Page 39 - Reading Success B9

Alcatraz was once considered the toughest Federal prison in the U.S.
Nowadays millions of tourists visit Alcatraz every year. The old prison is the
biggest tourist magnet and one of the most famous landmarks of San Francisco.

The island’s mystique was mostly created by books and movies. However, the
mystery of the island continues to lure people all over the world. These people
want to see where America once housed its most notorious criminals. Alcatraz
was the last stop for the country’s most incorrigible prisoners, and the prison’s
trademarks included tight cells, strict discipline, and hard-line routine.

Alcatraz exposed its inmates to severe confinement conditions and
ironhanded discipline, which gave it a reputation as an extremely tough prison.
Violators of the facility’s rules were subject to harsh disciplinary measures. Some
of these punishments included working on hard labor duty, wearing a twelve
pound ball and ankle chain, and enduring solitary lock-downs with a diet of only

bread and water.

Alcatraz functioned mostly in a minimum-security capacity, despite these harsh
standards and stringent rules. The inmates were given a variety of work
assignments depending on the classification of the prisoners, and how

responsible they were. Most of the prisoners worked as general servants who
cooked, cleaned, and attended to household chores for the families living on the
island. Often, trusted prisoners were selected to care for the staff member’s

children. The island was also home to a number of Chinese families, who were
employed as servants on the island. These Chinese families made up a majority
of the civilian population on the island. Since the main focus of the prison was not
security, several inmates hoped to escape the island. However, most who tried to
escape never made it to the mainland and had to turn back to be rescued from the

freezing water that surround Alcatraz. Those escapees who were not missed and
failed to turn back would ultimately tire and drown.

Main Idea

What is the main idea of this story?

a. what Alcatraz is like today
b. how Alcatraz ran as a prison

c. the different people who were imprisoned on Alcatraz
d. the prisoners who escaped from Alcatraz

42_Reading Success B 9