Penal Treatment of Male Juveniles in Barbados, 1880-1930

What is it about?

This paper explores intersections among class, gender, and generation, as well as between the political economy and the penal system, through a focus on the penal treatment of male juveniles in the British West Indian sugar colony of Barbados during a critical period of transition, 1880-1930.

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Why is it important?

This is one of a small set of papers by the author that has pioneered the study of women's (and boys') unusual and outlier profile in the penal system in Barbados, British West Indies, during the period 1875-1920s. This research, examining the conditions that account for the unusual situation of having more women than men committed to penal imprisonment (for petty crimes) during this specific period of Barbadian colonial history, is the first of its kind. The first paper to appear from this research was "Disciplining Boys," followed by "The Abandoned Lower Class of Females."