Alcatraz: The Gangster YearsUniversity of California Press, 19. mai 2009 - 584 pages Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Alvin Karpis, "Dock" Barker—these were just a few of the legendary "public enemies" for whom America's first supermax prison was created. In Alcatraz: The Gangster Years, David Ward brings their stories to life, along with vivid accounts of the lives of other infamous criminals who passed through the penitentiary from 1934 to 1948. Ward, who enjoyed unprecedented access to FBI, Federal Bureau of Prisons, and Federal Parole records, conducted interviews with one hundred former Alcatraz convicts, guards, and administrators to produce this definitive history of "The Rock." Alcatraz is the only book with authoritative answers to questions that have swirled about the prison: How did prisoners cope psychologically with the harsh regime? What provoked the protests and strikes? How did security flaws lead to the sensational escape attempts? And what happened when these "habitual, incorrigible" convicts were finally released? By shining a light on the most famous prison in the world, Ward also raises timely questions about today's supermax prisons. |
Contents
1 | |
11 | |
LIFE ON THE ROCK FOR RESISTERS AND PUBLIC ENEMIES | 281 |
ALCATRAZ AS AN EXPERIMENT IN PENAL POLICY | 383 |
Epilogue | 461 |
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Common terms and phrases
Al Capone Albert Bates Alcatraz convicts Alcatraz file Alcatraz inmates Alcatraz Island allowed Alvin Karpis asked Atlanta Barker bars Bates began Berta Bureau headquarters Bureau of Prisons Capone catraz cell block cell house Cretzer crime criminal custody Deputy Warden Miller Devil's Island Director disciplinary segregation door dungeon Edgar Hoover employees escape attempt FBI agents federal prison gangsters George Kelly guards Hamilton Harmon Waley Harvey Bailey Henry Young hospital hostages Ibid interview isolation jail James Bennett John Paul Chase Kelly kidnapping killed Leavenworth letter lives locked Machine Gun Machine Gun Kelly McCain McNeil Island misconduct reports murder Neumer newspaper penitentiary pris protest Public Enemy punishment Quillen received records regime release resistance returned robbery Rock San Francisco sent sentence Shockley shot solitary confinement Special progress report staff Stamphill strike tion told transfer to Alcatraz trial Urschel Warden Johnston yard