President Donald Trump announced that he has ordered the reopening of the notorious Alcatraz prison, closed since 1963, to house the “most violent” criminals, including Al Capone himself.
Trump’s order to rebuild and reopen the long-shuttered prison represents the latest attack in his efforts to reform how and where federal prisoners and detained immigrants are incarcerated.
However, such a move could be a costly and complicated proposition. The prison was closed in 1963 due to deteriorating infrastructure and the high costs of repairing and supplying the island facility, as everything from fuel to food had to be brought in by ship.
What Is Alcatraz Prison Like?
Located in San Francisco Bay (California, United States), Alcatraz Prison was conceived as a naval fortification in the 1850s and became a maximum-security federal prison in 1934, until its closure on March 21, 1963.
Originally, it was estimated that, being built on the rocky island, it would be virtually impregnable, with no possibility of escape, and ideal for housing the most dangerous criminals.
Alcatraz closed its doors in 1963, almost a year after the escape attempt and disappearance of three prisoners, Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers.
The fate of those three inmates in particular is the subject of some debate and was the subject of the 1979 film “Escape from Alcatraz,” starring Clint Eastwood.
