Life At The Old Joliet Prison In 1951
According to the October 27, 1951, issue of the Saturday Evening Post, Old Joliet was “America’s Toughest Prison.” See 18915626.pdf (saturdayeveningpost.com) for a fascinating read about prison life at the time.
“A lot of people have the idea that to go to prison means merely to withdraw from free society. They think it might be a rather monkish experience. Nothing could be more mistaken. Going to prison is not merely withdrawing from free society; it is entering caged society. There is no peace in prison.”
Here’s a typical day in 1951:
• Wakeup bell in the cellhouse at 6:15 AM
• Clean your cell and stand at the door to be counted by 6:45
• Step out onto the gallery and line up with the other prisoners at 6:45
• Move down the iron stairs of the four tiers to a short tunnel and into the big circular dining room for breakfast
• Eat quickly; you have 20 minutes to eat before being marched back to your cell and locked in at 7:15
• At 7:45 you march to your job
• By 11:15 you march to the dining room
• Back to your job at 12:15 PM
• At 3:30, back in your cell
• March to dinner at 4:00
• Dinner is over and you march back to your cell at 4:30, get counted, and locked in for the night.
• Lights out at 9:00.
Losing Privileges and Going to The Hole
Breaking any of the 111 rules had consequences. Having your hands in your pockets in line, walking out of step and going to the toilet during a movie usually meant being deprived of movies or other privileges.
Possessing a betting slip tacked on another 27 months before you could appear before the parole board. And you also lost all privileges during those 27 months including smoking, going to the commissary, spending money, and going to shows and ball games.
Carved into the floor as you walk into solitary confinement.
Sometimes you were sent to The Hole (solitary confinement) for breaking the rules. Solitary meant sleeping on the concrete with only a single blanket. In addition, you were behind double doors with bars and solid wood.
Also, the window was a small slit. And while there was a water faucet and a rusty cup, you didn’t get a toilet. You just got a bucket that was emptied every 12 hours. Finally, there was only one meal a day. When you went back to your regular cell, it must have felt wonderful.
Original “Medieval” cell in 1951 (see wall plaque). Copyright Joliet Area Historical Museum
“Hoop Dreams”
I don’t know when the basketball court was installed at the prison. It must have been a welcome relief from prison routine to be able to get out and shoot hoops outside.
The photograph was taken on my recent tour of Old Joliet. It was eerie to imagine playing basketball with concertina wire marking the out of bounds.
Thanks for looking,
Chuck