The 50 Craziest Prisons and Jails in the World
Imagine a place where someone wakes you up, provides you with food, and plans your entire day. Of course, we're talking about prison—but only if you're lucky. Unlucky prisoners at certain facilities have days that include rape, brutal beatings, and psychological torment.
The supposed purpose of prison is rehabilitating individuals who have gone astray, and depending on the severity of their crimes, sending them back out into the world as productive members of society. Over the years, that system has lost its way, becoming more about money and punishment than reform. As a society, how can we expect people to change when we do little to help them? Or, worse, when we make someone's life into a hell on Earth?
Today, many prisons around the world are overcrowded; inmates live like animals. Prisoners are subject to savage punishment, disease, and in some cases little to no hope of surviving their sentences. For these reasons and many others, prison is too often the nightmare you never wake up from. Because we know the sight of some of these places will scare you straight (even if you have watched Oz), we've organized a list of the 50 Craziest Prisons and Jails in the World.
This is the closet to getting locked up you'll ever want to be.
Written by Julian Kimble (@JRK316)
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50. Goree IslandLocation: Goree Island, Senegal
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: Slaves were rumored to literally live on top of each other while waiting to be sold
Prior to France abolishing the slave trade in 1848, thousands of slaves were sent to Goree Island. As one of the 19 "communes of arrondissement" in Dakar, it is the smallest and least popular, but will always be remembered for its place on the Atlantic slave trade. Its Maison des Esclaves, or "House of Slaves," is located on the island, serving as a museum-tribute to the slave trade on the island. It's been disputed how many, if any slaves were held here, but visitors and world leaders continue to recognize the location's importance.
49. Kresty PrisonLocation: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Notable Residents: Leon Trotsky
Amenities: Features an internal museum dedicated to the history of the prisonThe prison's origins date back to the 1730s, when it was used as a warehouse for all of the wine in Saint Petersburg. The Emancipation reform of 1861 created the need for a formal prison, and in 1867, the complex was remodeled into a prison for men and women. However, the prison quickly became too small to hold incoming prisoners, so a new prison was built. Inspired by the Philadelphia system, architect Antony Tomishko built a new prison that was finally completed at the end of the 19th century. It was one of the first buildings in Russia to use electric lighting, sufficient heating, and ventilation. During the days of Imperial Russia, the prison was used to hold political prisoners and common criminals. The prison was stormed during the February Revolution in 1917; prisoners were freed and all paperwork was destroyed.
Following the February Revolution, the prison became home to well-known police officers and ministers of the Tsarist government, and more political prisoners were dumped into Kresty following the October Revolution. The prison had a research facility, where inmates were used as both engineers and researchers, and torpedo boats used by the Soviet Navy during World War ll were developed here. In modern times, it was used more for detaining prisoners before trials, and was ten times over its capacity during the 1990s. Judicial reform made it so that prisoners could only be detained prior to their trials if the court approved it, and no more than six prisoners can stay in a cell intended for solitary confinement. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans to relocate the prison to a new facility and transform the current building into a hotel. The prison is considered a protected architectural landmark, so any alterations attempts may prove to be extremely difficult.
48. McNeil IslandLocation: Puget Sound, WA
Notable Residents: Robert Stroud, Charles Manson
Amenities: A beautiful view of the water you'll probably drown in during your escape
McNeil Island is a six-square-mile segment of land north of Anderson Island, separated from Key Peninsula by Pitt Passage. The government purchased the island in 1870, and five years later McNeil Island Corrections Center opened for business. It was originally used as a territorial correctional facility before coming under the direction of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The state began leasing it to the government during the early 1980s.In 1984, McNeil was handed over to the federal government. Near the end of 2010, the state decided that it would close the facility the following year in order to save $14 million. The prison officially closed on April 1, 2011, and the remaining inmates were transferred to other state prisons. It was one of the Americas's last remaining island prisons.
47. Federal Correctional Complex, Terre Haute (FCC Terre Haute)Location: Terre Haute, IN
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: Inmates are allowed seven visits each month
Federal Correctional Complex, Terre Haute is located 70 miles west of Indianapolis. The facility features two prisons: USP Terre Haute and FCI Terre Haute. USP Terre Haute is a high-security section that is used to house male inmates, and contains a Special Confinement Unit that holds prisoners bound for death row.FCI Terre Haute is the medium-security section, also for male inmates. It features a Communications Management Unit that houses inmates who need to be watched closely to make sure that they do not pose a threat to other prisoners, inmates, or themselves.
46. Fremantle PrisonLocation: Western Australia
Notable Residents: Bon Scott (lead singer of AC/DC)
Amenities: An impressive art galleryOn this 15-acre site, you can find the former prison, gatehouse, cottages, perimeter walls, and even prisoner art. The prison was built during the 1850s and transferred over to the government during the latter part of the 19th century to house local prisoners. Early prisoners were literally shipped in, but this practice ceased during the 19th century, and as a result the prison's population dropped off. The prison saw significant expansion during the early 20th century, including a Panopticon that housed death row.
The prison was acquired by the Australian army during both World Wars to be used as a military prison. A riot took place inside of the prison in 1988 after internal temperatures reached a sweltering 126 degrees. Prisoners took over divisions of the prison, holding 15 officers hostage. A fire started that caused $1.8 million worth of damage. The prison closed in 1991, but work to restore the site didn't begin until 2005. It would become the best-preserved convict prison in the country, and the first building in Western Australia to earn a spot on the Australian National Heritage List. It is now used for tours. The art gallery features the work of current and former prisoners in Western Australia.
45. HM Prison MazeLocation: Maze, Northern Island
Notable Residents: Bobby Sands (Officer Commanding of the Provisional IRA)
Amenities: If you didn't wear your assigned uniform, guards wouldn't let you use the bathroom
Better known as the Maze, Her Majesty's Prison Maze was a maximum security facility in Northern Island. It was used to hold paramilitary prisoners during the height of the Troubles.The prison opened in 1971, and was soon filled with political prisoners. Prisoners convicted of crimes after March 1, 1976, were sent to live in a new section of the prison known as "H-Blocks." These were eight new compounds created for prisoners who did not have Special Category Status, and identified themselves as political prisoners. Because they believed their uniforms were for criminals and not political prisoners, they refused to wear them. They were not allowed to wear their clothes, so they wrapped themselves in blankets. Guards would not grant them bathroom access until they wore their clothes, so they started defecating in their cells, smearing it on the walls. This was known as the "dirty protest."
HM Prison Maze was also the site of one of the 1981 hunger strike, a pivotal moment in Ireland's history. In October of 1980, seven prisoners refused food, demanding that their political status be recognized. Prisoners ended the strike when the government appeared to cave in, but quickly reverted back to their previous position, convinced prisoners would not begin another strike. Bobby Sands, Officer Commanding of the Provisional IRA, began a second strike on March 1, 1981. By May 5, the government still would not budge, and Sands died. By the end of August, nine more members of the hunger strike died, and the strike was stopped in October. Sands's hunger strike is captured in Steve McQueen's film Hunger, where Sands is played by Michael Fassbender.
In 1983, thirty-eight prisoners attempted to flee HM Prison Maze by stealing a lorry used for meals and breaking out. Nineteen were recaptured, but the rest escaped in what was the largest breakout in the history of British prisons. The Troubles came to a tenuous close thanks to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, and prisoners were released. The remaining four prisoners were transferred to other prisons in September of 2000 and the prison was closed. The Maze was set to be demolished in 2006, but plans have since been paused.
44. Fortaleza de San Carlos de la CabañaLocation: Havana, Cuba
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: Even if you earn a trial, the decision is usually predetermined, and not in your favorThere is no regard for human rights at this Cuban prison. It was built during the 18th century by Spain's King Carlos lll, originally for the purpose of defending the city of Havana from attack during the Seven Years War. By the time the fortress was completed, it was the second-largest military installation in the New World. For the next two centuries, it served as a prison and military base for both Spain and Cuba. In 1959, it was famously raided by a band of rebels led by Che Guevara and then served as a headquarters during the Cuban Revolution.
