We've all heard of Alcatraz, right? Over two decades ago, my family took a trip to San Francisco and Alcatraz was one of my "Must See" attractions, right after Fisherman's Wharf and riding a trolley. We took a tour boat out to Alcatraz, a maximum security prison in San Francisco Bay. The tour was absolutely fabulous, and I recommend it to anyone visiting the city of San Fran. Alcatraz Island is now a US National Park, having closed in 1963. It jailed some notorious criminals such as Al Capone and "Machine Gun" Kelly.
But, have you ever heard of "Alcatraz of the Rockies?" I introduce ADX Florence, classified as a "SUPERmax" prison, an ever higher level than a maximum security prison. ADX Florence is the most secure prison in America and sits on 49 acres in Florence, CO (Unincorporated Fremont County), 5580 Highway 67 (100 miles south of Denver and about 40 miles from Colorado Springs). The Federal Bureau of Prisons needed a site for the most dangerous, uncontrollable, and extremely violent prisoners who were capable of harm on others, especially guards and other inmates. Here, prisoners spend a total 23 hours a day in his single cell.
Built in 1994, the prison was the answer to a double murder in 1983 when two male prisoners from the Aryan Brotherhood stabbed two guards at the the United States Penitentiary, Marion. Apparently, the design of the prison was found to faulty. Therefore, there became a national need for a prison to handle the most dangerous, high profile criminals.
The facility has reported zero Covid-19 cases due to extreme social distancing. Though no Covid cases were reported, the facility has been reported to be "hell on Earth." Short, windowless brick buildings with concrete beds, the prison is guarded by towering razor wire fencing (with attack dogs, laser beams and pressure pads around the exterior). The prison boasts zero escapes. Only the sky is visible to the prisoners so he can never know his location. Only one hour a day is spent in a recreational cage where the prison can only ten steps in a straight line or 31 steps in a circle. All prisoners are escorted by three guards when leaving his cell.
In 2012 prisoners filed class action lawsuits citing severe abuse and failure to properly diagnose prisoners with serious mental illnesses. At the time of this lawsuit, at least six of the inmates had committed suicide. The suicides were blamed on the extended time prisoners were forced to spend in solitary confinement/isolation in his cell. According to some critics of this Supermax facility, the conditions of Gitmo (Gauntanamo Bay are more tolerable and humane!
The prison was designed for a maximum capacity of 490 prisoners. As of June 2020, the inmate population is 374. The prison has never been at full capacity.
Zacarias Moussaoui:
6 Life Sentences
He was an Al-Qaeda operative from the 9/11 attacks. He assisted the hijackers in obtaining flight lessons and funded the attacks.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev:
Sentenced to death 6/24/2015 and is currently awaiting execution
He and his brother were responsible for the Boston Marathon Bombing. They planted a pressure cooker bomb in a backpack which killed three people and injuring over 250.
8 Life Sentences
Ted is the "Unibomber." He pled guilty in 1998, and was responsible for 16 bombings spanning from 1978-1995. These were mail bombings that killed three people, injuring over 23.
Terry Nichols:
Serving 161 consecutive life sentences for turning State's Evidences (his buddy, Timothy McVey got "Old Sparky" in Indiana in 2001)
He was the co-conspirator of the Oklahoma City Bombing, killing 168 people (several victims were children in a daycare).
Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman:
Life + 30 years
He is the most prolific narco in history! Former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, El Chapo was incarcerated for drug trafficking, murder, and money laundering. Witnesses to his trial said he had tortured the cartel's enemies. They call ADX Florence "the world's most impenetrable prison" since even El Chapo cannot escape. He had tunneled out of a previous prison.
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