Though at first only homeless people were sent, the scope of who could be sent gradually widened, beginning in 1788 with those who had been punished with flogging or tattooing and had no personal guarantor, continuing in 1805 with those who had acted poorly at their work-houses, and finally extending to those who had shown no contrition for their crimes even after enduring exile.
当初は無宿である者のみを送ったが、天明8年(1788年)には敲や入墨の刑に処されたが身元保証人がいない者、文化(元号)2年(1805年)には人足寄場での行いが悪い者、追放刑を受けても改悛する姿勢が見えない者まで送られるようになった。