Why did France use French Guiana as a penal colony?

France utilized French Guiana as a penal colony beginning in 1852 to punish criminals through forced labour and isolation from society. This system was part of a broader practice where nations established distant or overseas settlements to exile and banish offenders.12

The penal settlement in French Guiana, which included the notorious Devils Island, became infamous for its brutal conditions, including routine underfeeding and harsh punishments. Between 1852 and 1939, more than 70,000 French convicts were deported to the territory. The use of these colonies was eventually abolished following a 1938 decree, though the last prisoners did not depart until 1953, largely following an exposé by journalist Albert Londres that brought international attention to the inhumane treatment of those imprisoned there.123