Why did the British treat their convicts badly?

If you're asking about the time when Britain transported their convicts to overseas colonies, everyone treated convicts badly! read more

After a period, (dependent on their crime & their behaviour) they were freed & set up as colonists. Many who were transported went on to have very successful lives. This is why Australians are sometimes jokingly referred to as 'convicts'. read more

This meant that convicts could live independently and earn their own living, though some (such as the tickets of leave and Conditional Pardons) were subject to supervision and their privileges could be revoked due to bad behavior. read more