Police-1957-1958 — Page 24

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