§ Sir K. Josephasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what increase or decrease there was in the volume of crime in 1956 as compared with 1955; and in which age groups of 291W offenders proceeded against was the increase or decrease most marked.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerThe provisional figures for 1956 show an increase in the number of indictable offences known to the police in all the major categories.
Offence Group Indictable offences known to the Police 1955 1956 Percentage increase Larceny … … … 295,035 323,561 9.7 Breaking and entering … … … 74,907 85,768 14.5 Receiving … … … 7,016 7,215 2.8 Frauds and false pretences … … … 22,966 23,029 0.3 Sexual offences … … … 17,078 17,103 0.1 Violence against the person … … … 7,884 9,307 18.0 Others … … … 13,199 13,727 4.0 TOTAL … … … 438,085 479,710 9.5 The number of male persons found guilty of indictable offences has increased in all age groups. For females there has been a slight decrease in the older age groups and in total, but the number of juveniles shows a small increase.
Age Group Males Females 1955 1956 Variation Per cent. 1955 1956 Variation Per cent. Age 8 and under 14 … … 19,147 20,813 + 8.7 1,440 1,527 + 6.0 Age 14 and under 17 … … 13,517 15,029 + 11.2 1,409 1,446 + 2.6 Age 17 and under 21 … … 11,269 13,425 + 19.1 1,812 1,757 - 3.0 Age 21 and under 30 … … 20,244 22,461 + 11.0 2,448 2,376 - 2.9 Age 30 and over … … 29,252 30,226 + 3.3 6,908 6,814 - 1.4 Total … … 93,429 101,954 + 9.0 14,017 13,920 - 0.7