Convict Lease System Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Convict Lease System?

The Convict Lease System was a form of criminal justice in the United States that existed from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. The system allowed states to lease prisoners to private companies, who used them as forced labor for various industrial and agricultural tasks. This system was widely seen as a violation of civil rights and human dignity, as prisoners were often subjected to inhumane treatment, violence, and abuse.The origins of the Convict Lease System can be traced back to Reconstruction-era Southern states. Following the Civil War, these states were facing financial ruin due to their reliance on slavery for economic prosperity. As an alternative source of revenue, they turned to leasing prisoners out for labor purposes in order to generate much-needed income. Companies paid fees or taxes based on how many inmates they took on; these fees went directly into state coffers. Under this system, prisoners were leased out for periods ranging from a few months up to ten years and assigned manual labor jobs such as mining coal or working in factories or plantations. Inmates were often treated harshly by their employers with little regard for their basic human rights. Prisoners often worked long hours with little rest or time off and faced severe punishment if they attempted escape or failed to meet certain quotas set by their employers. They were also denied basic medical care which led many inmates suffering from physical ailments due inadequate nutrition or exposure during harsh weather conditions. By the mid-20th century, social reformers had begun calling attention to this practice’s abuses; public outcry over its injustices eventually led several southern statesincluding Georgiato abolish it completely before World War II began in 1941.