@williamjameslehy1341
Alcatraz was considered shockingly cruel and inhumane in its day, and yet it sounds like a 5 star resort compared to California's prison system of the early 21st Century.
@spaceman081447
During the early 2000s, I was on a tour of Alcatraz. I volunteered to spend a minute in "the hole" (solitary confinement). It was TOTALLY dark and quiet. It was "interesting", to say the least. I understand that some prisoners, to pass the time in the hole, would tear a button off their shirts, fling it randomly somewhere in the cell and spend much time feeling around trying to find that button.
@jerlewis4291
Had an uncle that was a guard there for many years. He said one of the things that no one talks about is that many nights it you could smell food from San Fransisco, especially the Ghirardelli factory. Sid it drove the prisoners nuts. Also, you were not allowed to work out in any way during your yard time, no running, no weights, all you could do was walk around. After 4 weeks there most guys were already starting to get soft. And that is why they dit it. He said no one ever went crazy, most prisoners accepted their fate and knew of one too many people that the Rock broke. Years later he was at a birthday party and a guy came up who was a former prisoner and they talked. He said being at Alcatraz made him legendary to people. They were both in note Army at Schofield Barracks it turns out, my uncle was with an Infantry Platoon and the other guy was a finance clerk.. The guy told my uncle that he was in the Disciplinary Barracks at Schofield and compared to that Alcatraz was a walk in the park.
@ashtray8167
me: oh it had psychiatric hospice needs? cool! me: realizes it was 1950s oh
@iizg208
“Their bodies where never found” sounds like they got away with it.
@clonkers
this sounds like someone describing a home without wifi
@renegaderick8804
Only one correction. The prisons tap put out warm water. This was done so that the prisoners adjusted to the warmth so that any escape attempt would be harder for them since the water surrounding the prison was freezing. Kudos to the person who came up with this. Shows they really put some thought into it and thought about the small details. For a time the prison didnt seem to be that bad but the living conditions seemed to rapidly decline in the later years.
@rickkinki4624
I met Jim Quilan on the Island, years after his release, and he autographed his book for me. He was a very interesting character, not nearly the bad guy most of the inmates were. He'd robbed a post office in an effort to obtain money to feed his sister, and everything went wrong.
@PavusthePug
Access to doctors? Including to psychiatric help AND dental? They were living better than me as a college student in 2019.
@KateRambo
The Battle of Alcatraz is probably the greatest prison siege that ever occurred.
@DRock1042
I bought Jim Quillen's book while meeting him at Alcatraz and he signed it for me. Very good read and an incredible story of him turning his life around. Nice guy, too.
@shesaknitter
I did the Alcatraz tour many years ago and it was fascinating. One thing I remember them telling us was that the food was so good because they wanted to avoid riots. One easy path to riots is feeding hundreds of potentially violent men poor food.
@emapple8298
interesting how prisoners get better food than students in public schools
@MrBlitzpunk
Well that's actually not as bad as i was lead to believe.
@Yogagirl9935
I’ve visited & read several books about Alcatraz. Both written by former inmates or guards or children of guards that lived on the island. It’s interesting how some of the inmates really turned their lives around & later lived productive lives, while some, by their language in their book, etc, still had the mentality of a convict. Probably the best book I’ve read was “Alcatraz Screw” (term for a guard) who worked there for several years, while he went to school to be a chiropractor. I felt that his experience there was well written and informative.
@xotlU221E
Those three inmates (the Anglin Brothers + Frank Morris) definitely lived to see another sunrise btw.
@Bigfoot_With_Internet_Access
I'm glad I just live way out here in the woods, I'd hate be locked up somewhere like that
@micahvr
u forgot about the part where u ended up fighting zombies
@PointyTailofSatan
Anyone interested in this has to find a copy of "On the Rock" by Alvin Karpis. He was a former Public Enemy #1, and was the head of the infamous Ma Barker gang. He was also a criminal genius. He was at Alcatraz for 26 years, and his book is an amazing history of all the other famous criminals also locked up at Alcatraz, the various escape attempts, and the day to day life at the prison.
@Polymathically