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Donald Trump may reopen Alcatraz as a prison

Alcatraz - Level 0

Donald Trump wants to reopen the prison Alcatraz. The prison was used between 1934 and 1963. It is now a tourist attraction. The famous gangster Al Capone stayed there. No one has ever escaped from the prison alive. President Trump said Alcatraz was a symbol of law and order.

The USA's head of border control said Alcatraz could be good for public safety. However, a former head of the prisons service said: "It's not realistic to think you can repair it. You'd have to tear it up and start over." He said security was poor. There are no cameras and fences. He said: "You can't run a prison [like that]."

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Alcatraz - Level 1

Donald Trump wants to reopen the prison Alcatraz. The prison is in San Francisco Bay. It was used between 1934 and 1963. The famous gangster Al Capone stayed there. No one has ever escaped from the prison alive. In 1973, it opened to the public. It is now a tourist attraction. President Trump said Alcatraz was a symbol of law and order. He added: "America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat criminal offenders."

The USA's head of border control likes the idea of reopening Alcatraz. He said it could be good for public safety. However, some people disagree. A former head of the prisons service said: "It's not realistic to think you can repair it. You'd have to tear it up and start over." He said some buildings were "falling apart". He pointed out some of the problems. He said: "There are no security upgrades. No cameras. No fencing. You can't run a prison [like that]."

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11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Alcatraz - Level 2

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Donald Trump wants to reopen the famous prison Alcatraz. The prison is an island in San Francisco Bay. It was in use between 1934 and 1963. Prisoners who stayed there included the gangster Al Capone. Officially, no one ever escaped alive from the prison. In 1973, Alcatraz opened to the public. It became a tourist attraction. President Trump wants it to return to keeping dangerous criminals. He said Alcatraz was a symbol of law and order. He added: "America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat criminal offenders."

The USA's head of border control likes the idea of reopening Alcatraz. He said it could be "an option for significant public safety threats". However, some people think it should not become a prison again. A former head of the Federal Bureau of Prisons disagreed with the idea. He said: "It's not realistic to think you can repair it. You'd have to tear it up and start over." He said some buildings were "literally falling apart". He pointed out some of the problems. He said: "There are no security upgrades. No cameras. No fencing. You can't run a prison [like that]."

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11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Alcatraz - Level 3

US President Donald Trump says he wants to reopen the famous prison Alcatraz. The prison is on a rocky island in San Francisco Bay. The jail was in use between 1934 and 1963. It was used to house high-profile prisoners. These included the gangsters Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly. Officially, no one ever escaped alive from the prison. In 1973, Alcatraz opened to the public and became a tourist attraction. President Trump wants the island to return to housing dangerous criminals. Trump said: "Alcatraz represents something very strong, very powerful." He wants it to be a symbol of law and order. He added: "America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat criminal offenders."

The USA's head of border control, Tom Homan, liked the idea of reopening Alcatraz as a prison. He said it could be "an option for significant public safety threats and national security threats". However, some people think Alcatraz should not become a prison again. Hugh Hurwitz, a former acting director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, disagreed with the idea. He told the BBC: "It's not realistic to think you can repair it. You'd have to tear it up and start over." He said the island needed too many repairs and that some buildings are "literally falling apart". He pointed out some problems. He said: "There are no security upgrades. No cameras. No fencing. You can't run a prison [like that]."

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25 online activities    |    27-page printable    |    2-page mini-lesson