Transportation — Penal Slavery

Overcrowding in both prisons and jails becomes such a problem that England begins transporting criminals to the colonies in 1598. In 1615, King James I formally introduces the penalty of "transportation." This is a convenient way of dealing with undesirables like vagabonds, beggars, and religious dissidents. Combining both severity and mercy, the king decrees that offenders perform a "profitable service to the Commonwealth." In practice, this means indentured servitude in the American colonies, where labor is desperately needed. Conditions are harsh, though, and people don't live very long. Between 1618 and 1776, about 50,000 people are sent to U.S. colonies. After the American Revolution, Australia becomes Britain's penal colony.

Australian Penal Colonies Betsey Finn, 2000