'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1914-1915' [‎172r] (13/150)

1914-1015-]
SUMMARY.
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m ^idationof;;
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the previous fer
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^14. The crif* :
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ed as false hoi i:
ir ty recovers 1!: '
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be negligible. Government have approved certain measures adopted by the Com
missioner in Sind in connexion with the reported heavy losses of cattle owing to
wolves. The amount paid during the year in rewards for the destruction of wild
animals and snakes showed a small increase.
13. There was a slight decrease in the number of analyses carried out. Chemical
More than half of them were on behalf of the Customs and Excise Departments. anai y sis -
The practice of sending blood-stains to Calcutta for serological examination was
continued. The work in the Sind laboratory is rapidly increasing.
14. the decline in crime deduced from the police statistics is confirmed by Criminal
the figures furnished by the criminal courts, for in the calendar year 1914 the i ustice -
number of cases reported fell by i | per cent, and cases actually brought to trial
by nearly 2 per cent. Of the total number of reported offences 94’8 per cent,
were classed as true. Rather over one-third of the true cases fell under the
Indian Penal Code and the remainder under special or local laws. There was a
welcome decrease in the number of cases of offences against the public tranquillity,
of hurt, criminal force and assault and criminal trespass, and of offences under
the Criminal Procedure Code and Cattle Trespass, ATkari and Criminal Tribes
Acts, but the most important decline was in cases of theft. On the other hand
cases under the District and Bombay Municipal Acts, Public Conveyance Act
and District Police Act increased considerably. Of the persons put on trial 53‘2
per cent, were convicted. The steady increase in this percentage was thus main
tained. Of the persons acquitted or discharged nearly one-half were acquitted
after comporition. The highest percentage of acquittals occurred in offences
relating to marriage, where the percentage was 95. This is due to the fact that
the majority of such offences are compounded. The lowest percentage, 7, occur
red in eases of attempted theft. Excluding Bombay City, the district showing
the highest proportion of offences returned as true to the population is Ahmedabad
with a proportion of 1 to 65. Bijapur shows the lowest proportion, 1 to 579. In
Bombay City the proportion was 1 to 17, but here the figures are swollen by a
large number of comparatively trivial cases under the Bombay Municipal and
Police Acts. There was a further welcome increase in the number of first offend
ers released on probation under section 562 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Sixty-two { ersons were sentenced to death as against 65 in 1913 and the number
of transportations decreased from 251 to 204. In eighteen per cent, of the
appeals, sentences were reversed and in 10 per cent, they were reduced, the
figures for the previous year being i 6'5 and 8 respectively. Judges agreed with
their juries in over 96 per cent, of the trials by jury and in cases tried with asses
sors the judges agreed with all of them in 7o‘2 per cent, and some in io'i
per cent.
15. The total jail population showed a substantial decrease, in consequence Prisons, ? civil
of the decrease in crime. The daily average population increased slightly owing an d criminal,
to the number of long-term prisoners admitted in 1913. The average daily
population of all classes of jails decreased however by 76. It is a regrettable fact
that there was no decrease in the number of juveniles sent to prison. Overcrowd
ing in the jails continues to necessitate large drafts into the convict gangs. The
improvement in discipline manifested in previous years was maintained, the number
of offences dealt with both by the prison authorities and the courts decreasing
slightly in spite of the increase in the daily average population. The death-rate
rose from 15'6 to i8'2 per mille. If the deaths from gun-shot wounds of the
prisoners who attempted to escape from the Belgaum Jail are excluded the death-
rate is reduced to i6'4 per mille. The health of the prisoners was satisfactory.
Some difficulty was experienced in procuring suitable warders for the Borstal jail
at Dharwar. Unfortunately little interest is taken by the public in juveniles
h 1314—C