Jail Sentences from the Past (crime, costs, transport)

[dizzybint]

Now when we have jails with TVs , a gym, pool tables and central heating in cells.. think back to when committing a crime meant hell on earth for some. maybe we could strike a balance with rapists, bombers and murderers, not forgetting the child abusers.
Tyrone Assizes, August 1830 | Official Website of the County Tyrone Ireland Mail List

Tuesday, March 28, 1837

TOTAL CONVICTIONS AT TYRONE ASSIZES

McKENNA

McKENNA

TEAHAN

QUIN
Pat

Thomas

Peter

James
For an assault; Imprisoned six months each, with hard labour.
CAMPBELL
James
Burglary; transported for life.
BOYLE
Sally
Larceny; imprisoned one week.
MILLER
James
Larceny; imprisoned six months.
McGUIRE
Mary
Larceny; imprisoned one week.
COOK (or O’NEIL)
John
Horse stealing; transported for life.
FULTON
Annabella
Coining; imprisoned twelve months.
McDONNELL
Robert
Sheep stealing; transported for life.
RUSSELL
George
Robbery from person; judgement of death.
KELLY
Bernard
Assault....imprisoned one month.
THOMPSON
Anne
Having base coin in possession; imprisoned six months.
McGUIGAN
Bernard
Stealing wearing apparel; imprisoned six months, and hard labour.

[Hengist]

Apparently those tough sentences didn't act as a deterrent.

Where would we transport people for life now we no longer have colonies to populate?

[Jezer]

Originally Posted by Hengist

Apparently those tough sentences didn't act as a deterrent.

Where would we transport people for life now we no longer have colonies to populate?

Exactly what I was going to say.

[dizzybint]

True... but shows how a horse or cow was more important in some cases..

[HomeIsWhere...]

Originally Posted by Hengist

Apparently those tough sentences didn't act as a deterrent.

Where would we transport people for life now we no longer have colonies to populate?

What about an international NASA venture to colonize the planets? Seems a harsh enough environment to me (at least currently). It can't possibly be more expensive than what it currently costs to incarcerate a felon. But would that really be enough of a deterrant (or an adventure for some)?

Best regards, sincerely

HomeIsWhere...

[jtur88]

A very large number of people transported to Australia were convicted of extremely trivial crimes. So Australia was not really populated by "criminals" except in a way much more technical than real.

Now, with mandatory sentencing laws in so many US states, a similar situation is beginning to re-emerge in which if a suspect is "technically guilty" of the letter of the law, a mandatory sentence is pronounced. As has recently been publicized in the Marissa Alexander case, a "criminal" in Florida. Conveniently, the Americans have the benefit of race to help them decide.

I don't know if the UK has mandatory sentencing laws today, or not.