When the inmates arrive at the Penitentiary of U.S in Florence, Colorado, it is immediately clear: ADX Florence a maximum security prison safest in the country, was built to isolate them from the world.
And there Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, one of Mexico’s most wanted drug traffickers for many years, pays his sentence.
Known as the “Alcatraz of the Rocky Mountains”, ADX Florence or “Supermax” (for being one of the maximum security prisons) is the place where the most feared convicted criminals in the United States arrived.
Space is built for the worst of the worst in the prison system, including the most violent inmates and convicted terrorists. Many of the more than 400 inmates spend up to 23 hours a day alone in soundproof concrete cells measuring 2 by 3 meters.
A former ADX director once told CNN that imprisonment there is “much worse than death.”
This is a look at the maximum security prison where “El Chapo” and other criminals are being held.
A fortress in the middle of the mountains
At ADX, heavily armed patrols roam the sprawling complex. A dozen imposing artillery turrets rise above brick buildings. Walls covered with barbed wire partially block the snow-capped mountains.
“As soon as they walk in the door … you see it on their faces,” said Robert Hood, who served as director of ADX from 2002 to 2005. “That’s when it really hits you. You are looking at the beauty of the Rocky Mountains in the background. When you enter, it will be the last time you see her.”
Supermax is the afterlife. It is long-term (…) In my opinion, it is much worse than death
Robert Hood, former director of ADX
Meals slide through small holes in doors. The bed is a concrete slab covered with a thin mattress and blankets.
A single window about 106 cm high and 10 cm wide lets in some natural light, but is designed so that inmates cannot see beyond the building. The cells have immovable concrete benches and desks. Solid walls prevent inmates from seeing other cells or having direct contact with other inmates.
“The architecture of the building is the control,” Hood said.
“It is designed so that prisoners cannot see the sky. Intentionally. They lay cables so the helicopters cannot land,” she added.
Inmates have little contact outside of prison guards and staff. They must wear leg shackles, handcuffs and waist chains when taken out of their cells and must be escorted by guards.
One hour of recreation is allowed in an outdoor cage slightly larger than the prison cells. Inside the cage, only the sky is visible.
(With input from Ray Sanchez, Alexandra Field, Drew Griffin, CNN’s James Polk)
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
