Alcatraz: A Guide to the World's Most Famous Prison. History of Alcatraz prison Who is currently in Alcatraz

Alcatraz is the first military prison, where the most famous criminals, such as Al Capone, were kept. It is located on a large rock, separating it from San Francisco by fast currents and predatory fish. No one has ever escaped from Alcatraz. For many years, the local population argued with the authorities regarding the island. The fact is that so much money was spent on maintaining criminals and guards, as if they were living not in a prison, but in an expensive hotel. Due to this, Alcatraz was closed in 1963. Since 1969, the prison has been besieged by Indians. The siege against the American occupation of indigenous lands lasted for three whole years. In our time, this confrontation is reminded of itself by drawings on the coast and exhibits of the national museum. After such a rich history, Alcatraz prison has become one of the main attractions of the city.

Alcatraz prison for tourists

History of the prison

In 1775, a Spanish scientist mapped the small island, calling it Isla de Las Alcatraces due to the large number of pelicans that inhabited it. He could not even imagine then that a few hundred years later this place would become famous as the most terrible prison in America. You may be familiar with Alcatraz from the movie Escape from Alcatraz.

In 1848, a gold mine was discovered in San Francisco. A real gold rush begins. In this regard, the number of residents increases sharply. Seekers of the precious metal come from both land and ocean. Over time, the authorities realized that they needed to somehow protect the city. The choice fell on the island. It had a very advantageous strategic position: it was located a couple of kilometers from the city, and the surrounding area was clearly visible from it. In 1854, defensive fortifications were built on the island and cannons were erected.

Together with two neighboring forts, a defensive complex was formed. In 1960, the first war criminal was brought to the island. From that moment on, the island's protective function began to weaken. It must be said that the tools never had to be used. But Alcatraz existed as a prison for 100 years. At the beginning of the 20th century, the fortification was demolished, preserving the ground floor, for the construction of a new prison. The criminals spent two years building the prison. Its location next to strong currents made the island difficult to access, so Alcatraz was soon used to hold prisoners. Every year there were more and more of them. In 1920, all buildings and buildings were completely filled with criminals.

Alcatraz became the first prison for the military, which was distinguished by severity and harsh punishments for all offenders. It could be hard work, or moving to a punishment cell without any amenities. And this is the least of what could happen. Most of the prisoners were military men aged 24 years. As a rule, they were imprisoned for desertion or other minor crimes. But there were also murderers, rapists and thieves. The prison system had its own characteristics. Criminals were not allowed to be in the cell during the day. Persons of higher positions could generally walk unhindered throughout the entire territory of the prison.

Despite the harsh measures, the Alcatraz regime was not so harsh. Most of the prisoners worked for families living on the island. Some were even trusted to babysit their children. There were cases when this regime was used to escape. But no one succeeded. Having got free, the fugitives tried to swim across the sea, but the cold current prevented them from doing so. There was no choice left and we had to go back. True, then the fugitives immediately fell ill and died from hypothermia.

Over time, conditions in the prison began to improve. A baseball field was built by the prisoners. They were even allowed to wear special uniforms during games. Boxing competitions were organized on Fridays. It was such an interesting spectacle that even civilians came to the prison to watch the fight.

In the 30s of the last century, the era of mafias and clans began. Entire families took over neighborhoods, bribing local authorities to turn a blind eye to the chaos around them. In this regard, the government decided to reopen the prison, making it federal. It was decided to reconstruct Alcatraz. Security expert Robert Burge was invited to do this. He created a new, more modified building design. In 1934, Alcatraz received a new lease of life. Wooden rods were replaced with metal ones. All cells were supplied with electricity. The underground tunnels were destroyed to eliminate any threat of escape. The canteens were equipped with tear gas canisters in case of fights. Security towers were moved to better viewing locations. The number of prison cells was increased. Now there are about 600 of them. New penalties for fugitives were introduced. Now the updated prison needed new management. James Johnston was appointed chief. He was known for his strict principles and humane treatment of prisoners. He believed that criminals needed to be involved in work in order to be respected. According to him, this was the only way to correct a person. The press and his superiors praised him for his responsible attitude towards the prison and its residents. During his work, almost all prisoners worked. As a reward for their hard work, their sentence was reduced. Before Alcatraz, Johnston worked at San Quentin Prison. There he developed programs to improve the lives of prisoners. But, despite his good attitude towards prisoners, he had a very tough character. If he was disobeyed, the punishment was the most severe. Johnston even attended several hangings at San Quentin. So this man knew how to behave in Alcatraz.

After Johnston took office, the rules for keeping prisoners changed. Now each of them had their own separate chamber. A system of privileges was created to receive food, medical care, clothing, etc. If the prisoner behaved well, he could even be allowed to communicate with guests of the prison and visit the library. At the slightest disobedience, all privileges were immediately taken away. In prison, reading newspapers and other media was prohibited, and letters were subject to correction. Alcatraz Prison was not a place where the courts sentenced people. Those who distinguished themselves were sent here. It was impossible to go to prison at will. The exception was Al Capone. He was an amazing man. The police chased him for three long years, but he was caught for ordinary tax evasion. For a long time he was in prison in the city of Atlanta. Having bribed the guards and superiors, he acquired another gang and at the same time led his mafia while in prison. After his deed was revealed, the criminal was transferred to Alcatraz. He emerged into freedom as a hunched old man.

