Prisoners of Age: A Photo Documentary on Alcatraz

San Francisco, September 23, 2015 (Newswire.com) - The U.S.A. has the largest incarceration rate of any other country on the planet. About 1.5 times Greater than Russia and 5.7 times greater than China. Decades of tough-on-crime laws have unintended consequences that President Obama, lawmakers and politicians are now reexamining.

With criminal justice and prison reform on the forefront of 2015-2016 political agendas in both the White House and Capitol Hill, the new Prisoners of Age exhibition on San Francisco’s notorious Alcatraz Penitentiary comes at an auspicious time. An epic photo documentary of aging inmates across North America spanning nearly 20 years, Prisoners of Age fills Alcatraz's football field -sized Industries Building with 70 twelve-foot high photographs replete with personal stories and anecdotes from inmates and prison officials.

"I look forward to seeing this exhibit shine a light on a growing crisis here in California and throughout the country."

Jackie Speier, Representative (D), California's 14th Congressional District

Attracting both US and international attention, Prisoners of Age creators plan to accommodate special tours for groups such as Human Rights Watch, and San Francisco Pretrial Diversion Project, plus Representative Jackie Speier (D) of California’s 14th Congressional District.

“I look forward to seeing this exhibit shine a light on a growing crisis here in California and throughout the country,” said Congresswoman Speier. “Inmates age 50 or older are the fastest growing segment of the prison population. That’s costing us millions in taxpayer dollars and human dignity. In 2013, the Bureau of Prisons spent $881 million – or almost 20% of its budget – on incarcerating aging prisoners. There are smarter and more economical ways to deal with this population.”

Open to the public on Alcatraz now through January 15, 2016, visitors can now also catch a glimpse into this hidden world, these invisible lives, the stories of 2.3 million Americans. Through the Prisoners of Age exhibition, visitors will find millions of combined years’ snapshots of extraordinary events and experiences.

The U.S.A. has the largest incarceration rate of any other country on the planet. About 1.5 times Greater than Russia and 5.7 times greater than China. Decades of tough-on-crime laws have unintended consequences that President Obama, lawmakers and politicians are now reexamining.

With criminal justice and prison reform on the forefront of 2015-2016 political agendas in both the White House and Capitol Hill, the new Prisoners of Age exhibition on San Francisco’s notorious Alcatraz Penitentiary comes at an auspicious time. An epic photo documentary of aging inmates across North America spanning nearly 20 years, Prisoners of Age fills Alcatraz's football field -sized Industries Building with 70 twelve-foot high photographs replete with personal stories and anecdotes from inmates and prison officials.

Attracting both US and international attention, Prisoners of Age creators plan to accommodate special tours for groups such as Human Rights Watch, and San Francisco Pretrial Diversion Project, plus Representative Jackie Speier (D) of California’s 14th Congressional District.

“I look forward to seeing this exhibit shine a light on a growing crisis here in California and throughout the country,” said Congresswoman Speier. “Inmates age 50 or older are the fastest growing segment of the prison population. That’s costing us millions in taxpayer dollars and human dignity. In 2013, the Bureau of Prisons spent $881 million – or almost 20% of its budget – on incarcerating aging prisoners. There are smarter and more economical ways to deal with this population.”

Open to the public on Alcatraz now through January 15, 2016, visitors can now also catch a glimpse into this hidden world, these invisible lives, the stories of 2.3 million Americans. Through the Prisoners of Age exhibition, visitors will find millions of combined years’ snapshots of extraordinary events and experiences.

Creators Ron Levine, Michael Wou, and Russell W. Volckmann III invite the public and the press to join them in an immersive American experience on Alcatraz to look at the world differently.