The ‘Zucht‐ und Arbeitshaus’ is “an institution in which vicious members of society are accustomed to a duty‐like behaviour through work and sternness […]”. This contemporary definition by Johann Christoph Adelung describes the main pillars that made such an institution. It remains open which persons were regarded as vicious members of society and with which work and punishment methods those affected were transformed. Writings straight from everyday life in the institution, such as the protocols of the ‘Salzburger Zucht‐ und Arbeitshaus’, could offer potential answers. In addition to describing the basic features of the workhouse system, there is another question that could be answered using the source material available: To what extent can mere administrative acts, including these protocols, help to draw conclusions about the social, political and economic circumstances of an area in a certain period of time? These two questions form the basis of the present research.