A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis: Containing a Detail of the Various Crimes and Misdemeanors by which Public and Private Property and Security are, at Present, Injured and Endangered: and Suggesting Remedies for their PreventionColquhoun, Patrick
History
A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis: Containing a Detail of the Various Crimes and Misdemeanors by which Public and Private Property and Security are, at Present, Injured and Endangered: and Suggesting Remedies for their Prevention
Colquhoun, Patrick
Crime -- England -- London; Police -- England -- London
By the consolidation of the two Boards of Hackney Coaches, and Hawkers
and Pedlars, the functions of the Commissioners will become very
extensive and laborious, since in addition to the inspection and
control of the different suspicious trades proposed to be licenced, it
will be useful to the Public, and, indeed, the System will be
incomplete, unless they not only keep constantly in their view the
general Calendar of delinquency; but also carry into effect such plans
as, on mature deliberation, and (many will unquestionably be
found practicable), shall, in a great measure, prevent the
terror--dangers--losses and inconveniences which arise from foot-pad
and highway robberies, burglaries, and other atrocious offences,
which are so prevalent in and near the Metropolis at present.--This
duty will naturally attach to the Central Board, and which the
Commissioners, (from the accurate information their situation will
enable them to procure, and the Civil Force they may have at their
disposal,) will be well qualified to execute with advantage to the
Community; and while competent pecuniary resources will arise from the
Licence Duties imposed, aided by legislative regulations, applicable
to this, and other objects tending to the general prevention of
Crimes, blame may fairly be imputed wherever a considerable degree of
success is not manifest, by the gradual diminution of the more
atrocious, as well as the minor offences.
The Select Committee of the House of Commons having stated it as their
opinion, that the principle upon which the plan which has been brought
under their review is founded, "_if liable to no error; and that
supposing it faithfully executed it gives the fairest prospect of
success_:" the Public will naturally become anxious for an enjoyment
of the benefits which may be expected to result from its adoption.
As its leading feature is the security of the _rights of the
innocent_, with respect to their Life, Property, and Convenience, the
measures of this board must, in a peculiar degree, be directed with
prudence and discretion to this particular object. This will be
effected not only by increasing the difficulty of perpetrating
offences, through a control over those Trades by which they are
facilitated and promoted, but also by adding to the risk of detection,
by a more prompt and certain mode of discovery wherever crimes are
committed. Thus must the idle and profligate be compelled to assist
the State, by resorting to habits of industry, while the more
incorrigible delinquents will be intimidated and deterred from
pursuing a course of turpitude and criminality, which the energy of
the Police will render too hazardous and unprofitable to be followed
up as a trade; and the regular accession of numbers to recruit and
strengthen the hordes of criminal delinquents, who at present afflict
Society, will be in a great measure prevented.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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