This book investigates how the convict origins of European settlement in Australia have shaped the evolution of the nation's penal institutions and societal attitudes toward punishment. Mark Finnane, a professor of humanities at Griffith University, utilizes a comprehensive historical framework to analyze the intersection of social, political, and cultural forces that have influenced Australian correctional practices. By examining the trajectory of imprisonment from colonial beginnings to the modern era, the author argues that historical preoccupation with convict heritage continues to inform contemporary modes of discipline and reform.

Scholars and historians recognize this work as a foundational text for understanding the development of the Australian penal system. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the author's rigorous approach to connecting historical origins with modern institutional structures.