CRIMES OF VIOLENCE 



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with less than three per cent, from Italy, the number of arrests for 

 the various forms (or degrees) of homicide was less than four in each 

 one hundred thousand of the population. In 1890, when over 30 per 

 cent, of immigrants were from Eussia or southern Europe, there were 

 nearly seven such arrests in an equal number of residents. In 1900, 

 the percentage of aliens of this socially and economically inferior type 

 had reached nearly seven tenths of the total volume of immigration, 

 while the ratio of arrests on the charge of killing a fellow-man had 

 increased to 13 per one hundred thousand of inhabitants. In 1906, the 

 ratio rose to 21.51 per one hundred thousand of population. Mean- 

 while, in other large cities of the Empire State, such as Buffalo, 

 Rochester and Syracuse, where the foreign-born population was derived 

 almost entirely from northern Europe, no increase in the proportion of 

 homicides to total population has been noted. In Syracuse there have 

 been but six cases of homicide under jurisdiction of the police depart- 

 ment in a period of fourteen years. 



Annual Number, and Proportion per One Hundred Thousand of the Popu- 

 lation, of Deaths by Homicide; and Annual Number of Arrests made 

 for Murder, Manslaughter, Homicide and Infanticide, during the 

 Nine Years 1898-1906 



It is worthy of note that while the number of homicides in New 

 York City has greatly increased during the past thirty-six years, there 

 has been no increase, to speak of, in the ratio of convicts to total popula- 

 tion, held in the state prisons for murder and manslaughter. In 1880, 

 there were 5.50 in each one hundred thousand of the population held 

 for murder or manslaughter; in 1890, 7.36; in 1906, 5.78 per one 

 hundred thousand of population. This may be partly due to the fact 

 that the police force of New York City, where about one third of the 

 homicides of the whole state are committed, has grown steadily smaller 

 relative to the growth of population. Coroner Eeter B. Acritelli de- 