Another famous criminal was Robert Stroud, who had the nickname “bird catcher.” In fact, he did not raise animals and spent almost his entire life in a completely different prison. In 1909, he went to Washington prison for robbery. Having once killed his cellmate, he was transferred to a Kansas prison. In 1916, he kills a prison guard and Stroud is sentenced to death. But at the tearful request of the prisoner's mother, the death penalty is replaced with life imprisonment, and the criminal is sent to Alcatraz. Here he began studying birds and even created several educational books. He spent almost twenty years in prison.

In 1962, Alcatraz ceases to function. According to one version, this happened because the prisoners were too expensive. The prison also needed a $4 million renovation.

Alcatraz Prison Escape

However, one prisoner was lucky and escaped. He reached the shore so exhausted that he immediately lost consciousness. In the morning he was found by a small child with his parents. They thought the man was trying to drown himself in the bay and called the police. The prisoner was immediately recognized and sent back.

In all 29 years of existence of the Alcatraz federal prison, not a single escape was made. True, five prisoners are still listed as missing; apparently, they drowned.

One of the most famous prisons in the world is the American prison Alcatraz ( Alcatraz), also known as the Rock (from English - Rock), which is located on a small island of the same name in San Francisco Bay. The prison has been closed for several decades, but thanks to numerous stories and rumors, when people hear the word “Alcatraz” for a long time, they will think first of all about the prison, and not about the island itself!

The prison gained its fame not because of the numerous films filmed here, but because of the prisoners who served time in their cells. Alcatraz housed the most violent criminals in the United States! The island received its name in 1775, when the Spaniard Juan Manuel Ayala arrived in San Francisco Bay. Juan Manuel de Ayala). There are three islands in total in the bay, and the Spaniard gave one of them the name Alcatraces. The meaning of this word is still hotly debated, but most agree that it translates to “pelican” or “strange bird.”

The island was originally used as a military fortress, which was later converted into a federal penitentiary.

Alcatraz was famous for the fact that it was impossible to escape from it. The reason for this seemingly controversial statement is that the prison is located in the center of the bay near the city of San Francisco and can only be reached by water.

However, water is not the only obstacle on the path of a possible fugitive.

The fact is that the water temperature of the bay is not high, and the currents are very strong, so even an excellent swimmer will not be able to overcome
the distance is just over two kilometers from the island to San Francisco.

Alcatraz was also the first long-term military prison. In the 1800s, captives of the civil and Spanish-American
Wars were the first prisoners to arrive on the island. Later, due to the isolated location and
Because of the insurmountable cold waters of the Gulf, authorities viewed Alcatraz as an ideal place to hold dangerous prisoners.

In the beginning, Alcatraz or Alcazar was just another federal penitentiary, but over time the prison became famous after such criminals as George "Machine Gun" Kelly and Robert Franklin Stroud served their time there. , Alvin Karpis, Henry Young and Al Capone. Criminals who could not be held by other correctional institutions were also housed here. The average number of inmates at Alcatraz was approximately 260, with 1,545 inmates throughout the prison's 29 years of operation. During this time, there were attempts to escape, but there is not a single official record of the success of at least one of them. Several prisoners have disappeared, but they are all presumed to have drowned in the waters of the bay.

However, soon the first prisoners appeared on the island. These were not notorious criminals at all, but ordinary soldiers who violated some decree. The more prisoners there were on Alcatraz, the fewer guns there were in the fortress. Several more years will pass before the fortress finally loses its original significance and turns into one of the most famous prisons on earth!

Already in 1909, the fortress was demolished, and a prison was built in its place. Construction took two years, and the main workforce was prisoners from the Pacific Division of the US Army Disciplinary Barracks. It is this structure that will subsequently receive the name “Rock”.

The prison on Alcatraz Island was supposed to be a real dungeon for the most notorious criminals with minimal rights for prisoners. Thus, the US government wanted to show the public that it was doing everything possible to combat the crime that swept the country in the 20s and 30s of the last century.

In total, Alcatraz prison was designed for 336 people, but it usually housed much fewer prisoners. Many people believe that Alcatraz is one of the darkest and most brutal prisons on Earth, but this is not entirely true. Despite the fact that it was positioned as a maximum security prison, the cells here were single and quite comfortable. Many prisoners from other prisons even wrote applications to be transferred to Alcatraz!

Some of Alcatraz's most famous prisoners are Al Capone, Arthur Doc Barker and George "Machine Gun" Kelly, but the vast majority of local criminals were far from notorious thugs and murderers.

The prison on the island usually only imprisoned those prisoners who were prone to escape. The fact is that it was almost impossible to escape from here. Of course, there were many attempts, and many prisoners even managed to get out of the prison itself, but leaving the island was an impossible task. Strong currents and icy water killed many fugitives who decided to swim to the mainland! During the time Alcatraz was used as a federal prison, there were 14 escape attempts involving a total of 36 people. None of them managed to leave the island alive...

On March 21, 1962, the prison on Alcatraz Island was officially closed. It is believed that it was closed due to the significant costs of maintaining prisoners, as well as the need for expensive restoration work. Several years passed, and in 1973 the legendary prison became available to the general public. Today, Alcatraz is visited by tens of thousands of tourists every year.

The Alcatraz prison consisted of 336 cells for serving sentences, divided into two large blocks “B” and “C”, 36 isolated cells, 6 solitary cells in a separate block “D”. The two cells at the end of Block C were used as security break rooms. Most of the prisoners at Alcazar are those who have been identified as particularly violent and dangerous, those who could attempt to escape, and those who are likely to refuse to follow the rules of conduct and procedures in another federal correctional institution.

