‘Made Ill by Bad Management’: The Health and Welfare of Prisoners in Nineteenth-Century New South Wales

Abstract

This article draws evidence from a remarkably detailed report into prison conditions in Sydney that was produced in May 1861 by a parliamentary committee chaired by Henry Parkes. Although comprehensive in intent, the inquiry into this crucial aspect of the administration of criminal justice had little impact. Besides pointing out some of the distinctive features of the committee and its report, which help to explain why this historical source has not attracted much scholarly attention, the article aims to contextualise the surrounding issues. In particular, the report's limited efforts to record and ameliorate the health and welfare of prisoners encapsulated some long-standing deficiencies in government policies toward caring for the incarcerated.