# Sent to prison with hard labour - what does it mean?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sent-to-prison-with-hard-labour-what-does-it-mean/606051>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 13, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sent-to-prison-with-hard-labour-what-does-it-mean/606051 "2011-12-13T17:42:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![biddee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@biddee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biddee)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sent-to-prison-with-hard-labour-what-does-it-mean/606051/1 "2011-12-13T17:42:25Z")

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When you’re sent to prison with hard labour, what exactly does that mean?

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sent-to-prison-with-hard-labour-what-does-it-mean/606051/2 "2011-12-13T17:51:13Z")

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You go on a work crew- making roads, breaking rocks, etc. Not used much anymore. See the film Cool Hand Luke.

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**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sent-to-prison-with-hard-labour-what-does-it-mean/606051/3 "2011-12-13T17:57:57Z")

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[Hard labour](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yatala_Labour_Prison) appears to just be physical punishment.

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**Author:** ![SmartAlecCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sent-to-prison-with-hard-labour-what-does-it-mean/606051/4 "2011-12-13T18:02:01Z")

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Or harvesting agricultural products in Alabama.