Aug 16 1827 Criminal Commitments & Convictions #1 - Cumberland and Westmorland Newspaper Transcriptions

Aug 16 1827 Criminal Commitments & Convictions #1

The Times, Thursday, Aug 16, 1827; pg. 4; Issue 13359; col A

       REPORT of the COMMITTEE of the HOUSE of COMMONS on
             CRIMINAL COMMITMENTS and CONVICTIONS, &c.
                                             -----------------------
The first object to which the attention of the Committee was turned was, to
inquire into the increase of the number of commitments as compared with the
increase of the population. The increase of the population from 1801 to 1821 is
as follows: -
                                   ENGLAND AND WALES.
                         1801 ...................................   8,872,986
                         1811 ................................... 10,150,615
                         1821 ................................... 11,977,663

The number of commitments for trial in England and Wales from 1806 to 1826: -
                         1806 ..........................................   4,346
                         1816 ..........................................   9,091
                         1826 .......................................... 16,147

Including the number of commitments on summary conviction before magistrates,
the increase would be still greater.

The increase in crime from 1806 to 1816 may perhaps be in part accounted for by
the change from war to peace. From 1816 to 1826, however, not only has there
been no such change, but peculiar attention has been paid to the subject of
crime both by official persons, by voluntary committees, and by individuals. The
duties of the Secretary of State for the Home Department have been exercised
with peculiar zeal and judgment; prisons have been improved, the defects of the
law inquired into, education among the poor promoted.

In proceeding to inquire into the causes of the increase in the number of
criminal commitments, your Committee, for the convenience of reducing into order
an investigation so extensive, began by dividing the subject into three parts,
1st. The increase of crime in the agricultural districts; 2d. The increase of
crime in the manufacturing districts; 3d. The increase of crime in the
metropolis. It is to the first part alone that they have hitherto directed their
inquiries; nor have they been able to form a definite judgment even on this
portion of the subject. They proceed, however, to lay before the house their
observations, together with the substance of the evidence taken before them,
referring to the evidence itself for more complete details.

The main cause of the increase of crime in the agricultural districts appears
clearly to be the low rate of wages, and want of sufficient employment for the
labourer. This evil has been greatly aggravated, although not altogether
produced, by the abuse of the poor laws to a purpose for which they were never
intended. During the high price of provisions, which occurred soon after the
commencement of the war of 1793, the farmers, instead of raising the wages of
labour in proportion to the increased value of subsistence, had recourse to the
expedient of making up the deficiency out of the poor rate. While the war
continued, the increasing demand for agricultural produce, and the abundance of
the currency, concealed the evils with which this system was pregnant; but with
the restoration of peace came large importations of foreign corn, a diminished
currency, and a want of employment for the labourer. At the same time, while
employment diminished, the new administration of the poor laws tended to
increase the population. So that the farther this vicious system was carried,
the greater became the obstacles to a restoration of a healthy state. The
fluctuations which have taken place since 1816, both with regard to the price of
corn and the amount of the currency in circulation, have still further acted to
prevent any improvement in the situation of the country.