This book documents the transformation of South Carolina's penal system during the 50-year period following the Civil War. Oliphant provides a detailed account of the rise of prison labor, the introduction of convict leasing, and the creation of a criminal justice system structured around the principles of racial segregation. Drawing on government reports, news articles, and personal correspondence, Oliphant's work is a fascinating study of the politics of punishment in a postbellum southern state.

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