Alcatraz prisoners could earn privileges that included work, visits from family members, access to the prison library, and recreational activities such as painting and music. Prisoners had only four basic rights - food, clothing, shelter and medical care.

Alcatraz did not have the facilities to carry out the death penalty, so those prisoners who were sentenced to death were sent to San Quentin City Prison for execution in the gas chamber.

Despite strict rules and strict standards for hardened criminals, Alcatraz primarily operated in minimum security. The types of work performed by prisoners varied depending on the prisoner, the type of work and the degree of responsibility. Many worked as servants: they prepared food, cleaned, and performed household chores for families living on the island. Alcatraz security officers lived on the island with their families in a separate building and, in fact, were partly prisoners of Alcatraz. In many cases, individual prisoners were even trusted to care for the children of prison staff. Alcatraz was also home to several Chinese families who were hired as servants.

It is officially believed that there was no successful attempt to escape from the Rock, but to this day five prisoners from Alcatraz are listed as "absent, presumed drowned."

* April 27, 1936 - Joe Bowers, who was assigned to burn garbage that day, suddenly began to climb the fence. The guard gave him a warning, but Joe ignored him and was shot in the back. He died from his wounds in the hospital.

* December 16, 1937 - Theodore Cole and Ralph Roy, who worked in the store, decided to escape through the iron bars on the window. They managed to get out of the window, after which they ran to the water and disappeared into San Francisco Bay. Despite the fact that a storm broke out on this very day, many believed that the fugitives managed to reach land. But officially they were considered dead.

* May 23, 1938 - James Limerick, Jimmy Lucas and Raphas Franklin, working in a woodworks store, attacked an unarmed security guard and killed him with a hammer blow to the head. The trio then climbed onto the roof and attempted to disarm the officer guarding the roof of the tower, but he opened fire. Limerick died from his wounds, and the surviving couple received life sentences.

* January 13, 1939 - Arthur Doc Barker, Dale Stamphill, William Martin, Henry Young and Raphas McCain escaped from the isolation compartment into the building where the cells for prisoners were located. They sawed off the bars, climbed out of the building through the window and headed to the water's edge. The guard discovered the fugitives already on the western shore of the island. Martin, Young and McCain surrendered, and Barker and Stamphill, who refused to obey orders, were wounded. Barker died a few days later.

* May 21, 1941 - Joe Kretzer, Sam Shockley, Arnold Kyle and Lloyd Backdall took several of the guards they were working under hostage. But the guards managed to convince the prisoners to surrender. It is significant that one of these guards later became the third commandant of Alcatraz.

* September 15, 1941 - John Bayles tried to escape while clearing garbage. But the icy water in San Francisco Bay forced him to return to shore. Later, when he was brought to federal court in San Francisco, he tried to escape from there. But again without success.

* April 14, 1943 - James Borman, Harold Brest, Floyd Hamilton and Fred Hunter took two guards hostage in an area where prisoners were working. They climbed out through the window and jumped into the water. But one of the guards managed to signal the emergency to his colleagues, and the officers, who set off in the footsteps of the fugitives, overtook them only at the moment when they were already sailing away from the island. Some of the guards rushed into the water, others opened fire. As a result, Hunter and Brest were detained, Borman was wounded and drowned. And Hamilton was pronounced drowned. Although in fact he hid in a small gorge for two days, and then returned to the territory where the prisoners were working. There he was captured by guards.

* August 7, 1943 - Charon Ted Walters disappeared from the laundry, but was caught on the shore of the bay.

* July 31, 1945 - one of the most elaborate escape attempts. John Giles often worked in the prison laundry, which also washed army uniforms, which were sent to the island especially for this purpose. One day he stole a full set of uniform, changed clothes and calmly left the prison and went to lunch with the military. Unfortunately for him, the soldiers were having lunch that day on Angel Island, and not in San Francisco, as Giles had assumed. In addition, his disappearance from prison was immediately noticed. So as soon as he arrived on Angel Island, he was arrested and sent back to Alcatraz.

* May 2-4, 1946 - this day is known as the "Battle of Alcatraz." Six prisoners disarmed the guards and seized a set of keys to the cell block. But their plan began to go awry when the prisoners discovered that they did not have the key to the door leading to the recreation yard. Soon the prison administration suspected something was wrong. But instead of surrendering, the prisoners resisted. As a result, four of them returned to their cells, but not before opening fire on the guards who had been taken hostage. One officer died from his wounds, and a second officer was killed while attempting to regain control of the cell block. About 18 guards were injured. American sailors were immediately called in to help, and on May 4 the mutiny ended with the murder of three prisoners. Subsequently, two "rebels" received a death sentence and ended their days in the gas chamber in 1948. And the 19-year-old rioter received a life sentence.

* July 23, 1956 - Floyd Wilson disappeared from his job at the dock. He hid among the rocks for several hours, but when he was discovered, he gave up.

* September 29, 1958 - While clearing debris, Aaor Bargett and Clyde Johnson subdued a prison officer and attempted to swim away. Johnson was caught in the water, but Bargett disappeared. Intensive searches yielded no results. Bargett's body was found in the San Francisco Bay two weeks later.

