Discuss and provide an example of a maximum-security federal prison. Name three infamous criminals who are housed there.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Federal prisons are categorized into one of five security levels: ADMAX through minimum security. The ADMAX prison is the supermax-style prison for the federal government. An example is the federal prison in Florence, Colorado, which opened in 1995. The federal government’s only ADMAX prison is the ultra-maximum-security prison that is sometimes referred to as “The Alcatraz of the Rockies.” It is designed to hold 575 inmates. The inmates in the facility are generally violent offenders (sometimes high-profile offenders) who have been convicted of federal offenses such as organized crime or terrorism. The inmates are confined in their cells for 23 hours a day and are not able to associate with other inmates in the facility. After a period of time, it is hoped that the inmates can be moved to a section of the prison that has less security. The officers operate heavy steel doors in the prison via electronic controls. The doors can be sectioned off in the event of a riot or other emergency. Closed-circuit television provides inmates with exercise classes, educational classes, or religious services sent into their cells. Some famous inmates housed in Florence include Theodore Kaczynski (the Unabomber), Robert Hanssen (an FBI agent who spied for the Soviets), Terry Nichols (who took part in the Oklahoma City bombing), and Richard Reid (the “shoe bomber”).