Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/233

 CRIME AMONG THE NEGROES OF CHICAGO 2ig

offense. It is further seen that 5.15 per cent, of the females committed murder, against 1.66 per cent, of the males.

Classification of offenses. All the offenses come under the two groups of offenses against the person and against property ; 84 per cent, of the offenses are against property.

Classification by sex. The majority of both male and female offenses are against property. But there is a larger percentage of female offenses against property than of male offenses against property. Eighty-seven per cent, of the total female offenses are against property, and 81 per cent, of the male offenses.

Jail offenses. Negroes confined in jail May 23, 1898. Thirty- six per cent, of the offenses were larceny, 24 per cent, were for murder or attempted murder, 16 per cent, were for robbery. This high percentage of homicides or attempted homicide is to be noticed.

Offenses by sex. The largest number of males committed larceny 38 per cent.; 27 per cent, of the females committed larceny. The largest number of the females committed rob- bery 36 percent.; 10 per cent, of the male offenses were of rob- bery. Eighteen per cent, of the females were held for murder, and 5 per cent, of the males. We have already seen under the head of negroes classed as criminals that there was a larger percentage of females charged with robbery and murder than of males ; therefore we may conclude that the negro females of Chicago have more of a tendency for robbery and homicide than the males.

Classification of offenses. The largest percentage of offenses is against property 68 per cent.; 28 per cent, of the offenses are against the person, and 4 per cent, against society.

Comparing this classification with the classification of offenses under negroes classed as criminals, and with the census report on crime (1890), it is seen that there is a larger percentage of offenses against property than of any other offenses among the negroes of the United States. It is also seen that this tendency is more manifested among the negroes of Chicago than of the country at large.

Classification by sex. Classified by sex, all the offenses of negro females examined under jail arrests fall under the head of