Alcatraz: The Legendary Prison

1020 Words3 Pages

Alcatraz: The Legendary Prison

We stepped off the large tour boat with a look of fright in both our eyes. Some joy was there, but knowing what went on in this place made us feel the way we did. To me, Alcatraz didn't really look like a shut down prison at that moment. It looked more like an old worn down cemetery. The paint on most of the buildings was chipped off all the way down to the wood. Most of the buildings had collapsed down to some cement foundations and old rusted poles hanging every other way. As we walked to the building where you start your tour, that was probably the only building at this place with cleanliness to it. They gave us our tour headphones, which take you through the whole prison with a audio guide telling you how it was in the prison. Not just how it was for the prisoners, but how it was for the guards too.

The first place our sound guide took us to was the guard towers. They were about fifty feet tall and held enough room for maybe two guards. The towers looked too old for anybody to get into these days, but they had a view of a good portion of that side of the prison and a good section of the ocean. There were towers stationed the entire way around the prison with maybe 100 yards in between them. The towers were protected with bulletproof glass 360 degrees round. After viewing the towers Sean and I wanted to go see the prison cells. So we turned off our guide tapes for awhile and started heading up to the prison house. Everywhere Sean and I looked, it seemed like the entire place was just eroded. Some places were fenced off because they were not safe enough for spectators like ourselves to get close enough to look at.

We finally got to the prison cells after following a long cement path that would take you anywhere at Alcatraz. The path nearly looked like a road, or some type of path they used for some type of transportation. Anyways, we went inside to explore how creepy the prison cells were really going to be. Well yep, they were just as we thought. Just glancing at them gave me weird feelings in my stomach. The first thing I did was got in a cell and told Sean to take a picture.

Show More
Related

  • Acceleration by Graham McNamee

    1319 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...story, this made me think that finally the serial killer is caught but that turned out to be nothing, still having the suspense of when the real serial killer will come in hand. But against my every envisagement, the serial killer came by himself to Duncan to get his lost diary back in the lost and found department. This made the chills run through me as he came at the time I didn't expected. This brought the sudden climax in the story making me even more anxious that even though Duncan has found the serial killer, how will he ever stop this killing machine. And finally at the end when the serial killer was chasing Duncan down on the subway tracks, they both get hit by the train creating more anxiety in my mind that how will Duncan ever survive this kind of blow. But in the ending he survives and the serial killer dies, thus creating a happy mental picture in the end.

    Read More

  • The Rise of America’s Prison Empire

    1930 Words  | 4 Pages

    When envisioning a prison, one often conceptualizes a grisly scene of hardened rapists and murderers wandering aimlessly down the darkened halls of Alcatraz, as opposed to a pleasant facility catering to the needs of troubled souls. Prisons have long been a source of punishment for inmates in America and the debate continues as to whether or not an overhaul of the US prison system should occur. Such an overhaul would readjust the focuses of prison to rehabilitation and incarceration of inmates instead of the current focuses of punishment and incarceration. Altering the goal of the entire state and federal prison system for the purpose of rehabilitation is an unrealistic objective, however. Rehabilitation should not be the main purpose of prison because there are outlying factors that negatively affect the success of rehabilitation programs and such programs would be too costly for prisons currently struggling to accommodate additional inmate needs.

    Read More

  • The Ethics of Animal Use in Biomedical Research

    1849 Words  | 4 Pages

    Both in and out of philosophical circle, animals have traditionally been seen as significantly different from, and inferior to, humans because they lacked a certain intangible quality – reason, moral agency, or consciousness – that made them moral agents. Recently however, society has patently begun to move beyond this strong anthropocentric notion and has begun to reach for a more adequate set of moral categories for guiding, assessing and constraining our treatment of other animals. As a growing proportion of the populations in western countries adopts the general position of animal liberation, more and more philosophers are beginning to agree that sentient creatures are of a direct moral concern to humans, though the degree of this concern is still subject to much disagreement. The political, cultural and philosophical animal liberation movement demands for a fundamental transformation of humans’ present relations to all sentient animals. They reject the idea that animals are merely human resources, and instead claim that they have value and worth in themselves. Animals are used, among other things, in basic biomedical research whose purpose is to increase knowledge about the basic processes of human anatomy. The fundamental wrong with this type of research is that it allows humans to see animals as here for them, to be surgically manipulated and exploited for money. The use of animals as subjects in biomedical research brings forth two main underlying ethical issues: firstly, the imposition of avoidable suffering on creatures capable of both sensation and consciousness, and secondly the uncertainty pertaining to the notion of animal rights.

