Oriental Prisons Prisons and Crime in India, the Andaman Islands, Burmah, China, Japan, Egypt, Turkey

This sweeping study follows the rise and fall of criminal customs across a wide swath of the East, from the shadowy lanes of Tangier to the remote Andaman islands and the bustling markets of Bombay. Drawing on the author’s long career as an inspector of prisons, it blends official reports, personal observations, and vivid anecdotes to map how law, punishment, and social order have been woven together over centuries. The narrative makes the distant world of imperial prisons feel immediate, presenting grim details of notorious devices, labor camps, and early reform efforts without straying into sensationalism.

The book uncovers the powerful role of religion and tradition in shaping deviant behavior, examining the ritualized crimes of Indian Thugs, the spirit‑driven murders of China, and the hereditary criminal classes that persisted under local rule. It also contrasts the brutal heritage of forced labor and public executions with the gradual imprint of British administrative reforms, offering a nuanced look at how cultures have both resisted and reshaped their own systems of justice.