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Autre Publication Scientifique Année : 2016

French Guiana. The Penal Colonization of French Guyana 1852-1953

Résumé

The penal colonization of French Guyana with convicts began in 1852. Officially, it began with the law of 30 May 1854 on the execution of the sentence of hard labor (called the law on transportation). Napoleon III (during the Second Empire), decided to establish the execution of the sentence of hard labor not within France, but in the colonies, specifically, in French Guyana. Previously, prisons where those convicted to the penalty of hard labor – either for a specific period or for life – served their time in port prisons of Brest, Toulon and Rochefort. The objective of this law, inspired by the penal settlement model implemented by Britain in Australia, was threefold: 1) it allowed the métropolis (France) to get rid of convicts (that is to say close the port prisons in France and avoid the risks of reoffending associated with released convicts); 2) it provided the colony with an abundant and cheap workforce while also allowing the most deserving convicts to settle when released; 3) it assisted in founding a settlement society and participating in the development of a part of the French colonial empire. To further this third objective, Article 6 of the Law on transportation created a " doublage " : transportés sentenced to less than eight years of hard labor were required at their release to remain in the colony a time equivalent to the duration of their sentence. Those sentenced to more than eight years had to remain in the colony for life. This allowed the prevention of the return of convicts to France and forced them to settle, temporarily or permanently, in the colony of French Guyana. The choice of French Guyana was not neutral. Most settlement attempts conducted in the eighteenth century with a free population resulted in failure. Very soon, because of its distance

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halshs-01409186 , version 1 (12-01-2018)

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  • HAL Id : halshs-01409186 , version 1

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Jean-Lucien Sanchez. French Guiana. The Penal Colonization of French Guyana 1852-1953. 2016. ⟨halshs-01409186⟩
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