When Alcatraz lost its reputation as an escape-proof prison, the U.S. government conducted an investigation to determine whether it was worthwhile to keep the prison open. The rigid program originally implemented by Warden Johnston had been steadily relaxed during the administrations of the three succeeding wardens. Throughout the prison's twenty-nine years, rules for inmates had progressed from demanding strict silence to allowing oil painting and listening to approved radio stations. Many wondered if the Alcatraz maximum-security prison was now any different from other maximum-security federal prisons. Since the gangster era had ended, many penologists questioned the prison's necessity. Because numerous problems faced the penitentiary, its demise appeared inevitable.

Replacing Alcatraz

Because times had changed and national crime had decreased after World War II, some critics thought Alcatraz was no longer needed. By the late 1940s...