From private to public

A comparative analysis of global penal colonies reveals that the decision-making processes for establishing convict destinations and transporting prisoners during the late 18th to 19th centuries were shaped by complex legal, administrative, political, cultural, and economic factors. This study highlights how different regions—including Southeast Asia, Latin America, Australia, Russia, and Japan—approached penal regimes, site selection, prisoner housing, transportation logistics, and the agency of officials, prisoners, and communities in shaping carceral landscapes. By drawing on archival sources from seven scholars across diverse geographical settings, the research underscores the spatial implications of these processes, offering a nuanced understanding of historical incarceration practices.

Bonds, A. (2015). From private to public. Historical Geographies of Prisons, 205–218. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315724997-12