Children Who Grew Up on Alcatraz Recount Life on Prison Island: 'It Was Home'

For nearly 30 years, Alcatraz Island was a federal prison that housed the likes of Al Capone. But it was also home for a select few children whose parents worked as guards. Now some of those former residents are recounting their fascinating experiences to InsideEdition.com. For Chuck Stucker, who grew up on the island, it "was not a whole lot different than people who grew up on a small military base." Leigh Scheps ( / leightvreporter ) has more. #InsideEdition

[@RockStar_Love]

🙄 it's like no one is listening 🤦🏽‍♀️. They didn't live in the prison. They lived in apartments and cottages on the island because their parents worked at the prison

[@StyxNyx1]

Yeah, people don't listen very well these days. They're probably too occupied with their phones. Back in my day, growing up, we didn't have all this technology, which made life so much more fun for us as kids. We also listened a lot better too! 😉😊

[@FaithandNova]

It's very scary to know that many barely read. It's even more scary to know that they listen to a video and hear nothing smh

[@Vex22778]

@@StyxNyx1 no

[@StyxNyx1]

@@Vex22778 Care to elaborate on that a little?

[@StyxNyx1]

@@FaithandNova Totally agree! 👍 That's why so many of them misunderstand things. I've noticed that many can't spell either.😔

[@ARSZLB]

my brain literally can’t even begin to comprehend the sentence “we paid $18 a month for rent”

[@9WEAVER9]

r/woooosh/s

[@brianna9420]

1000 for 2 rooms

[@miahtaylor2802]

Claire Cote wait I don’t get what it means...

[@firstname3993]

@@brianna9420 no

[@thoughtprovoked8030]

It was 1940...

[@sparklebutt1119]

Inside Edition should put more stories like this together.

[@Michaelfromqv]

Exactly instead of finding out if subway uses real tuna😭

[@alburritox4475]

@@Michaelfromqv lol fr

[@alburritox4475]

@@Michaelfromqv or explain why some flat girl got surgery

[@FaithandNova]

@@Michaelfromqv best part is they do use real tuna 😂😂

[@Kylievsp]

@@Michaelfromqv 🤣🤣🤣

[@adrianpamintuan7420]

Wow! I never knew that children and families lived on Alcatraz. Interesting.

[@leightvreporter]

Glad we could teach you something new!

[@adrianpamintuan7420]

Bicc OG This is my LAST year in middle school in fact..

[@adrianpamintuan7420]

Katherine Desch Oh, this was mentioned a lot to me through social media and background knowledge.

[@hda2243]

MeAdrian true

[@mc.nugglets6362]

I read a book series about Alcatraz and Al Capone, me class started book clubs around the middle of the year and ended it at the end of the year.

[@nathanmester4585]

Imagine walking by Al Capone.

[@Cynthiaa315]

They never actually saw the prisoners though

[@paigekatherine5721]

Nathan Mester No kids nor the families ever saw the famous Al Capone

[@nathanmester4585]

Cynthia Alvarez oh I know. I'm just saying

[@zippitydodaday6037]

Cynthia Alvarez Didn't you listen to what he had to say??? 03:18

[@aileenginez3504]

Who's that?

[@dennyr989]

“didn’t lock our doors “ …when living in Alcatraz in the 1950s was safer than living in San Francisco today.

[@sabrinaquintero7285]

If no one has ever read "Al Capone shines my shoes" I highly recommend it Its about life on Alcatraz told from a child's prospective

[@katrinkasanfranciscobayare7364]

I couldn't find the movie on KZbin but I did find a lot of people that offered their version of audible books

[@o_o5210]

Omg!!! I am reading the prequel to it, “Al Capone Does my Shirts” lol!! I’m hoping to read that soon

[@mikaela428]

I remember reading that in 5th grade

[@mikaela428]

I remember reading that in 5th grade

[@ariburnette1892]

This book was good and its a whole serious too!

