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nationalities; among the South Italians 67.8 per cent., the Polish 65.9 per cent., the Irish 54.8 per cent., the English 63.3 per cent., the Germans 58.1 per cent.; the preponderance being slightly greater among the late arrivals than among the early.

On the other hand, if we note the length of time that those assisted have been in the United States, we find that 33.9 per cent. of those who have received aid have been here twenty years or over, whereas only 6 per cent. have been here two years; and if we take all who have been here under three years, it amounts to only 10.3 per cent. Apparently, therefore, the newly arrived immigrants do not apply for aid to any large extent. It should be noted, also, that this investigation was made during the six months of the winter of 1908-09, while the effects of the industrial depression of 1907-08 were still felt. This emphasizes the effectiveness of our present laws, as compared with earlier years, even tho we make due allowance for the differences in age of the early and late immigrants.

Crime

Probably no other question in connection with immigration has aroused greater interest than its relation to crime. More hostility to the immigrant has been aroused by the assertion that their incoming has increased crime in this country than by any other fact; and yet it is impossible to produce satisfactory evidence that immigration has resulted in an increase of crime out of proportion to the increase in the adult population. Altho available statistical material is too small to draw positive conclusions, such material as is available would indicate that immigrants are no

more inclined toward criminality, on the whole, than are native Americans, altho these statistics do indicate that the children of immigrants commit crime more、 often than the children of natives.

Any special study of the relation of immigration to crime should take into consideration not only the number of convictions for crime but also the nature of the crimes committed and possibly the relative likelihood of the detection of crime in different localities or among different classes of the population.

DIFFICULTY OF ADMINISTRATION OF LAW

Altho the immigration laws provide for the exclusion of persons who have been convicted of, or confess to, an infamous crime, there can be no doubt that many criminals have succeeded in evading this law.

It is, of course, impossible for an immigration inspector to tell from the appearance of a man whether or not he has been a criminal. In many cases criminals, especially those who have committed certain classes of serious crimes, such as forgery or even burglary, may be well drest, intelligent persons, traveling in first cabin. Unless something is known of their previous history, if they do not declare that they have been convicted of crime, they will be admitted without question. Doubtless many aliens enter the United States contrary to the law after having been convicted of a crime, and having served out their sentence; or, having been convicted of crime by foreign courts, during their absence from the place of trial as is permitted in some countries, if they have escaped arrest and fled the country. Moreover, our laws do not exclude persons who have not been convicted of crime altho they may be looked upon as dangerous persons or probably

criminals and on that account have been placed by their home courts under police surveillance.

The Immigration Commission,* in order to make as careful a study as possible of this most important question within the means at its disposal, took into careful account the material collected by the United States Census on the extent of crime, going through carefully the latest report regarding prisoners and juvenile institutions in 1904. In addition to this, use was made of the records of the Supreme Court of New York City from 1907 to 1908, of the New York Magistrate Courts, 1901-1908, and of the New York Court of General Sessions, the material in this last case having been especially collected by agents of the Commission.

Furthermore, the records of Penal Institutions in Massachusetts and in the institutions throughout the United States, in 1908, were utilized, as well as the police records made in Chicago in the years 1905-1908.

Many of these figures, of course, are not comparable one with another, but by a careful study certain general conclusions may be reached.

CLASSES OF CRIME

The tables on pages 55 and 56, of the distribution of classes of crime, show that in all of the courts investigated, the proportion of natives committing gainful offenses is decidedly larger than that of foreigners, altho in offenses of personal violence and of those against public policy the foreigner predominates. It should be borne in mind, however, that in the case of offenses against public policy many are merely the violation of a city ordinance, such as peddling without a city license, and it may be that in certain of these Reports of Immigration Commission, Vol. 36.

cases the newly arrived immigrant was not aware that he was committing an offense. Even, however, if he did know that he was violating an ordinance, it could hardly be assumed that it was such a misdemeanor as would imply a serious criminal tendency.

When on the other hand we take up the offense of personal violence, we find that in the City Magistrate's Court of New York and in the County and Supreme Courts of the same State, the percentage of offenses of personal violence are very much higher among the Italians than among any other race or nationality. This seems a matter of special significance. For example, in the Supreme Court of the City and County of New York, of all offenses of personal violence, the Italians commit 39.3 per cent.; those from AustriaHungary, next in frequency, commit only 18.6 per cent.; the Irish, 16.5 per cent.; the native-born citizens of the United States, 11.7 per cent. On the other hand, when in the same courts we find that in the relative frequency of gainful offenses, the United States leads with 77.8 per cent., and the Italians have the fewest offenses with 37.6 per cent., we see the relative inclinations of the different races brought out in a most striking way.

Among these gainful offenses, however, there seems to be a wide difference in kinds of crime. Of the convictions of persons born in the United States, 29.9 per cent. were for burglary. In extortion, the Italians lead with 3.5 per cent.; in forgery and fraud, the Canadian with 4.3 per cent.; in larceny and receiving stolen property, the Russian leads with 48.5, while in robbery, the Poles are preeminent with 4.2 per cent.

If a similar analysis is made of the relative frequency of offenses of personal violence, the Italians

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DISTRIBUTION OF CLASSES OF CRIME

New York City magistrates' courts.. New York court of general sessions.

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