Alcatraz-- the History of an Island Prison : From the Development to an American Myth

This study is a comprehensive history of Alcatraz Island and prison from its discovery and establishment to the present. The book explores the enduring mythical appeal of the penitentiary with special emphasis on the year's l934-l963, when it served as the end-of-the-line penal institution in the country. Especially important and unique is the chapter that contains a statistical analysis of Alcatraz inmates and a comparison, whenever possible, of the to other prisons and prisoners in the federal system. The study clearly demonstrates that Alcatraz and Alcatraz inmates were not what most people believe them to have been. With the exception of a handful of colorful high profile prisoner's e.g. Al Capone, the Birdman of Alcatraz, the inmates were remarkably like those in other federal penitentiaries. Although not excessively brutal, as Hollywood movies depicted it, the institution was harsh in its own way. This work should appeal to a wide audience from the public in general and to those in academic institutions.