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.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.