During the 1930's a crime wave crashed through American towns and cities. The primary cause for the eruption and eventual spread of criminal activity, during this period known as the "Gangster Era," was the legal prohibition of intoxicating drinks. Gangs such as the Toughy Gang were involved in robberies, dealing with post offices and mail-delivery vehicles, around the country. Other well-known offenders included Al Capone, "machine gun" kelly, albert bates, harvey baily, and john dillinger (all who ended up in alcatraz, except for dillinger who was killed by the police). It was clear that the local law enforcement agencies were unable to combat the threat these men posed to the community. Even when they were captured and incarcer

The Industry Buildings also provided the cooperative inmate with the chance to escape the every day routine by allowing them to work in various workshops doing such tasks as washing laundry, cooking food, carpentry work, electrician work, and tailoring. Even working in the industry buildings was a privilege.

Inmate #1465(Leon "whitey" thompson) compared his previous prison experience with that of the Rock by saying, "I spent twenty-four and a half years in the penitentiary, but my little over four years on Alcatraz was harder on me than the other twenty years in prison. To me it was not a life. it was not even existing...to me it was like time stopped...nothing meant anything anymore."

Delgado, james p. Alcatraz: island of change. 1991.

The recreation yard was another of the privileges that a good inmate could partake of. Morton Sobell, a former inmate of Alcatraz, described the recreation yard by saying,"....You could do what you wanted to do. You could sit on the steps and talk or watch. You could walk. You could play cards. You had a choice here which you did not have back there." Even various sporting activities were allowed in this out-of-doors atmosphere, perhaps the most disheartening fact of the recreation yard was that one could easily see the life of San Francisco less than two miles away. This constantly served as a reminder to the prisoners that freedom was so close and yet so far away.

Every inmate was required to begin their day at the same time each mourning (approximately 6.20 a.m). Throughout the day they were counted by the guards to ensure that no prisoners were absent for any reason. Twelve official counts were mandatory, but it was no surprise when numerous unofficial counts were randomly executed in addition to the regularly scheduled ones.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Franklin Roosevelt, San Francisco, Warden Johnston, Industry Buildings, America Inmate, Al Capone, Bibliography Delgado, Gangster Era, Edwin Swope, Alcatraz Jonston's, alcatraz island, recreation yard, block block, alcatraz penitentiary, maximum security, san francisco, inmates allowed, allowed communicate outside, donald alcatraz, escape-proof environment, inmates allowed communicate, criminal activity, delgado james alcatraz, hurley donald alcatraz, james alcatraz island,
Approximate Word count = 2254
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)