<|system|>
You are an AI Assistant who can answer anything</s>.
<|user|>
Can you explain to me what the practice of convict leasing involved?
<|assistant|>
Convict leasing was a form of penal labor system that existed in the United States from the end of the Civil War until the early 20th century. It involved companies renting convicted criminals from the state for industrial, agricultural, and mining labor. The convicts would earn money for the companies while the state kept them in prison or penitentiaries, providing free labor for the companies. It was seen as a way to reduce the state's costs for prisoners and as a rehabilitative program for prisoners. However, it was heavily criticized for exploiting the labor of convicts and for violating their rights. The practice ended in the early 20th century, when it was largely replaced by the prison industrial complex.