Brian Ross wrote on Dec 5
th, 2024 at 7:25pm:
Bobby. wrote on Dec 5
th, 2024 at 7:09pm:
greggerypeccary wrote on Dec 5
th, 2024 at 4:48pm:
Bobby. wrote on Dec 5
th, 2024 at 3:27pm:
Bring back 19th century British justice.
That will solve it.
Was there no crime in 19th century Britain?
Less crime when they saw with their own eyes what would happen to them:
the stocks,
the birch,
the rope.
You left out the Hulks.
All of which were eliminated by prison reform and transportation to the colonies. Tsk, tsk, tsk...
AI Overview
In the 19th century, prison hulks were floating prisons used to house prisoners from overcrowded jails:
What they were
Hulks were decommissioned warships, such as frigates or ships of the line, that were moored in ports and used to house prisoners.
When they were used
The British government began using hulks in 1776 as a temporary measure to house prisoners. Their use declined in the mid-19th century due to the construction of new prisons on land and the transportation of convicts to Australia.
Conditions
Conditions on the hulks were unhealthy and unhygienic. Prisoners were chained in irons, slept, ate, and spent their time in the same below deck space. They also did hard labor, such as cutting or quarrying stone, for 7–10 hours a day.
Diseases
Hulk fever, a type of typhus, and pulmonary tuberculosis were common on the hulks. Most deaths were caused by neglect.
Punishments
Prisoners were subject to a range of punishments, including spiked iron collars, leg-irons, straight iron jackets, and body irons.
Notable events
The murder of Inspector-General John Price by convicts on the Success in 1859 led to an inquiry into the use of the hulk system and its eventual abolition.