20 CEIMINAL STATISTICS. 



In tlie Statistical Eegister of New South "Wales, from the year 

 1860 down to the year 1872, the last year for which the statistics 

 are published, we have a complete record of the educational state 

 of our criminal population, in so far as " reading and writing," 

 " reading only," or " not reading at all," can be accepted as 

 forming a test of education. 



The tables are presented under two distinct heads — the one 

 relating to offenders incarcerated in the gaols of the Colony, and 

 for the most part dealt with by the superior Courts — the other 

 confined to persons laid hold of by the police, and dealt with in 

 the Police Courts summarily. 



The forms in which the information is conveyed were prepared 

 under my directions when I held the office of Eegistrar-Greneral, 

 upon the English model, to show the degree of instruction under 

 these three heads, viz., those " who could read and write," those 

 " who could read only," and those " who could neither read nor 

 write." 



I will first invite attention to the general results of the inquiry 

 for the thirteen years from 1860 to 1872 inclusive. The total 

 number of prisoners in 'the gaols of the Colony was 97,759. Of 

 this number there could both — 



Kead and write 58,531 = 60 per cent. 



Readonly 14,698 — 15 „ 



Not read 24,530 = 25 „ 



97,759 = 100 „ 

 that is to say, 75 per cent, had received more or less instruction, 

 whilst 25 per cent, were totally ignorant or uninstructed. 



Of the summary jurisdiction cases there were for the same 

 period a total of 214,552. Of this number there could — 



Read and write 123,497 = 58 per cent. 



Readonly 39,078 = 18 „ 



Not read 51,977 = 24 „ 



214,552 = 100 „ 

 That is to say, 76 per cent, had received more or less instruction, 

 whilst 24 per cent, were totally ignorant or uninstructed. 



Now these results, it must be confessed, are unsatisfactory ; 

 they are calculated to create an unfavourable impression as to 

 the moral restraints which instruction — to the extent of reading 

 and writing at least — place upon the passions ; and they militate 

 against the generally received theory that ignorance is the mother 

 of crime. But as I should prefer to put it, they show that in so 

 far as mere reading and writing are admitted as tests of educa- 

 tion, they entirely fail in repressing criminal propensities. 



Now, in order to arrive at a just conclusion on this very impor- 

 tant subject, it will be necessary to analyse the statistics more 

 closely ; but it is not my intention to trouble you with the tables 



