12. Designed as an inescapable prison, Alcatraz possessed a ludicrously intense security protocol that included the placement of tear gas above the dining hall in case of riots
Designed to house the worst from the federal prison system, security procedures on Alcatraz were intensely strict. Constantly checking at random the bars, doors, locks, and other fixtures for potential tampering, prisoners would be counted thirteen times during the average day. The recreation yard possessed a 25-foot-high barbed wire fence, whilst the front door was made of impenetrable solid steel. Enjoying the highest ratio of guards-to-prisoners of any prison in the United States, guard towers sat atop each building, manned by armed snipers throughout the day, whilst all doors used state-of-the-art locking mechanisms to preclude escape.
The experience of prisoners in the Dining Hall provides an example of the authoritarian conditions of life on the isolated island. Meals were permitted to take no longer than twenty minutes, after which forks, knives, and spoons were laid out on the table and counted to ensure nothing was missing. During the earliest years of the prison’s operation, talking was strictly forbidden during meals. Metal detectors screened prisoners entering and exiting the room, whilst tear-gas canisters adorned the rafters in the event of a riot. Providing over-watch, a gun gallery mounted the exterior wall of the hall to permit guards to open fire upon prisoners instantly should trouble erupt.