Those who opposed Fidel Castro were imprisoned here, locked up until they decided they wanted to support him. Prisoners lose all of their rights at La Cabaña, and it is almost impossible to get a trial while staying there, and if you're that lucky it won't matter because trials are often determined in advance. The everyday criminal is given precedent over political prisoners, and usually encouraged to terrorize them.
43. Black BeachLocation: Bioko, Equatorial Guinea
Notable Residents: Simon Mann (British mercenary)
Amenities: Sparse meals and no medical treatment post-beatings
Brutal and systematic torture are common at one of Africa's most infamous prisons, all for the purpose of breaking the spirits of inmates. Prisoners are often savagely beaten, then denied medical attention. They're provided with laughable excuses for meals; some inmates starve to death. Disease spreads easily because prisoners are not given the opportunity to properly clean themselves. Prisoners are kept inside of their cells, shackles and all, for most of the day, another form of psychological and physical torture. A number of the prisoners kept at Black Beach were members of a 2004 failed coup d'état attempt against the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, former Governor of Black Beach.
42. Elmina CastleLocation: Elmina, Ghana
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: Slaves either waited here after being captured or while negotiations for their sale were carried outBuilt at the end of the 15th century in modern day Ghana, Elmina Castle was originally intended to be a Gold Coast trading post. It holds the distinction of being the oldest European building in existence below the Sahara Desert. The Dutch strong-armed it from the Portuguese during the 17th century. In 1872, the entire island became part of the British Empire.
Elmina Castle is most famous for its role in the slave trade, serving as an auction block where slaves were purchased from African chiefs and kings. Slaves were typically captured in Africa by slave-catchers and sold to Portuguese traders in exchange for textiles and horses. Slaves often shared cells with as many as 200 others, and by the 18th century, 30,000 slaves were passing through the "Door of No Return" annually. Elmina Castle was restored by the Ghanan government during the 1990s, and today it serves as a popular historic site. It is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
41. Port ArthurLocation: Tasmania, Australia
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: Conditions so bad, prisoners committed crimes just to be killedThis small town served as a penal colony from 1833 to 1853, where the hardest British and Irish convicts were sent after repeated offenses in Australia. Port Arthur was an example of the "Separate Prison Typology," a system based on the Panopticon where a watchman observes inmates, though the inmates are never sure when they're being observed. This system marked a shift from physical torment to psychological torment, which made Port Arthur a model for the penal reform movement, a flag it raised with pride.
Even though it's credited with creating the modern prison design, Port Arthur was just as brutal as other early penal settlements, if not more. According to stories, inmates would commit murder—which was punished by death—just to avoid the grim reality of spending life inside the prison. The dead were taken to the Island of the Dead, and though over 1,600 graves exist there, only 180 are marked. They belong to prison staff and military personnel.
Similar to Alcatraz, Port Arthur was lauded as an inescapable prison, but inmates still tried. Martin Cash, a convict with a history of famous escapes, managed to flee with two other men, and another inmate, George "Billy" Hunt, attempted to escape by disguising himself as a kangaroo. Though the prison closed in 1877, Port Arthur has been kept in good shape over the years.
In April of 1996, Martin Bryant went on a killing spree there, claiming 35 lives and injuring another 21 before being captured. This massacre led to shotguns and semi-automatic rifles being banned nationwide. Still, Port Arthur is one of Australia's most prized tourist attractions, and the government spends much money keeping it in great condition.
40. Robben IslandLocation: Cape Town, South Africa
Notable Residents: Nelson Mandela, Kgalema Motlanthe, Jacob Zuma
Amenities: Hard labor, but prisoners were offered educational opportunities while serving sentencesRobben Island is located just off the coast in Cape Town, and has been used for various purposes over the years. Beginning at the end of the 17th century, it was used to isolate political prisoners; Dutch settlers were the first to use it as a prison. It was also used as a leper colony and an animal quarantine station during the 19th century. Initially, the lepers were admitted voluntarily, but in 1892, they were held permanently after the Leprosy Repression Act restricted the movement of lepers.
The island is best known as the prison where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in jail. While on the island, he and other political prisoners performed hard labor in a quarry. Prisoners were separated by race, and black prisoners received smaller rations of food. Political prisoners were kept away from all others, and were given the smallest portions of food. Mandela was considered a D-group prisoner, the lowest classification possible, and was only allowed one visitor and one letter every six months. When letters did arrive, delivery was delayed and prison censors often made them unreadable. Presently, Robben Island is a huge tourist attraction that can be accessed by taking a ferry from Cape Town.
39. Leoben Justice CenterLocation: Leoben, Austria
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: Spacious kitchens, floor-to-ceiling windowsEvery prison isn't crazy because of brutality or atrocious living quarters. The Justice Center at Leoben stands out from the rest because it is a beautiful work of architecture, not just an unusually attractive prison. The prison, which holds groups of up to 13, and courthouse were built by architect Josef Hohensinn in 2004. Prisoners are able to move freely through their cells and shared spaces, and each prisoner has his own bathroom, kitchen area, and floor-to-ceiling window that opens up onto a balcony. We know, it sounds more like a luxury apartment then a cell.
There are three courtyards and multiple outdoor communal spaces enclosed by bars. Hell, there's even an inscription that reads, "All persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person." The room for conjugal visits features red chairs that Ikea would envy. Ever been jealous of how a prisoner lives? No? Good, because it's still a prison.
38. Devil's IslandLocation: French Guiana
Notable Residents: Henri Charrière (convicted murderer and author)
Amenities: Your choice of tropical diseasesSitting nine miles off the coast of French Guiana, Devil's Island was part of the famous French penal colony for over a century. The rocky island extends 40 feet above sea level. It was first used as a leper colony, then as a space to contain political prisoners. By the late 19th century, it housed some 239 republicans who opposed Napoleon III's coup d'état. It was also home to thieves and murderers.
Most of the prisoners never made it back to France. Many prisoners died due to the harsh conditions, including limited sanitary systems and a thorough mosquito infestation, which spread tropical diseases. Prisoners were deterred from escape by an intimidating body of water full of piranhas. France didn't make it easy on prisoners, passing a law that required them to stay in French Guiana for a period equal to their labor time. If their sentence was greater than eight years, they had to remain on the island for the rest of their lives. Another law ordered repeat offenders for minor crimes be sent to Devil's Island, which was previously reserved for hardened criminals and political prisoners. Some convicted women were even banished there for the purpose of procreating with freed men to sustain the society.
The government stopped sending prisoners to Devil's Island in 1938, and it closed for good in 1953, finally giving prisoners the opportunity to return to France, though some elected to remain on the island. Devil's Island had its moment in pop culture thanks to Henri Charrière's Papillon, which was adapted into a film of the same name in 1973 starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman. Today, the prison is closed to the public, but can be seen by charter boat.
37. Newgate PrisonLocation: London, England
Notable Residents: Captain William Kidd, Thomas Neill Cream (claimed to be Jack the Ripper), William Penn, Catherine Wilson (last woman hanged publicly in London)
Amenities: Prisoners got to watch public executions, a cruel intimidation factor
Newgate Prison, originally built in 1188 by Henry II, is located just inside London. It was destroyed during the 1666 Great Fire of London, and rebuilt six years later with significant additions. The prison was managed by two sheriffs, who would rent it to "keepers" for a price. These keepers got over, as they were allowed to demand payment from prisoners, and were given incentive to be cruel to inmates—they charged fees to have chains removed from the bodies of prisoners.During the 18th century, it became London's main prison, and public executions were held in front of the building, drawing large crowds. Newgate also served as a training site for future executioners.
Female prisoners and their children were housed in squalor. An investigation by social reformer Elizabeth Fry led to an overhaul of the prison's interior so that prisoners could be better accommodated. By the end of the 19th century, public executions were discontinued, as all executions were moved to the gallows inside prison walls. Newgate closed in 1902 and was demolished two years later. It appears in several Charles Dickens novels, including A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist, and Great Expectations.
