This page is all about the prisoners that resided on Alcatraz Island during the years of 1932 and 1963 during which the island served as a Federal Penitentiary. The first 32 prisoners were left from the military prison and were serving time for crimes such as: robbery, assault, rape, and manslaughter. Each inmate was numbered starting with #1, Frank Bolt serving 5 years for sodomy to #1576, Frank Weatherman sentence unknown for robbery.

Whether they were famous or not, the inmates were below average on many levels. The average intellectual level of prisoners on Alcatraz was average, but the average educational level was the fourth grade and sometimes even lower. On a psychological level, 15%-20% of the prisoners on Alcatraz suffered from mental illness. In fact, eight prisoners were murdered and five committed suicide.

Alcatraz had 336 cells each nine feet by five feet. There were three stories of cells consisting of Blocks B, C, and D. In D block there were six solitary confinement cells. Alcatraz averaged 250 prisoners at one time and contained a total of 1576 prisoners during its 29 years of business.

Guards Escort Famed Convict George Kelly from the cell blocks

The daily activities of the prisoners on Alcatraz are definitely a point of interest. The activities (except for those in solitary) consisted of meals, exercise, and cell time. Those prisoners who were given special priveleges were allowed to work. Those who worked either did laundry for the military or did hard labor outside. Alcatraz, of course, was a maximum security prison. The prisoners were kept distant from the outside world and were pretty uninformed. There was little recreation and radio allowed. There was absolutely no rehabilitaion, professional counseling, or television.

Most of the criminals serving time on Alcatraz were repeat offenders and had in fact committed crimes while in another prison. To some extent Alcatraz was the prison system's prison. Many of the prisoners on Alcatraz had also served time at Leavenworth Penitentiary (KS), Atlanta Penitentiary (GA), Florida State Penitentiary (FL), Lewisburg Penitentiary (PA), McNeil Island Prison (WA), San Quentin Prison (CA), and Terre Haute Prison (IN).

Are you an Alcatraz buff? Do you know all the biggies? Well here's the challenge for you: who is Amin Pierce, Guy Northcutt, or Joseph Vigourdux? To find out more information on any inmate to ever serve time at Alctraz, just click on the inmate roster.

Here you will find all 1,576 inmates spread out on 8 pages. They are listed by number, but if you are looking for that certain someone, use your find command.

Although Alcatraz has the reputation of holding "Public Enemy #1", the prison contained a many number of criminals who were not as infamous. It is the famous prisoners however, who capture the imagination with stories of their evil deeds and their coming to justice. We dedicate this section to those "Hall of Fame" prisoners.

AL CAPONE
GEORGE KELLY
ROBERT STROUD
ALVIN KARPIS
CLARENCE CARNES