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43-610: Florence High may refer to: United States Penitentiary, Florence High Florence High School (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Florence High . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Florence_High&oldid=1259433315 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

86-490: A 1998 report in the San Francisco Chronicle , Florence's main purpose is to "try and extract reasonably peaceful behavior from extremely violent career prisoners". One cell block at Florence was once known as "Bombers Row" because five notable terrorists, four of whom are or were domestic terrorists, were held there: Timothy McVeigh , Terry Nichols , Ramzi Yousef , Eric Rudolph , and Ted Kaczynski . Despite

129-594: A 25-year sentence; scheduled for release on August 30, 2024. Serving two consecutive life sentences plus 40 years. ADX Florence United States Penitentiary Florence Administrative Maximum Facility (abbreviated as USP Florence ADMAX ; commonly known as ADX Florence or the Florence Supermax ) is a United States federal prison in Fremont County, Colorado , operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons ,

172-513: A coin fraud operation. While in prison, he plotted to murder an undercover officer who had taken part in the investigation. When this came to light, Romano was transferred to Florence. The majority of current inmates, however, have been placed there because each has an extensive history in other prisons of committing violent crimes, including murder, against corrections officers and fellow inmates. These inmates are kept in administrative segregation; they are kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours

215-421: A control unit prison. Carlson believed that the prison would hold criminals who were desperate enough to murder corrections officers or other inmates in the hopes of being sentenced to death. He argued that as draconian as these measures were, they were the only way to deal with inmates who have "absolutely no concern for human life". Florence opened on January 10, 1995. The county already had nine prisons, but

258-423: A day. During their hour outside the cell, which can occur at any time of day or night, they are kept under restraint (handcuffed, shackled, or both). The hour outside of the cell is for exercise and a phone call if they have earned the privilege. Their diet is restricted to ensure that the food cannot be used to harm themselves or to create unhygienic conditions in their cell. Some cells have showers, which are run on

301-570: A division of the United States Department of Justice . ADX Florence, constructed in 1994 and opened one year later, is classed as a supermax or "control unit" prison, that provides a higher, more controlled level of custody than a regular maximum security prison (or "high security", as it is called in the federal prison system). ADX Florence forms part of the Federal Correctional Complex, Florence (FCC Florence), which

344-407: A form of homemade wine, and were armed with rocks and improvised weapons. Approximately 200 prisoners were involved in the melee. On December 6, 2021, inmate Jamarr Thompson, 33, was killed after he was involved in an altercation with another inmate. Thompson was serving a 63-month sentence for an attempted bank robbery. This was the third murder in a Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) institution in

387-410: A large number of inmates in the recreation yard, during which several inmates were stabbed with homemade knives known as " shanks ." Correction officers who were posted on watch towers shot and killed two of the armed inmates. The incident began after white supremacist prisoners celebrating Adolf Hitler’s birthday began yelling racial epithets at black prisoners. The white supremacists were drinking hooch,

430-546: A security risk for even a maximum security prison. The inmates are confined for the most part of the day in single cells with facilities made of poured, reinforced concrete to deter self-harm, and are under 24-hour supervision, carried out intensively with high staff–inmate ratios. The institution is unofficially known as ADX Florence or "the Alcatraz of the Rockies ". It is part of the Federal Correctional Complex, Florence , run by

473-403: A seventh did so after the original lawsuit was filed, and an amended filing added him to the case. Critics claim that the use of extended confinement in solitary cells severely affects prisoners' mental health , a conclusion supported by numerous studies. As of March 2015, settlement negotiations were underway with the help of a federal magistrate. Some changes have already been made by

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516-546: A shower that runs on a timer to prevent flooding, and a sink lacking a potentially dangerous tap. Cells are also fitted with polished steel mirrors bolted to the wall, electric lights that can be shut off or dimmed by the inmate, a radio, and a television given to inmates for good behavior that shows recreational, educational, and religious programming, along with 50 mainstream channels and Netflix content. The 4-inch-by-4-foot (10 cm × 1.2 m) windows are designed to prevent inmates from knowing their specific location within

