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

"Oriental Prisons" by Arthur Griffiths is a historical exploration of crime and punishment in Asian countries like India, China, and Turkey during the late 1800s. The book describes the harsh conditions and brutal treatment within these regions' prisons while examining how cultural beliefs and historical events shaped their justice systems. Griffiths starts by looking at India, explaining things like the religious background for criminal acts, such as the ritualistic murders committed by Thuggees. He shows how societies often accepted terrible cruelty, how families could pass down criminal behavior, and how the legal systems could be unfair. This introduction sets the foundation for understanding the book's analysis of prisons and the development of justice across different cultures.