36. HM Prison DartmoorLocation: Princetown, Devon, England
Notable Residents: Thomas Jones, Baron Maelor, Peter Hammond
Amenities: Full and part-time education programs availableOwned by the Duchy of Cornwall and operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service, HM Prison Dartmoor is a Category C prison in Princeton, Devon. It was built during the early 19th century and was used to hold prisoners from the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. Over 6,000 American sailors were imprisoned at HM Prison Dartmoor from 1813 to 1815. During their incarceration, they created their own society, complete with a market, theater, and gambling room. In the spring of 1815, seven were killed during an escape attempt; a memorial was built to commemorate the prisoners of war who stayed at Dartmoor.
In 1932, there was a riot at the prison after inmates were sent back to their cells for ignoring commands. When they refused to enter their cells, prison staff fled to a secure sector of the prison, while inmates freed those held in solitary confinement. No staff were injured, but one prisoner was shot. In 2001, the prison was condemned due to sanitation issues, and it became a Category C prison for less violent offenders a year later.
Today, the prison offers full and part-time education, as well as several vocational programs for electronics, brick work, carpentry, and more. Each year, the prison hosts the "Dartmoor Jail Break" charity event, where civilians attempt to escape from the prison over a four-day period.
35. Château d'IfLocation: If, France
Notable Residents: Gaston Crémieux, Edmond Dantès
Amenities: Poor prisoners lived beneath the prison, while the wealthy ones could have fireplacesOriginally designed as a fortress, Château d'If is a three-story building with three large towers that all boast huge gun embrasures. The château was built during the 16th century. The strong currents surrounding the castle make it a site similar to Alcatraz. It was used to hold political and religious prisoners, and soon became one of the most notorious prisons in France. Over 3,000 Huguenots were sent there, including Paris Commune leader Gaston Crémieux, but the Château d'If's most famous prisoner is a fictional character.
Alexandre Dumas elected to use the prison as a key setting for his classic novel The Count of Monte Cristo. The book's protagonist, Edmond Dantès, and his mentor, Abbé Faria, are both imprisoned there. After fourteen years, Dantès becomes the only person to escape from the prison and actually survive (no one is known to have accomplished this in reality).
During those times, prisoners were treated in accordance with their wealth. The poorer inmates were held in a windowless dungeon beneath the château, while those with money lived rather comfortably in private cells with windows and the occasional fireplace. However, the wealthier prisoners were expected to pay for their amenities, essentially financing their own incarceration—the ultimate swindle. The prison was demilitarized at the end of the 19th century, but was opened to the public; it can now be reached by boat.
Mark Twain visited the prison prior to it opening to the public and claimed to have visited the cell where the "Man in the Iron Mask" was held. This is most likely a fable, as the Man in the Iron Mask was never imprisoned at the Chateau d'If. There are, however, cells named after Edmond Dantès and Abbé Faria, as The Count of Monte Cristo is responsible for making the prison famous.
34. Clinton Correctional FacilityLocation: Dannemora, NY
Notable Residents: Michael Alig, Hell Rell, Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Maino, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Tupac Shakur, Shyne
Amenities: Has its own inmate-built church, the Church of St. Dismas, the Good Thief.Sometimes referred to as the "New York's Siberia" due to the frigid weather in Dannemora, Clinton Correctional Facility is an intimidating place. Built in 1844, it's the largest maximum security prison in New York, and the third oldest prison in the state. Its prisoners were initially used for mining.
It was expanded in 1887 when it was given menacing 60-foot concrete walls. Capital punishment at Clinton began in 1892 when the first execution was carried out using the electric chair. In 1899, a mental health institution was built at the prison for inmates who went insane during their incarceration. Some were forced to stick around if they were still considered "insane" after their time was up.
There was a riot at Clinton in 1929, which proved key to prison reform in New York. Schools were built inside of the prison, and significant renovations were made to make the place appear more modern. Also, from 1939 to 1941, construction took place on the Church of St. Dismas, the Good Thief. The church was built by prisoners, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. Towards the end of the 20th century, the mental institution was turned into annexes to house more prisoners.
33. Tuol Sleng Genocide MuseumLocation: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: Rooms covered with black and white photos of former prisonersThe Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, or Security Prison 21 as it was known during the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979, was a high school before it was transformed into one of the most frightening prisons in the world. Prisoners were routinely tortured to force confessions for crimes, after which the prisoners and any co-conspirators were promptly executed.
The prison was finally discovered by a Vietnamese photographer who, along with colleagues, followed the stench of rotting corpses to Tuol Sleng. Today, the prison is a museum featuring rooms lined floor to ceiling with black-and-white photos of the 17,000 estimated prisoners who were held there. The museum is best known for its "skull map"—a map of Cambodia made with 300 skulls and other bones found by the Vietnamese when they occupied the country. It served as a reminder of what happened at Tuol Sleng until it was dismantled in 2002, but some of the skulls are still displayed on shelves in the museum.
32. United States Penitentiary, Atlanta (USP Atlanta)Location: Atlanta, GA
Notable Residents: Frank Abagnale, Jimmy Burke, Al Capone, Marcus Garvey, John Gotti, Carlo Ponzi, Bernie Madoff, Michael Vick, Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory
Amenities: The only upside is that you might not be there too long, though you'll be headed to another jail soon
This medium-security prison for men opened in 1902 after President William McKinley signed off on the construction of a new federal prison in Atlanta. Along with USP Leavenworth and McNeil Island, it is one of the oldest federal prisons in the United States. For a time it was the largest federal prison, holding over 3,000 inmates. The main building was designed by the architecture firm Eames and Young, which also designed USP Leavenworth. During the 1980s, several Cuban refugees from the Mariel Boatlift who were not eligible to be released into American society were held at USP Atlanta. In 1987, after growing weary of their confinement and fearing deportation back to Cuba, the detainees started a violent 11 day riot, taking hostages and setting the prison ablaze. At least one prisoner was killed.USP Atlanta is used primarily as a transfer prison for inmates in between homes. Michael Vick was detained here before being sent to Leavenworth.
31. Hỏa Lò Prison (Hanoi Hilton)Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
Notable Residents: James Stockdale, Bud Day, Senator John McCain
Amenities: POWs were tortured into providing false statements about the U.S. government and their treatment at the prisonJokingly referred to as the "Hanoi Hilton," French colonists used the Hỏa Lò Prison to house political prisoners; during the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese used the space to house political prisoners. Hỏa Lò means "stove" or "Hell's hole."
It was built at the end of the 19th century with the intention of holding prisoners who had fought for independence while Vietnam was still part of French Indochina. Prisoners faced torture and execution, and the prison was consistently overcrowded.
U.S. prisoners were held at Hỏa Lò during the Vietnam War, where they endured the same subhuman conditions. American prisoners of war coined the nickname the "Hanoi HIlton" after the hotel chain. A new area of the prison was opened in 1967 for new POWs called "Little Vegas"; certain areas were named after landmarks on the Vegas Strip. Again, prisoners were subjected to brutal torture during interrogation, with the North Vietnamese attempting to get written or recorded statements from American POWs that criticized the America's involvement in the war and praised their treatment by their captors. When POWs were released, their testimony exposed gratuitous abuse, which the North Vietnamese denied. Following the war, neither the U.S. nor any of its allies opted to charge the North Vietnamese for the alleged war crimes committed at Hỏa Lò and other war prisons.
The Hanoi Hilton got the Hollywood treatment in 1987, via the Lionel Chetwynd film of the same name. It was partially demolished during the mid '90s. The room where POWs were interrogated has been remodeled to look like a non-threatening barracks-style room, and ironically, a Hanoi Hilton hotel opened in 1999, though under the name the Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel. Doesn't sound anything like a place where prisoners were tortured.
30. The Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation CenterLocation: Cebu, Philippines
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: You can dance your sentence awayThis maximum security prison is probably best known for engaging prisoners in extracurricular activities, like dance. In 2007, a video featuring inmates dancing to "Thriller" was uploaded to YouTube. It became an instant viral sensation. The dance program was introduced by Byron F. Garcia, named head of the prison, as a way to keep inmates active for an hour every day. After noticing prisoners exercising in the yard, he figured a synchronized dance routine would be a good idea.
