Context:

Alcatraz Island, famously known for its prison and the 1962 escape of Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers, has recently gained attention due to President Trump's proposal to reopen it for housing the nation's most dangerous criminals. Originally named for its abundant bird population, Alcatraz was a military fort before becoming a federal prison, known for its high operating costs and difficult logistics due to its island location. The island's name traces back to the Spanish 'Isla de Alcatrazes', meaning 'Island of the Pelicans', reflecting its avian history, and it became synonymous with the word 'albatross', symbolizing burdensome expenses. Notorious criminals like Al Capone were housed there, but its closure in 1963 was due to financial impracticality, as maintaining the facility was costly. Despite Trump's interest in reopening it, experts argue that the island's infrastructure issues and high costs make this unlikely, serving instead as a symbolic gesture of law and order and a political statement against California and the National Park Service.

Dive Deeper:

• Alcatraz Island, initially known for its birds, was named by Spanish explorers in 1775 as 'Isla de Alcatrazes', due to its dense pelican population; the term 'alcatraz' evolved from Arabic influences meaning 'the diver' or from Portuguese meanings. The island's name became associated with the English word 'albatross', symbolizing burdens, which reflected the island's later use as a costly penitentiary.

• Before becoming a federal prison, Alcatraz was used as a military fort in 1858 and later a detention site for Confederate POWs during the Civil War, showcasing its strategic importance for military operations in the San Francisco Bay area. The island's isolation was intended to symbolize utter separation and control during wartime.

• Alcatraz's history as a prison began in 1934, with the facility housing notorious criminals like Al Capone and George 'Machine Gun' Kelly. Despite its infamy as a 'worst of the worst' prison, it was never overcrowded, holding fewer than 1% of the nation's federal prisoners due to its small size and high operational costs.

• The 1962 escape by Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers, immortalized in the film 'Escape from Alcatraz', remains a legendary event. The trio's daring breakout involved crafting tools from spoons to escape their cells and constructing a raft from raincoats to flee across the treacherous San Francisco Bay, although they were never found.

• Alcatraz was closed in 1963 as it was deemed financially unsustainable, with costs far exceeding those at other federal facilities. The infrastructure, including water and sewage systems, was inadequate, making it impractical to maintain as a prison on the island.

• President Trump's recent announcement to reopen Alcatraz serves more as a symbolic political message rather than a practical policy. Experts argue the costs and infrastructure challenges make it unlikely, suggesting it is a maneuver to project toughness on crime and exert authority over California.

• The notion of reopening Alcatraz ties into its symbolic resonance as a 'law and order' emblem, reminiscent of its historical significance. However, the logistical and financial burdens of restoring the island to a functional prison highlight the impracticality of such a plan.