President Trump has the idea of reopening Alcatraz prison
President Donald Trump expressed his frustration with the judge, which sparked the idea of reopening and expanding the infamous Alcatraz prison.
President Donald Trump said on May 4 that he ordered the federal Prisons Bureau to reopen Alcatraz, the infamous prison island in San Francisco Bay, which was closed more than 60 years ago.
In a post about True Society, Trump said he wanted to reopen prisons to “contain America’s most ruthless and violent criminals.”
“The reopening of Alcatraz will serve as a symbol of law, order and justice,” he wrote.
The prison was known for housing some of the country’s most infamous criminals, including Al Capone, according to the Prison Bureau.
According to the BOP, it eventually closed in 1963 after operating for nearly 30 years, but reopened to the public as a museum 10 years later.
Here’s what you need to know, including why Alcatraz closed.
What is Alcatraz?
Alcatraz is an island in San Francisco Bay that was used as a prison from 1934 to 1963.
The island was discovered in 1775 by Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala. Juan Manuel de Ayala named it “Isla de los Alcatraces,” translated to the Pelican Island. According to the National Park Service, it was shortened over time and became known as Alcatraz because it was Americanized.
According to the BOP, it was used as a military fort from 1850 to 1933, during which time military prisoners were also housed on the island.
In 1933, the Department of Justice took over Alcatraz and opened the largest security prison for some of the nation’s most dangerous criminals.
According to the NPS, Alcatraz was closed in 1963 after 29 years of surgery.
In 1973, NPS opened Alcatraz as a public museum. According to the BOP, it has over 1 million visitors a year, making it one of the most popular national parks.
Where is Alcatraz Island?
Alcatraz is an island in San Francisco Bay about 1.5 miles and 22 acres in size, according to the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. It is about three miles away from Golden Gate Bridge, according to Pacific Open Water Swim Co.
According to the BOP, the only way to reach the island was by boat, which helped prisons maintain physical isolation from society.
One popular rumor about Alcatraz is that it is surrounded by soaked water with sharks that made it impossible to swim on the mainland coast. However, according to the BOP, the rumor is not true as San Francisco Bay only has small bottom-bait sharks.
Several prisoners tried to swim to the mainland to escape, but most of their attempts were hampered by cold water and strong currents. Several people, including several children and fitness coach Jacques Laranne, have managed to swim across the bay over the years, according to the BOP.
Why is Alcatraz famous? What was the prison like?
Some of the Alcatraz prisoners were famous criminals like Al Capone, George Machine Gunn Kelly and Robert Birdman ” Stroud. According to the BOP, many of the island’s prisoners were considered escape risk or violent and dangerous.
Inmates were generally sent to Alcatraz when they did not comply with other federal prison rules. However, despite its reputation, many prisoners preferred conditions such as having one man per cell in Alcatraz compared to other federal prisons.
In Alcatraz, prisoners had a highly structured, monotonous daily life. They had four rights – food, clothing, shelter, medical care – and other privileges that required them to cater to their families.
Over the years there have been 14 escape attempts, but because of the location, no one has escaped the island.
Most prisoners spent an average of five years at Alcatraz. After prison officials felt that inmates were no longer a threat and could follow the rules, they were sent back to another federal prison to complete their sentence.
When did Alcatraz close? Why?
According to the BOP, the Alcatraz prison was closed on March 21, 1963.
It was three times more expensive to run Alcatraz than any other federal prison. That physical isolation requires food and supplies to be dropped by boat.
The island also had no source of freshwater, so it had to be excluded with the exception of nearly 1 million gallons each week.
At the time of the closure, Alcatraz needed approximately $3 million to $5 million in restoration and maintenance work, excluding daily operating costs.
Notorious prison movies, including the 2018 film Alcatraz
In addition to becoming a popular tourist destination, Alcatraz has been the subject of several Hollywood portrayals over the years.
Clint Eastwood starred in the 1979 film Ascape From Alcatraz. This is a biopic drama following prisoners Frank Morris, Clarence and John Anglin’s real escape attempt.
According to the FBI, the three men disappeared from the cells in June 1962. The FBI believes that men are dead, but they have never been found and are still sought after by the US ex-sert s services.
Another film about the island titled after the nickname, “The Rock,” was released in 1996. It stars Nicholas Cage, Sean Connally and Ed Harris and was directed by Michael Bay.
More recently, the 2018 film “Alcatraz” is based on the so-called “The Battle of Alcatraz.” This is a 1946 escape attempt that led to the deaths of two prison officers and three prisoners, according to the BOP.
This story has been updated with new photo galleries and additional information.
Melina Kahn is a trending reporter covering USA Today’s national news. She can be contacted at mkhan@gannett.com.