559-474: A step-down unit for inmates of ADX Florence . Inmates will still spend roughly 22 hours of their day in their cells; however, they are kept in a less restrictive environment in which interaction among inmates is acceptable and encouraged. From there, they will either be transferred to the general population unit in Florence High or to a different federal prison. In 2000, seven federal correctional officers whom

602-421: A timer to prevent flooding, further reducing the amount of handling of inmates that correctional officers have to perform. After at least one year, depending on their conduct, inmates are gradually allowed out for longer periods. The long-term goal is to keep them at Florence for no more than three years and then to transfer them to a less restrictive prison to serve the remainder of their sentences. According to

645-565: A tour of the facility in 1998, "The Bureau of Prisons has taken a harsh punitive model and implemented it as well as anybody I know." In 2012, eleven inmates filed a federal class-action suit against the Bureau of Prisons in Cunningham v. Federal Bureau of Prisons . The suit alleged chronic abuse and failure to properly diagnose prisoners who are seriously mentally ill . At the time of the lawsuit, at least six inmates had allegedly died by suicide ;

688-470: Is a special four-cell wing within the Special Housing Unit for inmates in need of the tightest control. As of 2022, the only inmates publicly known to have been incarcerated in this unit are Thomas Silverstein , Ramzi Yousef , and Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán . The two Intermediate Units house "step-down" inmates, who can earn transfer to another institution if they remain incident-free while housed in

731-432: Is designed to house up to 474 inmates but has never been at full capacity. The facility is best known for housing inmates who have been deemed too dangerous, too high-profile, or too great a security risk for even maximum-security prisons. For example, Joseph Romano was sentenced to life in federal prison for plotting to murder the judge and federal prosecutor who helped sentence him to 15 years in prison for masterminding

774-492: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages United States Penitentiary, Florence High FCC Florence is located in unincorporated Fremont County, Colorado , 90 mi (145 km) south of Denver. USP Florence High was built in 1993 in response to the growing need for a place to house high-security federal inmates. It was designed by DLR Group , an architectural firm specializing in correctional facilities. Before

817-498: Is part of the Federal Correctional Complex, Florence (FCC Florence) which consists of three correctional facilities, each with a different security rating. The majority of the facility is above ground, with the exception of a subterranean corridor that links cellblocks to the lobby. Each cell contains a desk, stool, and bed, constructed almost entirely of poured concrete , as well as a toilet that shuts off if blocked,

860-501: Is situated on 49 acres (20 hectares) of land and houses different facilities with varying degrees of security, including the adjacent United States Penitentiary, Florence High . ADX Florence was commissioned when the Federal Bureau of Prisons needed a unit designed specifically for the secure housing of those prisoners most capable of extreme violence toward staff or other inmates, as well as inmates deemed too high-profile or too great

903-408: The Federal Bureau of Prisons under the United States Department of Justice . The complex includes a minimum-security camp that, as of February 2019, held more prisoners than the supermax unit. The number of inmates has declined, and as of 2021, two housing units had closed due to low population. Florence houses male inmates in the federal prison system deemed the most dangerous and in need of

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946-565: The High Court of Justice for England and Wales agreed to allow the United States to appeal this decision with the understanding that Assange "will not be subject to SAMs or imprisoned at ADX" if extradited. At least eight inmates have died, or are suspected of having died, by suicide at the facility. In the 2023 fiction thriller novel Only the Dead by author and retired US Navy SEAL Jack Carr ,

989-472: The United States Penitentiary, Marion . The stabbings took place only a few hours apart and were blamed on inadequate prison design. Federal Bureau of Prisons director Norman Carlson proposed a new facility to isolate the most dangerous, uncontrollable inmates for security and safety. Under his leadership, USP Marion was operated in permanent lockdown for 23 years, serving as a model for ADX as

