() President Donald Trump has directed his government to expand and reopen Alcatraz for the housing of America’s “most ruthless and violent” criminals.
The long-defunct prison is essential to America’s history, but the reality of reopening the iconic joint and keeping it running would likely prove difficult and pricey if history is any indication.
What is Alcatraz?
Alcatraz, derived from the Spanish “Alcatraces,” is an island located off San Francisco. It was originally used as a citadel in the 1850s, and the government’s first prisoners arrived onshore by the end of the decade.
In 1909, the U.S. Army destroyed the citadel, and its military prisoners began construction of a lockup in the fortress’ footprint, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The Department of Justice took control in 1933, and it opened in 1934.
Dubbed “The Rock,” Alcatraz is surrounded by frigid waters and not-so-deadly sharks. It served as the nation’s highest-security prison until its closure in 1963.
-
A prison cell at Alcatraz Island on Aug. 15, 2023 in San Francisco. -
A prison cell block at Alcatraz Island on Aug.15, 2023 in San Francisco. -
Gangster Alphonse ‘Al’ Capone poses for a mugshot on his arrival at Alcatraz on Aug. 22, 1934, in San Francisco. (Photo by Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
One of the cells in Cell Block B in Alcatraz Prison from which three prisoners escaped. An officer shows the inside of a removable section of exit cover.
It housed notorious Chicago mob boss Al Capone and Robert Stroud, a convicted murderer who studied birds on the island from behind bars and was known as the “Birdman of Alcatraz.”
Notably, it was the site of many escape attempts 14, to be exact, involving 36 men in total though no one ever successfully made it to shore, per official records.
Today, the former prison is a popular museum and tourist destination run by the National Park Service.
Why was Alcatraz closed?
The decision to close Alcatraz was one of logistics, according to the Bureau of Prisons.
It cost the U.S. government roughly $3 to $5 million just to keep the prison open, excluding daily operating costs, making it nearly three times more expensive than other federal prisons.
The island’s physical location, while perfect for keeping prisoners trapped, required fuel, food and nearly 1 million gallons of fresh water barged in each week, according to the National Park Service.
Bearing that bill and shipping over supplies was too heavy a lift for a prison that, at most, held roughly 300 prisoners and whose infrastructure was rapidly declining.
Today, the federal prison system’s annual budget is about $8.7 billion, and housing costs about $44,000 per prisoner annually.
Trump: Reopened Alcatraz would hold ‘dregs of society’
In a social media post, Trump said he is tapping the Bureau of Prisons and other federal law enforcement agencies to “reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt” version of Alcatraz.
“When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm. That’s the way it’s supposed to be,” the post read.
A spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons said in a statement to the Associated Press that the agency “will comply with all Presidential Orders.”
That official did not immediately answer questions about the practicality and feasibility of reopening “The Rock.”
Currently, Alcatraz remains under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, which has faced massive cuts in payroll and people at Trump’s direction.
