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Alcatraz

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America is full of many amazing and wonderful people who create the plans for the future, but not everyone is the same. Where do the people go who cause America harm? To keep our citizens safe, the most menacing inmates are sent to Alcatraz. On Alcatraz, there are strict rules and regulations to keep everyone as safe as possible, even the inmates. Although most people recognize Alcatraz as one of America’s most famous prisons, they are unaware of the significance of Alcatraz’s history, the daily life of an Alcatraz prisoner, Al Capone, Robert Stroud, and the famous escape attempts made at Alcatraz. The history of Alcatraz is an essential part of Alcatraz’s identity. It all began in 1769 when San Francisco Bay was discovered by a land …show more content…

“The Battle of Alcatraz”, one of the island’s bloodiest escape attempts took place in 1946. Seventeen years later, in 1963, Attorney General Robert Kennedy ordered Alcatraz penitentiary to close. A nineteen month occupation of American-Indian tribes began in the year of 1969. In 1972, Alcatraz was designated a National Park Service site and in 1973, Alcatraz became open to the public. The history of Alcatraz is very important when learning about all of the unique qualities of Alcatraz. (Barter 8 and 9) To understand what really went on at Alcatraz, we need to understand what went on during a typical day as an Alcatraz inmate. At 6:30 A.M., a guard blew the morning whistle and the inmates got their cells and themselves ready. Then, at 6:45 A.M., the detail guards were assigned for the Mess Hall. The guards took their positions to watch and march the inmates to the Mess Hall. Once in the Mess Hall, the inmates’ serving and seating was supervised. The guards gave two signals: one to start eating and the other to get up after eating. While the first group of prisoners ate, a second morning whistle was blown at 6:50 A.M. More prisoners stood by their doors, facing out until a signal was …show more content…

At that time, the C-Block and B-Block (groups of cells) headed to the Mess Hall in a certain order. When the inmates were served, they sat direct, with their hands at their sides until the whistle was blown to begin eating. They received twenty minutes to eat. When they were done eating, they placed their utensils in the correct spots and sat with their hands at their sides. As soon as everyone was done eating, a guard checked all of the utensils. Lines of inmates exited to the recreation yard upon the signal at 7:20 A.M. Those who were not assigned to detail proceeded to work or go to the cells. Then, at 7:25 A.M., the guards and detail moved out in order. The workplaces included laundry, tailor shop, cobblers shop, model shop, all other shops, and gardening and labor details. The guards counted the prisoners entering the gates and other guards stood behind the inmates. The detail held and faced the shop’s entrance. The shop foreman counted the detail at 7:30 A.M. The lines of detail entering the shops was being counted, and when the Shop Foreman was done counting, they phoned the number to the Lieutenant. They also signed a count slip which was turned into the Lieutenant. The rear gate guard drafted a detailed count slip, called the Lieutenant, signed the

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