The popularity of the video led to several public performances, and one at Cebu City's Founding Day celebration raked in a 1.6 million peso donation. Each prisoner was given 1,000 pesos. Ten hours after learning of Michael Jackson's death in 2009, prisoners organized a nine-and-a-half minute routine to a medley of Jackson songs that was performed before hundreds of spectators at the prison.
While this is a positive example of prisoners using their incarceration constructively, let's also not forget that CPDRC is still a prison. It has been criticized for the dance routines, as many believe that the routines are not an acceptable form of rehabilitation, that they actually exploit prisoners. Former prisoners have claimed that violence was used against those who refused to participate, and like many prisons in the Philippines, there are issues with overcrowding and sanitation. It may be a pop culture phenomenon, but it's not a game.
29. Auburn Correctional FacilityLocation: Auburn, NY
Notable Residents: Jimmy Burke, Joe Gallo
Amenities: Site of the first electric chairBuilt in 1816, this maximum-security state prison was built on land that was previously a Cayuga Indian village. After New York City's Newgate Prison, it was the second state prison constructed in New York. It was also the first prison to utilize what would come to be called the "Auburn System." Created with the intention of rehabilitating prisoners, the Auburn System pushed prisoners to perform manual labor. They worked during the day, and the profit from their work went right into the prison's pocket. The system separated inmates according to their crimes by using certain clothing. This is where the typical, black-and-white striped prison uniform was created. Prisoners ate in a communal dining room, but a strict code of silence was enforced by prison guards. Though an original plan for Auburn Correctional Facility specified that prisoners would live in double cells, they came to live individually. The Auburn System is a contrasting methodology to the "Philadelphia System" used at Eastern State Penitentiary, which focuses on reform in a less strict fashion.
Auburn Correctional Facility has its place in history firmly cemented, as it was the site of the first execution by electrocution. It's also famous for the huge colonial soldier that sits atop the complex. Known as "Copper John," the statue was originally made out of wood. However, it was abused by the elements and replaced with a more durable, copper version.
In 2011, Auburn was the site of New York's first same-sex prison marriage.
28. Tower of LondonLocation: London, England
Notable Residents: Sir Thomas More, King Henry VI, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard (wives of King Henry VIII), Rudolph Hess
Amenities: GhostsThe Tower of London, also known as Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, rests on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. The castle played a huge role in the history of England, serving as an armoury, a menagerie, and a treasury. It was the home of both the Royal Mint (a public records office) and the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. Still, the Tower of London is best known as a prison, with the most important periods being the 16th and 17th centuries, when prominent yet disgraced figures were held captive there. Prior to becoming queen, Elizabeth l was a prisoner of the Tower.
Though it was reported that life in the Tower was brutal, only seven people were executed within its confines prior to World War II. Torture had to be sanctioned, so it was not used often—there are just 48 recorded instances of torture from 1640 to 1530. There were three common methods: the rack, the Scavenger's Daughter, and the manacles. Towards the end of the 19th century, the Royal Mint and other public institutions vacated the castle, leaving the rooms empty. Prisoners were able to better their time at the Tower by purchasing goods through the Lieutenant of the Tower, a practice still common in prisons today.
The Tower is said to be haunted, most famously by the ghost of Anne Boleyn, who was beheaded after being convicted of treason against Henry Vlll. Legend has it that her vengeful spirit inhabits the chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, allegedly lurking around with her head tucked under her arm. In present day England, the Tower of London is one of the most prized tourist attractions, and is preserved as a World Heritage Site.
27. Louisiana State Penitentiary (LSP)Location: Angola, Louisiana
Notable Residents: C-Murder, The Angola 3 (Robert Hillary King, Herman Wallace, and Albert Woodfox), Lil Boosie, Robert Lee Willie and Elmo Patrick Sonnier
Amenities: A golf course and FCC-licensed radio stationReferred to as "The Alcatraz of the South," "The Farm," or simply LSP, Louisiana State Penitentiary is the largest maximum security prison in the United States. It holds 5,000 prisoners and 1,800 staff members. The land the prison covers totals 18,000. It was previously occupied by plantations owned by Isaac Franklin. LSP officially opened as a prison in 1901 and was said to be as close as anyone could get to slavery during the 1930s. Hardened criminals would be reduced to groveling husks when informed that they were headed there. Unsurprisingly, there were heavy racial tensions in the Farm during this time; each year, one out of every ten inmates was stabbed.
LSP, or "Angola" as it was also known, houses the state's death row for men. During the 1940s, Louisiana changed its method of execution, opting for death by electrocution, and the state's electric chair, "Gruesome Gertie," was carried from parish to parish before finding a home at LSP. In 1952, 31 prisoners severed their own Achilles' tendons to protest of the work routine, earning them the name "The Heel String Gang." The event garnered national attention.
Presently, most inmates live in dormitories rather than cell blocks. Prison administration rationalizes this as encouraging cooperation and fostering healthy peer relationships among inmates. Inmates live in multiple housing units across the prison grounds. During the 1990s, air conditioners were finally installed in the units.
It would be foolish not to put all of that space to good use, so LSP has several activities for inmates. It features a fire station, golf course, airstrip, museum, magazine (The Angolite), television station, and is the only prison in the U.S. to have been granted an FCC license to run a radio station (KLSP). The prison has also appeared in pop culture; the execution scene in Monster's Ball was filmed there, using Gruesome Gertie. Sister Helen Prejean based the novel Dead Man Walking on her experiences at LSP, and its been alleged that Stephen Kings's The Green Mile was inspired by the prison.
26. Bang Kwang PrisonLocation: Nonthaburi Province, Thailand
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: Death row inmates have irons welded to their legsBang Kwang Prison is located at the Chao Phraya River, about seven miles north of Bangkok. It houses foreign prisoners, including those serving long-term sentences and those stranded on death row. They prisoners are cut no slack; all inmates wear shackles around their legs during their first three months of incarceration. Death row inmates have it worse, as the irons are actually welded onto their legs.
Prisoners are treated to one bowl of vegetables and rice per day, but they're given the option to purchase other food from the prison's canteen. Like most prisons, there's an internal social hierarchy, with poor prisoners doing chores for the wealthier inmates. Their are some British and Lebanese prisoners that receive extra money via charities, and the British Embassy provides its prisoners with food and vitamins.
Thai prisoners were previously served red rice, while foreign prisoners were served white rice. This practice was discontinued amid cries of discrimination; all prisoners are now served white rice.
Bang Kwang has appeared in Mafia Wars: Bangkok, and on an episode of American Dad.
25. Pelican Bay State PrisonLocation: Crescent City, CA
Notable Residents: Robert Walter Scully, Kody Scott (Sanyika Shakur), Richard Medina
Amenities: A special division designed to break you down psychologicallyPelican Bay State Prison is a huge, supermax facility sitting on 275 acres of land in Del Norte County. It is named after a shallow bay that that is approximately two miles to the west, on the Pacific Coast. Open since 1989, the prison has been used to house some of the most difficult inmates.
The prison is split into two sections: One half is held in general population, and the other half lives in an X-shaped cluster of buildings called the Security Housing Unit (SHU). Those buildings are surrounded by an electric fence.
The are no windows inside of the SHU cells; prisoners are provided only with fluorescent lights. Prisoners are given two daily meals, and kept inside of their cells for about 22 hours every day. They are ordered to engage in five weekly hours of exercise in a cement yard, which is sometimes called a "dog run." SHU prisoners spend about eight years in solitary confinement before being released back into the general population or paroled. Some prisoners have spent decades in SHU, but most are actually granted parole by the state. Many of the SHU inmates are members of prison gangs, and if they are willing to provide written accounts of their gang activity they may be transferred to different prisons, or serve their time in protective custody. Some have called SHU an exceptionally cruel method of punishment that has resulted in "SHU syndrome," a condition similar to post-traumatic stress disorder, and inmates have protested the division through hunger strikes.
