Alcatraz Prison is Closed

First used as a prison by the U.S. Army during the Civil War, "The Rock" became a maximum security penitentiary in 1934, during the post-Prohibition, post-Depression America. Federal officials talked about creating a special prison for kidnappers, racketeers, and individuals guilty of predatory crimes. In fact, the public peace seemed constantly threatened by crime - and Alcatraz seemed to be the ideal response to that threat.

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