[@earthisadinosaur2338]

why does this prison feel so wholesome? this is nuts

[@RockStar_Love]

They weren't prisoners, they lived in apartments on the island because their parents worked at the prison

[@scorpionattitude]

Lol not the prison the community around the prison. The prison definitely wasn’t wholesome

[@mclovin4859]

@@RockStar_Love nobody said they were prisoners, its like y'all don't read 🤦

[@caseycarnaghi8727]

Wholesome prison blues

[@E30Tylerrr]

18$ a month in rent. Now I can’t even find a 2 bed 1 bath for less than 1,200🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️

[@walterayala682]

if you wanna live in California then yea it’s 1200

[@allieh.1228]

In California (Bay area), 1 bedroom, 1 bath starts at $1900. :(

[@beatleslover8519]

It is about 200$ in todays money

[@3KRacing]

@@beatleslover8519 Seattle... my mortgage is $4400 😭

[@beatleslover8519]

@@3KRacing Wow! Geez do you live in a fancy apartment or house

[@PaiviProject]

Wow. I never even thought there was children living there too. Very cool ! 👍

[@VariedadSandimelon]

Paivi Project me neither!

[@jaylamckiver8406]

Sandimelon the LoL nab nab There was a book I read in middle school where it had kids telling their story about living in Alcatraz

[@jaylamckiver8406]

Sandimelon the LoL nab nab it was a very interesting book

[@hannahrobles7702]

Paivi Project it is not cool because they were innocent children

[@ChuckKeough]

That guys dad must have treated the inmates with a lot of respect to have survived that incident in 1945, being trapped with 18 inmates. Karma paid off big time.

[@jonesba2004]

So nice to hear a story where adults reflect on their childhood with GOOD memories!

[@Lillyparkernewsom]

The watercolors were my favorite part

[@leightvreporter]

MINE TOO!

[@Lillyparkernewsom]

Leigh Scheps I really really want to buy them now haha

[@qtexasbrumley]

Lilly Newsom Do It , they’re fun I think.

[@ryanluong9456]

then you realize that he has heck in his name so hes not a christian (hes probably banned on my mc server)

[@laprietayelguero]

But by a kidnapper? Maybe i need the whole story.

[@leightvreporter]

This was such a fascinating piece to report on and put together. I hope you all enjoy the story.

[@bergfish7328]

I found it interesting, fascinating and enjoyed it very much.

[@cutiepiestrawberryshortcak1784]

Thank you for doing this for us to watch loved it maybe you can do more things like this

[@cg-ny9078]

Leigh Scheps I would love to see a longer documentary about it all. Were the families required to live there in order to work there? Or could someone live off the island with their family and still live there?

[@Dralyn06]

I really hope they make a netflix series or movie documentary about it because I'd definitely watch it

[@karlynnelangerak4549]

Loved it!

[@raevendomingo7784]

I misread this as children who grew up in Azkaban And I was like wha-

[@mx_potatohead1326]

Hi Miss read thinking it said Auschwitz 0-o

[@insertnamehere9558]

I would live in Azkaban just to be a part of the world what is wrong with me.

[@Michelle-ir5yy]

Hahahha

[@mech1x]

@@mx_potatohead1326 LOL

[@samantha_euna25]

@@insertnamehere9558 i mean same ALSJSHS

[@raindrop4652]

Me: Alcatraz, 1 of the most dangerous prison. This video: Alcatraz was like heaven it was the best place to live

[@brianwalsh1401]

Depended on your circumstances when you were living there.

[@RatsRatsIsthebest]

Hm

[@Shokara2]

My great grandfather was a guard at McNeil Island (Washington state). My grandmother lived on the prision island in her teens. That's where she met my grandfather (no he wasnt a prisoner lol).

[@barbaraunderwood1762]

I just learned something new tonight. Never thought about families living on the island. Makes sense for the employees to live there for work. $18 a month. In the 60’s my mother paid about $60 to $65 for a 1 bedroom apartment for her and me. This was an amazing story. I love the pictures the inmate drew & gave to his father.

[@Cleo-ix2kd]

Wow. That would be pretty cool to live there as a kid

[@pugasnkr]

Cleo 1991 yeah sleeping meters away from rapists as kids

[@tinaloveseddie]

Cleo 1991 Seriously Cool!!👍

[@starme476]

V oml it would be horrible !

[@gardensofthegods]

Sometimes people who live on small Islands will tell you it can get pretty boring ... this was not like living in Hawaii or the Caribbean ... and it's not like your parents could hop in the car and take you for a nice long ride . Sounds to me like the only thing good about it for the kids is that it had great views and the rent was cheap for their parents .

