Abstract
When the Australian colonies decided to abolish public executions they became the trendsetter for reform within the context of the British Empire. The Act passed New South Wales Parliament in 1853, anticipating other colonies like New Zealand (1858), Canada (1869) and the Cape Colony (1869). England waited until 1868 to follow the example set by Sydney. By 1858 all the Australian colonies (besides Western Australia) had legislated in favour of private executions. The push to end public hangings in the Australian context was triggered by the popular memory of convictism and a desire to appear ‘civilised’ to the outside world. Concerns over the crowd, criminal and execution procedure were also referenced widely in parliamentary and newspaper debates. The abolition of public executions changed the tone of capital punishment in Australia forever and colonists were proud that they were a step ahead of the British world in this area of reform.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
