7 Infamous Alcatraz Prisoners

The brutality of life at Alcatraz was eventually tamed by criminals who were uncontrollable in other correctional facilities, while restless inmates who made a habit of escaping out of other jails on the mainland learned that their days of quick escapes were over. Nearly 40 attempted, but the citadel perched on the rock in the bay was never successfully escaped by anybody.

Posted On November 11th, 2020

John and Clarence Anglin

The escape from Alcatraz in June 1962 was a jailbreak from the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, a high-security institution on an island in San Francisco Bay, undertaken by prisoners Frank Morris and John and Clarence Anglin brothers. The three men were able to survive and flee the island in a raft from their cells. The fate of the escapees remained unclear after they reached San Francisco Bay. A fourth prisoner, Allen West, was unable to reach his cell in time to follow the others and opted to abandon his attempted escape. The escape was characterised by intricate preparation and execution, including the construction of dummy heads to trick the guards and the development of makeshift instruments and a raft.

James ‘Whitey’ Bulger

Among the most notorious criminals is James "Whitey" Bulger, a man who started his criminal career in the early 1940s as a gang member in Boston and subsequently completed jail stints for armed robbery and abuse. He has been involved in nearly 20 murders through his role in a long-running criminal syndicate.

Morton Sobell

Morton Sobell was an American engineer known to have been convicted during late World War II of espionage for the Soviet Union while he was an ally of the United States; he was accused of involving Julius Rosenberg and his wife, and others, as part of a conspiracy.

Robert Stroud

Robert Stroud, the so-called "Birdman of Alcatraz," is perhaps the most famous prisoner in Alcatraz's history. This is because of a rather popular 1962 film (loosely) based on his life starring Burt Lancaster. The film's title has given rise to the popular belief that at Alcatraz island, Stroud raised birds. Within its walls, Alcatraz did not allow animals of any kind; before his time at The Rock, Stroud carried out his experiments with canaries at Leavenworth.

Alvin Karpis

Alvin Francis Karpowicz, like "Machine Gun" Kelly, saw kidnapping as a simpler way than bank robbery to make huge amounts of money. Described by fellow gang members as "Creepy" for his unsettling smile, the native Canadian became the brains behind the Barker family, a bank-robbing gang known during the early 1930s for their viciousness. Karpis became part of an elite group of "public enemies" in a comparatively short period that also included John Dillinger and Floyd "Pretty Boy."

Arthur Barkar

Arthur R. Barker was an American criminal, Ma Barker's son, and a member of the Barker-Karpis gang, formed by Fred Barker and Alvin Karpis, his partner. Barker was usually called in for violent action, commonly known as "Doc," while Fred and Karpis plotted the crimes of the gang.

Henry Young

Henri Theodore Young was a notorious bank robber and killer who plotted a 1939 escape from the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary with four other prisoners while completing one in a string of jail sentences. Two prisoners were shot during the escape attempt, and one died from his wounds. Any escaped was soon recaptured.