[@judithryle2113]

Boring I think

[@MamaTthaOG]

Very cool video! I've always heard and believed that the majority of criminals(especially back then), wouldn't hurt children and can actually be very protective of children...I guess one of the reasons why inmates that have hurt children usually have to be separated from general population so they won't be killed by other inmates. It was probably a joy for the inmates to get to interact with children. These days, with all the crazies in the world hurting children...it would probably be a more scary situation.

[@maddyfushiguro]

Yea that’s v true

[@Goblinhandler]

If one of the inmates hurt a kid Boy that guy would be getting dropkicked

[@LordofMovies91]

@@Goblinhandler probably a far worse consequence

[@cannedcorn]

Not gonna lie, inmate that did the paintings was a damn dreamboat.

[@Stephanie-ug1br]

He was also a damn kidnapper

[@cannedcorn]

@@Stephanie-ug1br in my defense, never said I wanted to date him. Was just making an observation 😊

[@pri.sci.lla.]

You have bad taste 😅

[@ThePalmettoPoltergeist]

Why do they all want the bad boys.

[@heatherlynsey3092]

He really was handsome, so was Bundy 🤣

[@angelicasanchezsoria3878]

Alcatraz is a great place to go for a tour with your family and friends. Now knowing this part of how kids lived there I would love to go again !

[@babyblue797]

Angelica Sanchez Soria what kind of tour doesn't mention that piece of important information. Not really getting your money's worth

[@Doriesep6622]

It is very beautiful. There is the swim part of a triathlon there.

[@CaptainFuckboy]

Baby Blue it is noted that families used to live on Alcatraz. Not everyone stops and reads the information signs throughout the island, but it is there, was there 2 days ago.

[@noahlatchford4464]

I didn’t even realize that this video was by inside edition because it had nothing to do with guns or politics and I like this kind of news better than what they have been posting.

[@hellosunshine305]

I bet it honestly was a beautiful place to grow up.

[@demonwriterx9412]

I want those water colors, it's pretty cool

[@ChuckKeough]

Rick Harrison would offer him $50 cuz they would have to be re-framed and he would be taking all the risk, lol

[@xcp4518]

Chuck Keough hi im rick harrison and this is my pawn shop

[@forestrot666]

Same. Would be a rad collectors piece!

[@howlinghills3024]

I worked for the Texas Dept of Corrections and this reminds me of one of the academy sgts who grew up at that very unit, his dad was a warden so he lived in a house outside the gates not far from the unit. He said for as long as he could remember all he ever wanted to do was grow up to work at the prison, for the simple reason that although as kids they could go some places around the unit (he and his brother as grade schoolers would drive one of the farm trucks down to the hog farm to dig worms to go fishing!) There was one strict rule they had to obey. During the time the field crews were turning out and going back into the unit he and his brother had to be inside the house (probably because unlike trustees who also actually lived outside the gates because they had earned that through good behavior , the field squads were the lowest jobs so those guys were either too new to have earned a better job, got I'm too much trouble etc). Anyway the real point of all this rambling was, he described how from the time he was 3 or 4 he remembered watching the big Field crews turn out; a hundred men guarded by two field bosses, and he thought those field bosses were the coolest guys in the world, like superheroes to him because two guards were in charge of all these guys coming outside the gates and working in the fields and from his little boy view from the window "no one tried to run away" he looked at them like they were Gods and all he ever wanted to do was be able to do that job. And yes that little boy who gazed in awe at the field bosses with their crews not only grew up to be a field boss but eventually was a trainer in the academy teaching all the new classes of future correctional officers! Hope you all liked this story!

[@rainbowgirlism]

Cool

[@toriwalthers9916]

Honestly they must have the best stories to tell tbh

[@King-ks5tk]

People being surprised about kids living on Alcatraz Me a intellectual black ops zombies

[@babiemystic]

YESSS

[@ralphlorenzperolino3054]

Mob of The Dead😆

[@meghanstufflebean4139]

Amazing!!! This should be a whole documentary.

[@Urmom-wl4zy]

Actually sounds like a really cool place to grow up

[@rainbowgirlism]

Yeah it does.