Pelican Bay is horrendously overcrowded, as so many California prisons are. There are currently over 3,000 inmates housed at Pelican Bay, despite a capacity of just over 2,000. Pelican Bay has made multiple appearances in pop culture, including two films by crime expert Michael Mann—Heat and Miami Vice. It's most famous reference came in Training Day, when Denzel Washington's Alonzo Harris character warned residents that they would be "playing basketball in Pelican Bay." That's not something anyone should want to do.
24. United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth (USP Leavenworth)Location: Leavenworth County, Kansas
Notable Residents: Jimmy Burke, Whitey Bulger, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, George "Bugs" Moran, Antonio Fernandez, Michael Vick, Byron "Bam" Morris, James Earl Ray, Robert Stroud
Amenities: A Panopticon-style design that allows guards to see prisoners without being seenOperated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and located 25 miles north of Kansas City, USP Leavenworth is a medium-security prison for men that also includes a minimum-security satellite camp for male prisoners. It is the oldest of the three major prisons built on Fort Leavenworth, and was the largest maximum-security prison in the USA for over a century, until it was downgraded to a medium-security prison in 2005. It is one of the original federal prisons. Prior to its existence, federal prisoners were held at state prisons.
USP Leavenworth boasts a design made popular by Auburn Correctional Facility, where cell blocks are located in a large, rectangular construction. It's domed main building is known as the "Big Top" or "Big House," while the Disciplinary Barracks are known as "Little Top." Between 1901 and 1974, five officers and two non-officers have been killed at USP Leavenworth.
23. San Pedro PrisonLocation: La Paz, Bolivia
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: The prison has its own society, and a cocaine manufacturerAs the largest prison in La Paz, San Pedro differs from other facilities in that it is its own little society. Inmates rent their housing using money they make from jobs, and many prisoners actually live with their families. The prison is home to about 1,500 male inmates, and their elected leaders (pulled from within the community) enforce the laws (although stabbings are a little too common for comfort).
The population does not include the wives and children of prisoners, as they are not considered prisoners. Many rely on the income of their husbands and fathers, so living options are relatively scarce. Because they aren't considered prisoners, they are able to bring goods into the prison for inmates to sell. A Bolivian brewery who owns the right to produce Coca-Cola actually helps to advertise and sell the product inside of the prison in exchange for cash and utilities. A prison with corporate sponsorship, imagine that.
Some prisoners act as tour guides, but the sale of drugs (specifically cocaine) might be the most profitable hustle. Cocaine is produced within the prison compound, with some prisoners cooking it right inside their cells. Naturally, drug use inside of the jail is going to be high, but the cocaine is shipped outside prison walls, essentially making the prison a supplier.
The prison is divided into eight sections, and the wealthier prisoners have the luxury of private bathrooms, even the occasional Jacuzzi. Many of the living quarters have space to play games like billiards and poker, and some inmates own and operate restaurants. There is space for inmates to engage in football contests divided by sector, and plenty of inmates make money betting on the games. The prison also features an internal hotel for guests, a hospital, and several churches.
22. Maricopa County Jail (Tent City)Location: Phoenix, AZ
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: Inmates get to live outside—in tentsHere's a good reason to stay out of trouble in Arizona, or just stay out of Arizona altogether: The overwhelmingly-popular incumbent Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio set up "Tent City," an extension of Maricopa County Jail, back in 1993. Located literally in a yard, Tent City features two watch towers for security, a perimeter lined with stun fences, facial recognition software, and K-9 units for additional security. There's even a classification unit that performs background checks to make sure that inmates are not dangerous before they're sent to live in the tents. Good to know that the state cares about them that much, right?
The biggest problem with Tent City, other than the fact that it's a modern-day outdoor concentration camp, is the vicious desert temperatures that prisoners face. Last summer, when the temperature in Arizona registered at a boiling 118 degrees, Arpaio decided to measure the temperature inside of Tent City: 145 degrees. Arpaio has been criticized for Tent City, as many have dismissed it as an unsuitable alternative to housing prisoners. Arpaio has also been criticized because a number of Tent City prisoners have never been convicted—they're simply waiting for their trials to begin. What do you really expect from someone who brought chain gangs back and questioned President Obama's birth certificate?
21. Sing Sing Correctional FacilityLocation: Ossining, NY
Notable Residents: Charles "Lucky" Luciano
Amenities: Rehabilitation programs to allow prisoners the chance to earn degrees
Sing Sing got its name from the Native American tribe "Sinck Sinck" (or "Sint Sinck"), who the land was bought from in 1685. The maximum security prison is located 30 miles north of New York City on the Hudson's east bank—hence the phrase "up the river." The prison was opened in 1826, two years before it was truly completed, the third prison built by the state of New York. Sing Sing was viewed as a "model" prison because it generated revenue for the state. As the Auburn System was in place, complete silence was expected from prisoners. Brutal beatings awaited those who disobeyed.The electric chair was used at Sing Sing until the Supreme Court decided in 1972 that its use was unconstitutional. Six-hundred-and-fourteen men and women were executed at Sing Sing. After '72, the chair was transported to Greenhaven Prison, but never used again. The prison was accredited in 1989 by the American Correctional Association, creating a new set of standards that every correctional facility would be forced to adhere to.
Educational programs such as Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) were established, and Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison was created to keep college education at Sing Sing in place via private funding.
These days, Sing Sing holds over 2,000 prisoners, and there plans to turn the original cell block into a museum. Last year, it was rumored that the real estate boom would lead to the prison being closed for good. No word on that.
20. La Sabeneta PrisonLocation: Sabeneta, Venezuela
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: Poor prisoners are forced to sleep in hammocks
La Sabeneta is one of the many overcrowded prisons found in Venezuela. Some of the poorer prisoners have been forced to sleep hammocks located in narrow pipe-access corridors, while the wealthy inmates buy their way to better living spaces. The prison is criminally understaffed considering the number of prisoners it holds, with only one guard for every 150 prisoners. As a result of that ratio, internal violence is a major issue. There was a gun fight at the prison in 1994 that resulted in the death of 108 prisoners, and little has changed. The following year, there were nearly 200 deaths. The overall health of the prisoners is poor; medical services are underwhelming and outbreaks of diseases like cholera have claimed hundreds of lives.
19. Mississippi State Penitentiary (Parchman Farm)Location: Sunflower County, MS
Notable Residents: Stokley Carmichael, Vernon Presley, Samuel Bowers,
Amenities: Contraband cellphone use is not allowedMississippi State Penitentiary, also known as Parchman Farm, is the lone and oldest maximum security prison for men in the state of Mississippi. Construction on the prison, which is located in the Mississippi Delta, began in 1901. The massive facility holds 5,000 inamtes, takes up 18,000 acres, and, unlike Alcatraz, the prison is not housed in just one or several main buildings. MSP is composed of several prison camps, called "units," that are spread out over the area. Each unit has a specific purpose within the prison, and they are all enclosed by walls lined with barbed tape. The prison was originally created to house young black males, but that's only part of its history, which is deeply rooted in segregation. By 1917, the prison was organized into a series of camps, holding black and white prisoners of both genders. In 1954, a gas chamber was installed to replace the electric chair, which traveled between counties to execute various prisoners.
Mississippi State Penitentiary played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement, as the first Freedom Riders were imprisoned there. The first batch arrived at Parchman on June 15, 1961. While imprisoned, the Freedom Riders were subject to strip searches, disgusting food, and constant psychological abuse. For rising above the subhuman treatment they received, the Freedom Riders earned significant credibility for the Movement.
During the 1970s, civil rights lawyer Roy Haber started speaking with inmates about the hardships they endured at the prison from the late 1960s into the early 1970s. Four prisoners filed a suit against the prison's superintendent in 1972, claiming that their civil rights had been violated. A federal judge ruled in their favor.
During the late 1990s, the gas chamber was removed and lethal injection was introduced as the new method of execution in 2002. In 2010, it became the first prison to prohibit contraband cell phone usage by installing a system that prevented the operation of wireless devices on prison grounds. That same year, it was added to the Mississippi Blues Trail.
