Maconochie, Alexander

Alexander Maconochie (1787–1860)—prison reformer, naval officer, and “father of parole”—was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Best known for his work in Tasmania and the Norfolk Island penal colony, he was a pioneer in penal reform, and his ideas and philosophies provide the basis for many modern Western penal systems. Throughout his career, he believed that prisoners should be treated humanely and decently and that, if given the opportunity, the majority would learn to live honest and productive lives. One of his many disciples was Walter Crofton, who, as chairman of the board of directors of the Irish prison system, implemented many of Maconochie's principles in his own system.

Maconochie joined the Royal Navy in 1803 and attained the rank of commander in 1815. During the Napoleonic Wars, he was a prisoner of war for three years (1811–1814), and his experiences during that time no doubt influenced his philosophy regarding the transportation and treatment of prisoners. After the war, in 1822, Maconochie married, and he moved to London in 1829. He joined University College, London, where he became the first professor of geography and in 1830 a founder and first secretary of the Royal Geographical Society.

Sir John Franklin, the famous Arctic explorer, was appointed lieutenant-governor of Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) in January 1836. The English viewed this land as basically an island prison colony and operated it as such. Because of Maconochie's background and experience, Franklin asked him to accompany him as his private secretary, and Maconochie accepted with some reluctance. Prior to his leaving London, he was asked to complete a questionnaire for the Society for the Improvement of Prison Discipline concerning the penal system in Van Diemen's Land. He arrived in the capital, Hobart, early in 1837 with a number of new ideas on how to reform convict discipline and the penal system.

In October 1837, Maconochie forwarded a report on convict discipline to the English parliament, and in 1838 he published Thoughts on Convict Management and Other Subjects Connected With the Australian Penal Colonies. He added a short supplement in 1839 with a new title, adding Australiana. It was here that he presented his ideas that criminals should be punished for their past behavior and trained for the future in government employment. This so impressed the colonial office that in May 1839 Maconochie was offered the position of superintendent of Norfolk Island. He readily accepted the position but pointed out that he did not consider Norfolk Island suitable for testing his methods.

Norfolk Island was first settled in the 14th or 15th century by East Polynesians from the Kermadec Islands north of New Zealand or from what is now known as New Zealand's North Island. Norfolk Island was named after the duchess of Norfolk by Captain James Cook, the first European to arrive there. In March 1788, Philip Gidley King led an expedition of 15 convicts and seven freemen to settle and prepare for further development. Over the next [Page 246]few years, an increasing number of convicts were sent to Norfolk Island, and it became nothing more than a penal colony for the most incorrigible convicts. By 1814, the island was abandoned, because it was seen as too costly and to remote to maintain. In 1824, the British government began to reconsider this, and a new penal colony was established for new inmates from Britain and the most serious felons from other parts of Australia.

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