118 



REPORT 1839. 



The ages of the offenders are divided in the official tables into eight 

 periods, and it is a curious fact that the greatest variation during the 

 last three years, in the proportion of any class of criminals at the same 

 period of life, has not exceeded § per cent. 



Centesimal Proportion of Offenders at each Age. 



Greatest 

 Difference. 



0-32 

 0-21 

 0-20 

 0-50 

 0-32 

 0-26 

 0-33 

 0-18 





1836. 



1837. 



1838. 



Under 12 years. . . 



. 1-84 . . 



. 1-52 . . 



.. 1-58 



From 12 to 16.. 



. 9-71 .. 



. 9-72 . . 



.. 9-92 



17 ,, 21... 



. 29-03 .. 



.29-23 .. 



..29-13 



22 „ 30.-. . 



. 31-42 . . 



. 31-74 . . 



. . 31-24 



31 „ 40. . . 



. 14-43 .. 



.14-56 .. 



. . 14-75 



41 „ 50. . . 



. 6-76 .. 



. 6-65 . . 



. . 7-02 



51 „ 60. . . 



. 3-33 .. 



. 3-24 .. 



.. 3-00 



Above 60 



. 1-40 . . 



. 1-55 .. 



.. 1-58 



Not ascertained . 



. 2-08 .. 



. 1-79 .. 



.. 1-78 



Total.... 100- 100- 100- 



The average population of England and Wales, during the five years 

 under examination, may be assumed to be 15,026,447. 



Adopting this total, and the proportions above given, the numbers 

 existing at each period of life will be as follows : — 



Under 16 5,875,340 



From 16 to 20 1,502,644 



21 „ 30 2,374,178 



31 „ 40 1,788,147 



41 „ 50 1,412,486 



51 „ 60 991,745 



Above 60 1,081,907 



Total 15,026,447 



The following, therefore, is the proportion of offenders annually 

 committed, to the population at each interval of age, adding to the 

 number under 15 one fifth of the number between 16 and 21, and tak- 

 ing away from that between 21 and 30 one tenth, in order to equalize 

 the periods of comparison : — 



No. of Offences annually committed Proportion of offences to 



on the average of the five years. the Population. 



Under 17 2,539. . One offence in 2,432 individuals. 



From 17 to 21 6,468 232 „ 



22 „ 30. . . . 6,997 305 



31 „ 40 3,184 561 „ 



41 „ 50.... 1,501 941 



51 „ 60.. .. 703 1,410 



Above 60 319 , 3,391 „ 



Further it appeared, 1st, that crime prevails to the greatest extent in 

 large towns ; — 2nd, the difference between manufacturing and agricul- 

 tural counties, in which the influence of large towns is not much felt. 



