A prison farm (also known as a penal farm) is a large correctional facility where penal labor convicts are forced to worklegally or illegallyon a farm (in the wide sense of a productive unit), usually for manual labor, largely in the open air, such as in agriculture, logging, quarrying, and mining. In the United States, such forced labor is made legal by the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution; however, some other parts of the world have made penal labor illegal. The concepts of prison farm and labor camp overlap, with the idea that the prisoners are forced to work. The historical equivalent on a very large scale was called a penal colony.

The agricultural goods produced by prison farms are generally used primarily to feed the prisoners themselves and other wards of the state (residents of orphanages, asylums, etc.), and secondarily, to be sold for whatever profit the state may be able to obtain.[1]

In addition to being forced to labor directly for the government on a prison farm or in a penal colony, inmates may be forced to do farm work for private enterprises by being farmed out through the practice of convict leasing to work on private agricultural lands or related industries (fishing, lumbering, etc.). The party purchasing their labor from the government generally does so at a steep discount from the cost of free labor.[2]

This is the 13th Amendment that Abraham Lincoln Signed.

Louisiana State Penitentiary is the largest prison farm covering 18,000 acres (7,300 hectares); it is bordered on three sides by the Mississippi River.[3] Canada has six large prison farms, which were closed in 2010. Beginning in 2019, two of the farms were gradually reopened.[4]

Convict leasing

For more information, see Convict Leasing

Convict leasing was a system of penal labor that was primarily practiced in the Southern United States, widely involved the use of African-American men, and was prominently used after the American Civil War. In this system, southern states leased prisoners to large plantations and private mines or railways. This system led to the states earning a profit, while the prisoners earned no pay and faced dangerous working conditions.[5]

The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibited the use of slavery and involuntary servitude but explicitly exempts those who have been convicted of a crime. In response to this, the southern state legislatures implemented "Black Codes", which were laws that explicitly applied to African-Americans and subjected them to criminal prosecution for minor offenses like breaking curfew, loitering, and not carrying proof of employment. These new laws led to more prisoners for the penal system that could all be leased by the state so that it can use their labor for profit. Widespread convict leasing ended by World War II, but the loopholes in the 13th Amendment still permit the use of prisoners to work without pay.[5]

Other work programs

Convicts may also be leased for non-agricultural work, either directly to state entities, or to private industry. For example, prisoners may make license plates under contract to the state Department of Motor Vehicles, work in textile or other state-run factories, or may perform data processing for outside firms. Other types of work include food service or groundskeeping.[6] These laborers are typically considered to be a part of prison industries and not prison farms.

In the United States (partial list)

