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Crimes of Violence: An Enquiry by the Cambridge Institute of Criminology into Crimes of Violence against the Person in London PDF

297 Pages·1963·25.06 MB·English
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Preview Crimes of Violence: An Enquiry by the Cambridge Institute of Criminology into Crimes of Violence against the Person in London

Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge CAMBRIDGE STUDIES IN CRIMINOLOGY EDlTED BY L. RADZINOWICZ, LL.D. VOLUME xvm CRIMES OF VIOLENCE CRIMES OF VIOLENCE An Enquiry by the Cambridge Institute of Criminology into Crimes of Violence against the Person in London BY F. H. McCLINTOCK FELLOW OF CHURCHILL COLLEGE, CAMBRlDGE AN» ASSISTANT DlRECTOR OP RESEARCH IN THE INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY ASSISTED BY N. HOWARD AVISON, N. C. SAVILL AND V. L. WORTHINGTON OF THE RESEARCH STM F OF THE INSTITUTE Palgrave Macmillan 1963 ISBN 978-1-349-81666-8 ISBN 978-1-349-81664-4 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-81664-4 Copyright © F. H. McClintock, N. Howard Avison, N. C. Savill and V. L. Worthington, 1963 Preface Copyright © L. Radzinowicz, 1963 Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover Ist edition 1963 978-0-333-07925-6 MACMILLAN AND COMPANY LIMITED St Martin's Street London WCR also Bombay Calcutta Madras Melbourne THE MACMILLAN COMPANY OF CANADA LIMITED Toronto ST MARTIN'S PRESS INC New Tork CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE PREFACE by the Director ofthe Institute ix I. STATISTICAL TRENDS IN CRIMES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST THE PERSON § I. The volume of crime and the proportion of crimes of violence in England and Wales 3 § 2. Offences ofviolence against the person and sexual offences 5 § 3. Changes in the different kinds ofviolent crime 7 § 4. The volume of crimes of violence considered in relation to the population 10 § 5. Geographical distribution of crimes of violence 11 § 6. Distribution of crimes of violence according to types of police area 13 § 7. Trends in crimes of violence against the person in the Metropolitan Police District 16 (i) Upward trend in crimes ofviolence in London 16 (ii) Thevolume ofcrimes ofviolence in London 17 (iü) The incidence of violence in London related to the size of the population 18 § 8. Trends in indictable and non-indictable assaults 19 § 9. Summary and concIusions 22 11. AN AsSESSMENT OF THE TREND IN CRIMES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST THE PERSON ACCORDING TO THEIR F ACTUAL SUBSTANCE 24 § I. The circumstances in which the offences occurred 27 (i) Distribution according to the six main cIasses 31 (ii) The six main classes of circumstance related to the legal classification 33 (iii) Previous association between offenders and their victims, according to the six main classes 36 § 2. Distribution of crimes of violence in the Metropolis, according to districts 39 § 3. The victims of crimes of violence 41 § 4. The assailants 45 § 5. The weapons used and the methods of attack 48 § 6. Physical injury and medical treatment 52 § 7. Summary and concIusions 55 v vi CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE 111. THE RECORDING BY THE POLICE OF CRIMES OF VIOLENCE 58 § I. Difficulties in the recording by the police of crimes of violence 59 § 2. Changes in the recording of crimes of violence due to revision of instructions to the police 64 § 3. Statistical increases in the recording of crimes of violence due to changes in the attitude of the police 67 § 4. Statistical increases in the recording of crimes of violence due to the increased tendency of victims to report incidents ofviolence 68 § 5. Specific factors adduced by the police to account for some ofthe increase in the number ofcrimes ofviolence 69 § 6. The incidence of unreported and undiscovered crimes of violence 71 § 7. Summary and conclusions 73 IV. INCIDENCE OF DETECTION AND CONVICTION OF 75 OFFENDERS § 1. The number of "incidents" and the number of crimes of violence 75 § 2. Crimes cleared up and those not cleared up 77 § 3. The detected offenders against whom no proceedings were taken 87 § 4. Offenders brought to trial and convicted 89 § 5. The total number and proportion ofo ffenders not convicted 93 § 6. Summary and conclusions 94 V. PENAL RECORDS AND SOCIAL BACKGROUND OF CON- VICTED OFFENDERS 97 § I. Sex and age of offenders 97 § 2. Offenders with no previous convictions for offences of violence 103 (i) Theproportionofsuchoffenders 103 (ii) First offenders and those with previous convictions for non-violent offences only 105 (iü) Nature and number of previous non-violent offences 106 (iv) Previous aggressiveness among those with no previous convictions for violence I I 1 § 3. Offenders with previous convictions for crimes ofviolence 115 (i) The proportion of such offenders I 15 (ii) Number and nature ofprevious offences ofviolence 117 (iü) Violent recidivists who also had previous convic- tions for non-violent offences 119 (iv) Degree of violent recidivism according to classes of offence 122 CONTENTS ~ CHAPTER. PAGE § 4. Family and social background of the offenders 124 (i) Place ofbirth 124 (ii) Marital status 128 (iii) Domestic circumstances 130 (iv) Occupation 131 § 5. Summary and conclusions 133 VI. STANDARDS OF PUNISHMENT AND SUBSEQ.UENT CONDUCT OF CONVICTED OFFENDERS 137 § I. Maximum sentences ofimprisonment for crimes ofviolence 