NRS-11034 | Charge books [Armidale Police Station]

Full description

Since 1862 there has been an obligation to create Charge books. The Sergeant, senior Constable, or Constable on duty at the watchhouse received all charges against prisoners brought in by different Constables, ascertained their nature and if satisfied it was a proper charge was to: enter name of each prisoner and the particulars of the offence in a book he shall keep for the purpose, to be called a 'Charge Book'. Prisoners property was also to be entered into the charge book. (1)

This series consists of Charge Books from the Armidale Police Station. The series contains information and details of those persons charged with offences at the aforementioned station.

The inside cover of each volume has a list of instructions that each Station Sergeant is required to follow in connection with entering charges in the Charge Book. These include: descriptions of persons charged with drunkenness; completion of fingerprint information forms; the initials of arresting police as to the property found on the prisoner; the signature of the Constable searching the prisoner; instructions as to how entries are to be set out; special particulars required when juveniles are arrested; the duties of the Station Sergeant when a charge is refused; the classification of prisoners when placed in the cells, if accommodation permits; procedures to be followed when persons have been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol; cases in which conviction reports are prescribed; and procedures to follow on the arrest of foreign nationals.

Details recorded pertaining to the charge itself include: the charge number (and often the number of the case when it comes to court); the date and hour of both the apprehension and the recording of the charge in the Charge Book; personal details of the person being charged including name, address, date of birth or age, height, calling, education (until the 1940s), nationality and religion (rarely recorded in later years); a short summary of the nature of the offence; previous convictions and particulars if known; the full name and address of the informant; any property found on the prisoner and the prisoners property book reference number; signatures of the watchouse keeper / Station Sergeant and the searching Constable; name of apprehending officer; signature of prosecutor; if the prisoner was bailed (date and hour, by whose order, amount of cash or surety, and bail form receipt number); if not bailed, the date and time of discharge from cells; how the case was disposed of including date and name of magistrate; rations drawn/number of meals supplied; and any remarks (usually details of discharge or if sent to another prison).

The format and details recorded varies slightly over time. Most charge books are given a sequential volume number within each police station, and within each book, an annual single numbering system is used for entries relating to charges. The entries are arranged chronologically with an annual single numbering system.

Police Stations replaced charge books with the COPS system (Computerised Operational Policing System) in 1994. Occasionally a hard copy backup was kept during the introduction of the COPS system. Some stations also used the interim Charge books and indexes- on-line charging records computer system while COPS was introduced.

Endnote
1. NSW Government Gazette No.49, 1 March 1862 p.498.