With regard to petty recidivism in Local Prisons, the number, prior to the great reduction since 1914, was largely composed of persons of vagrant habit: many, too, were mentally defective. As an example, it was found at a particular prison that out of 700 vagrants received in a year, 236 served from two to seven imprisonments during the year, and that the total previous convictions of these 236 men amounted to considerably over 2,000: while 92 reported in one year at another prison as being of feeble mind had together amassed a total of 1,270 convictions. Although the total of the latter category has diminished, recent statistics show that the proportion of mentally defective in the prison population remains about the same. So far as these are concerned, it had been hoped that when the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913, was brought fully into operation, the Prisons would have been purged of this class, who are unfitted for prison discipline; but these hopes remain to a large extent unfulfilled, chiefly owing to difficulties arising out of the War in finding accommodation for defective persons. Should legislation proceed on the lines of the recommendations of the Vagrancy Committee of 1906, and should restriction on the sale of intoxicating liquor still be enforced, there is little doubt that the high rate of petty recidivism in Local Prisons will be permanently reduced. (B) THE RESULT OF THE WAR. The European War broke out in August, 1914, and it is the purpose of the following pages to show, as far as possible, the effect of the many changes brought about by the social upheaval consequent upon war-time conditions and legislation upon the crime of the country. As will be seen from the following Table, the daily average Local prison population has fallen enormously since 1913-14--52 per cent. in the case of males and 40 per cent. in the case of females. But as regards the number of males committed by _Ordinary Courts_, the fall in the average population is much greater, for included in the daily average population shown below is an average probably not far below 2,000 prisoners committed by Courts Martial, the larger number of whom were cases of men, who, having failed to obtain from local tribunals exemption on the ground of conscientious objection under the Military Service Acts, were ultimately committed to prison for breach of military discipline. Further, there are also included many cases charged under the Defence of the Realm &c. Acts. Excluding all these, the daily average male population in 1918-19 had fallen by over 60 per cent. of the number at which it stood in the year before the War. A fall of over one-half is also shown in the male average population of Convict Prisons:--