The Concept of Banishment (WJEC Eduqas GCSE History): Revision Note

Why did Attitudes Towards Punishment Change in the 18th and 19th Centuries? - Summary 

By the 18th century, many people believed that punishments like execution or flogging were too brutal, especially for minor crimes. The government introduced banishment, or transportation, as a more humane punishment. 

Criminals were sent abroad to work and serve their sentence, but many never returned home. Over time, this form of punishment fell out of favour as it was too expensive, unpopular with colonies, and failed to stop crime. 

When transportation ended in 1868, prisons replaced it as the main form of punishment. This marked a turning point, showing how society began to prefer reform and rehabilitation over cruelty and fear.

Banishment as a Punishment

• Attitudes towards harsh forms of punishment towards minor crimes were changing in the 18th century 

  • There was a belief that there needed to be an alternative to the death penalty 

• However, the punishment of whipping, stocks or the pillory was too lenient 

• In 1717, the Transportation Act was introduced 

  • It was less severe than execution as

    • Some criminals could return home after their sentence 

    • Criminals had the opportunity to learn new skills 

• In 1868, transportation ended as 

  • It was too expensive 

  • It was not enough of a deterrent 

  • Colonies no longer wanted to be used as a penal colony 

  • It did not reduce crime 

  • There were many inconsistencies in the delivery of sentences among criminals 

• After transportation ended, there became more of a focus on imprisonment 

• The government reformed prisons by introducing

  • New prisons

    • Such as Pentonville Prison in 1842

  • Separate system in prisons 

  • Silent system in prisons 

• This shift reflected the change from physical removal of transportation to supervised punishment and rehabilitation at home in England and Wales