America's Florence Supermax Prison
the Supermax's construction
At the federal penitentiary in Marion, Illinois, two members of the Aryan Brotherhood, a white supremacist criminal gang, fatally stabbed and killed two prison guards in October 1983. Norman Carlson served as the Federal Bureau of Prisons' director during the time. He decided to have a jail built that provided better safety for corrections staff and inmates from the most dangerous offenders after the deaths of the two guards.
As a result, Florence, Colorado's jail is known as an Administrative Maximum Facility (ADMAX or ADX). Inmates who had been deemed impossible to control even in highest security prisons were housed there when it debuted in 1994. There are roughly 400 people living there right now.
The building is made of reinforced concrete that has been poured, and the cells each measure 7 by 12 feet. The desk, stool, and bed in each cell are composed primarily of concrete. In order to prevent inmates from speaking to one another, the cells are soundproofed.
A timer-controlled shower, a toilet that shuts off if it gets clogged, and a sink with buttons rather than taps are all there to minimise flooding.
Prisoners can only see the side of a building through a small window slit, which is there to prevent them from determining where they are in the institution.
With 1,400 remotely operated doors, the complex is made to be almost impossible to escape from. Outside, a 12-foot-high fence with razor wire on top encloses the compound, and there are also 12 guard towers. Armed guards patrolling the area are assisted by attack dogs, motion detectors, and cameras.
The Prisoner's Walk
Each prisoner begins a three-year term of virtually total isolation when they first arrive at ADX Florence. Prisoners are kept alone in their cells for 23 hours each day during that period. Exercise is scheduled for the hour.
Inmates have access to a "dog run" that leads to a recreation pen once guards remotely open a cell door for them. The "empty swimming pool" is a concrete pit that enables offenders to move in a 30-foot circle while remaining always alone.
According to a graduated programme, well-behaved inmates can acquire a few meagre privileges, such a black and white television for their cell. The only available programming is either religious or instructional; there are no National Football League games or comedies. Good behaviour can result in extended periods of time for exercise and recreation as well as meals served in a common eating area.
Meals are supplied via a slot in the steel door of the cell three times per day. However, given that it is jail cuisine, it is far from gourmet. It's been claimed that anyone who leaves prison thinking the food was wonderful will probably commit another crime and get sent back. This is unlikely to be the situation with ADX Florence, though, as only a small number of prisoners will serve out their terms before passing away.
The purpose of the prison is to give inmates space to think, possibly to consider the poor decisions they have made. However, prisoners residing at ADX Florence must feel as though they are dead even when they are awake, which can be devastating to their mental health.