Debtor's prison
Encyclopedia : D : DE : DEB : Debtor's prison
A debtor's prison is a prison for people unable to pay a debt to another. Prior to the mid 19th century debtor's prisons were a common way to deal with unpaid debt. In the United Kingdom it was totally abolished in 1861.
Debtor's prisons varied in the amount of freedom they allowed the debtor. With access to a little bit of money a debtor could pay for some reasonable freedoms. Some allowed conducting business and having visitors over various hours. The father of English author Charles Dickens was sent to one of these prisons, which were often described in Dickens's novels.
See also
- Debt bondage
- Marshalsea
- Poor Law
- Poorhouse
- Bankruptcy
- Georgia, USA, was originally settled by debtors.
External links
- http://www.apva.org/debtorsprison/
- http://www.lancastercastle.com/debtors.htm
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