StateFacilityType of work
AlabamaDraper Correctional FacilityFarming [7]
AlabamaG.K. Fountain Correctional FacilityCattle and Agricultural Operations, and Vegetable Gardens [8]
AlabamaLimestone Correctional FacilityCattle and Farming [9]
AlaskaPoint MacKenzie Correctional FarmHogs, Cattle, Turkeys, and Chickens, Produce Operations, and Hydroponics Program [10]
ArkansasCummins UnitHorse and Agricultural Operations [11]
ArkansasEast Arkansas Regional UnitFarming [12]
ArkansasGrimes UnitAgricultural Gardening Program [13]
ArkansasNorth Central UnitGarden and Forage Production [14]
ArkansasOuachita River UnitLivestock and Forage Production, Gravel Harvesting [15]
ArkansasPine Bluff UnitHorse operation [16]
ArkansasTucker UnitAgricultural Operations [17]
ArkansasWrightsville UnitHorse Operations, Agricultural Operations [18]
CaliforniaCalifornia State Prison, CorcoranDairy/Milk Processing [19]
CaliforniaCentral California Women's FacilityFarming [20]
CaliforniaValley State PrisonFarming [21]
CaliforniaWasco State PrisonFarming [22]
ColoradoBuena Vista Correctional ComplexFish Hatchery [23]
ColoradoFour Mile Correctional CenterDairy, Wild Horse Inmate Program [24]
ColoradoRifle Correctional CenterTimber [25]
ColoradoSkyline Correctional CenterFish Hatchery, Farming, Vineyard, Goat and Water Buffalo Dairy, Mountain Sheep [26]
FloridaApalachee Correctional Institution, West Unit / P.R.I.D.E.Beef Cattle, Lumber, Agricultural [27]
FloridaCharlotte Correctional Institution / P.R.I.D.E.Citrus [28]
FloridaUnion Correctional Institution / P.R.I.D.E.Beef Cattle, Lumber [29]
GeorgiaArrendale State PrisonCattle and Swine, Hay Farming [30]
GeorgiaDooly State PrisonFarm Services [31]
GeorgiaMontgomery State PrisonPoultry and Egg Production [32]
GeorgiaRogers State PrisonDairy, Beef Cattle, Swine, Farming [33]
GeorgiaWashington State PrisonFarming [34]
HawaiiHalawa Correctional Facility / Hawaii Correctional IndustriesFarming [35]
HawaiiWaiawa Correctional FacilityFarming [36]
LouisianaLouisiana State Penitentiary (Angola)Farming
MississippiMississippi State Penitentiary(Parchman) / Mississippi Prison Agricultural EnterprisesFarming[37][38]
MississippiSouth Mississippi Correctional Institution / Mississippi Prison Agricultural EnterprisesFarming[39][38]
North CarolinaCaledonia Correctional Institution (Caledonia State Prison Farm)Farming and Cannery [40][41]
North CarolinaDan River Prison Work FarmFarming [42]
North CarolinaTyrrell Prison Work FarmFarming [43]
TexasGeorge Beto Unit (Beto Unit)Farming, Cow/Calf Operations, Poultry Laying Operations, Pork Processing, and Swine Farrowing etc.[44]
TexasDolph Briscoe UnitFarming [45]
TexasJames "Jay" H. Byrd Unit (Byrd Unit)Hay Production [46]
TexasClemens UnitBeef Cattle, Farming, Swine Finishing [47]
TexasWilliam P. Clements Unit (Clements Unit)Beef Processing [48]
TexasH. H. Coffield Unit (Coffield Unit)Farming, Cow/Calf Operations, Poultry Laying Operations, Pork Processing, Swine Farrowing etc.[49]
TexasChristina Melton Crain Unit (Crain Unit)Farming, Swine Finishing[50]
TexasPrice Daniel UnitFarming [51]
TexasDarrington UnitFarming, Cow/Calf Operations, Egg Operations, and Swine Finishing Operations [52]
TexasEastham UnitCow/Calf Operations, Egg Operations, Farming, and Swine Operations [53]
TexasO.B. Ellis Unit (Ellis Unit)Cotton Gin, Cow/Calf Operations, Farming, and Swine Operations [54]
TexasW. J. "Jim" Estelle Unit (Estelle Unit)Cotton Gin, Cow/Calf Operations, Farming, and Swine Operations [55]
TexasJim Ferguson Unit (Ferguson Unit)Farming, Bull Management, and Swine Operations [56]
TexasGlen Ray Goodman Transfer FacilityHay Production [57]
TexasThomas Goree Unit (Goree Unit)Horse Breeding [58]
TexasJoe F. Gurney Transfer Facility (Gurney Unit)Farming, Cow/Calf Operations, Poultry Laying Operations, Pork Processing, and Swine Farrowing etc.[59]
TexasHilltop UnitFarming, Swine Finishing [60]
TexasWilliam P. Hobby Unit (Hobby Unit)Farming and Peach Orchard [61]
TexasReverend C.A. Holliday Transfer Facility (Holliday Unit)Farming, Egg Operations, Swine Operations, Horse Breeding Operations, and Veterinary Services [62]
TexasAlfred D. Hughes Unit (Hughes Unit)Farming, Swine Finishing [63]
TexasBeauford H. Jester I Unit (Jester I Unit)Swine Finishing, Mechanical Shop, and Combine Shed [64]
TexasBeauford H. Jester III Unit (Jester III Unit)Swine Finishing, Mechanical Shop, and Combine Shed [65]
TexasClyde M. Johnston UnitHay Production [66]
TexasO.L. Luther UnitCow/Calf Operations, Farming, Swine Operations, and Buffalo Ranch [67]
TexasMark W. Michael Unit (Michael Unit)Farming, Cow/Calf Operations, Poultry Laying Operations, Pork Processing, and Swine Farrowing etc.[68]
TexasMountain View UnitFarming, Swine Finishing [69]
TexasDr. Lane Murray Unit (Murray Unit)Farming, Swine Finishing [70]
TexasNathaniel J. Neal UnitBeef Processing [71]
TexasWallace Pack Unit (Pack Unit)Cow/Calf Operations, Farming, Swine Operations, and Buffalo Ranch [72]
TexasAllan B. Polunsky Unit (Polunsky unit)Tree Farm [73]
TexasLouis C. Powledge Unit (Powledge Unit)Farming, Cow/Calf Operations, Poultry Laying Operations, Pork Processing, and Swine Farrowing etc.[74]
TexasW. F. Ramsey Unit (Ramsey Unit)Farming, Cow/Calf Operations, Cotton Gin, Farm Shop, Vegetable Cannery, Grain Storage, Swine Operations, and Alfalfa Dehydrator [75]
TexasRetrieve (later Wayne Scott) Unit (Scott Unit)Cow/Calf Operations, Egg Operations, Swine Operations, Farming, Farm Shop, and Grain Storage [76]
TexasA.M. "Mac" Stringfellow Unit (Stringfellow Unit)Farming, Cow/Calf Operations, Cotton Gin, Farm Shop, Vegetable Cannery, Grain Storage, Swine Operations, and Alfalfa Dehydrator [77]
TexasBarry B. Telford Unit (Telford Unit)Cow/Calf Operations and Farming [78]
TexasC.T. Terrell Unit (Terrell Unit)Farming, Cow/Calf Operations, Cotton Gin, Farm Shop, Vegetable Cannery, Grain Storage, Swine Operations, and Alfalfa Dehydrator [79]
TexasCarol S. Vance Unit (Vance Unit)Swine Finishing, Mechanical Shop, and Combine Shed [80]
TexasDaniel Webster Wallace UnitHay Production [81]
TexasJohn M. Wynne Unit (Wynne Unit)Farming, Egg Operations, Swine Operations, Horse Breeding Operations, and Veterinary Services [82]

Canadian Prison Farm System

Canadian parliament on penitentiaries (1913).

In 2009, Canada shut down six of its major prison farms. Canada had used its prison farms as a way to generate revenue, as well as to give prisoners skills post-release. In 2009, the House of Commons in Canada announced that the skills that prison farms had been giving inmates were outdated, and that prison labor should focus on work related to more modern skills.

Although the Canadian prison farm system has been shut down since 2009, the debate as to whether or not the farms should reopen has continued. The group called Save our Prison Farms (SOPF) has been trying to revive the prison farm concept, since they did not want to pay for farm labor. When active, the prison farms highlighted many inherent inequalities within Canadian society. For example, the incarceration rate of the indigenous "First Nations" people of Canada was ten times greater than that of non-aboriginal Canadians.

in 2009, when the prison farm program in Canada was about to shut down, the Government of Canada gave three reasons to cut the program:

  • the conditions for the people that worked on the farm were dangerous;
  • the program was an out-of-date and ineffective type of correction, giving non-modern skills to inmates for their life post-release;
  • the program was losing money.

The revenue of the six prisons was CA$7.5 million, while the expenses were CA$11.5 million, with a net loss to the government of about four million dollars on a useless program. Since the Canadian Prison Farm Program was found to not be effective, along with its inherent inequalities, it seemed to make sense to just shut it down altogether.

The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which ended slavery, specifically carved out the concept of penal servitude (i.e., forced and unpaid labor as a punishment for a crime). This exemption only affected those who have been convicted of crimes, not those who were still awaiting trial.

Britain had a long history of penal servitude even before passage of the Penal Servitude Act of 1853, and routinely used convict labor to settle its conquests, either through penal colonies or by selling convicts to settlers to serve as slaves for a term of years as indentured servants.