* June 11, 1962 - This is the most famous escape attempt thanks to Clint Eastwood and the film "Escape from Alcatraz" (1979). Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin were able to disappear from their cells, never to be seen again. A fourth man, Allen West, was also involved in planning the escape, but for unknown reasons remained in the cell the next morning when the escape was discovered. The investigation revealed that the fugitives prepared not only fake bricks to cover the holes made in the walls, but also realistic dolls in the beds, stuffed with human hair, to hide the absence of prisoners during night rounds. The trio exited through a ventilation pipe adjacent to their cells. The fugitives climbed up the pipe to the roof of the prison block (they had previously unbent the iron bars in the ventilation). At the north end of the building they climbed down a drainpipe and thus reached the water. They used prison jackets and a pre-made raft as a means of flotation. As a result of a thorough search in the cells of the fugitives, tools were found with which the prisoners used to hammer the walls, and in the bay they found one life jacket made from a prison jacket, an oar, as well as carefully packed photographs and letters belonging to the Anglin brothers. A few weeks later, the body of a man dressed in a blue suit similar to a prison uniform was found in the water, but the condition of the body did not allow him to be identified. Morris and the Anglin brothers are officially listed as missing and presumed drowned.

On March 21, 1963, Alcatraz prison was closed. According to the official version, this was done because the costs of maintaining prisoners on the island were too high. The prison required approximately $3-5 million worth of renovations. In addition, keeping prisoners on the island was too expensive compared to a mainland prison, since everything regularly had to be imported from the mainland.

Currently, the prison has been disbanded, the island has been turned into a museum, accessible by ferry from San Francisco from Pier 33.

The escape plan had been prepared for months, was carefully thought out, and was perfect. An ordinary evening on June 11, 1962. Everything seemed ordinary. However, for the three prisoners, things were different. Frank Morris, John and Clarence Anglin decide to do the impossible - to escape from the most secure prison in the United States of America. This prison-fortress rises in San Francisco Bay, two kilometers from the Western American metropolis. She instilled fear in even the toughest criminals. Whoever violated public order went to prison, whoever violated the rules of the prison ended up in Alcatraz. Her nickname is "The Rock". The king of the underworld, Al Capone, sat here. This is the most famous prison in the world. Shall we take a look inside?

Today, more than 50 years later, all the details of the legendary escape are known. The main question remains open: were the three prisoners really able to reach land that night? However, let's talk about everything in order.

In the 60s, Alcatraz prison was considered the last refuge in the criminal world. This maximum security prison was created in order to collect all the "rotten eggs" in one basket. Frank Lee Morris (prisoner AZ 1441), as well as his two accomplices John and Clarence Anglin, are professional criminals and true escape artists. From the very first days of their stay in "The Rock" they began to look for options and think through an unthinkable escape plan.

The main obstacle to freedom was, of course, the icy water in San Francisco Bay. The situation was further aggravated by the strong current. The distance from the island to the Californian metropolis is one and a half miles (2.4 kilometers).

In addition, it was necessary to get out of the main building of the prison and overcome a fence with barbed wire unnoticed. But first we had to get out of the cells.

At first glance, the problem was unsolvable. Inside, there were three prisoners per guard, which was four times more than in a regular regular prison of that time. Constant round-the-clock rounds made the task extremely difficult. Undermining is impossible, and exiting through the grate is also impossible. However, Frank Morris (with a high IQ) and his accomplices found a way out.

Having discovered that the concrete walls of the main building of the old building were no longer so strong, they decided to make their way through the hole in the ventilation grilles, measuring 13 by 24 cm. In order to widen the hole, the escape artists worked diligently at night with sharpened spoons. To hide the traces of night work, they made mock-ups of gratings that they placed against the wall. In addition, stacks of magazines, an accordion and other large items were used.

To prevent the escape from being noticed until the morning, the prisoners created scarecrows from papier-mâché. Hair was taken out from the hairdresser's, paints could be obtained for painting.

Behind the back wall of the chambers there is a technical tract-shaft where the pipes go.

On the night of the escape, the prisoners climbed to the top floor of the building. There, through the ventilation hatch, which was opened using a homemade drill, they got onto the roof.

We went down through the drainpipes.

For several months, the future fugitives worked on life jackets and an inflatable raft. They made them from rain jackets and glue. They managed to obtain all the tools and materials through contacts with prisoners in the kitchen, workshops, etc.

Everything went perfectly and according to plan. Apart from the fact that initially four were planning to escape, but one of the prisoners (Eiler West) was unable to get out of the cell in time. Frank Morris, John and Clarence Anglin, once at the shore, inflated the raft with a converted accordion and sailed away.

No one has ever seen them again and they are considered missing. It was not possible to catch or locate the bodies. Today, half a century later, they continue to be searched for. In 1997, the FBI turned the US case over to the Marshals. In the United States, they search for escaped criminals and return more than 100 thousand people to prison every year.

Did the prisoners manage to swim across the San Francisco Bay? We found one oar, two life jackets and a rubber bag with photographs, but where is the raft? The bodies were not found. If they managed to get to earth, why didn't professional criminals take up the old case? These and many other questions still remain open.

Less than 12 months after this (successful) escape, the federal prison was closed.

There were other escape attempts, but they were all unsuccessful and ended in failure.

A few words about prison everyday life.

The main principle in working with prisoners was depersonalization. Everyone became equal, be it a bank robber, a murderer, the most prominent representative of US organized crime, Al Capone, or the famous American gangster George Kelly Barnes (“Machine Gun Kelly”). This was not a penal colony. The main thing was not resocialization, but mental disruption.

Sometimes the noise of the big city reaching the island and the stunning view of San Francisco put even more pressure on the prisoners. Everyone dreamed of escape. There were cases of riots and hostage-taking of prison guards.

