Banishment
Forms of Criminal Punishment: Banishment
Introduction to Banishment
Some societies punish certain undesirable individuals, such as criminals and political and religious dissidents, with banishment or exile. In ancient times banishment was a common form of punishment, and it often amounted to capital punishment because authorities would deny food and shelter within a certain distance to those banished. The Old Testament of the Bible contains the story of Adam and Eve, who were banished from the Garden of Eden for their disobedience to God.
During the 18th and 19th centuries officials in various Chinese provinces used banishment as a punishment. It ranked second only to death as the most serious punishment imposed. China and other countries also used banishment as a means to colonize regions. For example, from 1788 to 1868 England banished more than 160,000 prisoners to Australia or Africa to work in labor colonies they established.
Banishment has also been used in modern times. In 1993, for example, tribal officials banished two teenaged members of the Tlingit tribe of Native Americans as punishment for a robbery. The offenders were sent from their home in Everett, Washington, to a desolate island off Alaska to live in isolation for several months.” (1)
Banishment
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See Also
- Deportation
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Notes and References
- Information about Banishment in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia