Prison. Penitentiaries. Falsely Imprisoned. Human Rights.
Prison Pen Pals. Alcatraz. "The Rock". Sing Sing. Maximum Security Prisons. Capital Punishment. Prison Reform.
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Prisons and Penitentiaries as a Means of Punishment and Crime Prevention
The Corrections Connection " ,,, the single most recognizable brand online for the global community of
corrections. Award-winning daily news is at the core of our business..."
Stanford Prison Experiment: Part 1 of 3
The Stanford prison experiment was ostensibly a psychological study of human responses to captivity and its behavioral effects on both authorities and inmates in prison. It was conducted in 1971 by a team of researchers led by Philip Zimbardo of Stanford University. Undergraduate volunteers played the roles of both guards and prisoners living in a mock prison in the basement of the Stanford psychology building.
Legendary Alcatraz "The Rock"...
aka "The Prisoner's Prison"
"Used for 29 years to house the nation's worst criminals, the penitentiary on Alcatraz earned its reputation as 'Uncle Sam's Devil's Island' "
"The federal prison on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, the "Rock," was deliberately infamous. It was here that the worst cases in the entire federal prison system were sent. The threat of time on Alcatraz was designed to keep prisoners elsewhere in line...." from Smithsonian Magazine article: Alcatraz: From Penitentiary to Parkland
Warden Johnston's Alcatraz"To the men confined there, it is not only the ultimate in isolation but the most ironic because they are there in the midst of the activity of a busy harbor with small craft darting to and from San Francisco, Oakland, Alameda, Berkeley, Richmond, and Sausalito; within sound of the honking horns of a ceaseless procession of automobiles crossing the bridges; within sight of ocean lines as they glide through the Golden Gate to far away ports in the vast Pacific, and within sight and sound of air clippers and their buzzing motors, all reminding them that life is near but freedom far." James A. Johnston Alcatraz: Island Prison CLICK HERE for more of the story.
WardenJohnson.com "... Welcome to the Warden Johnston website, dedicated to the
Alcatraz Prison Launch named after James A. Johnston, Alcatraz warden from 1934 to 1948.
The "Warden Johnston" was a familiar sight to the citizens of San Francisco, having made 12 trips per day to the city and back from 1945 to 1961. She brought all the personnel, prisoners and families, everything they needed except fuel, water, and building materials. From 1963 to 1998 the boat was used by the Sea Scouts to teach seamanship to local teenagers...."
See alsoAlcatraz: US National Park "...The history of Alcatraz is surprising to those that only know the Hollywood version. Civil War fortress, infamous federal prison, bird sanctuary, first lighthouse on the West Coast, and the birthplace of the American Indian Red Power movement are a few of the stories of the Rock...."
THE ALCATRAZ GAZETTE "Journalists did numerous stories depicting Alcatraz as a horrible place of torture. Prisoners who were released only backed up these allegations. Among some of these prisoners were: Verrill Rapp who said he suffered from, 'inhumane treatment'.... Along with psychological torture, Alcatraz was known for its brutality. It was said that most brutality occured between prisoners. One common practice of prisoners was to draw straws to decide who would kill another convict, whom they hated.... Despite rumors that Alcatraz was "escape proof" it was not. A number of prisoners attempted escapes and several possibly succeeded. Unfortunately, escapees were most often found and returned to Alcatraz. In on book entitled Eyewitness on Alcatraz there are logged 14 different escape attempts between December 1937 to September 1958. A lot of escape attempts ended in death. This was due to the cold water, undertows, sharks, and lack of substantial boats or rafts...." CLICK HERE for more of the story.
Alcatraz: Island of Hate
Documentary From 1971 With Howard Duff. Contains Rare Film And Interviews. Part One of a Seven Part Video offering
".... During its 29 years of operation, the penitentiary logged no prisoners as having ever successfully escaped. Thirty-four prisoners were involved in 14 attempts, two men trying twice; seven were shot and killed, two drowned, five were unaccounted for, and the rest were recaptured. Two prisoners made it off the island but were returned, one in 1945 and one in 1962. The most violent attempt was the so-called Battle of Alcatraz in 1946, in which three prisoners and two guards were killed and two prisoners were later executed for their participation in the battle.....
The most famous escape attempt involved Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin, popularized in the motion picture Escape from Alcatraz. The three disappeared from their cells on June 11, 1962 in one of the most intricate escapes ever devised.,,,,:
Haunted Alcatraz (or "Helcatraz" as it was called by some inmates)"... The years, the fog-enshrouded confines of Alcatraz confined the world’s most notorious criminals from the rest of the world. Since it was closed down in 1963, many believe that it now imprisons their ghosts!..."