Parchman has made numerous appearances in pop culture over the years. Though filmed in California, Ted Demme's 1999 film Life, starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence, was set at the prison. It's referenced in the Coen brothers' 2000 film, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and John Grisham's best-seller, The Chamber is set at the prison. In 1996, the novel was adapted into a film of the same name starring Chris O'Donnell and Gene Hackman.
18. Folsom State PrisonLocation: Represa, CA
Notable Residents: Danny Trejo, Rick James, Suge Knight, Charles Manson, Erik Menendez, Glen Stewart Godwin, Eldridge Cleaver, Edward Bunker
Amenities: Each cell has storage spaceFolsom State Prison is located 20 miles northeast of the California state capital, Sacramento. Open since 1880, it is the oldest prison in the state next to San Quentin State Prison. It was one of the first maximum-security prisons in the U.S., and the first to have electricity. Folsom follows the tragically consistent trend of many California prisons in that it's grossly overpopulated, housing nearly 3,000 inmates, well past its capacity of nearly 2,500. It features five housing units, including the original two-tier structure. Unit 1 is the most populated cell block in the U.S., holding nearly 1,200 inmates. Each cell has a toilet, sink, bunk, and storage space. The prison has a large exercise yard and two smaller ones, two dining halls, and a visiting room with a patio and space for non-contact visits.
After the state took control of the death penalty in 1891, executions were carried out there and at San Quentin. Ninety-three prisoners were hanged at Folsom between 1895 and 1937, before the gas chamber became the execution method of choice. Because it was one of the earliest maximum-security prisons, inmates were eager to escape, and several attempted before a huge, granite wall was built in 1920. An officer and the warden were stabbed to death during a 1937 escape attempt, and 50 years later, Glen Stewart Godwin landed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitive List after escaping. He was arrested in Mexico in 1991, but broke out of jail again and remains at large. Two more inmates escaped in 2010 and are still on the loose.
Violence at the prison reached its peak during the 1970s and 1980s, when tensions between the Aryan Brotherhood and other gangs made for an extremely hostile environment. Aside from the negativity, Folsom has several inmate programs, including vocational, academic, and a PIA program were inmates make license plates. There's also a sign shop and furniture factory. The prison was popularized (imagine that) by the Man in Black himself, Johnny Cash, who spun a fictional tale about it on "Folsom Prison Blues." Cash also performed two live concerts at Folsom in 1966 and 1968, the latter of which was recorded and released as the album, At Folsom Prison. Folsom has appeared in several films including American Me, Another 48 Hrs., Heat, and, of course, the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line.
17. Eastern State Penitentiary (ESP)Location: Philadelphia
Notable Residents: Willie Sutton, Al Capone
Amenities: Cells with central heatingThe terrifying Eastern State Penitentiary is a menacing presence that looms over the Fairmount section of North Philadelphia. It opened its doors in 1829, cementing the system of separate incarceration first seen at the Walnut Street Jail, which emphasized reform as opposed to punishment. Spanning 11 acres, it was the largest and most expensive public structure made at the time, and would go on to be the model for hundreds of prisons over the following years. As part of the Separate System, or Pennsylvania System, the warden was required to visit every prisoner daily at the world's first true "penitentiary." Much of the U.S. opposed this system, instead preferring the Auburn System, which believed that prisoners should work in silence and be punished physically.
During the prison's time of operation, its cells were highly advanced. They featured faucets with running water in place over a toilet that flushed and central heating. The prison's original design featured seven, one-story cell blocks. By the time the third block was built, the prison was already over capacity, and all subsequent blocks were made with two floors. Blocks 14 and 15 were built by prisoners and were used to house the worst of the inmates. The Pennsylvania System collapsed due to overcrowding in the early 20th century, and ESP operated as a congregate prison until it closed in 1970. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1966, but was abandoned by 1971. During the 1980s, a forest grew within the prison. It became a home for stray cats until it was opened to the public for tours in 1994.
Eastern State Penitentiary now operates as a museum, with tours available year-round. It's remarkable for to its haunting appearance, something the media has picked up on. Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures, and MTV's Fear all filmed at ESP, and it appeared on an episode of Cold Case. Terry Gilliam filmed Twelve Monkeys, with Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis, at ESP, and the prison can be see in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
16. Mendoza PrisonLocation: Almafuerte, Argentina
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: Limited septic tanks
Mendoza Prison has a population that is nearly three times its capacity. It's common to find inmates packed like sardines, with up to five prisoners squeezed into a cell that's about four square meters, forcing them to sleep on the floor without mattresses. Smell that? There's a distinct lack of one of modern life's necessities here: septic tanks. This forces inmates to sub in plastic bags and bottles for toilets. Oh, and prisoners don't have access to showers. Considering the overcrowding, that stench can't be anything short of unbearable.Things aren't much better in this women's section of the prison, where children are forced to live in this hell with their mothers. The most damning fact of all is that there are no medical records for prisoners. The only time a prisoner meets a member of the medical staff is when she or he dies.
15. United States Penitentiary, Marion (USP Marion)Location: Williamson County, Illinois
Notable Residents: John Gotti, Pete Rose, Zachary Chesser, Clement Hampton-El
Amenities: Became first control unit in the nation after long-term lockdown.This medium-security prison is situated nine miles south of Marion City, 300 miles from Chicago and 120 from St. Louis. It's operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and has a satellite prison camp in the immediate area that holds medium-security prisoners.
USP Marion was built in 1963, the same year that Alcatraz closed, and was intended to be its replacement. In 1983, it became the first control unit in the U.S. after violence led to a long-term lockdown. The prison was originally designed to be a home for 500 of the most deadly federal criminals, all of whom were transfers from Alcatraz. Unlike Alcatraz, USP Marion aimed to rehabilitate prisoners without abusing them. In 1968, a program named Control and Rehabilitation Effort (CARE) was instituted to modify inmate behavior during incarceration. This led to prisoners spending time in either solitary confinement or "group therapy." "Control units" were introduced in 1973, and prisoners would spend as many as 24 hours a day in a cell to limit their interaction with others.
Five men escaped USP Marion in 1975 using a homemade electronic device that opened the front door, though all were eventually captured and returned to the prison. In October 1983, UPS Marion made headlines again, this time for far something far worse. Merle E. Clutts and Robert L. Hoffman, both corrections officers, were killed just hours apart, stabbed by members of the Aryan Brotherhood. This created a panic, as USP Marion was thought to be the most secure federal prison. The incident triggered a permanent lockdown, the prison became a super-maximum security facility in a flash, with inmates kept in solitary confinement for up to 23 hours a day and communal dining discontinued. This lasted for 23 years.
In 2006, the prison was downgraded to medium security and renovated, which increased the population dramatically. Though it's no longer a "supermax," it currently has two Communication Management Units to address concerns that the prison was not sufficiently tracking how inmates communicate.
14. Attica Correctional FacilityLocation: Attica, NY
Notable Residents: David Berkowitz, Mark David Chapman, H. Rap Brown
Amenities: Tear gas systems in the mess hall and industry areasIt's not a game at Attica. Operated by the New York State Department of Correctional Services, the prison holds inmates who were problematic at other facilities. Built during the 1930s, some of the most dangerous and high-profile criminals have passed through the walls of Attica. To illustrate how serious it is in the prison, consider that there is a tear gas system installed in the mess hall and and industry areas that has been used many times over the years. Though just as notorious, Attica differs from the infamous Rikers Island because it houses inmates who are serving sentences of varying lengths, thus making it a prison rather than a jail.
Attica is best remembered for its 1971 riot. When inmates learned of George Jackson's death at San Quentin State Prison, nearly half of the population took over the facility, holding 42 officers and civilians hostage. Prisoners created a lengthy list of demands, and after four days, authorities agreed to 28 of them, but would not grant the prisoners amnesty for strong-arming the prison. Heavily armed state police were sent inside Attica, and the bloody aftermath left several unarmed prisoners dead. When it was over 43 people, including 10 officers and civilian employees were dead. Jackson's murder wasn't the sole reason for the riot, as prisoners were subjected to horrible living conditions, including overcrowding and a single weekly shower. They reached their breaking point, something that happens again and again in the history of the incarcerated.
