News that President Donald Trump plans to reopen the notorious Alcatraz prison off the coast of San Francisco got my mind racing.
As a child one of my favorite movies was Burt Lancaster’s “Birdman of Alcatraz,” and I was always fascinated by the notion of a prison for the worst offenders, a place that even housed the infamous Al Capone. Alcatraz was also known as a prison that no one escaped from.
Trump wants to prove to the public that he is serious about dealing with our country’s most dangerous, violent criminals by putting them all in one place.
“It represents something very strong, very powerful, in terms of law and order,” Trump said recently.
But reopening this prison that closed more than 60 years ago, and is now a tourist attraction, is a mistake.
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the prison was closed because costs associated with running it became prohibitive. Plus, why reward a state known for its liberal leanings? If the plan is to build a prison surrounded by water for the worst of the worst, the president need not look past his adopted home state.
I know this week a former FBI agent touted San Clemente, Ca., as a good option for the prison, but Alcatraz 2.0 should definitely be in Florida. Our peninsula is ripe with uninhabited islands ― think Cape St. George Island off the coast of Franklin County or the irony of building it on Paradise Island in Lake Tohopekaliga, Osceola County.
Too bad that Monkey Island ― home to a group of mischievous spider monkeys ― in Homosassa, already dubbed “Florida’s mini-Alcatraz” is way too small. That would have been fun. (And think of the television sitcoms those monkey interactions with prisoners could inspire.)
But all kidding aside, (nah, I’m still kidding) why not tie in Trump’s desire to see more ships built in the U.S. with Florida’s many ports of call to create floating prisons that can travel around the state, docking at various ports as a way to bring in more tourist dollars?
This is the proverbial three birds with one stone: 1. a new type of Alcatraz; 2. promoting US shipbuilding efforts; 3. tourist revenue for the Sunshine State.
Think about it. Family from Iowa plans a summer vacation to visit Disney World, with stops at Gatorland, historic St. Augustine, the Dali Museum in St. Pete, and maybe a casino (for mom and dad). Now, they may also want to visit Port Canaveral or any other Florida port to see the ship where El Chapo (Joaquin Guzman) is being incarcerated.
Sightseeing boats can boast a chance to spot dolphins, manatees, sea turtles and maybe a glimpse of the Shoe Bomber (Richard Reid) or Luigi Mangione as they scrub the deck of their floating federal prison. What? Think floating prisons only exist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Think again.
The last floating correctional facility only closed down two years ago. The Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center ― a five-story barge as long as a couple of football fields ― off the coast of the South Bronx once housed as many as 800 inmates in New York City because nearby Rikers Island was too crowded.
The use of prison ships in our country goes as far back as the Revolutionary War, according to the U.S. Naval Institute. New York Harbor was a popular place for the British ships used to house American revolutionaries and captured sailors. Ironically, one of those prison ships was dubbed “The Good Hope,” though one feels there might not have been a whole lot of it onboard.
California also used prison ships for a while to deal with the influx of people ― and crime ― associated with the gold rush.
Speaking of gold rushes, think also of the sponsorship opportunities to raise revenue. You know how just about every sports stadium or college bowl game is named for its sponsor?
The ‘Insert beer name here’ floating prison does have a certain ring to it.
Contact Torres at jtorres@floridatoday.com. You can follow him on X @johnalbertorres or on Facebook at facebook.com/FTjohntorres.
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