Crime and punishment in Australia: digitising post convict records with citizen historians

It was only a matter of time before GLAMcity joined the ranks – temporarily- of true crime podcasts.

Hosts Anna and Tamson and historian Alana Piper investigate the past using official criminal records of Australian offenders from the end of the convict period through to the Second World War.

Alana’s project invites citizen historians to view and transcribe criminal records. Mostly handwritten, the records carry valuable information about the offences committed and the incarceration and institutionalisation of prisoners. These handwritten documents are becoming digital records for future generations of historians to explore. They’re also a reminder of the harsh penalties imposed on Australians, many of whom were arrested on petty charges- vagrancy and theft or as Alana points out, for being poor.

Further reading:

• You can be a part of Alana’s project by visiting criminalcharacters.com
• More information on Alan and her research can be found on her UTS page.