Prisons come in all shapes

Our family toured the prison on Alcatraz Island for part of a family reunion this weekend. We had done some reading about the prison before we visited and were excited to see what else we would learn. When we arrived, we found the tours they offer are not done personally but through an audio tour. I was disappointed, but took the headphones and moved on.

To my surprise the audio tour was very well done with different voices and background noises that made the tour come alive. As I wandered through the prison, following the instructions of the recorded voice, I realized that I was here with my children, but yet, not really experiencing the tour together.

That's when I grasped the significance of the choice to use audio recorders vs a live tour guide. (Okay, I understand the reasons are more practical, like cost and language availability, but go with me on this.) By giving us headphones and marching us around the prison through commands, we began to experience what it may have been like to have freedom taken away.

I also began to understand a little of what it must feel like to be around hundreds of other people, but never able to interact with them. The prisoners were not allowed to talk to each other except in the rec yard, and were kept in separate cells at all times. I was experiencing one of our nations most visited attractions with my extended family, but the most I could do was wave as we passed each other, afraid I would miss something in the recording.

"You were a number, you weren't a name: I wasn't Jim Quillen. Hell, I was Number 586 and nobody wanted that." What was it like to be treated as a number with no ability to connect with other humans?

Alcatraz is a prison of stone and bars, yet prisons come in all shapes and sizes.

As we prepared for our trip to Alcatraz, one of the books we read was Al Capone Does My Shirts, by Gennifer Choldenko, a historical fiction novel written for ages 10 to 14. One of the main characters is a 16-year-old girl with autism. The book takes place in 1935 when there was no understanding of this medical condition.

Choldenko allows you to experience what this girl must have felt as she was locked in her own prison by autism.She is not able to interact with the people around her and many times her mind does not allow her to make decisions.

What prisons do you see around you? Do some people choose to relegate themselves to prison? Have you ever felt like a prisoner, cut off from those around you physically or mentally?