Penal colonies were used by nations to establish a presence in remote colonies and punish social wrongdoers. Prisoners were sent with overseers and basic supplies to farm, mine, fish, and engage in other activities. Penal colonies provided free government labor and a threat to maintain social order, but are now widely frowned upon as forced labor.
A penal colony is a self-sustaining settlement that uses prisoners for most of its work. In the colonial era, a number of nations used penal colonies to establish a presence in their more remote colonies, where they had difficulty attracting settlers. These colonies provided a mechanism for reclaiming land and punishing social wrongdoers. Prisoners could be transported, as was known, for life in a penal colony or for an established sentence. Australia famously included a number of penal colonies.
When a nation establishes a penal colony, it sends prisoners with trained overseers to supervise them, along with some basic supplies to establish the colony. The government typically provides support until the colony can begin supporting itself. Prisoners can farm, mine, fish, and engage in other activities. They initially perform tasks to support the colony such as building housing and growing food. Over time, they can produce goods to sell to the outside community to turn the penal colony into a profitable business.
Historically, positions as warden were often coveted, as the warden could profit from the colony if he managed it well. Guardsmen and other support personnel tended to come from the lower classes and sometimes viewed the penal colony as an opportunity to make their way in society. Guardsmen could serve for a set amount of time in exchange for land after their service or other benefits which they could use to establish new lives. As well as being used in Australia, penal colonies were also a part of life in China and Russia during parts of the 20th century under repressive governments who used them to house political dissidents and other undesirable members of society. Captives were also transported to the Americas in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Penal colonies provide a free source of government labor, along with a threat that the government can use to maintain social order. Offenders may find the threat of transportation a significant deterrent to many crimes. Penal colonies also resolved the expenses associated with keeping prisoners and maintaining reasonably safe prison conditions. Instead of housing and feeding prisoners, the government could require prisoners to take care of their needs in a penal colony.
Internationally, the use of penal colonies is widely frowned upon. Some critics believe they are an example of forced labour, as prisoners cannot give up work and may be forced to work in harsh conditions. Prisons and work facilities where inmates may choose to work in the community or in the prison itself are run on a slightly different model, as inmates may be able to apply for specific work assignments and conditions are more humane.
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