Wikipedia on Sing Sing Prison "... Punishments for the prisoners were at times harsh and merciless. Punishments included freezing showers that consisted of a prisoner having a tight hollow basin around his neck that caught water around his mouth and chin area, and then a burst of freezing water would drop from the ceiling onto his head. The amount of water that was poured onto the inmates head depended on the severity of the prisoner's violation(s). Throughout the 19th century, one of the most common and regularly used forms of punishment was solitary confinement. A prisoner would be locked in a dark cell with a limited supply of food for a certain amount of time. Certain changes were made towards the end of the century (1880s) that took away the "solid steel doors and replaced them with barred cell doors and a bathroom", due to the time they served in the cell without coming out. Another regularly used form of punishment was the paddle. Prisoners would receive three to four hits with a hickory or leather paddle. The beatings would only cease if the prisoner would promise to behave. This type was overly used since a prisoner would "receive blows from minor complaints such as poor or short work on contact". Also, the beatings would be administered by "individual keepers" rather than the principal keeper himself (up until 1876 where only the prinipal keeper was allowed to do this). In addition to the end of the brutality, the facility was slowly modernized. In the 1920s, several new buildings were built, including a chapel, a mess hall, two administration centers, a hospital and a library...." Includes photo of electric chair and list of famous inmates.
Stone Upon Stone: Sing Sing Prison "..."They are not to exchange a word with each other under any pretense whatever; not to communicate in writing. They must not sing, whistle, dance, run, jump, or do anything that has a tendency in the least degree to disturb the harmony...or regulations of the prison," wrote Captain Elam Lynds of New York's Auburn Prison in 1824. Such was the guiding wisdom of 19th century penologists who were convinced that the "silent system" was the path to righteousness and a return to normal life...." CLICK HERE for the rest of this full page book
Sing Sing Prison Photo Gallery "... These pictures of Sing Sing Prison were taken in the summer of 1971, in
Ossining, New York. It is located on the Hudson River, north of New
York City. This is the prison that added phrases like "Up the river" and "The Big House" to our lexicon...."
Clyde Barrow (of Bonnie and Clyde fame)"...Unaware that his mother's attempts to obtain an early parole for him were successful, he had a fellow convict chop off two of his toes with an axe, this way he could get a break from his duties on the farm, while recovering in the prison infirmary...." Vintage postcard of Texas Prison System.
Robert "The Birdman of Alcatraz" Stroud"...During his nearly 20 years in Leavenworth, Stroud acquired a keen interest in birds. At Leavenworth, as well as many other prisons, it was not unusual for prisoners to be allowed to keep a bird or two as pets. Stroud, on the other hand, eventually came to own nearly 300 of them. He was even given two additional cells to hold them all. Stroud began doing research on birds and went on to write two very detailed books: Stroud's Digest on the Diseases of Birds and Diseases of Canaries. Although no one suspected it at the time, it was later discovered that Stroud had smuggled many letters out of Leavenworth by hiding them in the bottoms of his bird cages....Between the years of 1952-1954, Stroud wrote the story of his life. The book was published in 1955. Although many officials claimed that his story was inaccurate, it sparked much attention from Hollywood and was quickly made into a movie. The warden at that time, Paul J. Madigan, refused to allow the movie to be shown on Alcatraz, so Stroud was never able to see his life story come to fruition on the big screen...."
"With this work I hope to bring that ideal one small step nearer, but no one realizes so well as I how far short of my goal I have fallen. The road stretches into the dim future, far beyond the possible accomplishments of any single lifetime, but if in this I have been able to point the direction and inspire others to carry on from the point where I have left off, I shall consider my efforts worthwhile."
Robert F. Stroud June 1, 1937
Stroud's Digest on the Diseases of Birds
National Museum of Crime and Punishment Located in Washington DC. "... Throughout history, mankind has struggled with the conflict between good and evil, traditionally considered a cornerstone of the human condition. The National Museum of Crime & Punishment (NMCP) dissects both the overarching concept of crime and the dark side of the criminal mind; explores the techniques and methodologies employed by law enforcement agencies and the government to investigate and often solve such crimes; and through intensely interactive and highly-personalized scenarios, simulates the consequences associated with punishment, incarceration and rehabilitation. Five unique and distinct galleries burrow deep into the studies of criminal intent, criminal profiles, serial killers, issues associated with crime, the prison system, victims, crime prevention and more. The NMCP provides America's most thorough and comprehensive study of the development and evolution of crime and punishment. And by presenting the concept of crime and punishment through the eyes of both the criminal and the crime fighter – from the offense through the sentencing and imprisonment process – the NMCP presents the fascinations of this everyday reality, like never before...."
