CITY OF LONDONDERRY. 
subject, and that the well-wisher of his fellow-creatures can go on labouring for their benefit, under 
the cheerful conviction, that, if well directed, his labours will not be in vain. 
Preventive Justice. —In reference to this head it has been shown that instruction is at 
work in the district now under consideration. Among those who form the adult generation 
many are ignorant of even the elementary knowledge of reading and writing, nor does that 
ignorance appear to be compensated by the moral instruction they received in youth. With the 
rising generation, however, both these branches appear to be better attended to. It has been 
shewn that out of the whole population, of 19,860 individuals, there are above 2,000 children 
receiving instruction ; and even the gaol itself, the proper theatre of retributive justice, is, in 
degree, also preventive of crime—its discipline being calculated to reform the criminal, and thus 
diminish the danger of a second incarceration, when the period of his imprisonment shall have 
elapsed. Did he also acquire a handicraft trade within its walls, as is usual in several of the 
American prisons, there is little doubt that the cells would become, in a great measure, tenantless, 
while the want of expert artisans, which is generally felt throughout Ireland, would be at Derry 
considerably obviated. 
The next step in the progress of the present inquiry leads to the establishments, which the 
county supports for the prevention of crime. The benevolent institutions, so liberally patronized 
by a numerous resident gentry, and a respectable mercantile body, and which afford relief to so 
large a proportion of the community, may be at least supposed to remove many of the temptations 
to crime, and for its suppression there are the following courts [see Municipality ], in addition 
to the usual array of a city magistracy and police, aided by those of the county, which shall be 
more particularly noticed in their proper place :— 
1. The Assizes’ Court, held twice a year. 
2. The Sessions’ Court, do. 
3. The City Sessions’ Court, held four times a year. 
4. The Petty Sessions’ Court, held every week, before 2 or more magistrates. 
5. The Mayor’s, or Recorder’s Court, held every Monday. 
6. The Court of Conscience, held every Week. 
In this part of the subject it is necessary to observe that, in any attempt to give a com¬ 
prehensive view of crime, debt must be inevitably mixed up with it, although, when unaccom¬ 
panied hy fraud, it implies more of imprudence, than of moral criminality. This must be taken 
into consideration in estimating the quantity of delinquency (a term sufficiently wide in its 
acceptation to include both classes,) exhibited in the following tables, which have been drawn up 
from various returns, communicated through the courtesy of different officers, but which, not¬ 
withstanding much painstaking, it has been found impossible to reconcile in all their details. 