You could shave once a week, get a haircut once a month.

In the canteen they usually served the same thing, namely pasta.

In the gift shop you can now buy mugs that are similar in shape and type to the original.

There were rooms where prisoners worked.

There was a library.

You could play a musical instrument one day a week.

Paint.

Even knitting (men's prison).

The prisoners played chess/checkers. They placed half a field in their cell and, talking with their cell neighbors, made moves.

It was possible to communicate with distant cameras through a “toilet” connection. When the water drained from both negotiators, the pipe was free for some time.

Anyone who violated the order was subject to a number of special measures. The mere mention of “Block D” terrified and frightened the prisoners.

There were long-term detention cells there. You could go for a walk once a week.

And also the so-called “holes”. Like punishment cells - a prison within a prison.

There was practically no light in the "holes" and no heating. The prisoners were kept there for a long time. In order not to go crazy, one of the prisoners (according to his stories) tore off a button, threw it up, made several turns, and in the dark blindly began to look for it on the floor with his hands. And so again and again until my hands were washed away and I could no longer feel them. In one of the 6 special cells there was no light at all and prisoners were placed there only in their underwear.

There were also ultra-long-term isolation cells. Prisoners (serial killers, etc.) spent years in such solitary confinement and had no “exit to the world.”

Meeting room rules.

In the premises of the guards and prison administration.

More photos from the buildings:

More photos of the island:

In a nutshell, what was on the island before the maximum security prison, built in 1933. Originally there was a lighthouse on the island. During the Gold Rush in the mid-nineteenth century, San Francisco Bay became crowded with shipping. There was a need to protect the bay, so a fort with more than a hundred guns was built here.

Later, a military prison was created on the island.

The maximum security federal prison closed in 1963. At the end of the 60s, the island was occupied by Indians, in accordance with the law on the possibility of their free resettlement.

Later everyone was dispersed.

Since 1971, Alcatraz has been a museum complex and was opened to tourists.

Alcatraz has often appeared and appears in films. The most famous prisoners at different times were Clint Eastwood (Escape from Alcatraz, 1979) and Sean Connery (The Rock, 1996).

This is such an interesting place.

Discovery of the island and its name
In 1775, the Spaniard Juan Manuel de Ayala was the first to enter San Francisco Bay. His team mapped the bay and gave the name La Isla de los Alcatraces to one of the three islands, now known as Yerba Buena. It is widely believed that the name could mean "Pelican Island", due to the abundance of these birds on the island. However, according to reports from ornithologists, there are no colonies of pelicans or gannets, either on the island or nearby, but there are many different species of cormorants and other large waterfowl.

In 1828, the English geographer Captain Frederic William Beechey mistakenly transferred the name of the island from Spanish maps to the neighboring one, currently known as the site of the famous prison, under the name Island Alcatrazes. In 1851, the US Coast Guard surveyor shortened the name to Alcatraz.

History of the lighthouse

The discovery of gold in California in 1848 brought thousands of ships into the San Francisco Bay, creating an urgent need for a lighthouse. The first lighthouse was installed and launched on Alcatraz in the summer of 1853. In 1856, a bell was installed at the lighthouse, which was used in the fog.

In 1909, during the construction of the prison, after 56 years of use, the first Alcatraz lighthouse was dismantled. The second lighthouse was installed next to the prison building on December 1, 1909. And in 1963, the lighthouse was modified and made automatic and autonomous, and it no longer required round-the-clock maintenance.

Fort

As a result of the gold rush, there was a need to protect the bay. In 1850, by order of the President of the United States, they began to build a fort on the island, where more than 110 long-range guns were installed. The fort was subsequently used to house prisoners. In 1909, the army demolished it, leaving only the foundation, and by 1912 a new building was built for prisoners.

Military prison

The location in the middle of a bay with icy water and strong sea currents ensured the island's natural isolation. Thanks to this Alcatraz soon came to be seen by the US Army as an ideal place to hold prisoners of war. In 1861, the first Civil War prisoners from various states began arriving on the island, and in 1898, as a result of the Spanish-American War, the number of prisoners of war increased from 26 to more than 450. In 1906, after the San Francisco earthquake destroyed much of the city, hundreds of civilian prisoners were moved to the island for safety reasons. A large prison building was built in 1912, and by 1920 the three-story structure was almost completely filled with prisoners.

Alcatraz was the Army's first long-term prison and began to gain a reputation for being harsh on offenders, who faced severe disciplinary action. The punishment could be assignment to hard work, placement in solitary confinement with a limited ration of bread and water, and the list was not limited to this. The average age of imprisoned military personnel was 24 years, and most were serving short sentences for desertion or less serious offenses. There were also those who served long sentences for disobedience to commanders, physical violence, theft or murder.

An interesting element of the military order was the prohibition of staying in cells during the day, except in special cases of forced confinement. High-ranking military prisoners could move freely throughout the prison, with the exception of the guard rooms located on a higher level.

Despite the harsh disciplinary measures applied to criminals, the prison regime was not strict. Many prisoners performed household chores for the families living on the island, and a select few were sometimes trusted to look after the children. Some took advantage of the vulnerability of the prison security organization to escape. Despite all efforts, most of the fugitives were unable to reach the shore and had to return back to be rescued from the icy water. Those who did not return died from hypothermia.

