Maconochie’s
Gentlemen is a 19th century historical
novel that recounts the story of real-life Commandant Maconochie’s
prison reform efforts on Novell Island, Australia. Author
Norvall Morris, a professor of Law and Criminology at the
University of Chicago, tells his story through journal pages
and gives voice to the commandant, his daughter, and two
Norfolk Island prisoners. At the start, the historical novel
succeeds in leading its readers to quickly identify needed
penal change at Novell Island. However, the story focuses
primarily on the Commandant Maconochie’s goal: bringing
about humane order to the penal colony, attaining, for most
prisoners, rehabilitation and their early release. Implemented
with insight, communication, dignity, and respect, Maconochie
carries through his system of discipline and leaves a legacy
of prison reform success on Norfolk Island.
Morris
concludes his novel by summarizing a factual account of
the “real” Commandant Maconochie’s penal
colony improvements at Novell Island. The author uses this
account as a spring board to justify his own work and views
related to prison reform. He answers in depth his rhetorical
question, “Why do prison conditions matter?”
Although Morris does not whole-heartedly endorse all of
Macononchie’s actions, he recounts with admiration
the achieved humane order and reduced recidivism brought
about under Maconochie's four years of carried through criminal
justice on Novell Island. Clearly the author hopes that
by revisiting Maconochie’s 19th century prison reform
efforts, his readers will recognize similar inadequacies
in our own modern penal system, prompting them to consider
current issues of prison reform. – Summary by Nancy
Minton, Cataloger, Seattle University Law Library.
