When we think of the word outlaw, most people pretty much associate it with basically being a criminal, but the reality of being outlawed is something significantly different than just being a criminal. That is to say, to be outlawed, is by the definition of the time, to be somebody that has been declared to be by the state, as a person that is outside the protection of the law. This thus signifies that to be outlawed, meant that somebody that has it “in” for that person so outlawed, can exact whatever form of “justice” that they so desire upon that person, for that person as an outlaw, has not the protection of the law, nor can that person avail themselves of the law or the justice of the law. So then, to be outlawed is to be forsaken by society, and further to the point, to have no place of sanctuary to run to, except to distance themselves as far as possible from those that would exact their vengeance or their form of justice upon them.
Each of us lives within a society, of which, that society expects those that are the members of such, to be good to that society. Whenever, societal members break the law, or work at cross purposes as to the good of that society, there are laws so legislated that will bring that person to justice. Yet, back in the day, especially in frontier towns, and during the westward expansion of the United States, there wasn’t always time to effectively have due process and to deal with those that were inimical to society in a way and manner that would be conducive for the betterment of society, except then to ban that particular person from being a good member of that society, by labeling such, as an outlaw.
While to be outlawed in a legal sense, is no longer a part of our society, formal or informal, there is on a certain level, a sort of Biblical justice to the concept of being able to label a particularly troublesome and uncivil sort as an outlaw, of which, this thus places that outlawed person in the unenviable position of living outside society, as their due punishment for being a bad person, and therefore their continual survival is dependent upon their acumen and dexterity in making their way in the world, with the sure knowledge that should they come across a person or a mob that knows who they really are, that the result for that outlaw, would not be good.
Indeed, it could be said, that for some of those so incarcerated, if it was not for their incarceration, because of their heinous crimes, the people would desire to exact their form of justice upon them, and would willingly do so, when they believed that this wicked person was not protected by the laws of that society. While, justice taken in the hands of the people, is hardly ever fair justice, there are those times when the people’s blood is up, and therefore they feel justified in the actions that are thus carried out, against those who have been outlawed or should have been.