13. Drapchi Prison (Lhasa Prison No. 1)Location: Lhasa, Tibet
Notable Residents: Jigme Gyatso, Passang Lhamo
Amenities: Prisoners receive beatings for participating in protests
Don't look at a guard the wrong way inside of Tibet's largest prison, or else you might get shot. Drapchi Prison, or Lhasa Prison No. 1, was originally constructed as a military garrison, but was refashioned as a prison following the Tibetan uprising of 1959. A nine-unit prison officially opened in 1965. It is currently used to hold political prisoners ranging from teens to the elderly.Ruled with an unreasonable iron fist, it is one of the most feared prisons in Tibet. You can be beaten severely for participating in any type of protest. Even if prisoners survive the beatings and finish their sentences, they can easily be arrested and jailed again, only to face more beatings. Thirteen nuns were sent to Drapchi in 1994 for protesting Chinese rule in Lhasa, and 100 female political prisoners that lived in Drapchi's third unit went on a hunger strike to protest their incarceration. After a week, prison officers decided to ease up on the brutality out of fear that the deaths of these women would bring negative global attention to the prison.
12. La Sante PrisonLocation: Paris, France
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: Impressive architecture inspired by Eastern State Penitentiary
With both VIP and high-security wings, La Sante prison is among the most famous in France. Built in 1867, it is one of the three main prisons in Paris, and was used to hold both common criminals and prisoners of war during World War ll. The prison also features a hub-and-spoke design that was previously seen at Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary.Enough about the architecture, though—the interior conditions of this prison are filthy. Prisoners are reportedly forced to share their cells with unwanted company: rats and lice. As far as daily life goes, the stronger prisoners often enslave the weaker ones, and rape is as common as rodents. Due to violence, unsanitary conditions, lack of proper staffing, and overcrowding, many prisoners fall into deep states of depression and opt for suicide.
11. United States Penitentiary, Administrative Maximum Facility (ADX Florence)Location: Florence, CO
Notable Residents: Zacarias Moussaoui, Richard Reid, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, Theodore Kaczynski, Luis Felipe and Gustavo Colon, Thomas Silverstein, O. G. Mack
Amenities: Some inmates spend 23 hours a day in solitary confinement
United States Penitentiary, Administrative Facility (ADX Florence) is a super-maximum security prison used to hold the most dangerous federal inmates. The prison was built in response to incidents at other prisons, like the 1983 murder of two COs at USP Leavenworth. It was determined that a prison where dangerous inmates would be isolated from other inmates and corrections officers needed to be built, as simply throwing more time onto the sentences of prisoners serving life wasn't accomplishing much.ADX Florence opened in 1994, and Fremont County residents were actually happy to see it happen because it created new employment opportunities. The prison houses just under 500 male inmates who have been problematic at other prisons, or are considered flight risks. Prisoners who oversaw prison gangs while incarcerated will be shipped to ADX Florence for security purposes, likewise prisoners with a history of violence against guards or other prisoners.
Inmates spend up to 23 hours a day in solitary confinement during their first year at ADX, then can be eligible for more free time if their behavior improves. The goal is ultimately to transfer prisoners to less restrictive prisons to have them finish their sentences.
10. Tadmor Military PrisonLocation: Palmyra, Syria
Notable Residents:
Amenities: Random inmate abuse
Tadmor is located in the Syrian desert, and has been called "the kingdom of death and madness." It was originally built to act as military barracks for the French Mandate forces, but quickly gained a reputation as a location for outrageous torture. Prisoners were subjected to medieval methods, including being dragged to death, while others where killed with axes and cut into pieces. Victims were randomly selected, forcing prisoners to live in constant fear.The worst incident as Tadmor came in June 1980, when Rifaat al-Assad ordered commandos into the building to kill prisoners after the Syrian division of the Muslim Brotherhood attempted to kill his brother, president Hafez al-Assad. Roughly 500 prisoners were killed.
Tadmor closed in 2001, and the remaining prisoners were sent to other facilities in Syria; however, it reopened last June. Some 350 people arrested for participating in anti-regime demonstrations were imprisoned, keeping right in line with the prison's history.
9. Diyarbakir PrisonLocation: Diyarbakır, Turkey
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: A dog trained to bite the genitals of prisonersThe Diyarbakir Prison was built in 1980. Following the 1980 Turkish coup d'état, the prison was transferred over to military administration, where it became a Martial Law Prison until 1988, when it was given back to the Ministry of Justice.
Though the prison was built to hold 700, it is often overcrowded: When the Human Rights Commission of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey visited the prison in 1996, it was holding over 900 prisoners despite a capacity of 650. The early years at the prison have been referred to as "the period of barbarity” and "the hell of Diyarbakir" because of the torture that went on at Diyarbakir Prison No. 5. Prisoners were subjected to brutal and systematic beatings, solitary confinement, being stripped naked, being blindfolded and hosed, and constant intimidation. They were even reportedly forced to salute the dog of Captain Esat Oktay Yıldıran, an animal trained to bite the genitals of naked prisoners. Women were kept in a separate ward, but subject to the same nightmarish torture. Prisoners were allegedly encouraged to rape and urinate on each other. Between 1981 and 1984, 34 people lost their lives at the prison.
Security forces invaded the prison in September 1996, killing 10 prisoners and wounding another 46. There are conflicting accounts of what actually happened that day, with some saying there was an uprising at the prison, and others saying that male prisoners decided to visit the women's quarters. The event was investigated, and the European Court of Human Rights finally decided in 2010 that the government used an unnecessary amount of force to handle the situation.
There has been talk of converting Diyarbakir into a school or museum about human rights abuse, but no action has been taken. To this day, it remains a functioning prison, haunted by the subhuman treatment of the prisoners who have perished there.
8. Rikers IslandLocation: New York
Notable Residents: David Berkowitz, Mark David Chapman, Lil Wayne, 2Pac, Sid Vicious, Plaxico Burress, Foxy Brown
Amenities: A special LGBT unit to protect prisoners from violenceResting on over 400 acres in the East River, Rikers Island is the primary jail in New York City. Though it's nestled between Queens and the Bronx, right along the runways of LaGuardia Airport, and has a Queens zip code, it's considered part of the Bronx. Managed by the New York City Department of Corrections, Rikers Island boasts an annual budget of $860 million and has a staff of 7,000 officers and 1,500 civilians assigned to handle the inmate population. That much money and man-power are necessary when you're dealing with roughly 14,000 inmates. The complex consists of 10 jails, and the daily population, including staff, can exceed 20,000—it is its own little borough.
Inmates at Rikers tend to separate themselves by race to avoid riots, and gangs such as the Latin Kings, Bloods, Crips, and Trinitarios flourish within the complex. For a time Rikers housed a special LGBT unit, referred to as "Gay Housing." Created in the 1970s out of concern over pretrial abuse of LGBT prisoners, the segregated unit was closed in 2005 because security had improved sufficiently.
Unfortunately, Rikers Island has received much time in the news over the years for brutal cases of violence. During the '90s, beatings, stabbings, and murders were common; prisoners joked that they felt safer on the streets. Stricter policies have been enforced over the years, but they have not stopped the violence. 18-year-old Christopher Robinson was beaten to death in 2008, exposing an underground system known as "The Program," where teenage inmates were used as enforcers by guards. Fights were organized through the guards to control order, and teens were bribed with privileges such as cell phones, food, and television.
7. Nairobi PrisonLocation: Nairobi, Kenya
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: Clothing, if you're lucky
Prisons in Kenya are infamous for their terrible conditions; Nairobi Prison, where 4,000 people are packed into a facility designed to hold less than 1,000, is no exception. At Nairboi you'll find as many as 250 short-term prisoners crammed into a room that is meant to hold only 50, where the chance of finding a mattress to sleep on is a infinitesimally small. Some prisoners here don't even have clothing, which is still little relief from the heat generated inside the crowded prison. Thanks to overcrowding, prisoners receive insignificant amounts of food. Overcrowding also prevents prisoners from receiving adequate medical attention when necessary, leading to widespread disease. That can't be life.
