What Happened to Alcatraz Prisoners When It Closed?

When Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary closed in 1963 due to high operating costs and deteriorating facilities, the remaining inmates were transferred to other federal prisons across the United States.

The final group of 27 prisoners left on March 21, 1963. Most were sent to facilities such as Leavenworth (Kansas), McNeil Island (Washington), Lewisburg (Pennsylvania), and Atlanta (Georgia). No prisoners were released directly from Alcatraz upon closure; all completed their sentences elsewhere.