IN MEMORIUM
Jeffrey Dicks, who languished on death row for twenty three years for a robbery he didn't commit and a murder he didn't even see.
Jeffrey Dicks, the son of an impoverished Tennessee Mother, languished on death row for a robbery he didn't commit and a murder he didn't even see.... the tense, personal highly moving true story of the bloody crime of which eighteen year old Jeffrey was accused. His family was unable to afford a competent legal defense. At the trial, they watched in horror as vital evidence was never presented to the jury. Jeff, who had no history of violent or criminal behavior was convicted of a murder and sentenced to die in Tennessee's electric chair. His mother fervently pursued an appeal, but time ran out Strong bonds between mothers and their children, especially their sons, is the emotion that grabs the reader, and squeezes him in a stranglehold read on in a crescendo of heartbreaking pain until the bitter end. And a bitter end it is for the author, fighting to save her innocent son in any way she can, as the legal clock ticked toward the final hour.
The Innocence Project "... a national litigation and public policy organization dedicated to
exonerating wrongfully convicted people through DNA testing and
reforming the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice. As a
clinic, law students handle case work while supervised by a team of
attorneys and clinic staff.
Most of our clients are poor, forgotten, and have used up all legal avenues for relief. The hope they all have is that biological evidence from their cases still exists and can be subjected to DNA testing. All Innocence Project clients go through an extensive screening process to determine whether or not DNA testing of evidence could prove their claims of innocence. Thousands currently await our evaluation of their cases...."
Justice Denied"The Magazine for the Wrongly Convicted, devoted to helping people who have been wrongly convicted in the United States of America, according to the information they have given us." Includes List of Pro Bono Attorneys and a list of Innocents on the Web
Truth in Justice" is a non-profit organization working to free wholly innocent men and women convicted of crimes they did not commit, and to prevent wrongful convictions by alerting the public to the vulnerabilities in the U. S. criminal justice system that make these miscarriages possible.
"When we say 'wholly innocent,' we mean a person who had absolutely no part in the crime charged. An innocent person is deprived of life, liberty and the opportunity to contribute to society, while the guilty party is free to commit more crimes against unsuspecting victims. In many instances, no crime was committed in the first place -- a suicide is charged as homicide, or an accidental fire is mistaken for arson. How does this happen? Faulty eye witness identification, tunnel vision investigators, over zealous prosecutors, bad science, compromised experts and a politicized judiciary are major factors, along with a credulous public...." See Links to Innocently Imprisoned
The Injustice Line"....devoted to exposing and publicizing injustices" Links to an amazing number of "innocent" stories.
Convicting The Innocent ".... I believe that the innocent are convicted far more frequently than the public cares to believe...."
Gateway Journal & Zen Karmics™
"... was created in response to the enormous volume of mail we receive from prisoners nationwide inquiring about meditative training. Gateway offers advice on practice and features articles for prisoners by teachers of various traditions. Articles by Buddhist prisoners are a regular feature... Gateway Journal is free to prisoners... For those "on the outside", making a tax deductible donation and receiving a print subscription will assist in providing the funds to enable us to distribute the publication to prisoners gratis."
Cell Pals On CellPals! you will find thousands of ads for male, female, and deathrow prisoners incarcerated in the United States who are looking for pen pals. CellPals! is a FREE website for you to use. There are NO FEES to enter our site, view our webpages, or access our prisoner addresses. You will never pay a fee here to get ANY address of a prisoner or use any of our information resources..
Friends Til The End "... Many of these men and women prisoners behind bars never get letters and spend as many as 23 hours a day in their cell. Some await execution on death row. A pen-pal may be the only relationship they have. These are lonely, forgotten people who have lost so much; friends, family, freedom. That hopeful transition to a better life, a productive life, can be positively influenced by your kindness and compassion when you offer words of encouragement in a simple card or letter. Over and over again, we hear from them that they are seeking a positive influence in their lives - someone to look up to and be encouraged by. Your card or letter may seem a small, insignificant thing to you, but to those who never hear their name at mail call, your words can make all the difference."
Prison Pen Pals "Real prisoners seeking real mail... We have prisoners from the USA, Australia, Africa, Canada, Egypt, Belgium, England & Ireland"
"Used for 29 years to house the nation's worst criminals, the penitentiary on Alcatraz earned its reputation as 'Uncle Sam's Devil's Island' "
FREE Prison Postcards
