Convictions for Drunkenness. The total number of convictions for drunkenness in England and Wales in 1925 was 75,077, as compared with 79,082 for 1924a decrease of 4,005, or 5.1 per cent. In other words, the total reached a lower level than in any year since 1919. The decrease occurred wholly in the last seven months of the year, the decreases in each month of that period, which aggregated 5,397, more than wiping out the increases in each of the first five months which together amounted to 1,392. In 1924 the monthly figures diminished until May and then increased until the end of the year, the result being a net increase of 1,988. It is thought that the decrease of convictions for drunkenness during the last seven months of 1925, was mainly attributable to trade depression and increase of unemployment. Year. Jan. Feb. March. April. May. June, July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Total. England and Wales. 191112,299 | 11,709 | 13,365 | 14,306 |15,819 | 13,937 | 15,904 |14,153 | 14,776 | 16,123 | 14,548 | 15,191 | 172,130 1912 14,350 13,366 14,285 14,027 16,291 15,483 16,868 15,913 15,500 15,803 14,930 15,777 182,593 1913 13,111 12,995 14,656 15,315 | 16,590 16,265 17,453 17,034 16,767 17,132 15,457 16,102 188,877 1914 13,295 13,807 16,376 16,530 16,587 17,274 17,410 16,332 14,338 15,362 13,441 13,076 1915 11,421 10,719 12,392 11,785 12,618 11,696 12,642 12,131 11,151 10,759 9,723 1916 8,093 7,240 6,754 6,910 6,443 6,951 7,183 6,748 1917 6,309 4,709 4,786 3,568 3,648 3,123 3,508 1918 3,285 3,309 3,249 2,552 2,050 1919 2,355 2,316 3,429 3,590 3,836 1920 7,877 7,915 8,737 8,018 1921 7,050 6,229 6,971 5,709 5,854 1922 5,963 5,412 6,455 6,006 6,725 6,552 7,396 1923 5,508 5,357 6,240 6,489 6,923 6,833 7,059 6,926 6,628 6,952 1924 5,622 5,274 5,778 6,204 6,488 7,129 7,313 7,211 7,281 7,011 1925 5,991 5,562 6,151 6,224 6,830 6,950 183,828 8,774 135,811 6,950 6,941 6,561 7,417 84,191 3,429 2,208 1,992 4,704 5,043 7,896 7,766 8,595 3,032 3,251 3,337 3,710 46,410 29,075 6,503 8,730 57,948 95,763 5,337 5,932 6,592 7,484 7,041 7,091 6,593 6,574 7,151 7,057 5,544 6,342 5.509 5,766 75,077 6,286 3,443 3,447 3,652 Northern England.* 1911 6,553 6,472 7,215 7,176 8,560 7,595 8,788 8,109 8,157 8,748 7,841 8,786 1912 7,207 6,922 6,940 6,415 8,409 8,451 9,870 8,919 8,749 8,812 8,052 8,222 1913 6,714 7,024 7,771 7,875 8,641 8,744 9,264 8,891 9,245 8,913 7,781 8,392 99,255 1914 6,534 7,357 8,524 8,431 8,475 9,130 9,429 8,435 7,174 7,526 6,725 6,192 93,932 1915 5,195 5,153 6,019 5,436 6,095 6,019 5,630 5,538 4,920 4,221 1916 4,089 3,641 3,312 3,825 3,337 3,493 1921 3,908 3,488 3,845 1922 2,838 1917 2,998 2,338 2,430 1,662 1,830 1,508 1,041 1923 2,637 2,612 2,984 3,044 3,276 3,393 3,860 3,630 4,383 3,885 3,670 3,177 3,633 3,329 3,347 2,735 2,850 37,446 3,273 3,500 2,832 3,088 38,129 3,142 3,256 3,663 4,017 3,799 3,932 3,566 3,294 3,551 40,630 3,053 3,431 3,692 3,759 3,587 2,775 3,142 2,666 2,513 3,228 4,710 29,912 54,350 41,624 37,524 Southern England (excluding Greater London).* 968 1,101 1,218 1,197 1,485 1,362 1,275 1,308 1,062 1,093 13,844 1,119 1,271 1,341 1,298 1,553 1,385 1,410 1,215 1,114 1,115 14,918 1,034 1,208 1,164 1,367 1,334 1,222 1,167 984 1,078 1,157 1,057 In England, as distinct from Wales, there was a decrease for 1925, as compared with 1924, of 3,371, arising out of decreases in the figures for Northern England of 3,106, or 7.6 per cent., and Greater London of 462 or 1.5 per cent. and a slight increase in Southern England. In Wales there was a decrease of 634, or 16.1 per cent. In England the total for County Boroughs was slightly less than in 1924, viz., 53,094 as compared with 54,731, but there were some marked variations as between different Boroughs (see further observations on pages xiii and xiv). Taking the country as a whole, the total of 75,077 convictions is (by about 2,400) little more than two and a half times the lowest figures recorded, i.e., for the year 1918, and about two-fifths of the highest figure, i.e. for the year 1913. From the point of view of seasonal fluctuations, it may be observed that in Northern England they were almost the same as in the total, which they dominated in Greater London they were similar but there were small increases in July and August. In Wales the decrease affected every month The occurrence of the drunkenness which leads to conviction is unevenly distributed over the days of the week. Saturday is the most fruitful day for arrests, and contributes about 33 per cent. of the total; Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday give some 9 or 10 per cent. each; Monday and Friday show 12 and 16 per cent. respectively. In the table below the figures for the years 1913 and 1925, with percentages of increase or decrease year by year from 1920 to 1925 and as compared with 1913, are arranged in areas consisting of counties grouped mainly according to the occupations carried on therein : 1913. Area.. ΟΙ 1920. 