why has the prison of alcatraz been shut dow and was a high security prison or mental institutsion?

Answer 1

Alcatraz was a High security prison. Prior to that it was a military fort established in 1850 to protect the California coastline. It became a federal prison in 1933 and used until March of 1963 almost a year after the famous escape of Frank Morris and The Anglin brothers.

Alcatraz was ultimately shut down due to the buildings age, rapidly deteriorating condition and high repair costs. The building's rapidly deterioration condition played a huge part in Morris and The Anglin brother's escape as they dug through one of the walls and escaped through the ventilation system. Saltwater and the sea air had weakened much of the concrete over the course of time.

In 1969 a group of Native Americans took over the facility in accordance with a previous existing treaty that all unused federal property must be turned over to The Indigenous people it was taken from. But after rampant drug use, vandalism, and destruction of buildings the US government forced them to leave after 18 months.

It is now a state park and is used by Native Americans to hold ceremonies.

Answer 2

By decision of U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, the penitentiary was closed for good on March 21, 1963. The prison closed because it was far more expensive to operate than other prisons, and the bay was being polluted by the sewage from the approximately 250 inmates and 60 Bureau of Prisons families on the island. The United States Penitentiary in Marion Illinois, a new, traditional land-bound prison opened that same year to serve as a replacement for Alcatraz.

Answer 3

It was shut down due to the high maintenance costs to keep it running. The bars were becoming corroded from the salt blowing in from the ocean water through the Golden Gate Bridge. The escape in 62, (or was it 61) showed that it wasnt escape-proof. In them days, guys went stir crazy and should've been in mental institutions. Those who were in other prisons, and couldn't be handled, usually because of their mental status, were shipped to Alcatraz. The Rock was not geared for rahabilitation, especially for mental patients.

Hey, i was there for 9 months, but that was in 69, during Indian occupation.

Answer 4

It was a high security prison and it was shut down because there was finally a successful escape, thereby compromising the term, high security.

It was located in San Francisco bay, on what was called the rock, and surrounded by icy cold pacific ocean water and was considered escape proof.

The escapees practiced by taking cold showers to acclimate themselves to survival in the icy cold water.

Where there is a will, there is a way as they escaped under seemingly impossible conditions to freedom and left the prison officials not believing it had happened. I imagine some heads rolled over that one.

Darryl S.

Answer 5

The mental ward. I'd be the only sane one and could figure out how to handle the crazies. They probably have a day room with the TV on and more to read. You are probably allowed visitors more often. Prison is full of dangerous people and I've have less freedom.

Answer 6

It was a high security prison and I think it was shut down due to failing standards...

Answer 7

it was a max security prison, closed after 40 years of housing the nations worst criminals.

Answer 8

It was fineally closed because of deteriating conditions. The Salty air was and still is corroding the concrete . . .