Debtors In Prison Essay

Debtors in the past had a raw time and got into serious trouble when they were unable to pay their debts. Creditors were able to seize property as well as have the person imprisoned until the amounts were paid in full. Landing in debt prison was a horrible prospect and many died in the dark dungeons that served as prisons when they were unable to raise the amount of debt owed. The thought of a debtor’s prison was a motivating threat that worked effectively in having people clear their debts. The prison was a sure death trap as the debtors were supposed to fend for themselves as the jailers did not provide them with bedding, food or fuel. This was a sure death sentence especially if the debtor was poor in the first place. Debtors prison was for everyone, regardless of whichever class a debtor belonged to. The irony of this option …show more content…
Being in debt during that time was not an attractive concept but unfortunately since the systems were not as refined or regulated as they are in today’s world, it was almost unavoidable. It took years for the abolishment of the debtors’ prison with the United States abolishing them as early as 1831 in New York (Lepore, 2009). Debtors’ prisons were merciless and indiscriminate, holding men, women and children.
The harsh treatment of debtors is therefore not a new concept and in some places, it sees debtors losing property and livelihoods thanks to malicious actions of creditors through repossessions. When a creditor repossesses machinery in a plant, the company is unable to work and raise funds to pay off the debt. Bankruptcy laws in the past inclined to favor the creditors and when they presented debtors to the chancellor, it saw the repossession of his properties and if the money raised is not enough, then he served jail time. The focus of the bankruptcy laws was to ensure the creditor was protected. In the United States, bankruptcy laws were