What did inmates dislike most about Alcatraz?
The rule of silence was probably the most difficult to bear. This rule was considered harsh and inmates were disciplined for even minor violations of it. In the earlier years of Alcatraz, inmates were not allowed to talk to one another except during meals and recreation periods. It wasn’t uncommon for inmates to empty out the water from their toilets to create a primitive communications system through the sewage piping. Inmates also state that the island was always cold. Most agree that cells on their higher tiers with window views were more popular since they tended to be warmer than the ground level cells.