    Read More

  • Civil War Prison camps

    919 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ent compared to the years it held a prison camp. It no longer has thousands of people working behind it's gates. Nor does it have guards surrounding the area. Today it has long rows of graves. A remembrance of all the lives lost.

    Read More

  • The Society of Captives: A Study of a Maximum Security Prison

    1648 Words  | 4 Pages

    Gresham M. Sykes describes the society of captives from the inmates’ point of view. Sykes acknowledges the fact that his observations are generalizations but he feels that most inmates can agree on feelings of deprivation and frustration. As he sketches the development of physical punishment towards psychological punishment, Sykes follows that both have an enormous effect on the inmate and do not differ greatly in their cruelty.

    Read More

  • The Shawshank Redemption Prison: The Pros And Cons Of Prisons

    1212 Words  | 3 Pages

    The correctional system is based on helping offenders become part of society and not commit any crimes. Many prisons begin the correcting criminals since they are inside the jails, but many prisons do not. Prisons provide prisoners with jobs inside the prison where they get very little pay close to nothing and many have programs that will help them advance their education or get their high school diploma. There are various programs prisons provide to prisoners to help them get a job or have a skill when they are released from prison. In contrast, prisons that do not provide programs or help to prisoners rehabilitate and enter society again will be more likely to commit another crime and go back to jail. The Shawshank Redemption prison did not

    Read More

  • The Physiological Effects of Caffeine

    2638 Words  | 6 Pages

    What happen to the caffeine when it is ingested, and what are its consequences? In addressing these questions, there have been many contributors spent much time to prove that caffeine has been shown to behave as an adenosine antagonist to stimulate motor activity, mood and behavior. This antagonist behavior is the basis for an increase in cholinergic and dopaminergic behavior after caffeine intake. Beside of that, the acute administration of caffeine has been reported by several laboratories to elevate brain level of serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). This increase of serotonin may be associated with the improvement in good mood. Recent studies also show the higher caffeine intake to a lower suicide risk. In this paper, I will investigate the caffeine at a biochemical level and relate its effects on physiological behavior of human with information from the recent research.

    Read More

  • The History of Alcatraz Island

    4107 Words  | 9 Pages

    Alcatraz Island has quite a distinct history. Many people know that Alcatraz served as a federal prison, but most are reluctant to know that this island served as fort. Built before the Civil War, it served two main purposes. First, that it was to guard the San Francisco bay area from enemy ships against a foreign invasion, and second, to hold hostage prisoners of war or POW's as they were called. In this report, I'll show you how this fortress came to be a federal prison, why it is no longer in operation today, and most importantly, to show why it was built in the first place. When the great "Gold Rush" of 1849 first started, California grew from what would be considered a small, unpopulated state, into what it is now. California is now one of the most populated states and it was mostly the gold rush that brought attention to California. As the government saw all of this happening, they realized that California was much more important than they ever realized. In their realization, they decided that California must be protected. San Francisco has one of the largest bays in all of California, and so this was where enemy countries would most likely to try to invade the country. So this is where Alcatraz was to lie, to serve as a military fort. It was supposed to serve as a secondary base in companionship to another base located on the other side of Golden Gate Bridge. But with severe problems trying to build this other base, Alcatraz was to remain alone. "Out in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, the island of Alcatraz is definitely a world unto itself. Isolation is just one of the many constants of island life for any inhabitant on Alcatraz Island. It is the most reoccurring theme in the unfolding history of Alcatraz Island. Alcatraz Island is one of Golden Gate National Recreation Area's most popular destinations, offering a close-up look at a historic and infamous federal prison long off-limits to the public. Visitors to the island can not only explore the remnants of the prison, but learn of the American occupation of 1969 - 1971, early military fortifications and the West Coast's first and oldest operating lighthouse. These structures stand among the island's many natural features - gardens, tidepools, bird nests, and bay views beyond compare." (1) Fortress Alcatraz ran in operation from 1850 - 1933. It served as San Fr...