Over the decades, prison rules have become even softer. In the late 1920s, prisoners were allowed to build a baseball field and even wear their own baseball uniforms. The army command organized boxing competitions between prisoners, held on Friday evenings. The fights were very popular, with civilians from San Francisco often traveling to Alcatraz just to watch them.

Due to the high maintenance costs associated with the location, the Department of Defense decided to close this famous prison in 1934 and it was taken over by the Department of Justice.

Federal prison

During the Great Depression (late 1920s to mid-1930s), crime rates increased greatly and the era of organized crime began. Large mafia families and individual gangs waged a war for spheres of influence, the victims of which were often civilians and law enforcement officers. Gangsters controlled power in the cities, many officials received bribes and turned a blind eye to the crimes that were happening.

In each cell there is a book “The Rules of Alcatraz”

In response to gangster crimes, the government decided to reopen Alcatraz , but already like federal prison. Alcatraz satisfied the basic requirements: to place dangerous criminals far from society and to frighten the remaining criminals who were still at large. Federal Prisons Commissioner Sanford Bates and Attorney General Homer Cummings initiated the prison renovation project. For this, Robert Burge, at that time one of the best experts in the field of security, was invited. He was supposed to redesign the prison. During the reconstruction, only the foundation was left untouched, and the building itself was completely rebuilt.

In April 1934, the military jail received a new face and a new direction. Before the reconstruction, the bars and bars were wooden - they were replaced with steel ones. Electricity was installed in each cell, and all service tunnels were walled up to prevent prisoners from entering them for shelter and further escape. Along the perimeter of the prison building, above the cells, special weapon galleries were placed, which allowed the guards to stand watch while protected by steel bars.

The prison canteen, as the most vulnerable place for fights and brawls, was equipped with tear gas containers, which were located in the ceiling and controlled remotely. Security towers were placed around the perimeter of the island in the most strategic places. The doors were equipped with electrical sensors. The prison block contained a total of 600 cells and was divided into blocks B, C and D, whereas before reconstruction the prison population never exceeded 300 prisoners. The introduction of new security measures, along with the cold waters of San Francisco Bay, created a reliable barrier for even the most incorrigible criminals.

Boss

Before Alcatraz, Johnston was a director at prison San Quentin, where he introduced several successful educational programs that had a beneficial effect on the majority of prisoners. At the same time, Johnston was a supporter of strict discipline. His rules were the strictest in the correctional system, and his punishments the most severe. Johnston had been present at San Quentin hangings more than once and knew how to deal with the most incorrigible criminals.

Prison life

The courts did not sentence people to imprisonment in Alcatraz; especially “distinguished” prisoners from other prisons were usually transferred there. Voluntarily choose Alcatraz it was impossible to serve the prison term. Although exceptions were made for some gangsters, including Machine Gun Kelly (in those years “public enemy No. 1”) and others.

The rules at Alcatraz have changed dramatically. Now each prisoner had only his own cell and minimal privileges to receive food, water, clothing, medical and dental care. Prisoners at Alcatraz were prohibited from having any personal belongings. To obtain privileges to communicate with visitors, visit the prison library and write, the prisoner had to earn it through work and impeccable behavior. At the same time, prisoners with bad behavior were not allowed to work in prison. For the slightest offense, all privileges were revoked. All media were prohibited in Alcatraz, including reading newspapers. All letters, as in any other prison, were corrected by a prison official.

The wardens of federal prisons had the right to transfer any delinquent prisoner to Alcatraz. Despite popular belief, Alcatraz did not only house gangsters and especially dangerous criminals. Alcatraz was filled from other prisons with fugitives and rebels or those who systematically violated the regime of detention. Of course, there were gangsters, but most of them were sentenced to death.

At one time it was a legend of the American penitentiary system: the most dangerous criminals or those who managed to escape from other prisons were imprisoned here.

Prison life began with rising at 6:30, prisoners were given 25 minutes to clean their cells, after which each prisoner had to go to the cell bars for roll call. If everyone was in place at 6:55, the individual rows of cells opened one by one and the prisoners moved into the prison cafeteria. They were given 20 minutes to eat, then they were lined up to distribute prison work. The monotonous cycle of prison routine was unforgiving and remained unchanged for many years. The main corridor of the prison building was called "Broadway" by prisoners, and the cells on the second tier along this passage were the most coveted in the prison. Other cells were located downstairs, were cold, and were frequently passed by staff and prisoners.

During the early years of Alcatraz, Warden Johnston maintained a policy of silence, which many prisoners considered the most intolerable punishment. There were many complaints demanding its cancellation. There were rumors that several prisoners went crazy because of this rule. The silence policy was later abolished, one of the few rule changes on Alcatraz.

In the eastern wing there were solitary cells in isolation cells. They didn’t even have a full-fledged toilet: just a hole, the flush of which was controlled by a security guard. They were placed in the isolation ward without outer clothing and on meager rations. The cell door had a lockable narrow slot for passing food, which was always closed, leaving the prisoner in complete darkness. Usually they were placed in isolation for 1-2 days. It was cold in the cell, and a mattress was only provided at night. This was considered the most severe punishment for serious violations and bad behavior, and it was a punishment that all prisoners feared. The new prison also needed a new chief. The Federal Bureau of Prisons selected James A. Johnston for this position. Johnston was chosen for his strong principles and humane approach to reforming criminals to reintegrate them into society. He was also known for his reforms to benefit prisoners.

