Republic Penal Corps

The Penal Corps was a branch of the Republic Military comprised of convicted criminals who were charged with military service. On some worlds, prisoners were able to select service as a penal trooper, while on others only criminals with a reputation of organized violence (such as bounty hunters and captured war criminals) were pressed into service. Penal brigades were always deployed to the galaxy's most turbulent warzones and were often not expected to return; those who did were pardoned from their crimes. Penal troopers that were insubordinate or treacherous were typically returned to the planet they were convicted on and continued their prison sentence as normal. During the Clone Wars, brigades under the Penal Corps were typically deployed on battlefields alongside units of the Grand Army of the Republic. Despite this, the Penal Corps was considered part of the Judicial Forces. Each penal brigade was commanded by whatever GAR/Judicial Forces commanding officer was present at their deployment zone. Most penal brigades issued standard uniforms and equipment to their members, which varied between brigades, though there existed a number of specialized penal units in which penal troopers were allowed to use whatever equipment was in their possession on the day of their arrest. Members of these specialized units were typically known as "penal commandos" to distinguish them from members of more standard units. Naastau, a Mandalorian Supercommando who was arrested while operating under Black Sun contract, served with a specialized penal unit on Metalorn, Humbarine, and Drongar.