Jailbreaks are escapes from prison, often met with a strong law enforcement response. Successful breakouts require thorough planning and assistance. Many escapes fail due to tight security measures, and prisons have action plans in place for dealing with breakouts. Popular culture depicts prison breaks as intriguing, and some historical jailbreakers have been inspirational figures.
A Jailbreak or Breakout is an escape from prison. Because prison breaks are generally undesirable, escapes are usually met with a formidable law enforcement response, especially when they involve high-value prisoners or prisoners who have committed serious and violent crimes. Jailbreaks have been popularized in numerous films and books, and history has also seen a number of interesting real-life prison breakouts, including the 1962 escape of three prisoners from seemingly inevitable Alcatraz Island and the 1943 escape of several Allied prisoners from a notorious German prisoner of war camp known as Stalag Luft III.
Many escapes are unsuccessful, as prison and prison officials do their best to prevent prisoner escapes. Outdoor areas in prison facilities are usually tightly controlled, for example, and inmates are monitored at vulnerable times such as transfers from prison to reduce the risk of escape. Many prisons also have extensive action plans in place for dealing with a breakout; these plans are designed to lock down the prison to discourage further escapes while sending out search parties for missing prisoners. Typically, fugitives are arrested within a few days.
A successful jailbreak requires thorough planning and often works best with some kind of assistance. While prisoners spontaneously take advantage of situations such as poorly supervised work crews, prisoners who take the time to plan their escape can sometimes manage to escape and evade capture for a while. In-house assistance from other prisoners and guards is extremely helpful, as is cooperation from outsiders who can house escaped prisoners or provide them with needed supplies.
When a jailbreak occurs, jails usually notify nearby communities. By warning neighbors, the prison can expand the network of people who could help them catch the prisoner, and people can take steps to protect themselves if a prisoner is known to be violent. Usually, members of the public are asked to report sightings of escaped prisoners without attempting to stop them, as prisoners may be armed or may resort to desperate moves to avoid capture.
Popular culture includes numerous depictions of prison breaks because many people find the thought of executing a prison break intriguing. It requires immense organizational skill and cooperation to be successful, and some historical jailbreakers have been inspirational figures. POWs, for example, engaged in some incredible breakouts to escape brutal conditions. Some notorious gangsters such as John Dillinger have also distinguished themselves with daring prison breaks.
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