Al Capone, George 'Machine Gun' Kelly, Alvin Karpis, 'Dock' Barker - these were just a few of the legendary 'public enemies' for whom America's first supermax prison was created. In "Alcatraz: The Gangster Years", David Ward brings their stories to life along with vivid accounts of the lives of other infamous criminals who passed through the penitentiary from 1934 to 1948. Ward, who enjoyed unprecedented access to FBI, Federal Bureau of Prisons, and Federal Parole records, conducted interviews with one hundred former Alcatraz convicts, guards, and administrators to produce this definitive history of "The Rock"."Alcatraz" is the only book with authoritative answers to questions that have swirled about the prison: How did prisoners cope psychologically with the harsh regime? What provoked the protests and strikes? How did security flaws lead to the sensational escape attempts? And what happened when these 'habitual, incorrigible' convicts were finally released? By shining a light on the most famous prison in the world, Ward also raises timely questions about today's supermax prisons.
- ISBN10 0520256077
- ISBN13 9780520256071
- Publish Date 19 May 2009 (first published 1 January 2009)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 4 February 2016
- Publish Country US
- Imprint University of California Press
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 584
- Language English