137 (i) Higher courts 138 (ii) Magistrates' courts 144 § 2. Alternatives to imprisonment, including the use ofmethods of treatment introduced by the Criminal Justice Act, 1948 147 § 3. Sentences imposed by the courts of the Metropolis corn- pared with those irnposed by the provincial courts 152 § 4. Distribution of sentences imposed by the courts in the Metropolis related to the circumstances of the offence and the background of the offenders 154 (i) Sen tences according to the six main classes 155 (ii) Sentencing considered in relation to method of attack and the degree ofinjury inflicted 159 (iii) Sentences imposed on young offenders convicted of violent offences 161 (iv) Sentences imposed on adults aged 21 and over, who were convicted ofviolent crime 165 § 5. The after-conduct of offenders convicted of crimes of violencein 1950and 1957 167 § 6. Summary and conclusions 173 APPENDIX I. Scope ofthe enquiry and records used 178 II. Criminal statistics relating to offences against the person in England and Wales and in the Metropolis 185 III. Distribution of crimes of violence, according to different areas in the Metropolis 197 IV. Distribution of indictable crimes of violence against the person and robbery in London, according to the main classes of circumstance in which the offences occurred 207 V. A note on the provisions for judicial corporal punishment, in so far as they were applicable to crimes of violence against the person, before these provisions were re- pealed under the CriminalJustice Act, 1948 21 I viü CONTENTS APPI!.NtlIX PAOB VI. The extent to which reparation was ordered for those victims ofc rimes of violence included in the enquiry 2 I 3 VII. A note on cases of death by violence and murderous assaults 2 I 7 VIII. A note on violent sexual crime 225 IX. A note on attacks on police and on civilians intervening to prevent crime 228 X. A note on the extent to which potential violence can be assessed on the basis of the possession of offensive weapons 235 XI. A note on young offenders and hooliganism 24 I XII. A note on violence arising from family strife and neigh- bourhood disputes 248 XIII. Supplementary statistical data relating to cases from the Metropolitan Police District 256 XIV. A note on some recent salient trends in violent offences 266 LIST OF TABLES IN THE REPORT 273 PREFACE BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE This report concludes the large-scale enquiry undertaken by Mr. F. H. McClintock into crimes ofviolence, the first conclusions ofwhich have already been published in Robbery in London. A whole gamut ofbehaviour has been brought within the scope ofthe present study, which reflects the many shades ofviolence in human relationships defined as offences by the law. A new classi fication of these transgressions enables them to be assessed in a different and better way. No less important is a review, in the third chapter, of how far these crimes are reported to the police, and how they are recorded. Variations here may weH have affected trends in the volume and nature of crimes of violence as shown in official statistics. The relevance of undiscovered and unreported crimes of this kind has also been considered from another point of view. An attempt has been made to find out how aggressive our offenders reaHy are in terms not only of their convictions but of hidden acts ofviolence which have slipped through the meshes ofthe law. The enquiry is rounded off by a survey of the sentencing prac tices ofthe courts and the subsequent conduct ofthose convicted of crimes ofviolence. The contingent of aggressive and threatening delinquents shows no sign of shrinking. In fact, during the briefperiod of 1960-1962, the number of indictable crimes of violence, including sexual offences accompanied by violence, has increased by a further twenty-five per cent. This and several other concIusions emerge from the last appendix of the book in which an attempt has been made to rettace the trends up to 1963. We are deeply grateful to the Metropolitan Police Force for the facilities and assistance given us in carrying out this enquiry in the London area. In particular we are indebted to Mr. G. C. Richard son and to Mr. R. Orr-Ewing ofthe Commissioner's Office and to Chief Superintendent A. S. G. Crayfourd of the Criminal Record ix x PREFACE Office. The London and Middlesex Probation Services have again been very ready to help. In the early stages ofthe enquiry Mr. J. H. Bagot, Mr. J. Nur saw and Mr.J. Carter took a share in the heavy task of collecting and analysing the material, and Mrs. M. E. Jones has rendered valuable assistance throughout. Mr. D. H. Rees and Miss M. G. Hills, of the Statistical Department of the Rothamsted Experi mental Station, have played an important part in the basic tabulation ofthe material. Mrs. M. A. Walker later gave us much advice on the statistical presentation ofthe data. I should also like to express our thanks to the Reviewing and Consultative Committee, its chairman Mr. F. L. T. Graham Harrison, Miss J. J. Nunn, Mr. T. S. Lodge and Professor M. Fortes. It must, however, be emphasized that the opinions reached in this report do not necessarily represent those of the Horne Office or of other authorities with whom we have been in touch. L.R. INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY U NIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE April 1963

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