[@aaronanderson7619]

Probably some awesome fishing, shark, halibut, sturgeon all right there.

[@moonluna464]

This was very interesting. I hope to see more stories like this. I actually never knew kids lived on Alcatraz!

[@jennyelliottbrown6680]

Just found this on you tube and loved watching. I am an older lady living in England and this time 2 weeks ago was in San Francisco. My partner and I went to Alcatraz in very early September the weather was perfect, clear warm and sunny and I will remember that trip for ever ( dementia permitting!) I can't get enough information about Alcatraz, reading / watching avidly everything I can find. The audiotour ( self guided) is First Class, we took our time, as we went on the first tour of the day it was comparatively quite. The whole place really got under my skin, the presence of both evil and good was tangible. A DON'T MISS experience. Thanks for this video x

[@calebdejoun939]

This is the longest video on inside edition

[@AmandeepKaur-ib1tn]

I was waitin for someone to say that

[@calebdejoun939]

@@AmandeepKaur-ib1tn u welcome 😂

[@ameliax8508]

I went to Alcatraz many years ago & It was so interesting to walk around & see the cells. The view of SF... AMAZING. I found a book I had bought there just a few days ago & Then this pops up. I'd love to go back one day. I guess you can still visit Alcatraz?

[@yasmineahmed5014]

I think you can! But the last time I went to was back in high school for field trip! and yes, you can see the whole bay area, basically the bay bridge, the Golden gate Bridge, Oakland all SF you now😂😂😂

[@jareddoran6605]

I got to spend the night in Cell Block D a few years ago

[@catrinahartz944]

Sad they demolished those buildings they lived in.

[@sarahvanorden670]

Was anyone else besides me obsessed with the book “Al Capone does my shirts” as a kid?

[@antoniamills3000]

British kids read it as part of the curriculum in year 7/8...

[@sarahvanorden670]

@@antoniamills3000 I didn’t know that, I’m American and read it in like 4th grade because I had a friend that was obsessed

[@harleymumbulo69]

Those water color paintings were beautiful and sad at the same time because it was a prisoner's only view of outside the walls but still so elegantly painted and detailed.

[@jodihowell8077]

I am curious why people care if they were first comment.. Like its some sort of great accomplishment.

[@tiannafrancis9575]

Jodi, it’s an amazing feeling *sarcasm*

[@linorthernilnorthernface3742]

I'm tired of comments like yours. I see 10x more people complaining about first comments than the first comments in itself

[@onlyonpaper]

Why do u care does it matter.

[@jodihowell8077]

hide my comment then? I was just curious as to why they do it. damn

[@MrTheologianscafe]

Theyre just kids probably

[@rileymcgranahan1287]

This was such a great video. I’d love to see more of this kind of stuff from yall

[@LILYOFNIGERIA]

Wow, I never knew children lived on Alcatraz. Just hearing their point of view, and seeing it is amazing. I love those watercolour paintings.

[@amandam.8550]

Such a cool place to visit. Onw of the 1st places i went to when i moved to the bay area. Ive been 3 times. San quentin is fascinating to me also. Literally right on the coast. Such a beautiful place for a prison. Ive never been there though.

[@bee4907]

It's like my dream to go ever since I was a little girl.

[@BrandoninOrlando]

One of the best tours I've ever taken. Would definitely go back.

[@reillylandis1011]

A video from Inside Edition longer than 2 minutes?! Wow!!!

[@chiuie]

I love how the convicts talks to the kids so cute!

[@Harisss94]

Fascinating. Seems like a wonderful childhood despite everything. Also these men aged well. I would never guessed they were approaching their 80s.

[@SamusAran1818]

I'm from SF! I've heard about families living on Alcatraz, but I have never seen interviews. Great video!!! I bet it was really cold on that island at night!

[@samanthaarias5913]

This is amazing. Shining a nice light of positivity On Alcatraz

[@amberandej]

I done my senior project on Alcatraz. Done a crazy amount of research on it and never knew kids lived on the island. Very interesting! Great story!

[@paulgosu2773]

“Alcapone does my shirts” is the book I thought of

[@candice8370]

was waiting for this comment thats one of my favourite books

[@emisokayyy]

Anyone else suspect the kids wore dog tag IDs in case anything ever happened to them at the hands of a convict..?

