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Alcatraz, former maximum-security prison located on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, off the coast of California. Alcatraz, originally envisioned as a naval defense fortification, was designated a residence for military offenders in 1861, and it housed a diverse collection of prisoners in its
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Alcatraz was intended for prisoners who continuously caused trouble at other federal prisons. It would be a "last resort prison", to hold the worst of the worst who had no hope of rehabilitation. [10] [11] On August 11, 1934, the first batch of 137 prisoners arrived at Alcatraz from the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas , having ...
- 312
- August 11, 1934; 89 years ago
- March 21, 1963; 60 years ago
Feb 27, 2015 · Nineteen members of the Hopi Tribe are imprisoned on Alcatraz for resisting the policy of forced education of their children and land alotment programs contrary to their beliefs. 1898. Spanish-American War results in prison overcrowding at Alcatraz. 1900. Upper prison (Alcatraz's second prison) is built on the Parade Ground. 1907.
Feb 1, 2024 · In the 1860s, during the Civil War, Alcatraz served as a military prison for Confederate sympathizers and others. Over the following decades, its role expanded to house military prisoners from various campaigns and conflicts, including the Spanish-American War and World War I.
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Nov 30, 2022 · Military Prison. Alcatraz Island's use as a prison began in December 1859 with the arrival of the first permanent garrison. Eleven of these soldiers were confined in the Sally Port basement.
Jan 23, 2024 · During the 29 years that it served as a civilian federal penitentiary, less than 1,600 men were confined there. Convicts normally were not sentenced directly to Alcatraz, but transferred there from other prisons when officials decided they were causing too much trouble.
However, Alcatraz Island was well suited geographically to incarcerate a growing number of military prisoners and some unusual civilian convicts. For thousands of years before the Civil War, Alcatraz was a rugged rock inhabited by sea birds.
