Murder (Hansard, 27 January 1966)

§ Sir J. Hobson
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now bring up to date to 31st December, 1965, or to the latest available date, the tables published on 17th June, 1965, of the number of murders known to the police, distinguishing between those

TABLE 1

Finaly adjusted numbers of murders known to the police, and number of offences reduced to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility under s. 2 of the Homicide Act 1957.

Number of Victims Number per million of home population (a) of England and Wales

Murder s. 2 Manslaughter Total Murder Murder and s. 2 Manslaughter

1931–40 annual average l30 — 130 3.2 3.2

1941–50 152 — 152 (a) (a)

1951–55 137 — 137 3.1 3.1

1956 150 — 150 3.4 3.4

1957 151 23 174 3.3 3.9

1958 125 28 153 2.8 3.4

1959 141 20 161 3.1 3.5

1960 135 31 166 3.0 3.7

1961 130 29 159 2.8 3.4

1962 142 37 179 3.0 3.8

1963 133 56 189 2.8 4.0

1964 155 35 190 3.3 4.0

1st January to 31st August, 1965 (provisional) 87(b) 30 117 1.8 2.4

(a) No figure for home population is available for the war years, since this represents persons actually living in the country at the time.

(b) Including 2 offences, initially recorded as murders known to the police, which have not yet been disposed of by the courts.

TABLE 6

Finally adjusted numbers of murders known to the police together with offences reduced to man slaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF "CAPITAL" AND "NON-CAPITAL" OFFENCES

"Capital" "Non-Capital" Total

Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent.

1952 17 12.1 124 87.9 141 100.0

1953 17 12.1 123 87.9 140 100.0

1954 22 15.2 123 84.8 145 100.0

1955 15 11.3 118 88.7 133 100.0

1956 30 19.9 120 80.0 150 100.0

1957 23 13.2 151 86.8 174 100.0

1958 19 12.4 134 87.6 153 100.0

1959 23 14.3 138 85.7 161 100.0

1960 31 18.7 135 81.3 166 100.0

1961 20 12.6 139 87.4 159 100.0

1962 21 11.7 158 88.3 179 100.0

1963 22 11.6 167 88.4 189 100.0

1964 26 13.7 164 86.3 190 100.0

1st January to 31st August, 1965 (provisional) 16 13.7 101^* 86.3 117 100.0

Before Homicide Act (1.1.52 to 20.3.57):

Annual Average 20 14.4 121 85.6 141 100.0

After Homicide Act (21.3.57 to 31.8.65):

Annual Average 24 13.6 149 86.4 173 100.0

^* Including 2 offences, initially recorded as murders known to the police, which have not yet been disposed of by the courts.

104W
which were or would have been capital and non-capital under the law as it was before the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act.

§ Mr. Roy Jenkins
The following tables have been revised to 31st August, 1965, the latest date for which the information is available.
105W

§ Mr. Dance
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the increase in violent crime and murder since the abolition of the death penalty and the urgent need to recruit people for the police and prison services, he will introduce legislation to restore the death penalty for those found guilty of murdering policemen and prison officers.

§ Mr. Roy Jenkins
No. It is much too early to discern any trend in the murder statistics since the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act, 1965.

§ Mr. Thorneycroft
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the number of murders and other crimes of violence increased during 1965; and by what date he expects to have the detailed figures available.

§ Mr. Roy Jenkins
As I indicated to my hon. Friend the Member for Nelson and Colne (Mr. Sydney Silverman) on 25th January the final figure for the number of murders known to the police in 1965 is not yet available, but there is no reason to expect any large increase over 1964.
Provisional figures for other offences of violence against the person known to the police in the first eleven months of 1965 show an increase of about 7 per cent. over the corresponding figures for the previous year.
I hope to be able to provide about the end of March statistics for indictable offences known to the police for the whole of 1965.

TABLE 1
Finaly adjusted numbers of murders known to the police, and number of offences reduced to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility under s. 2 of the Homicide Act 1957.
		Number of Victims	Number per million of home population (a) of England and Wales
		Murder	s. 2 Manslaughter	Total	Murder	Murder and s. 2 Manslaughter
1931–40	annual average	l30	—	130	3.2	3.2
1941–50	152	—	152	(a)	(a)
1951–55	137	—	137	3.1	3.1
1956		150	—	150	3.4	3.4
1957		151	23	174	3.3	3.9
1958		125	28	153	2.8	3.4
1959		141	20	161	3.1	3.5
1960		135	31	166	3.0	3.7
1961		130	29	159	2.8	3.4
1962		142	37	179	3.0	3.8
1963		133	56	189	2.8	4.0
1964		155	35	190	3.3	4.0
1st January to 31st August, 1965 (provisional)	87(b)	30	117	1.8	2.4
(a) No figure for home population is available for the war years, since this represents persons actually living in the country at the time.
(b) Including 2 offences, initially recorded as murders known to the police, which have not yet been disposed of by the courts.

TABLE 6
Finally adjusted numbers of murders known to the police together with offences reduced to man slaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF "CAPITAL" AND "NON-CAPITAL" OFFENCES
	"Capital"	"Non-Capital"	Total
	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.
1952	17	12.1	124	87.9	141	100.0
1953	17	12.1	123	87.9	140	100.0
1954	22	15.2	123	84.8	145	100.0
1955	15	11.3	118	88.7	133	100.0
1956	30	19.9	120	80.0	150	100.0
1957	23	13.2	151	86.8	174	100.0
1958	19	12.4	134	87.6	153	100.0
1959	23	14.3	138	85.7	161	100.0
1960	31	18.7	135	81.3	166	100.0
1961	20	12.6	139	87.4	159	100.0
1962	21	11.7	158	88.3	179	100.0
1963	22	11.6	167	88.4	189	100.0
1964	26	13.7	164	86.3	190	100.0
1st January to 31st August, 1965 (provisional)	16	13.7	101^*	86.3	117	100.0
Before Homicide Act (1.1.52 to 20.3.57):
Annual Average	20	14.4	121	85.6	141	100.0
After Homicide Act (21.3.57 to 31.8.65):
Annual Average	24	13.6	149	86.4	173	100.0
^* Including 2 offences, initially recorded as murders known to the police, which have not yet been disposed of by the courts.