Alcatraz Prison, which is often known as "The Rock", is a prestigious pre-federal gel located on a rugged island in San Francisco Bay, California. Operated from 1934 to 1963, it was designed as a maximum-security, minimal-privilege feature to keep the US's most dangerous and incurable criminals. Its secluded location surrounded by cold water and fast streams administered reputation as an escape jail. Today, it is a national historic site and is a popular tourist destination managed by the National Park Service, which attracts more than 1.2 million visitors annually. However, the recent announcements of opening the Alcatraz by President Donald Trump has given rise to the widespread interest and debate. This article detects the history of the prison, due to its closure, remarkable prisoners like Al Capon, the controversial plan to reopen the efforts of infamous escape and reopening the Alcatraz.
 |
| Alcatraz Prison: Historic island fortress, now a tourist landmark. |
History of Alcatraz Prison
The history of Alcatraz island is before its time as a federal gel. Originally founded by Ohlone people, this island was named "La Isla de las Alcatraces" (Pelican's Island) by Spanish searchers in 1775. In the 19th century, it used to act as a military fortress and later a military prison, in which the Confederate supporters during the civil war and the original American resistance was kept in the 1890s. By 1933, the American Justice Department changed the Alcatraz to a federal imprisonment to combat the rise of organized crime during prohibition. The prison was designed to separate and disciplined those prisoners who were very more disruptive or escape for other facilities. With the capacity of 336 prisoners, it usually consists of about 260-275 prisoners, which is less than 1% of the population of the federal prison.
Why was Alcatraz to stop?
On March 21, 1963, the Alcatraz was closed, mainly due to its highly operational costs and deteriorating infrastructure. Due to being located on the island of the jail, it was challenging and expensive in terms of logistics. All the supplies including food, fuel and fresh water had to be taken from the boat, resulting in the operating cost was approximately three times more than other federal prisons - $ 3- $ 4 per day per day compared to $ 10.10 per day. The salty sea air destroyed the walls and facilities of the prison, and estimates that there was a need for $ 3- $ 5 million (equivalent to $ 31- $ 52 million) for restoration and maintenance. The Prison Bureau determined that making new features such as Federal Prison in Marion, Illinois, compared to keeping open to Alcatraz, was more cost effective. After its closure, the island was left largely until the original American workers were captured in 1969-197, who claimed this under the Treaty of Fort Limit, which again focused on this site.
When did the Alcatraz closed?
As mentioned, on March 21, 1963, the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary officially stopped his work. The final prisoners were transferred to other features, and the island was handed over to the general service administration. In 1972, the Congress named Alcatraz as part of the Golden Gate National Entertainment Sector, and it was opened for tourists in 1973, which became one of the most seen sites of National Park Service.
Notable prisoner: Al Capon and other
Some of America's most infamous criminals were kept in Alcatraz, including:
- Al Capone: The infamous Chicago Mafia Gangster, which was known as "Scarface", was convicted in 1931 and he was transferred to the Alcatraz in 1934. By snatching his effect, he did a trivial work like washing and was released in 1939 after completing some part of the 11-year sentence.
- George "Machine Gun" Kelly: A gangster of the prohibition-era, which was convicted of kidnapping, Keli sentenced 17 years in Alcatraz until 1951.
- Robert Straw, "Birdman of Alcatraz": After the murder was found guilty of murder, Straw became a bird scientist while imprisoned in Leavenworth. From 1942 to 1959, he was not allowed to keep the bird in Alcatraz, but he continued his research in solitary imprisonment.
- Frank Morris and Anglin Brothers: These prisoners are in the center of the most famous escape attempt, which has been given below.
However, most prisoners were not high-profile gangster, but were such a prisoner who used to violate the rules of other amenities or the risk of escape. The circumstances were harsh, 9x5 feet of the closet, minimum decoration and strict routine. The prisoners had only four rights - food, clothes, shelter and medical care- Everyone else was considered to be the privilege earned.
