“_Increase and Decrease of Crime in Civilized Countries._”
He showed that crime in England decreased 35 per cent. in 16 years,
and now it is but two and a half per cent. of the population. Juvenile
decrease in Reformatory was 22 per cent. less. Scotland 8 per cent.
less. United States last 7 years raised 1-44/100 per cent. Russia 32
per cent. decrease in 10 years. Austria 2 per cent. decrease in 6
years, Hungary less. Sweden less in serious offences by 30 per cent. in
10 years, Norway less. Netherlands falling off in prison offences, but
much increased in 11 years to 35 per cent. Russia was 6,000, now 2,100,
Japan less. France is foremost, decreased one-third in the past period,
by 46,000 or 31 per cent. in all her prisons. In 1896 there were but
15,100 prisoners. Estimate of all in prison throughout the world in
1890 is 263,500.
Hon. Frederick H. Wines, LL.D., Washington, D. C., spoke of the
increase and decrease of crime in civilized countries which caused
much discussion; as he is the Assistant Director of the United States
Census, he expressed his great admiration of the paper read by Chaplain
Drahms, and its optimistic view; but he said you make a great mistake
when information is based on the increase from the United States
Census, for the prison census prior to 1880 is worthless, they were not
taken, and the estimates were made by those in authority in my office.
The census of 1890 was made particularly by the officers, and 1900 will
certainly show a marked decrease of crime.