Johnston did not believe in chained convicts. He believed that prisoners should be put into work where they were respected and rewarded for their efforts. Nicknamed the "Golden Rule Warden," the press praised Johnston for the improvements he made to California highways at his road camps. The prisoners working in them were not paid any money, but their sentences were reduced for diligent work.

Alcatraz Prison Escapes

The most successful escape attempt that was possibly successful occurred in 1962. Frank Morris, along with his brothers John Anglin and Clarence Anglin, were using a homemade drill to pick out cement from the walls. Having carefully prepared, having studied the security shift schedule and other nuances, on June 11, 1962, they escaped through the service tunnel , located behind their cells. Having got out into the tunnel, they blocked the hole from the nutria with bricks, and in their sleeping places in our opinion (beds, or more precisely in relation to prisons, bunks) they left dummies of their bodies so that the escape would be revealed as later as possible. Then, through the screw system, they penetrated the roof and went down to the water through a drainage channel. There, using pre-prepared rubber raincoats, they inflated a raft of raincoats with the help of a small accordion and set off to swim. According to the official version, they never swam to shore and drowned somewhere in the bay, and their bodies were never found.

But according to the unofficial version, verified by many independent experts, this escape from Alcatraz prison was successful and the prisoners managed to escape to freedom. Even the famous show “MythBusters,” becoming interested in this story, carried out its own investigation, which proved that the escape could have been successful.

Another possibly successful escape attempt occurred on December 16, 1937 - Theodore Cole and his friend Ralph Roe, after working for some time in an iron workshop, developed a plan and, on one of their shifts, used the tools there to remove the bars from the window and headed towards the water. On that ill-fated day, they were unlucky - a strong storm broke out and, probably “according to the official version,” they drowned without reaching the shore of San Francisco. Their bodies were never found, and most people are convinced and believe that they were swept out to sea by a storm. According to the official version, they are still considered missing.

Notable Alcatraz Prison Inmates:

The most famous prisoner who served his sentence in Alcatraz prison is by far the most famous. In July 1931, a federal court sentenced Al Capone to ten years in prison for tax evasion and sent him to the Atlanta Correctional Facility to serve his sentence. In 1934, he was transferred to a special security prison on Alcatraz Island, from where he was released seven years later, terminally ill with syphilis.

Enemy number one of the state, George Machine Gun Kelly, was sentenced to life imprisonment; in Alcatraz, he was not the ruthless and cruel killer and gangster he was in freedom. For his exemplary behavior, he received the nickname Flapper George. After serving 17 years in Alcatraz prison, he was transferred to the mainland back to Leavenstone prison (Kansas) where he died of a heart attack in 1951.

A young guy whose fate was ruined by one judge, Robert Stroud, a poultry farmer, killed a man who had beaten and robbed his wife in self-defense, for which he received 12 years, although at that time in practice they gave 2-3 years for similar crimes, but the new judge decided to show himself and gave him 12 years old. Then he went on a rampage in prison, killing a guard who cruelly mocked him and was sentenced to death, and only thanks to his mother remained alive; she miraculously submitted a request to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment to US President Woodrow Wilson. He spent almost 80% of his time in solitary confinement. He received his nickname because of his passion for birds, which turned into a real scientific work that was appreciated by the entire scientific community. Died in Alcatraz Prison at the age of 75, without receiving a pardon.

Known gangster and train robber Roy Gardner, who stole more than $350,000 during his criminal career, primarily robbed mail trains. The reward on his head at that time was a very impressive 5 thousand US dollars, he was the most wanted man on the US Pacific coast in all history. On September 5, 1921, he escaped from the Prison on McNeil Island. Apparently out of stupidity there is no other way to call it, he began writing letters to newspapers appealing to the authorities “come and get me,” and after being captured he was transported to Alcatraz prison. He published his autobiography with the title “hellish Alcatraz”. In it he talked not only about his life but also about others. famous personalities of Alcatraz prison(Al Capone, Birdman, George Machine Gun Kelia and others). He was part of a group that planned an escape and it seems to me that they were successful, but he did not go with them.

Closing the prison

On March 21, 1963, Alcatraz prison was closed. According to the official version, this was done because the costs of maintaining prisoners on the island were too high. The prison required approximately $3-5 million worth of renovations. In addition, keeping prisoners on the island was too expensive compared to a mainland prison, since everything regularly had to be imported from the mainland.

After the closure, many ways to further use the island were discussed - for example, it was proposed to place a UN monument there. In 1969, a group of Indians from various tribes moved to the island, effectively capturing it. This was done thanks to the federal Indian Free Removal Act of 1934. While living on the island, the Indians burned large fires in the buildings and painted the walls. Due to the fires, the security rest house, a quarter of the coast guard barracks and the prison warden's house were severely damaged, and many apartments in residential buildings on the island were also significantly damaged. However, the Indians did not stay on the island for long, and in June 1971, by decision of the US government, they were expelled from Alcatraz. The writings on the walls can still be seen today. In 1971, the island was made part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The island was opened to tourists in 1973 and now receives about a million visitors each year.

The escape plan had been prepared for months, was carefully thought out, and was perfect. An ordinary evening on June 11, 1962. Everything seemed ordinary. However, for the three prisoners, things were different. Frank Morris, John and Clarence Anglin decide to do the impossible - to escape from the most secure prison in the United States of America.
This prison-fortress rises in San Francisco Bay, two kilometers from the Western American metropolis. She instilled fear in even the toughest criminals. Whoever violated public order went to prison, whoever violated the rules of the prison ended up in Alcatraz. Her nickname is "The Rock". The king of the underworld, Al Capone, sat here. This is the most famous prison in the world. Shall we take a look inside?

