Victorian Era England Debt Prisons History,Debtor's Prisons Living COnditions

People were bothered about law and order in Victorian Britain. The Victorian era was not free from crimes. The people believed that only punishment can serve as a solution to the problem of increasing crime rate. The number of convicted criminals increased so sharply that they decided that prisons were the best form of punishment.

Between 1842 and 1857, 90 prisons were built. Charles Dickens discusses the life in these prisons in his works like Great expectations.

In Victorian England, Debt was no less than a crime. The debtors were sent to jail until they were able to pay off their debts. These were called debtors prisons, a peculiar form of punishment. Indefinite incarceration was the mode of punishment. Sometimes, the convicts stayed with their families in the prison. Family members were free to come and go according to their wish. Therefore, even children were born and raised there.

debt-prisons-of-victorian-era-england

The prisons were full of rats, lice and fleas. The prisoners were denied basic necessities of life such as food, water and clothing. It is said that these places were dirty and filthy that around 25% of the inmates died due to these horrible living conditions.

The debtors were imprisoned and tortured at the pleasure of the creditors. When other countries of Europe had legislation limiting the debt imprisonment term to 1 year, England did not have such a law. When in 1842, the fleet prison was closed; it was found that debtors were there for more than 30 years.
It was the Bankruptcy act of 1869 which abolished debtors prisons.

Victorian Era Etiquettes	Victorian Family	Victorian Fashion
Victorian Furniture	Victorian Government	Victorian History
Victorian Era Life	Victorian Music	Victorian People
Victorian Schools	Victorian Society	Victorian Sports
Victorian Style Bedrooms	Victorian Style Bird Cages	Victorian Style Design
Victorian Era Style	Victorian Toys	Victorian Trading
Victorian Food	Victorian Houses	Victorian Poor And Middle Class
Victorian Style Architecture	Victorian Style Houses	Victorian Women
Late Victorian Society	Victorian Era Corsets	Victorian Era Social Classes
Victorian Era Facts	Victorian Era Child Labor	Apparels Of Victorian Era
Victorian Era Abolition Of Slavery	Victorian Era Abortion	Victorian Era Abstinence
Victorian Era Accent English	Victorian Era Activities	Victorian Era Actors
Victorian Era America	Victorian Era Amusement Parks	Victorian Era Anime
Victorian Era Apprentices	Victorian Era Artists	Victorian Era Based Movies
Victorian Era Characteristics	Victorian Era Medicines	Victorian Era Burlesque
Victorian Era Dolls And Doll Houses	New Essays / Articles on Victorian Era

This website offers free information on Life in England during Victorian Era. There were plenty of interesting facts to life during Victorian Period. We have information on Society during Victorian Times, Architecture, Art, Paintings, History, Costumes, Women, Furniture, Food and many such things. Victorian age is considered very important in England's and indeed world's history.

Custom Search