[@theartsynerd3979]

Em yeah I was thinking that too

[@laprietayelguero]

The 1st thing that i thought too. Then he said if a police officer didn't believe you lived there so I had dog tags?. Like really? didn't make since because it's obvious they know kids live there if they work there.

[@norahroyce3722]

@@laprietayelguero I think it meant that if the children travelled off of the island with their parents and they got separated from them, the police would believe the children and return them to Alcatraz. The dog tags helped to identify them and provided proof they did indeed live on the island rather than the mainland.

[@Oneruntworun]

Probably more to identify their body if they slipped off the rocks and fell into the water

[@gardensofthegods]

@@Oneruntworun that's what I was thinking but a strong current could probably pull that off in some cases .

[@DoncasterA1Music]

Quite interesting that children lived there! It would be cool to experience a day in their childhood.

[@Shamuto7]

This is great. Another information that is different from what we usually know about Alcatraz.

[@BaileyAllen14]

Did anyone else ever read the book ‘Al-Capone shines my shoes’ or ‘Al-Capone does my shirts’ , because this instantly reminded me of those books!

[@christineboll9478]

Bailey Elmore: I did. They were so good, I was so invested.

[@fernando18455]

Inside Edition does documentaries now?

[@janetatum8966]

Very interesting video. Thanks!

[@ellemay2755]

Loved watching another side to a story from Alcatraz

[@pinkypoppins]

Amazing Stories. Who would’ve thought there were kids living on the island

[@Xoxotho]

I like this Inside Edition video very cool compared to most of the other ones ❤

[@Kat-tq6tm]

This was interesting and had a melancholy feel to it because you know that they know they can never go back (other than to do tours). While most people can't go home again, they reeeally cant go home again

[@jennywinter3025]

Enjoyed this

[@VikkiTG]

This is so interesting! I never knew about this!

[@breeblack927]

When my grandpa returned from war after wwii, he bought a home in San Jose ca.... his mortgage was $24 a month... his home recently sold for a lot more

[@FaithandNova]

Was the house still in your family?

[@breeblack927]

@@FaithandNova yes, he passed away a few years ago at age 96.

[@gardensofthegods]

Still would be interesting to find out what the house was originally worth ... like maybe $20,000 or $ 25, 000 ... and what it was value that when he sold it ... like $600 ,000 . ( of course if he built additions to the house that would probably make it be worth even more )

[@breeblack927]

@@gardensofthegods he did a lot of updating and it had a waterfall and orange trees etc. I think it was between 400 and 550k but I’m not sure what the worth was in 1947

[@RockStar_Love]

I learn something new everyday!! Never knew people ,especially children, other than the inmates lived on the island.

[@letsgetto1millwithoutvids]

Wow what a story and experience.

[@leeannberke4153]

This is so neat. What a cool place to grow up!!

[@GamerGirl_BRE]

Who else loves the book Al Capone does my shirts! ❤

[@joeyh1049]

QUEEN_BRE I believe you're thinking of Al Capone shines my shoes (which was the original book)

[@foxmcfog7809]

Joey H There is one called Al Capone Does My Shirts too

[@disneyfan9099]

Joey H There is another one

[@disneyfan9099]

QUEEN_BRE Same

[@kiarabrown1898]

QUEEN_BRE I love that book!! I read the whole series!! 💝😊!!

[@dewekfilam]

Alcatraz was a Home many people COD players: Not for me

[@WailingFriend]

Pain

[@hamburgeryumyum7491]

I grew up there, i still remember it. Black ops 2, the plane, the cool guns.

[@simoneconsciousobserver3105]

I had no idea there were residents ever living on Alcatraz. 59 yrs old and still learning

[@nataliasikora8931]

I remember reading a book in school called “Al Capone Does My Shirts” about kids living on the island. Very interesting book

[@christineboll9478]

Natalia Sikora: My favorite character is Natalie.

[@rnqtn]

Fascinating.

