In the 19th century prisoners were often used as forced laborers. After the Civil War, as the south began to industrialize and turn away from its agrarian economy, mining and construction companies could rent prisoners from the government for a monthly rate. The prisoners were not compensated in any way, and because they didn't own the workers, and had a steady supply of fresh labor, the overseers had no incentive to ensure the safety of the workers, meaning the working conditions were often even worse than those endured by slaves. Recently freed backs were often unjustly arrested and returned to bandage for crimes like loitering, gambling, or vagrancy, but white prisoners suffered the same terrible conditions.