Transportation Act of 1864

The Transportation Act of 1864 was a U.S. law that aimed to address the issues of crime and punishment. It allowed for the imprisonment of individuals convicted of certain crimes to be replaced by transportation, where offenders could be sent to penal colonies instead of serving sentences in local jails. This act reflected evolving views on rehabilitation and punishment during that period. It was a response to overcrowded prisons and sought to utilize convict labor while also aiming to uphold public safety by moving offenders away from society.