1032-502: The Bureau of Prisons. Prisoners held in Unit H are subject to special administrative measures that prevent them from communicating with journalists or privately with their own lawyers or family members. In 2020, a British magistrate refused to extradite Julian Assange to the United States on espionage charges in part because he would possibly be subjected to solitary confinement and special administrative measures at ADX. On July 7, 2021,

1075-510: The cells. Inmates transferred to Florence from other prisons may be allowed to eat in a shared dining room. The prison as a whole contains a multitude of motion detectors , cameras, and 1,400 remote-controlled steel doors. Officers in the prison's control center monitor inmates twenty-four hours a day and can activate a " panic button ", which immediately closes every door in the facility, should an escape attempt be suspected. Pressure pads and 12-foot (3.7 m) razor-wire fences surround

1118-473: The civil rights of inmate Pedro Castillo by beating him while he was in restraints. Lavallee and Schultz were also convicted of engaging in a conspiracy to commit civil rights violations. All three were sentenced to prison terms. On October 10, 1999, inmates William Concepcion Sablan and Rudy Cabrera Sablan were accused of the murder of fellow inmate Joey Jesus Estrella. The three inmates were seen drinking "hooch" together, and they were heard fighting throughout

1161-506: The community raised $ 160,000 to purchase the 600 acres (240 ha) needed to build the prisons. USP Florence High housed 816 male inmates as of December 2019, and is about 390,020 sq ft (36,234 m ). A perimeter fence, seven guard towers, and a patrol road ensure the security of the prison. The prison includes health services, educational program areas, visitation, laundry, a barbershop, commissary, chapel, Special Housing Unit (SHU), and an exercise area. The prison also contains

1204-538: The complex was built, the city of Florence was experiencing an economic crisis with an unemployment rate of 17%. When the citizens were polled by mail about building the complex in Florence, 97% of respondents were in favor of the project. It was estimated that the Florence Federal Correctional Complex was going to provide about 1,000 temporary jobs and 900 permanent jobs. In anticipation of these jobs

1247-418: The complex. They can see only the sky and roof through them, so it is virtually impossible to plan an escape. Inmates exercise in a concrete pit resembling an empty swimming pool, also designed to prevent them from knowing their location in the facility. The pit is large enough only for a prisoner to walk ten steps in a straight line or thirty-one steps in a circle. Correctional officers generally deliver food to

1290-422: The death penalty against Rivera and Santiago, but they were both given life sentences for the murders. Today, both Rivera and Santiago remain at ADX. ADX Florence is a 37-acre (15 ha) complex located at 5880 Highway 67, in an unincorporated area , with a Florence, Colorado, postal address. It is located about 100 miles (160 km) south of Denver and 40 miles (64 km) south of Colorado Springs . It

1333-586: The extreme security measures to deter disruptive, violent, and dangerous behavior among inmates, there have been murders at ADX. Silvestre Mayorqui Rivera and Richard Santiago were both charged with the first-degree murder of Manuel Torres, a high-level member of the Mexican Mafia . Left alone with no guard supervision in the prison yard on the morning of April 21, 2005, Rivera and Santiago were videotaped brutally beating and stomping Torres to death. Rivera pled not guilty due to self-defense. Prosecutors intended to seek

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1376-482: The inmates who occupy them. The Control Unit houses inmates who have committed serious conduct violations or acts of violence at other institutions. It also houses high-level members of organizations deemed as threats, such as prison gangs . "H" Unit houses inmates who are members of terror groups so designated by the Department of Justice or who have had special administrative measures (SAMs) placed on them. Range 13

1419-534: The lure of 750 to 900 permanent jobs (plus temporary jobs during the prison's construction) led residents to raise $ 160,000 to purchase 600 acres (240 ha) for the new prison. Hundreds of people attended the groundbreaking for the facility, which was designed by two architecture firms in Colorado Springs and cost $ 60 million to build. The supermax unit at Florence housed 344 male inmates as of September 14, 2024, each assigned to one of six security levels. It