    Read More

  • Caffeine And Coffee Drinks

    1363 Words  | 3 Pages

    In conclusion, caffeine in coffee and the consumption Americans drink daily can be an issue for human health, sleep pattern, and physical dependency leading to caffeine withdrawal symptoms from quitting immediately. Caffeine addictions would diminish your health and probably put your life in risk of death and a higher percentage of falling into depression, and other diseases. Lovers of a wide variety of beverages containing caffeine after all the information provided in many studies and research

    Read More

  • Caffeine Essay

    1137 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mentioned before, caffeine has been considered a substance that can be abused and users can become dependent on it. Dr. Naoshi Ogawa conducted two case studies that examine clinical dependence on caffeine.

    Read More

  • The Role of Caffeine in Society

    969 Words  | 2 Pages

    Caffeine plays an enormous role in society today, from coffee to cokes to candy bars. Companies have made billions off the desire for that extra kick. Caffeine is the most widely consumed behaviorally active substance in the world making it one of the world’s most popular drugs. It’s known for the ability to stimulate the brain and central nervous system. The Chemical structure of caffeine is C8H10N4O2. Before the popular use of caffeine one can assume that people were sleepier, and less alert.

    Read More

  • The Secrets of Caffeine

    1671 Words  | 4 Pages

    Most people aren’t aware that caffeine can act as a stimulant to the central nervous system. So once someone consumes a caffeinated beverage they may begin to notice a slight change in the way their body begins to feel. Caffeine can be found in many different places such as energy drinks, coffee, candy and also in other common beverages and over the counter medications. Caffeine can have major side effects on those who consume it on a regular routine, but caffeine can also have side effects on those who rarely even consume caffeine . “These side effects include sleep deprivation, nausea, cramping, anxiety, fatigue, and headaches (Braun 73).” Not only does drinking a couple of caffeinated beverages come with its list of side effects, caffeine consumption has also been proven to show drastic changes in the kidneys. “Also, caffeine has been known to weaken the detrusor muscles in the bladder, which provokes the need to urinate (Chambers 42).” So once a person has been consuming caffeine past a certain period of time it begins to become difficult for them to regulate their trips to the bathroom. The list of harm caffeine does on the human body could continue forever, but I will review some of the most relevant categories. Caffeine can have harmful effects on the human body that people are not aware of, therefore I believe that people should be informed what exactly caffeine is and how it affects them directly in terms of where caffeine can be found, the effects it has on the brain and the heart and also the pregnancy effects. Also, people should be provided with a general knowledge of how caffeine can play a part in someone’s life, and some steps to help slow down the consumption of caffeine.

    Read More

  • Prison Life

    1917 Words  | 4 Pages

    The mass media uses prison life as the source for movies and television shows. Over the years there have been many movies written about prison but the most prominent in my mind is Frank Darabont’s, The Shawshank Redemption. Throughout the film there are many examples of the falsities of prison life. There are some elements of truth but they are out weighed by the misconceptions. Numerous prisoners are allowed to walk around the prison and the prison yard with no guards in sight. In actuality there are always guards around, especially on the inside. The prisoner’s movement through the prison is highly restricted.

    Read More

  • Caffeine

    559 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... I chose to do my presentation on caffeine because I see people around me consuming it every day. I also was curious about the science behind it. I hope that my speech has helped to inform and educate you some more about it, and learn some more about this popular drug.

    Read More

  • Animal Rights Essay

    1660 Words  | 4 Pages

    Animal rights have unequivocally been a major concern amongst humans for some time now. Animal rights are based on the notion that non-human animals should be allowed to live freely: free from abuse and suffering, as humans are. The extreme issue amongst humans is whether or not non-human animals have the capacity for rationality to deserve such equal consideration. When examining the issue of animal rights, one may have come to question one’s psyche on whether or not animal rights are ethical.

    Read More

More about Alcatraz: The Legendary Prison

Open Document