Revisiting the Borstal experiment, c. 1902-1982

The establishment and development of the borstal system for young adult offenders that dominated the penal landscape for most of the 20th century is discussed. The Borstal experiment lasted for more than 80 years and yet remains a blank spot in the history of criminal justice and incarceration. It also explores the distinct stages of its evolution and its changing practices which ultimately led to its demise in the 1980s. It also mentions how the system was depicted as violent and oppressive, its staff callous and cruel which also lead to its abolition in 1982.