Statistical Summary of Crime in Palestine before 1948 (Nakba), British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 585. Chapter XV: Law and Order : (a) Prevention and Detection of Crime : Table 2:

CHAPTER XV.

Table 2.

STATISTICAL SUMMARY OP CRIME.

Year

Indictable offences

Other offences

I-Attempted I Highni.y I '!'heft by murder robbery breaking

IU22 I 699 12,832 142 I

1926 971 18,098 95 56

1929 l 4.723 22.804 178 232 I

1935 1,753 10,525 115 115

1937 2,653 14,399 192 250

180 94 34 32

221

83 146 128 858 935

N. B. The classification of serious crimes changed over the period covered, particularly after the enactment in 1936 of the Criminal Code Ordinance (Laws of Hl36, Vol. I, page 285) which superseded the Ouomen Penal Code.

10. The disturbances of 1936 and the rebellion which developed from them iu the following years necessitated special measures for the restoration of order. The military forces were greatly augmented by reinforcements from overseas; by the end of 1938 they consisted, in addition to local troops, of two regiments of cavalry, an armoured car regiment, a battery and detachment of the Royal Horse Artillery, eighteen infantry battalions together with the necessary ancillary units and two R.A.F. squadrons and an armoured car company. The British section of the Police Force was also greatly increased. Equally, the better to equip them to deal with the Arab guerilla bands then in the field, the Force's resources in mechanical transport, independent means of communication and weapons were improved.

11. Among major measures undertaken against internal disturbances were the following. In 1937-38 a road along the northern frontier was constructed at a cost of £P .62,000 to facilitate control of that strategically important area and in the following year it was improved at a cost of £P.26,000, to meet the full traffic requirements of the security forces. In that year also, with the object of hindering the passage of armed bands, a barbed wire fence, with the ancillary defence works, was constructed, at a cost of £P.166,000, along that part of the frontier which lies between Ras en Naqura and the Metulla salient and on stretches of the eastern frontier. The northern frontier fence (removed during the war to meet more pressing requirements in the neighbourhood of El Alamein) was one of a number of recommendations made by Sir Charles Tegart, K.C.I.E., C.S.I., M.V.O., who had been attached to the Palestine Government in 1937 and 1988 to advise and assist in combating terrorism.

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