NRS-16953 | Charge books [Balranald Police Station]

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. (Police Rules - New South Wales Government Gazette 1 March 1862 p.498).This series consists of Charge books from the Balranald 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.The details recorded pertaining to the charge itself includes; the charge number; 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, height, calling/occupation, education (until 1940s), nationality and religion (rarely recorded in later years); a short summary of the nature of the offence; the full name of the informant; any property found on the prisoner and the prisoners property book reference number; signatures of the lock-up keeper / station sergeant and the searching constable; name of apprehending officer; 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; number of meals supplied; and any remarks.

自1862年起，制作指控登记簿（Charge Book）便成为法定职责。“值勤羁押岗亭的警佐、高级警员或当班警员需接收所有由其他警员移送的在押人员指控信息，查明指控事由；若确认指控合法有效，则需将每名在押人员的姓名及其所涉犯罪详情录入专门保管的登记簿中，该登记簿即称为‘指控登记簿（Charge Book）’。”在押人员的财物亦需录入该指控登记簿。（《警务规则》——《新南威尔士政府公报》，1862年3月1日，第498页）

本数据集收录的是巴拉腊德警察局（Balranald Police Station）的指控登记簿。该数据集包含在此警察局被指控犯罪的人员的相关信息与细节。

每卷登记簿的内页均附有操作指引清单，要求各站警佐在录入指控信息时须严格遵循。指引内容涵盖：醉酒被控人员的登记说明、指纹信息表的填写规范、逮捕警员对在押人员随身查获财物的签名缩写、搜查警员的签名、条目排版要求、未成年人被捕时的特殊登记细节、指控被驳回时站警佐的职责、若羁押场所允许则对在押人员进行分类关押、醉酒驾驶指控案件的处理流程、定罪报告的规定适用情形，以及逮捕外籍人士的操作流程。

指控相关的登记详情包括：指控编号、逮捕与录入指控登记簿的具体日期与时刻、被控人员的个人信息（含姓名、住址、出生日期、身高、职业、教育程度——该记录项至20世纪40年代为止留存、国籍与宗教信仰——后期极少记载）、犯罪性质简要说明、举报人的全名、在押人员随身查获的财物及该财物登记簿的参考编号、羁押看守/站警佐与搜查警员的签名、逮捕警员的姓名、若在押人员获得保释则需记录保释日期与时刻、保释命令签发人、保释金或担保金额及保释单回执编号；若未获得保释，则需记录从羁押牢房释放的日期与时刻、案件处置结果（含审理日期与治安法官姓名）、供应餐食数量，以及其他备注事项。