Alcatraz: The Inescapable Prison
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Prisons: Past and PresentThe life of a prisoner in the 1700s was very different from that of today's prisoners. In the past, prisoners were treated as animals and considered less than human because of their lawlessness. They were made to right the wrongs that they had committed through physical pain, such as mutilation, branding, and torture. The accused and convicted were deprived of their liberties and declared slaves to society.
Prisoners were assigned a small cell made of hard walls, with floors covered in dirt and rodents, and with a bed in the form of a hammock, a bench, or a mat on the floor. For meals, prisoners were barely fed, often with just small rations of bread and water. Many times the prisoners died of starvation and dehydration. Prisoners today have better conditions than in the past. Cells contain a bed with a mattress, a sink and toilet, and possibly a desk and stool. Now, prisons are seen as rehabilitation centers. Prisoners have opportunities to participate in rehabilitation programs, are given more legal assistance, and are supported by better trained staff. Despite this, today’s prisoners face more violence, are more restricted, and deal with overcrowded conditions. |
----- Famous Prison Breaks -----
1864 - Libby Prison Escape:
During the American Civil War, over 109 Union POWs broke out of a building at Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia in February 1864. All but 50 reached Union lines. |
1934 – Lake County Jail:
Infamous gangster and bank robber, John Dillinger, FBI’s “Public Enemy #1”, escaped from the “escape-proof” Lake County Jail in Crown Point, Indiana on March 3, 1934. Newspapers reported that Dillinger had escaped using a fake gun made from wood, blackened and shined with shoe polish. |
1962 - Alcatraz Escape:
American criminals Clarence Anglin, John Anglin, and Frank Morris escaped Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary on June 11, 1962 by crawling through holes cut in their cell walls, climbing to the roof, and using an inflatable raft fashioned from raincoats and rubber cement. It was never determined by the FBI whether they succeeded in their escape or died in the attempt. |
1977 – Brushy Mountain State Prison Escape:
James Earl Ray, the convicted murderer of Martin Luther King, Jr., and six others escaped from Brushy Mountain State Prison in Tennessee. Ray was recaptured after two days of hiding in the mountainous forest surrounding the prison. |