First of all the ironic part to the Alcatraz maximum security prison is that the word "Alcatraz" translates in Spanish to "white calla lily", which is the beautiful looking white flower. But generally when one thinks of Alcatraz they think of this dark island with an old haunted looking prison inhabited by grim looking prisoners who have committed horrid crimes.
The reason that the government thought the Alcatraz was inescapable was because it was about 1 1/2 miles away from any shore and was under constant surveillance 24/7.
