There is something undeniably exotic
about an island prison. For some it is the epitome of justice, for
others it represents somehow a great challenge to the human spirit
and hope. To all there is something intriguing about it, a challenge
of some sort, a declaration of fear and threat, a complete
ostracization that can horrify. It seems to take the idea of Societal
separation and thrust it into the realm of Penalization no matter
what the daily regimen might be.
As I travel, I have noticed that
Alcatraz, the example from my culture that I grew up with, was not
the only version of this idea. Many are familiar with Devil's Island from
the Steve McQueen movie Papillion, as well as from the famous
Dreyfus Affair, or Robin Island where Nelson
Mandela and other ANC convicts were held. I became intrigued when I
discovered others around the world. Many of them are decommissioned, as 'Prison Technology' and Increasing Human Right's Standards have made the natural barrier of water less important or the isolation less condoned.
Alcatraz Island, Former US Federal
Penitentiary, San Francisco Bay, California, USA
Portsmouth Naval Prison, Maine, USA
Robin Island, Cape Town Bay, Cape
Province, South Africa
Gogona Island, Tuscan Archipelago,Italy
Gorgona Penal Colony, Pacific Ocean, Colombia
Devil's Island, Atlantic Ocean, French Guayana
Islas Marias Federal Prison, Pacific Ocean, Nayarit Mexico
Coiba Island Prison, Pacific Ocean, Panama
Bastoy Boys Home and Prison Bastoy Island, Norway
Elba Island, Mediterrainian Sea, France Not a prison, but where Napoleaon was exiled to first
St. Helena Island, Atlantic Ocean, United Kingdom Second and Final Exile location of Napoleaon, but again, not a prison
Camp X Ray, Guantanamo Bay, Carribean
Sea, US Navy Base Guantanamo, Cuba (not an Island in and of it'self,
but politically it is, and it carries with it that same notoriety
now.
Reikers Island Correctional Facility,
Long Island Sound, New York, USA
Fort Jeffeson, Dry Totugas,Florida, USA
“Abandon all hope ye who enter here” Housed a few of the Lincoln assassination participants.
Fort Pulaski, Savannah River,
Georgia, USA famous not just for the Battle that ended the fixed fortification era, but also famous for the Immortal 600, a group of Confederate prisoners who were housed there
HMS Maidstone, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK Actually an Old Ship, a neat variation on the theme. Ships have been used in a bunch of other situations too.
Furthur research shows a few more:
Norfolk Island, Australia
Solovetsky Island, Russia
Pianoska, Tuscan Archipelago, Italy
Chateaux D'If, Mareseille, France
McNeil Island Correction Center, Puget Sound, Washington, USA
Black Beach, Bioko Island, Equitorial Guinea
Goree Island, Senegal
Terminal Island Federal Correctional Institution, Los Angeles, California, USA
