If you ever commit a crime, try your best not to get sent to one of top 11 highest security prisons in the world. These are the places where society keeps its most vicious and irredeemable members, convicted of heinous crimes. Some governments around the world also used them to keep their political opponents out of the public eye and to prevent them from stirring troubles. Their population is too small to allow them a place on our list of biggest federal prisons in the US, but what they lack in numbers, these prisons more than enough make up in security features.
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The first penal codes in human history, like Hammurabi’s, didn’t envision prisons as a part of its system. Instead, the emphasis was on retribution. You steal an apple, the store owner gets to chop off your left hand. Steal again and you lose the right one as well. If a poorly built house collapses and kills the owner’s son, builder’s son would be killed as punishment. But in any case, after the punishment was exacted, the criminal is released to continue with their life (sans hand or son, though). Nobody bothered with prisons and guards until Pluto, famous Greek philosopher suggested that instead of revenge, it may be prudent to try and reform criminals into useful members of society. Initially, prisons were used as a means to force people to pay their fine. Since the majority of prisoners couldn’t afford to pay them, they were kept in prisons indefinitely, creating a fiscal problem for the state of Athens, so time terms were introduced. Romans eagerly accepted the concept and, as with many other things they took from Greeks, improved it by creating first purpose-built prisons in history.
Today, the concept remains largely unchanged on the first glance. The highest security prisons in the world are using the technology we are used to seeing only in movies. However, some of them rely on old and proven methods, like chaining the prisoners to the wall or refusing to let them out of their cells for the duration of their sentence. In some countries, the prevailing attitude is that going to jail equates to forfeiting civil rights, especially for political prisoners.
11. HMP Belmarsh, UK
Her Majesty Prison Belmarsh is the place where most dangerous British criminals are sent to endure their jail term. Opened in 1991, Belmarsh has earned a harsh reputation among criminal elements in the UK and serving a sentence there is considered a badge of honor.
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10. Tadmor Prison, Syria
Operated by the Syrian Army, Tadmor Prison is used for the incarceration of the Assad’s regime opponents. It is infamous not only for its security, but for harsh conditions as well. Summary executions are a common occurrence, and living conditions are appalling.
9. Diyarbakır Prison, Turkey
Have you ever seen Midnight Express, a 70s movie about American caught in Turkey trying to smuggle drugs out of the country, and sent to prison? It was that Diyarbakır Prison served as an inspiration for the movie. The Turkish government sends Kurdish prisoners to Diyarbakır, and the security measures are incredible. Former prisoners said that the guard’s favorite torture method was falaka, beating victim’s feet soles with wooden bats.
8. Camp Delta, USA
Technically, Camp Delta is located on Cuba, within Guantanamo Bay base. Officially closed in 2006, Camp Delta still holds several prisoners.
7. Fuchu Prison, Japan
Not much is known about Fuchu prison in the outside world except that nobody ever escaped from it. It houses some of the Japan’s worst criminals, like the members of the Yakuza.
6. La Sante Prison
Most of the maximum security prisons are located outside of settlements, to provide better security and limit the access. La Sante, however, is placed smack in the middle of Paris. As a testimony to its design and security measures, there were only three successful escapes in prison’s 148 years long history.
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5. Mumbai Central Prison, India
Number 5 on our list of top highest security prisons in the world is Mumbai Central Prison or Arthur Road, as it is better known. Strict security and 2,000 violent criminals stuffed in space; originally it was designed for 800 and that is the main reason why it is often described as hell on Earth.
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4. Qincheng Prison, China
Among other things, Soviet Union helped China built prisons to incarcerate political prisoners. Qincheng Prison is one of them, built in 1958. It is the only prison operated by Ministry of Public Security, and it is used for people Chinese regime deems dangerous to its survival.
3. Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center
Among the most technologically advanced prisons in the world, Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center employs security system designed by MIT scientists.
2. Camp 1391
Up until 2003, few people were even aware of Camp 1391’s existence. Operated by Israel Defense Force, it is the most secure prison in the Middle East. The prison isn’t marked on any maps and it is routinely airbrushed out of all satellite photos.
1. ADX Florence
United States Penitentiary, Administrative Maximum Facility Florence (or ADX Florence for short) is a supermax prison that houses some of the most dangerous people on the planet. Its inmates include double agents, foreign and domestic terrorists, cartel and gang leaders and members of organized crime groups. This prison is designed as a step above maximum security facilities ad that is why it is number one on the list of top 11 highest security prisons in the world.
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