Scope

The Clemens Unit, a prison farm in Brazoria County, Texas

This type of penal institution has mainly been implanted in rural regions of vast countries. For example, the following passage describes the prison system of the U.S. state of North Carolina in the early twentieth century:

"The state prison is at Raleigh, although most of the convicts are distributed upon farms owned and operated by the state. The lease system does not prevail, but the farming out of convict labor is permitted by the constitution; such labor is used chiefly for the building of railways, the convicts so employed being at all times cared for and guarded by state officials. A reformatory for white youth between the ages of seven and sixteen, under the name of the Stonewall Jackson Manual Training and Industrial School, was opened at Concord in 1909, and in March 1909 the Foulk Reformatory and Manual Training School for negro youth was provided for. Charitable and penal institutions are under the supervision of a Board of Public Charities, appointed by the governor for a period of six years, the terms of the different members expiring in different years. Private institutions for the care of the insane, idiots, feeble-minded, and inebriates may be established, but must be licensed and regulated by the state board and become legally a part of the system of public charities."

In 21st-century Illinois, several prisons continue to run farms to produce food for wards of the state, including the prisoners themselves. The 1911 Britannica also reported that the state of Rhode Island had a farm of 667 acres (2.70 km2) in the southern part of Cranston City housing (and presumably taking labor from):

"the state prison, the Providence county jail, the state workhouse and the house of correction, the state almshouse, the state hospital for the insane, the Sockanosset school for boys, and the Oaklawn school for girls, the last two being departments of the state reform school."[83]

There are prison farms in other countries. Canada had six prison farms, where up to 800 inmates did everything from tending pigs to milking cows, until they were closed in 2010 by the Conservative government. In 2015, the Liberal government began conducting feasibility studies to determine if the program can be restarted.[84] In 2018, the Liberal government announced plans to reopen two of the prison farms previously closed by the end of 2019.[4]

In fiction

Films and television shows featuring prison farms and forced prison labor:

