A Short History of Chain Gangs Chain gangs as a form of punishment was used in Australia in the 1840s or earlier. I don't know when the practice started in the United States--likely during the early 19th Century. Certainly it was a common practice by the 1900s; especially in the southern States. A single ankle shackle with a short length of chain attached to a heavy ball is known as a ball and chain. It limited prisoner movement and impeded escape. Two ankle shackles attached to each other by a short length of chain are known as a hobble or as leg irons. These could be chained to a much longer chain with several other prisoners, creating a work crew known as a chain gang. The walk required to avoid tripping while in leg irons is known as the convict shuffle. A group of prisoners working outside prison walls under close supervision, but without chains, is a work gang. Their distinctive attire (stripe wear or orange vests or jumpsuits) serves the purpose of displaying their punishment to the public, as well as making them identifiable if they attempt to escape. The use of chains could be hazardous. Some of the chains used in the Georgia system in the first half of the twentieth century weighed twenty pounds. Some prisoners suffered from shackle sores — ulcers where the iron ground against their skin. Gangrene and other infections were serious risks. Falls could imperil several individuals at once. Various claims as to the purpose of chain gangs have been offered. These include: punishment; societal restitution for the cost of housing, feeding, and guarding the inmates. The money earned by work performed goes to offset prison expenses by providing a large workforce at no cost for government projects, and at minimal convict leasing cost for private businesses[citation needed]. It was used as a way of perpetuating African-American servitude after the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution ended slavery. Other rationale for chain gangs included: reducing inmates' idleness; to serve as a deterrent to crime; and to satisfy the needs of politicians to appear "tough on crime" The use of chain gangs in the United States generally ended in 1955, with Georgia being the last State to abolish the practice. Chain gangs experienced a resurgence when Alabama began to use them again in 1995. A year after reintroducing chain gangs, Alabama was forced to again abandon the practice pending a lawsuit from, among other organizations, the Southern Poverty Law Center. "They realized that chaining them together was inefficient; that it was unsafe", said attorney Richard Cohen of the organization. However, as late as 2000, Alabama Prison Commissioner Ron Jones has again proposed reintroducing the chain gang. The 1995 reintroduction has been called "commercial slavery" by some in academic circles. Many jurisdictions in the United States have re-introduced prison labor. In recent years, Maricopa County, Arizona, which includes Phoenix, Arizona, and its Sheriff Joe Arpaio, have drawn attention from human rights groups for the use of chain gangs for both men and women. Arizona's modern chain gangs, rather than chipping rocks or other non-productive tasks, often do work of economic benefit to a correctional department. Opponents note that the gangs often work outside in oppressive desert heat. Tim Hudak, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario in Canada, has campaigned on introducing penal labour in the province, referred to by many as chain gangs. --quoted from Wikipedia _______________ This render is dedicated to Varsel, who created the prison garb textures for me right away, even though he had more than enough other projects on his plate. Thanks, Varel! Same for BionicRooster; I asked for a poseable chain and he had it up and posted within two days! Thanks, Guy! And thank you to all who have visited and commented on my previous postings. All are appreciated. Jeremy