President Trump has aspirations to re-open the infamous prison Alcatraz. The prison is on Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay, and has been known to house some of the worst criminals known to man. Another fact about the prison is that it has a history of being an inescapable prison. Overall, Alcatraz is an impressive piece of history in the United States. Trump wants to re-open the prison as a symbol of law, order and justice. However, it seems Alcatraz can serve as a symbol of those words without real prisoners inside. The famous monument was shut down about 60 years ago because of its costly repairs. Essentially, the building was crumbling away due to the salt air from the bay, and because of that the government closed it. It now serves as a national park and major tourist attraction.
Reopening Alcatraz makes zero sense for two main reasons. For one, it would cost an exuberant amount of money just to open it again. Also, the daily costs of food, clothes and labor would make the prison increasingly expensive. Not to mention the money it would take to keep the building from breaking down again. If the building is breaking down, then it can’t be a superior prison. The prison crumbling could make it easier for people to escape. There are too many risks with safety and money with reopening this institution.
It’s much better to keep Alcatraz a historical monument and national park. Many tourists highly enjoy visiting the prison. The island is most likely one of the top reasons that people visit San Francisco and is home to many birds and other animals. Interfering too much with the environment could endanger more species and disrupt developed ecosystems on the island.
It’s in the country’s best interest to have Alcatraz stay the way it is. The prison will be a stronger symbol of the power the justice system in the U.S. holds if prisoners stay out. Keeping Alcatraz closed and just for tourists should not be a political controversy; it’s common sense. Dumping a ton of money on this prison is pointless. If Trump wants an island prison so bad, let’s choose another island to use.