See also

References

  1. Lunau, Kate. "Canada to shut down all prison farms". Maclean's, April 13, 2009.
  2. "D.A. McCall, Secretary of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, Baptizes Convicts on a Prison Farm near Parchman on 18 August 1946". Crime and Punishment: Essential Primary Sources , 2006.
  3. Glenday, Craig (2013). 2014 Guinness World Records Limited. p. 132. ISBN 978-1-908843-15-9.
  4. 1 2 Pfeffer, Amanda (2019-08-15). "Ontario prison farms making a comeback". CBC. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  5. 1 2 "Convict Leasing". Equal Justice Initiative. 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
  6. "BOP: Work Programs". www.bop.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-15.
  7. "Draper Correctional Facility. (2013). Retrieved June 9, 2015". Doc.state.al.us. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  8. "Fountain Correctional Facility. (2013). Retrieved June 9, 2015". Doc.state.al.us. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  9. "Limestone Correctional Facility. (2013). Retrieved June 9, 2015". Doc.state.al.us. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  10. "Point Mackenzie Correctional Farm History. (n.d.). Retrieved June 9, 2015". Correct.state.ak.us. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  11. Cummins Unit. (2011). Retrieved June 9,2015 Archived 2016-03-18 at the Wayback Machine
  12. East Arkansas Regional Unit. (2011). Retrieved June 9,2015 Archived 2011-06-28 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Grimes Unit. (2011). Retrieved June 9,2015
  14. North Central Unit. (2011). Retrieved June 9,2015
  15. Ouachita River Unit. (2011). Retrieved June 9,2015 Archived 2015-09-18 at the Wayback Machine
  16. Pine Bluff Unit. (2011). Retrieved June 9,2015
  17. Tucker Unit. (2011). Retrieved June 9,2015
  18. Wrightsville Unit. (2011). Retrieved June 9,2015
  19. "California State Prison, Corcoran (CSP-COR). (2014). Retrieved June 9, 2015". Archived from the original on April 30, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  20. "Central California Women's Facility (CCWF). (2014). Retrieved June 9, 2015". Archived from the original on April 23, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  21. "Valley State Prison (VSP). (2014). Retrieved June 9, 2015". Cdcr.ca.gov. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  22. "Wasco State Prison-Reception Center (WSP). (2014). Retrieved June 9, 2015". Cdcr.ca.gov. 2017-04-04. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  23. BVCC - Buena Vista Correctional Complex | Department of Corrections. (n.d.). Retrieved June 9, 2015 Archived June 10, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  24. FMCC - Four Mile Correctional Center | Department of Corrections. (n.d.). Retrieved June 9, 2015 Archived August 4, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  25. RCC - Rifle Correctional Center | Department of Corrections. (n.d.). Retrieved June 9, 2015 Archived June 10, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  26. SCC - Skyline Correctional Center | Department of Corrections. (n.d.). Retrieved June 9, 2015 Archived August 4, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  27. "Apalachee Correctional Institution, West. (n.d.). Retrieved June 9, 2015". Dc.state.fl.us. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  28. "Charlotte Correctional Institution. (n.d.). retrieved June 9, 2015". Dc.state.fl.us. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  29. "Union Correctional Institution. (n.d.). retrieved June 9, 2015". Dc.state.fl.us. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  30. "Arrendale State Prison. (n.d.). retrieved June 9, 2015". Dcor.state.ga.us. 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  31. "Dooly State Prison. (n.d.). retrieved June 9, 2015". Dcor.state.ga.us. 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  32. "Montgomery State Prison. (n.d.). retrieved June 9, 2015". Dcor.state.ga.us. 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  33. "Rogers State Prison. (n.d.). retrieved June 9, 2015". Dcor.state.ga.us. 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  34. "Washington State Prison. (n.d.). retrieved June 9, 2015". Dcor.state.ga.us. 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  35. "Halawa Correctional Facility. (2015). retrieved June 9, 2015". Dps.hawaii.gov. 2018-03-08. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  36. "Waiawa Correctional Facility. (2015). retrieved June 9, 2015". Dps.hawaii.gov. 2018-03-08. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  37. "The Mission of the Mississippi State Penitentiary". Mississippi Department of Corrections. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  38. 1 2 "Agricultural Enterprises". Mississippi Department of Corrections. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  39. "South Mississippi Correctional Institution". Mississippi Department of Corrections. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  40. "Caledonia Correctional Institution". North Carolina Department of Public Safety. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  41. Hart, John (4 April 2017). "Caledonia: Where prisoners have grown their food for 125 years". FarmProgress. Informa Markets. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  42. "Dan River Prison Work Farm -- Farming operations". North Carolina Department of Correction Division of Prisons. North Carolina Department of Public Safety. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  43. "Tyrrell Prison Work Farm". North Carolina Department of Public Safety. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  44. "Beto (B)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  45. "Briscoe (DB)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  46. "Byrd (DU)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  47. "Clemens (CN)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  48. "Clements (BC)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  49. "Coffield (CO)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  50. "Crain (GV)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  51. "Daniel (DL)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  52. "Darrington (DA)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  53. "Eastham (EA)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  54. "Ellis (E)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  55. "Estelle (E2)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  56. "Ferguson (FE)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  57. "Goodman (GG)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  58. "Goree (GR)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  59. "Gurney (ND)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  60. "Hilltop (HT)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  61. "Hobby (HB)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  62. "Holliday (NF)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  63. "Hughes (AH)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  64. "Jester I (J1)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  65. "Jester III (J3)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  66. "Johnston (JT)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  67. "Luther (P2)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  68. "Michael (MI)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  69. "Mountain View (MV)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  70. "Murray (LM)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  71. "Neal (KN)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  72. "Pack (P1)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  73. "Polunsky (TL)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  74. "Powledge (B2)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  75. "Ramsey (R1)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  76. "Scott (RV)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  77. "Stringfellow (R2)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  78. "Telford (TO)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  79. "Terrell (R3)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  80. "Vance (J2)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  81. "Wallace (WL)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  82. "Wynne (WY)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  83. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Cranston" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 378.
  84. "'Strong support' for reopening prison farms, government consultation finds | CTV News". Ctvnews.ca. 2016-11-09. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  85. Chain Gang (1950) Turner Classic Movies
  86. "Iwahig Penal Farm". Philippine Bureau of Corrections:accessdate=21 Nov 2017.

Further reading

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.