1462-415: The neck with a homemade knife. Watland stated the attack was a "kill or be killed situation", as he had recently come out of the closet in prison. Baker's gang was known to attack homosexuals in prison. Watland subsequently accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to life imprisonment. As of January 2021 , he was serving his sentence at ADX Florence . On April 20, 2008 a 30-minute riot occurred between

1505-433: The night. Both William and Rudy Sablan were found with the disembowled corpse of Estrella in their cell the next morning. Prosecutors intended to seek the death penalty against both William and Rudy Sablan, who are cousins; however, due to William Sablan's extensive record of mental illness and brain damage, they were both given life sentences for the murder and moved into ADX Florence . As of January 2021 , William Sablan

1548-825: The past one month, the other two occurring at USP Canaan and USP Tucson , respectively. This incident heightened concerns about the rising level of violence within BOP prisons. It also intensified chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee , Senator Dick Durbin 's request to the Attorney General to fire BOP chairman Michael Carvajal, citing failure to respond adequately to rising levels of violence within federal prisons and corruption among BOP staff. This list contains U.S. citizens, regardless of origin, who committed or attempted to commit terrorist attacks against United States citizens and interests. On June 25, 2015, Tsarnaev

1591-549: The perimeter, which is patrolled by heavily armed officers. The facility houses inmates at six differing security levels: General Population Units ("Delta", "Echo", "Fox", and "Golf" Units), the Special Housing Unit (SHU), the Special Security Unit ("H" Unit), the Control Unit, Intermediate/Transitional Units ("Kilo" and "Joker" Units), and Range 13. Many of the security levels at ADX have special purposes or missions for

1634-565: The prison, as well as a sense of safety due to the rigorous security measures. 60 Minutes producer Henry Schuster said, "A few minutes inside that cell and two hours inside Supermax were enough to remind me why I left high school a year early. The walls close in very fast." The prison has received far less criticism than comparable facilities at the state level (such as California's Pelican Bay State Prison ) which tend to suffer from over-population, low staff-to-inmate ratios, and security issues. Jamie Fellner of Human Rights Watch said after

1677-556: The tightest control, including prisoners whose escape would pose a serious threat to national security. Women classified as a "special management concern" due to violence or escape attempts are confined at Federal Medical Center, Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas . On October 22, 1983, Thomas Silverstein and Clayton Fountain , members of the Aryan Brotherhood , fatally stabbed correctional officers Merle Clutts and Robert Hoffman at

1720-413: The union called "The Cowboys" were charged with committing misconduct which occurred between January 1995 and July 1997, which included beating and choking handcuffed inmates, mixing waste into the inmates' food, and threatening other officers who objected to their actions. The case went to trial in 2003, and three of the officers, Mike Lavallee, Rod Schultz, and Robert Verbickas, were convicted of violating

1763-539: The unit. This is the only unit in ADX where inmates secure themselves in their own cells, can walk freely in their range, and associate with other inmates. From there, inmates will typically be transferred to the supermax step-down unit in USP Florence High . The Bureau of Prisons allowed the media to take a guided tour of Florence on September 14, 2007. Attending reporters remarked on "an astonishing and eerie quiet" within

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1806-534: Was being incarcerated at USP Allenwood and Rudy Sablan was housed at USP Hazleton . In 2008, inmate Gary Douglas Watland, who was serving a combined 55-year state sentence for the murder of a friend and attempting to escape the Maine State Prison , was accused of killing fellow inmate Mark Baker, a member of the Nazi Lowriders gang. Watland sneaked up on Baker while he was playing poker and stabbed him in

1849-629: Was transferred to the USP Florence High; as of July 17, 2015 he had been transferred to ADX Florence . He was to be transferred to USP Terre Haute in Indiana when his execution date was set, but the death sentence was vacated in July 2020 due to inadequate screening for potential biases among jury pool. The death sentence was re-imposed by the Supreme Court of the United States on March 4, 2022. Serving

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