Alcatraz Prison held some of the most infamous criminals during 1934 to 1963, including Al Capone, and Robert Stroud.The prison was shut down because of its high operating costs and it was even occupied by a group of Native-American activists in 1969 for 2 years (History.com). With a deep history like that, it is no surprise that Alcatraz Island is a popular tourist destination today.
Recently, there has been news that may change that. President Trump has recently announced that he is reopening Alcatraz Prison. He believes that reopening Alcatraz will cause a shift in the atmosphere and create a more serious nation, “‘For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat criminal offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than misery and suffering. 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,’” (AP News).
However, to do this would cost an incredible amount of money. The facility would need to be improved upon and to many, it’s not very feasible as an option. Hugh Hurwitz, acting director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, remarks that, “It’s not realistic to think you can repair it. You’d have to tear it up and start over” (BBC).
Yet, President Trump insists on having this prison be rebuilt, because of its symbol. The prison has been referenced in several movies, like “The Rock” and is one of the most famous prisons in the world. By having it rebuilt, President Trump intends to have it “serve as a ‘symbol of law, order and justice’ in his America” (MSN).
No one knows yet if Alcatraz Prison will reopen or not, but either way, its infamous history has been cemented within the public eye. Whether its history will continue in the future is unknown.