Today, more than 50 years later, all the details of the legendary escape are known. The main question remains open: were the three prisoners really able to reach land that night? However, let's talk about everything in order.
In the 60s, Alcatraz prison was considered the last refuge in the criminal world. This maximum security prison was created in order to collect all the “rotten eggs” in one basket.

Frank Lee Morris, as well as his two accomplices John and Clarence Anglin, are professional criminals and true escape artists. From the very first days of their stay in “The Rock,” they began to look for options and think through an unthinkable escape plan.

The main obstacle to freedom was, of course, the icy water in San Francisco Bay. The situation was further aggravated by the strong current. The distance from the island to the Californian metropolis is one and a half miles (2.4 kilometers).

In addition, it was necessary to get out of the main building of the prison and overcome a fence with barbed wire unnoticed. But first we had to get out of the cells.

At first glance, the problem was unsolvable. Inside, there were three prisoners per guard. Constant round-the-clock rounds made the task extremely difficult. Undermining is impossible, and exiting through the grate is also impossible. However, Frank Morris (with a high IQ) and his accomplices found a way out.
Having discovered that the concrete walls of the main building of the old building were no longer so strong, they decided to make their way through the hole in the ventilation grilles, measuring 13 by 24 cm. In order to widen the hole, the escape artists worked diligently at night with sharpened spoons. To hide the traces of night work, they made mock-ups of gratings that they placed against the wall. In addition, stacks of magazines, an accordion and other large items were used.

To prevent the escape from being noticed until the morning, the prisoners created scarecrows from papier-mâché. Hair was taken out from the hairdresser's, paints could be obtained for painting.

Behind the back wall of the chambers there is a technical tract-shaft where the pipes go.

On the night of the escape, the prisoners climbed to the top floor of the building. There, through the ventilation hatch, which was opened using a homemade drill, they got onto the roof.

We went down through the drainpipes.

For several months, the future fugitives worked on life jackets and an inflatable raft. They made them from rain jackets and glue. They managed to obtain all the tools and materials through contacts with prisoners in the kitchen, workshops, etc.

Everything went perfectly and according to plan. Apart from the fact that initially four were planning to escape, but one of the prisoners (Eiler West) was unable to get out of the cell in time. Frank Morris, John and Clarence Anglin, once at the shore, inflated the raft with a converted accordion and sailed away.

No one has ever seen them again and they are considered missing. It was not possible to catch or locate the bodies. Today, half a century later, they continue to be searched for. In 1997, the FBI turned the US case over to the marshals. In the United States, they search for escaped criminals and return more than 100 thousand people to prison every year.
Did the prisoners manage to swim across the San Francisco Bay? We found one oar, two life jackets and a rubber bag with photographs, but where is the raft? The bodies were not found. If they managed to get to earth, why didn't professional criminals take up the old case? These and many other questions still remain open.

Less than 12 months after this (successful) escape, the federal prison was closed.

There were other escape attempts, but they were all unsuccessful and ended in failure.

A few words about prison everyday life.

The main principle in working with prisoners was depersonalization. Everyone became equal, be it a bank robber, a murderer, the most prominent representative of US organized crime, Al Capone, or the famous American gangster George Kelly Barnes (“Machine Gun Kelly”, English “Machine Gun”). This was not a penal colony. The main thing was not resocialization, but mental disruption.

Sometimes the noise of the big city reaching the island and the stunning view of San Francisco put even more pressure on the prisoners. Everyone dreamed of escape. There were cases of riots and hostage-taking by prison guards.

You could shave once a week, get a haircut once a month.

In the canteen they usually served the same thing, namely pasta.

In the gift shop you can now buy mugs that are similar in shape and type to the original.

There were rooms where prisoners worked.

There was a library.

You could play a musical instrument one day a week.

Paint.

And even knit...

The prisoners played chess/checkers. While talking with the neighbors in the cell, they made moves.

It was possible to communicate with distant cameras through a “toilet” connection. When the water drained from both negotiators, the pipe was free for some time.

Anyone who violated the order was subject to a number of special measures. The mere mention of block “D” terrified and frightened the prisoners.

There were long-term detention cells there. You could go for a walk once a week.

And also the so-called “holes”. Like punishment cells - a prison within a prison.

There was practically no light in the “holes”, there was no heating. The prisoners were kept there for a long time. In order not to go crazy, one of the prisoners (according to his stories) tore off a button, threw it up, made several turns and in the dark blindly began to look for it on the floor with his hands. And so again and again until my hands were washed away and I could no longer feel them. In one of the special cells there was no light at all and prisoners were placed there only in their underwear.

There were also ultra-long-term isolation cells. Prisoners (serial killers, etc.) spent years in such solitary confinement and had no “exit to the world.”

Meeting room.

In the premises of the guards and prison administration.

More photos from the buildings.

In a nutshell, what was on the island before the maximum security prison, built in 1933. Originally there was a lighthouse on the island. During the Gold Rush in the mid-nineteenth century, San Francisco Bay became crowded with ships. There was a need to protect the bay, so a fort with more than a hundred guns was built here.

Later, a military prison was created on the island.
The maximum security federal prison closed in 1963. At the end of the 60s, the island was occupied by Indians, in accordance with the law on the possibility of their free resettlement.

Later everyone was dispersed.

Since 1971, Alcatraz has been a museum complex and was opened to tourists.