A-Z Of Convicts in Van Diemen's LandDuring the Industrial Revolution, crime rates grew and a penal code was established, with over 200 offences punishable by death. The alternative was deportation, often to Van Diemen's Land. Over the following 50 years, approximately 73,000 men, women, and children were transported to the island (which today is known as Tasmania). Approximately 90% of the convicts were transported for theft, and most were given either seven or fourteen year sentences.