With the "Convict Lease System," the state provided workers at a low-cost to private businesses and plantations. In the decades following the abolition of slavery, farms and businesses in the state looked to find a cheap source of labor to replace their slave labor. The state approved the use of prisoners for this cause. While there was some cost associated with this practice, the cost was low, as businesses were required to provide the minimum of housing, food, and clothing. The practice was economically successful during this period, but the conditions endured by the prisoners often bordered on inhumane.