Prison escape
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the American television series see Prison Break.
A prison escape or prison break is where a prisoner leaves their prison through unofficial or illegal ways, and almost always results in an effort to recapture them by their original detainers.
Contents |
[edit] Methods of escape
Opportunistic: A prisoner sees a chance to escape from prison and takes it, such as when a door is accidentally left unlocked. The prisoner may not have previously considered escape before, but has seen an opportunity for freedom and taken it.
Planned: When a prisoner considers how to escape from a prison and takes steps to ensure that plan is successful, they are planning an escape. This is the most common variety, since a prisoner must not only determine how to reach the outside of the prison but how to elude authorities.
Because the methods of planned escapes are limited only by the human imagination, they are often remembered long after the escape.
[edit] Getting Assistance
Outside Assistance: Friends or relatives of an inmate arrange for items to be smuggled into the prison or arrange to have an escape vehicle standing by, ready to receive the prisoner when they reach the outside of the compound. Because prisoners' mail, gifts and communications are usually monitored it can be difficult to ensure this sort of assistance.
Inside Assistance: Most prison escapes require assistance from people inside the prison; usually from fellow inmates but it's possible for corrupted guards or other prison officials help an inmate escape, typically through turning a blind eye to 'anomalies' or sabotage. It is more difficult for officials to monitor this form of assistance, since communication between inmates and their guards is routine in most prison facilities.
[edit] Famous historical escapes
There have been many famous escapes throughout history.
- In 1756 Italian writer Giacomo Casanova famously managed to escape from one of the most secure prisons of his time: the Doge's Palace.
- The Great Escape, 76 Allied POWs (primarily Commonwealth airmen) escaped from Stalag Luft III during World War Two. 50 of the escaped POWs were rounded up and shot by the Gestapo, while only 3 succeeded in reaching neutral territories.
- Frank Morris, John Anglin and Clarence Anglin escaped from 'inescapable' Alcatraz Island; although the fate of the escapees is unclear.
- In December 1979 political prisoners Tim Jenkin, Stephen Lee and Alex Moumbaris escaped from South Africa's maximum-security Pretoria Prison. After 18 months of plotting, testing, preparing, and learning how to pick locks and forge keys, the trio escaped the prison the same way they came in: through 10 locked doors.
- Soviet spy George Blake escaped from Wormwood Scrubs on 22 October 1966, assisted by Sean Bourke; they both reached the safety of the Soviet Union.
- German Naval Air Service Kapitänleutnant Gunter Plüschow escaped from the Donington Hall prisoner of war camp in 1915.
- Colditz Castle was used as an 'escape-proof' prisoner of war camp during World War II; over the course of 300 escape attempts 130 prisoners escaped, of which 30 eventually managed to reach friendly territory. Escapees tunnelled, disguised themselves as guards, workmen or women, snuck away through sewer drains, and even planned to use a glider to get over the wall. (Further research has proven that the glider attempt would almost certainly have been successful, but the War ended before it was to be put into action. By this time the glider had been fully assembled.)
- André Devigny, a French Resistance Fighter during World War 2, escaped Montluc Military Prison in Lyon with his cellmate in April 1943.
- Jack Sheppard escaped from prison several times, using elaborate planning, and careful noting of the time that guards patrolled certain areas.
- The Texas 7 escape.
- Prisoners used guns to escape Whitemoor (HM Prison)
- In 1998, the Belgian child molester Marc Dutroux notoriously managed to escape for a few hours due an embarassing series of events. He was caught the same afternoon, but the incident forced two politicians to resign and increased the loss of faith in the Belgian judicial system.
[edit] Escapes in popular culture
[edit] Non-Fiction
- Escape from Alcatraz depicts the escape of Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers.
- The Great Escape involves the prisoners of a German prisoner of war camp digging their way to freedom.
[edit] Fiction
- The Count of Monte Cristo depicts protagonist Edmond Dantès's falsified arrest and internment, years of isolation and finally recruitment into an escape from prison to exact revenge on his captors.
- The TV show Prison Break revolves around a complicated escape plan.
- The Shawshank Redemption
- Papillon
- The 2001 Bandits movie follows its two main characters (the 'Sleepover Bandits') after an opportunistic escape in the beginning of the film.
- In Season three of 24, Jack Bauer breaks drug lord Ramon Salazar out of prison to avoid the release of a virus by his brother Hector Salazar.
- In Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent, Sam Fisher escapes prison with JBA member Jamie Washington.
[edit] References
- Dowswell, Paul (1994). Tales of Real Escape. London, England: Usborne Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7460-1669-7.