1921. 1922. 1923. Increase Increase Increase Increase Number Increase Decrease ΟΙ or Number Decrease ог of Con- per cent. per cent. Decrease Decrease Decrease of Con- per cent. Decrease victions. on 1919. on 1920. per cent. per cent. per cent. victions. on 1913. per cent on 1921. on 1922. on 1923. 1924. 1925. on 1924. Note.-The italic figures in brackets represent the percentage which the figures for each area bear to the total number of convictions. *See note on page xv. The figures are shown separately for males and females in the following table. Of the total convictions, 62,843, or nearly 84 per cent., relate to males, and 12.234, or 16 per cent., to females, about the same proportions as in the previous year. For men the convictions number slightly less than three times the low record in 1918, and for women they are somewhat less than double that record. Jan. Feb. Mar. April. May. June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Total. 4,950 4,612 5,124 5,199 5,713 5,901 6,062 5,911 4,669 5,385 4,540 4,777 62,843 1,041 950 1,027 1,025 1,117 1,049 1,089 1,146 875 957 969 989 12,234 5,991 5,562 6,151 6,224 6,830 6,950 7,151 7,057 5,544 6,342 5,509 5,766 75,077 In relation to the estimated number of persons of twentyone years of age and upwards in 1925, the figures represent Methylated Spirit Drinking. The cases of convictions for drunkenness, in which the condition of the convicted person is reported to have been due to the drinking of methylated spirit, decreased by 36 per cent. from 693 (346 males, 347 females) in 1924 to 444 (241 males, 203 females) in 1925. The fluctuations in different places are remarkable, e.g., the cases decreased in Sunderland from 15 to 5, in London County from 138 to 47, in Leeds from 47 to 16, in Liverpool from 106 to 67, in Manchester from 32 to 14, in Newport (Mon.) from 11 to nil, and in Cardiff from 45 to 23. The figures were stationary, or practically so, in Birkenhead, Salford, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, and Swansea. It is noticeable that in 1924 there took effect certain measures which were used to make methylated spirits more unpalatable and more unsuitable for beverage purposes. For the five years 1920-the first year of collection-to 1924 the average figure of these convictions per year was 500. The following table shows the distribution of the cases for the last four years among County Boroughs (including London County) where 15 or more cases occurred in any of the last six years during which the figures have been collected. For 1920 the total figure was 277 and for 1921 it was 331. For purposes of comparison with the foregoing figures the total convictions for drunkenness in the same areas are set out below: - Wales 27,030 3,098 30,128 30,203 3,403 33,606 34,380 3,717 38,097 28,074 2,822 30,896 63,253 13,094 76,347 63,850 13,244 77,094 66,139 12,943 79,082 62,843 12,234 75,077 The methylated spirit cases bear a high proportion to the total cases only where the latter are small. Thus, over the whole country the proportion is rather more than per cent., and in London County it is about 2 per cent., in Cardiff 12 per cent., and in Swansea 3 per cent. Drunkenness Compared with other Social Statistics. The following table brings up to date some figures formerly published by the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) : The figures set out in the following table, carrying on those given in the Volumes for 1921 and onwards, afford a basis for comparisons between the convictions for drunkenness from year to year and the varying figures which may indicate the prosperity of the country at large. It has been said that when trade is good and employment and money plentiful the |