6. Guantanamo BayLocation: Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba
Notable Residents: Imprisoned al-Quaeda members
Amenities: All the physical and psychological torment you can stomachMuch has been said about Gitmo, the controversial detainment and interrogation facility located inside Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. It was established in 2002 by the Bush Administration to hold prisoners from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. In the 1970s, the base was used to detain refugees from Haiti and Cuba, and also house Cuban refugees in Camp Bulkeley until that was deemed unconstitutional.
Guantanamo Bay is broken down into three camps: Camp Delta, which is a 612-unit detention center; Camp Iguana, a smaller, low-security compound; and Camp X-Ray, which closed in 2002. Its inhabitants were transferred to the larger Camp Delta.
There have been reports of abuse at Guantanamo Bay, with the most common being because of religion. Prisoners allege that the Qur'an has been defaced and even flushed down the toilet in front of them. Released detainees and Red Cross inspectors claim to have witnessed torture including beatings, sleep deprivation, confinement to cold cells, forced drugging, and sexual degradation. There have been multiple suicide attempts, and a number of minors have been detained there. As of today, September 12, 2012, nine prisoners have died at Gitmo. Six of those deaths were the result of suicide.
President Obama vowed to suspend operations at Guantanamo Bay, and shortly after taking office, signed an order to pause work done by the Guantanamo military commission for 120 days. Unfortunately, the camp has been difficult to close due to strong opposition within Congress.
Nearly 800 prisoners have been detained at Guantanamo Bay, and over 160 detainees still remain.
5. Carandiru PenitentiaryLocation: São Paulo, Brazil
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: The irregular AIDS outbreakDuring its peak, Carandiru was South America's largest prison, holding over 8,000 prisoners. It opened in 1920 in response to the demands of the 1890 criminal code, and was considered to be a model prison at the time. The São Paulo prison is, unfortunately, best remembered for the 1992 Carandiru massacre. The incident was sparked by inmate revolt, and police made little to no effort to negotiate with prisoners. Military police were eventually sent to the facility, as prison guards were unable to control the situation. One-hundred-and-eleven prisoners died that day, 102 of whom were shot by police, with the remaining nine victims succumbing to stab wounds presumably inflicted by other prisoners prior to police arriving. Surviving inmates claim that police opened fire on inmates who had surrendered, or were hiding inside of their cells. The incident is considered one of the worst civil rights violations in the history of Brazil, and the operation's commanding officer was sentenced to 632 years in jail for his horrendous mishandling of the situation, though his sentence was voided. He was assassinated in September of 2006.
The massacre led to the formation of Primeiro Comando da Capital (First Command of the Capital), a criminal organization that is assumed to be responsible for the death of the prison director at the time, José Ismael Pedrosa. The massacre inspired the 2003 films Carandiru, and the prison itself was used as the model for the prison where Prison Break protagonist Michael Scofield was incarcerated during the show's third season.
Carandiru was demolished in December of 2002.
4. San Quentin State PrisonLocation: San Quentin, CA
Notable Residents: George Jackson, Danny Trejo, Charles Manson, Edward Bunker, Scott Peterson
Amenities: Offers the lone on-site college degree-granting program within California's prison systemSan Quentin State Prison officially opened in 1852, making it the oldest prison in the state of California. In addition to being one of our 50 Key Sites of the Civil Rights Movement project, San Quentin also has the state's lone death row for male inmates. It happens to be the largest in the United States. Though the prison has a gas chamber, all executions since 1996 have been completed by lethal injection. San Quentin hosted both male and female prisoners until 1932, when the original California Institution for Woman was built. Torture was an acceptable method of interrogation at the prison until 1944, and a dungeon erected in 1854 is reportedly the oldest piece of public work in the state of California.
The massive prison was designed to hold 3,000 prisoners, but at times has housed over 5,000. Overcrowded California prisons have garnered significant media attention, and while San Quentin has managed to decrease its population over the years, it is still over capacity.
Despite its numerous problems, some good has come from the place: Since 1996, it has offered the lone on-site college degree-granting program within California's prison system. Starting in 2003, San Quentin began the California Reentry Program, which helps inmates readjust to society after serving their sentences. Jail is supposed to be about rehabilitation, after all. Lastly, the San Quentin News is the only inmate-produced newspaper in the state, and one of the few in the world. That's something we can appreciate.
3. Kwan-li-so No. 22 (Camp 22)Location: Hoeryong County, North Korea
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: If you're lucky, you might get to live with your family in a small room inside a run-down houseKwan-li-so, also known as "Camp 22," is a North Korean political prisoner camp. Isolated from the outside world, it is a maximum security prison where inmates and their families are held for the rest of their lives. The camp was set up in 1965, and the number of prisoners rose dramatically in the 1990s, following the closure of three other camps in the area. Camp 22 covers about 87 square miles, and is bordered by a 3,300-volt electric fence inside of a barbed wire fence. There are about 1,000 guards and as many as 600 administrative agents employed at the camp. Guards are armed with automatic weapons, grenades, and trained dogs.
The conditions at the camp are awful, as prisoners are regularly spotted with injuries including missing ears, crooked noses, and horribly-scarred faces. They're treated to two meager meals of corn per day, and even the prisoners relegated to crutches (an alarming number are missing limbs) are forced to work. The only source of meat in their diets is the occasional rat or frog, if a prisoner is lucky enough to catch one. Up to 2,000 inmates die annually—many are children who die before the age of 10. Prisoners may be forced to live in bunkhouses with 100 people in a single room, and families are "rewarded" for good work by getting the option to live together in a room inside of a small house that, lucky for them, is in poor condition. Prisoners are routinely tortured using cruel methods including being stripped and hung upside down while they're beaten, or being forced to stand on their toes in water filled up to their noses for up to 24 hours. Beatings are carried out on a daily basis, and female prisoners who don't submit to rape are killed.
2. Alcatraz Federal PenitentiaryLocation: San Francisco Bay, CA
Notable Residents: Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Robert Stroud, James "Whitey" Bulger
Amenities: Take a dip in that frigid San Francisco BayLocated just off the San Francisco Bay on Alcatraz Island, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary lingers in the American imagination as one of the most famous and frightening prisons ever. Originally used as a military prison during the early 20th century, Alcatraz was snatched up by the U.S. Department of Justice in 1933. The island was acquired by the Federal Bureau of Prisons one year later.
Alcatraz was famous for acting as a home to inmates who caused problems at other prisons. Because it was located within the frigid waters and strong currents of the San Francisco Bay over a mile off the coast of San Francisco, Alcatraz was believed to be inescapable. That didn't stop people from trying, though: 36 prisoners attempted to escape 14 times, and two men tried twice. Twenty-three were caught, six were shot and killed, two drowned, and another five were listed as "missing and presumed drowned."
The most famous escape attempt came in June of 1962, when Frank Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin executed one of the most in-depth prison breaks ever. While they managed to flee the prison, an official report says that they drowned in the cold waters of the Bay. This incident led to Alcatraz closing the following year, but memories haunt the prison—literally. The building is rumored to be haunted, though that hasn't stopped it from becoming one of San Francisco's biggest tourist attractions. Plus, it served as the backdrop for Michael Bay's best film, The Rock.
1. Gitarama PrisonLocation: Gitarama, Rwanda
Notable Residents: n/a
Amenities: Nothing
We'll cut to the chase: Gitarama Prison is Hell on Earth. It is home to approximately 6,000 prisoners, which would be terrible even if the capacity weren't 500. Prisoners have to feed each other to survive, and the jail is so horrendously overpopulated that prisoners often stand upright to the point that their feet begin to rot. It doesn't help that they're standing in feces, which leads to disgusting episodes of gangrene. The inmates who aren't fortunate enough to have their limbs simply fall off are forced to brave amputation procedures that, under these conditions, are a gamble at best.Most of the prisoners at Gitarama have been incarcerated due to the genocide committed against Rwanda.
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