Trump Orders Reopening of Alcatraz Prison 

President Donald Trump has directed the Federal Bureau of Prisons to reopen Alcatraz, the infamous prison island in San Francisco Bay, after more than six decades of closure. 

The Details: Trump said that he wants the reopening of Alcatraz to serve as a symbol of “Law, Order, and JUSTICE.” Alcatraz, known for housing some of the nation's most notorious criminals, closed in 1963 due to high operating costs and the need for extensive repairs. Trump aims to house America's “most ruthless and violent offenders” at the facility, despite the cost. To bring it up to code, some estimates suggest an upfront cost of $370 million and ongoing annual expenses of $60 million. Part of the operating expense is due to the island's physical isolation, food and supplies must be dropped off by boat. 

For Context: The prison island has been a popular national park and museum since 1973, drawing over one million visitors per year. Criminals housed at Alcatraz were sent there because they did not conform to rules at other penitentiaries and stayed an average of five years until they were deemed less of a threat and could serve time at another penitentiary. Over its years of operation, there were 14 escape attempts. None were successful.

How The Media Covered It: Outlets on the left and center emphasized the potential cost implications, noting that Trump also moved to reopen Guantánamo Bay to house unauthorized immigrants. Fortune (Center bias) mentioned that Associated Press (Left) reported the Bureau of Prisons had “widespread criminal activity by employees, dozens of escapes, chronic violence, deaths and severe staffing shortages that have hampered responses to emergencies, including assaults and suicides.” Breitbart (Right) focused on Trump's comments and the history of the island as opposed to the cost. 

Revised by the AllSides staff (of humans) after a first draft from our custom AI. Learn more. Support our mission. Suggest an improvement to this summary.