A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison".[1] Convicts are often also known as "prisoners" or "inmates" or by the slang term "con",[2] while a common label for former convicts, especially those recently released from prison, is "ex-con" ("ex-convict"). Persons convicted and sentenced to non-custodial sentences tend not to be described as "convicts".
The label of "ex-convict" usually has lifelong implications, such as social stigma or reduced opportunities for employment. The federal government of Australia, for instance, will not, in general, employ an ex-convict, while some state and territory governments may limit the time for or before which a former convict may be employed.[citation needed]
The particular use of the term "convict" in the English-speaking world was to describe the huge numbers of criminals, both male and female, who clogged British gaols in the 18th and early 19th century. Their crimes would today be regarded as petty misdemeanors (stealing small items or food), or are no longer in the criminal code (such as being in unresolved debt). Most of the punishments at this time were severe, with the death penalty (hanging) applied for fairly minor crimes. However, this ultimate sentence was often commuted to a lesser one, commonly for transportation (for 7 or 14 years, or for life) to the colonies. Thus, in the British context, the term "convict" has come to refer in particular to those criminals transported overseas.
Initially many British convicts were sent to the American colonies, such as Maryland, Virginia, and Georgia, as cheap labour. The transportation of convicts from the United Kingdom began around 1615 and became increasingly common in the following years. Initially most people were transported to North America or the West Indies, but from 1718 onwards transportation was entirely to North America. The arrangements ceased when the American Revolutionary War meant it was no longer possible for the United Kingdom to send convicts to what had become the United States.
The British Government then looked to the newly discovered east coast of Australia to use as a penal colony. Convicts were transported to Australia in 1787, arriving in Botany Bay, then Sydney Cove, in January 1788. From the very start of European settlement convicts were used as indentured labourers in five out of the six colonies. Many were used on public works, but a significant number were "assigned" to private individuals as domestic servants, rural workers, etc. Transportation was progressively abolished from 1853, eventually ceasing altogether in 1868.
In Australia, convicts have come to be key figures of cultural mythology and historiography. Many became prominent businesspeople and respected citizens, and some prominent families in present-day Australian society can trace their origins to convict ancestors who rose above their humble origins. However, during the transportation era and for many years after, previous convicts and their descendants tended to hide their former criminal background, sometimes resulting in distorted or completely missing family history. Extensive and comprehensive records kept on every individual are now able to fill in the gaps; and, in fact, many family historians can find out more about their convict ancestors than they can about those who arrived in Australia as free settlers.
^Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language, p. 311 (2d Coll. Ed. 1978).
^Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language, p. 292 (2d Coll. Ed. 1978).
^Christopher, Emma (2011). A Merciless Place. The Lost Story of Britain's Convict Disaster in Africa. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-969593-5.
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January 19, 2024
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This article is about the term convict when applied to an individual For other uses see Convict disambiguation For a person convicted of a felony crime see Convicted felon See also Conviction This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Convict news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message A convict is a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court or a person serving a sentence in prison 1 Convicts are often also known as prisoners or inmates or by the slang term con 2 while a common label for former convicts especially those recently released from prison is ex con ex convict Persons convicted and sentenced to non custodial sentences tend not to be described as convicts The label of ex convict usually has lifelong implications such as social stigma or reduced opportunities for employment The federal government of Australia for instance will not in general employ an ex convict while some state and territory governments may limit the time for or before which a former convict may be employed citation needed Contents 1 Historical usage 2 See also 3 Notes 4 External linksHistorical usage edit nbsp Convicts at Botany Bay New South Wales 1789 nbsp Convicts and guards on the road to Siberia 1845The particular use of the term convict in the English speaking world was to describe the huge numbers of criminals both male and female who clogged British gaols in the 18th and early 19th century Their crimes would today be regarded as petty misdemeanors stealing small items or food or are no longer in the criminal code such as being in unresolved debt Most of the punishments at this time were severe with the death penalty hanging applied for fairly minor crimes However this ultimate sentence was often commuted to a lesser one commonly for transportation for 7 or 14 years or for life to the colonies Thus in the British context the term convict has come to refer in particular to those criminals transported overseas Initially many British convicts were sent to the American colonies such as Maryland Virginia and Georgia as cheap labour The transportation of convicts from the United Kingdom began around 1615 and became increasingly common in the following years Initially most people were transported to North America or the West Indies but from 1718 onwards transportation was entirely to North America The arrangements ceased when the American Revolutionary War meant it was no longer possible for the United Kingdom to send convicts to what had become the United States The British Government then looked to the newly discovered east coast of Australia to use as a penal colony Convicts were transported to Australia in 1787 arriving in Botany Bay then Sydney Cove in January 1788 From the very start of European settlement convicts were used as indentured labourers in five out of the six colonies Many were used on public works but a significant number were assigned to private individuals as domestic servants rural workers etc Transportation was progressively abolished from 1853 eventually ceasing altogether in 1868 In Australia convicts have come to be key figures of cultural mythology and historiography Many became prominent businesspeople and respected citizens and some prominent families in present day Australian society can trace their origins to convict ancestors who rose above their humble origins However during the transportation era and for many years after previous convicts and their descendants tended to hide their former criminal background sometimes resulting in distorted or completely missing family history Extensive and comprehensive records kept on every individual are now able to fill in the gaps and in fact many family historians can find out more about their convict ancestors than they can about those who arrived in Australia as free settlers British convicts were also sent to Canada West Africa 3 and India France also sent convicts to New Caledonia and to Devil s Island in French Guiana See also editConvicted felon Convict lease Convict assignment Convicts in Australia Older prisoners Penal transportationNotes edit Webster s New World Dictionary of the American Language p 311 2d Coll Ed 1978 Webster s New World Dictionary of the American Language p 292 2d Coll Ed 1978 Christopher Emma 2011 A Merciless Place The Lost Story of Britain s Convict Disaster in Africa Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 969593 5 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to convicts nbsp Look up convict in Wiktionary the free dictionary Convict life State Library of NSW Convict Transportation Registers database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Convict amp oldid 1143496525, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
