When and why did exile fall out of favor as a form of punishment in the western world?

by justhereforhides
skedaddle

I suppose it depends on how you define 'exile', but Britain was transporting convicts to Australia well into the middle of the nineteenth century. They were sent to the other side of the world and prohibited from returning to Britain for many years (and sometimes indefinitely), which fits the definition of exile pretty closely.

Transportation declined for a range of reasons, including:

  • Lack of public support - particularly surrounding the perception that transportation to a new country was something to be desired, rather than feared.
  • Growing resistance in Australia, particularly from those who migrated voluntarily.
  • The rise of the prison as an alternate (and ostensibly more rational) form of punishment.