Former Alcatraz Inmates List

The National Archives at San Francisco holds comprehensive inmate case files, prisoner identification photographs, and warden's notebook pages for most listed inmates. For more information about these records, please contact us. 

The bulk of our facility's RG 129 archival holdings concern Alcatraz Island its use by the Department of Justice's Bureau of Prisons (BOP) as a Federal penitentiary (1934-63). They include individual comprehensive inmate case files (approximately 541 cubic feet), administrative records (approximately 11 cubic feet), supply, equipment, and facilities maintenance files (approximately three cubic feet), the Wardens' notebook pages (approximately five cubic feet), copy negatives & black and white prints of prisoner identification photographs (three cubic feet), and a few maps and drawings. The bulk of the records are dated 1934 through 1963, but include records dated as early as 1910 and as late as 1988.

These records may contain information that is restricted under Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. §552) provisions that protect the privacy of living persons. Public access to portions of the documents researchers request may be restricted under exemption (b)(6) of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which relates to clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. 

See also the Numerical Index of Former Alcatraz Inmates. 

A - G   |   H - L   |   M - Q   |    R - T   |   U - Z

Note:The National Archives at San Francisco does not hold records of military prisoners incarcerated on Alcatraz Island prior to 1934. The bulk of our facility's RG 129 archival holdings concern Alcatraz Island and pertain to its use by the D
epartment of Justice's Bureau of Prisons (BOP) as a Federal penitentiary (1934-63). They include individual comprehensive inmate case files (approximately 541 cubic feet), administrative records (approximately 11 cubic feet), supply, equipment, and facilities maintenance files (approximately three cubic feet), the Wardens' notebook pages (approximately five cubic feet), copy negatives & black and white prints of prisoner identification photographs (three cubic feet) and a few maps and drawings. The bulk of the records are dated 1934 through 1963, but include records dated as early as 1910 and as late as 1988.

These records may contain information that is restricted under Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. §552) provisions that protect the privacy of living persons. Even files about prisoners who are deceased may contain information about third parties who are living. Public access to portions of the documents researchers request may be restricted under exemption (b)(6) of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which relates to clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Consequently, all files must be screened prior to their release to researchers.

For more information about these records, including access and copying costs, please contact:The National Archives at San Francisco
Archival Records Operations (NRHSA)
1000 Commodore Drive
San Bruno, CA 94066-2350
Telephone: 650-238-3501
Fax: 650-238-3510
E-mail: sanbruno.archives@nara.gov