend of crime.
Deaths by Violence
82. Nineteen deaths by violence were recorded during the year. Sixteen of the cases were cleared up, process being taken before the Courts in fifteen cases. In the remaining case the offender, a woman, committed suicide after killing her nephew aged three years. Of the cases taken to Court, one offender, the survivor of a suicide pact, was discharged when the Crown offered no evidence at the trial; a second offender was also discharged when no evidence was offered; whilst in a third case a nolle prosequi was entered by the Crown. In five further cases the accused persons were found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from one year to sixteen years. In one case the accused was sentenced to death; in another the offender was found ‘guilty but insane' and was sentenced to be detained during Her Majesty's pleasure; whilst proceedings in five other cases remain pending. The motives have been established as follows:
Avarice 7; Love affairs 7; Insanity 3; Suicide pact 1; Abortion 1.
16
TOTAL SERIOUS CRIMES (EXCLUDING BREACH OF DEPORTATION
AND MEMBERSHIP OF UNLAWFUL SOCIETY)
-V