Escape from Alcatraz’s: 1962 attempt
Alcatraz’s reputation as escape-proof was tested by 14 escape attempts involving 36 men over its 29 years of operation. Mostly caught, six killed and two drowned, but five prisoners have been listed as "missing and immersed". The most famous endeavor happened on June 12, 1962, when Frank Morris and his brothers did a detailed plan to escape John and Clarence Anglin. By using temporary tools such as drill made of spoon and vacuum cleaner motor, they cut their cell walls from the chisel, to fool the guards, making fake heads from plaster and human hair and escaped through the ventilation shaft. He made a raft from raincoats and tried to cross the San Francisco Bay. Despite the widespread discovery of FBI, no body was found and their fate remains a mystery. This escape starring Clint Eastwood in the 1979 film Escape from Alcatraz has been shown dramatically, which has given the speculation about avoiding them, although FBI concludes that they probably have Cold, disturbed water was drowned.
Plan to re-open Alcatraz of trump
On May 4, 2025, President Donald Trump announced through Truth Social that he will reopen the Alcatraz and expand it, so that "America's most cruel and violent criminals" can be kept. He described this step "Symbol of law, order and justice", in which "cruel, violent and repeated criminals" and "fundamentalist judges" were revealed to the appropriate process for exile. Trump ordered the Jail Bureau, Justice Department, FBI and Homeland Security to cooperate on rebuilding "quite expanded" facility. This announcement is in line with their widespread detention policies, in which the members of the alleged gang include plans to exiled in El Salvador and to cure immigrants in Guantanamo Bay.
This proposal has suffered suspicion and criticism. East House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, which includes Alcatraz in his district, said it "serious", he said in view the situation as the national park of this island. Senator Scott Wiener of the California State termed it as "severely unstable" and "attack on the rule of law". Critics argue that reopening the Alcatraz will be impractical, because its high operating costs are estimated to be $ 53 million in modern words for basic repairs, and its current role in the form of a tourist spot generates significant revenue. The prison bureau facing the lack of budget and recent closure of other facilities has said that he will follow the President's orders, but has not given details about viability or funding.
Challenges of opening Alcatraz
Reopening Alcatraz as a prison presents important logical and financial obstacles. There is a shortage of fresh water on the island, for which there is a weekly barge for supply of almost one million gallon water. The existing infrastructure made from old construction methods is interrupted and insufficient for modern gel standards. Historian John Martini estimates that there will be huge investment to make the facility modern, which can possibly be more than the cost of making a new jail. In addition, the control of the National Park service on the island makes it complicated to return to any jail. Critics also question the need to reopen the opening of the alcoholic, when the jail bureau operates 16 other high-security features such as Florence, Colorado and Tere Haute, Indiana.
Cultural Importance and Public Attraction
Alcatraz has kept the imagination of the people for a long time, which starring Sean Connery and Nicholas Kez in the Rock (1996), Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), with Bert Lancaster, and Escape from Shown in films such as Alcatraz (1979). Together with the secret of the housing of infamous criminals, the secret of 1962, it has made a symbol of both punishment and intrigue. The original American occupation of 1969-1971 highlighted the issues of indigenous rights and strengthened its place in history. As a tourist site, the Alcatraz provides a glimpse of the last era of improving with the tour of the main cell block, secluded imprisonment cells and escape routes.
Conclusion
Alcatraz Gel is one of America's most discussed institutions, whether it is a maximum protection jail or its current situation in the form of cultural and historical sites. The reason for closing it in 1963 was the volatile cost and collapse infrastructure, but its legacy remains through the stories of prisoners like Al Capon and the courageous effort to escape in 1962. The proposal to reopen the Alcatraz in 2025 of President Trump has given the debate about its viability and purpose, the critics argue that it is more symbolic than practical. Whether the Alcatraz remains a museum or return to your penal roots, its location in American history is indelible.
Comments
Post a Comment