Debtor's prison, both for private and State debt, was common in Ancien Régime France. It was suppressed during the French Revolution (1793–1797), but later reinstated.

Aug 20, 2025 · A debtors’ prison was a facility designed to hold individuals who could not fulfill their financial obligations. Its primary purpose was to compel debtors to pay outstanding debts …

Yet, recent years have witnessed the rise of modern-day debtors’ prisons — the arrest and jailing of poor people for failure to pay legal debts they can never hope to afford, through criminal …

That’s confusing for debtors, too. For indigent people, a civil proceeding regarding private debt – say, an unpaid payday loan – may have criminal ramifications; conversely, involvement in a …

May 10, 2025 · Despite constitutional protections, jails and prisons have quietly evolved into modern-day debtors’ prisons, criminalizing poverty and punishing people not for their actions, …

Apr 12, 2023 · Debtors' prisons are alive in the United States, despite a history of condemning them. Yet, there is hope for change, as litigation, legislative reform, and general recognition of …

Dec 11, 2025 · Debtors’ prisons were institutions where individuals who could not pay their debts were confined until they could settle their obligations. This practice dates back to ancient …

A debtors' prison is a prison for people who are unable to pay debt. Until the mid-19th century, debtors' prisons (usually similar in form to locked workhouses) were a common way to deal …

Do debtors' prisons still exist? Find out what debtor prisons are and if they still exist with this article by HowStuffWorks.com.

Mar 24, 2022 · ABSTRACT In 1776, only two states offered constitutional protections against imprisoning people for debt. Today, forty-one states do. This Article traces that history. It …