[@barbiejimenezmojica40]

Nice great story loved it❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@aileenbb3273]

I’ve been to Alcatraz I went in 2013 or 14 and It was Cool because they gave you a headset and a recorder and that how you spent the tour , you would basically give yourself a tour, looking for the places like the cell numbers or blocks that it gave you , and then you would listen to the facts they would tell you about or it’s background and it was so cool

[@michaelleese7581]

I just took the tour it’s amazing

[@campuscnts]

That's spooky, I'm on vacation in San Fransisco now and I actually visited Alcatraz on Tuesday, then this comes up in my recommended

[@virtuitousvampire9371]

Laura Daniels it’s called metadata. All your social media is connected to that and your search history. Even when you travel and shop online your metadata is searched by these companies.

[@vtxshadow]

Z U C C

[@carlaray7614]

How awesome! Sounds like a great childhood and great memories!

[@candykelly3401]

Very interesting!

[@pinku.janaru]

I read a book in elementary school about the families and kids living on Alcatraz. It was called Al Capone does my Laundry (Or something close). I remember the book saying the families even felt safe enough that they didn't lock their doors. Seeing this brings me back to reading the book lol

[@jen71ski]

Al Capone does my shirts. Great book

[@katrinkasanfranciscobayare7364]

Imagine that! All these years living in the San Francisco Bay Area and I never knew this video existed. Thanks Inside Edition for posting this! Much respect from katrinka, San Francisco Bay Area

[@stephaniesanchez2057]

Is that your real name? Never heard it!!!

[@katrinkasanfranciscobayare7364]

@@stephaniesanchez2057 Yes Steph, my father named me✔ Actually my first name is Ingrid my middle name is Katrinka and my last name starts with the letter R...IKR my initials LOL I've gone by Katrinka all my life My daughter's name is Stephanie.😉 Thank you for your message and have a great day

[@emmili384]

I’ve been there before last summer or summer before that and there were pictures of kids and families in the little houses they had! We even got to see their little play area. It was a bunch of rubble with scraps! It’s so cool!

[@crystalnoteskies]

Thats so cool!!

[@Jo-chilin]

Wow I never knew that the families lived on the island too, very interesting and very cool

[@nickmyron172]

Growing up i read a book called "Al Capone Does My Shirt" about a kid who grew up on the island

[@videogames9974]

So did I, only reason I wasn't surprised for kids being there

[@keithmayhew2161]

Thank you for sharing..I,did not know children stayed on Alcatraz..

[@averyelizabeth1070]

This is so interesting.

[@diamondpickaxe2740]

I've been there in person its very interesting and scary at the same time

[@Camibug]

I just realized Steve is the neighbor to my grandparents in Tucson. I recognize the skyline anywhere lol

[@monicasaenz1736]

Oh how fascinating!✨💖 Imagine waking up to that view! ✨💖

[@divinagarcia1494]

Great story amazing 💜💜💜👍👍👍

[@dannylebrown2397]

This reminds of the book Al Capone does my shirts

[@Stfu291]

Me:playing cod wait isn’t that a map in battle royal 🤔

[@Jadeleev]

And zombies !

[@cynthiaemmanuel426]

Exactly I didn’t know it was realll😭

[@ralphlorenzperolino3054]

@@Jadeleev Blood of The Dead was a bit disappointing tho.

[@wifeshops2much]

Went there for a tour in 2005. It was really cool to see, you could feel the energy from the big empty cells. I believe there was a Ghost Hunters episode there saying it was haunted.

[@MrTheologianscafe]

So interesting

[@jasminesvlogs3553]

I remember reading in third grade about the guys who escaped Alcatraz-

[@royaldeer87]

I never knew any of that thanks

[@Carebearz76]

This is interesting. Would like to hear more about there stories.

[@wanderingangelstudio1359]

I've been all over that island, including under it in the basement areas. It's one of the coolest places on the planet. The only place I wasn't allowed to go was the lighthouse as it's not a stable structure. I have a friend who was a docent there.

[@pamelaharrington3838]

I heard Capone still haunts Alcatraz

[@issacortega2498]

This reminds me of the book "Al Capone Does My Shirts"

[@ThePalmettoPoltergeist]

Guess it puts a whole new meaning on the term “you’re grounded”.

[@ninarosa9310]

Watching this while reading Al Capone Does My Shirts. It’s cool that kids actually got to live there.