Prisoners, Boulders, sledge hammers

Factual Questions
1

On a trip back from England I was reading a book and the author described one character who had been sent to prison as being “up state turning big ones into little ones.” The image I presume, being the old cliche of prisoners using sledge hammers to break up boulders.

Did prisoners ever do this? Do they still? What is the purpose?

2

Prisoners used to be sentenced to hard labor, plus it would keep them busy. The finished product would be used for highways.

3

They still do that in the future! Arnie got real strong doing it in “The Running Man.”

It’s gotta be true cuz I saw it on TV!