Reflecting the underside of society, prisons aren't generally a pleasant topic of conversation. Many question whether the nation's nearly 5,000 penitentiaries do more harm than good in reducing crime. Nonetheless, prisons have been with us throughout our history, serving at best to protect society from its miscreant minority.
Prisons are a source of great intrigue _ no doubt with the exception of those who've spent time behind bars. It is fascinating for us on the outside to imagine what life would be like if stripped of our dignity and basic freedoms.
Read on to learn a bit about eight historic American prisons, all open to some extent to the public, and each with its story of notorious inmates, murder and mayhem. Most of these slammers offer tours that provide a glimpse of prison life _ and perhaps even a newfound appreciation for our own freedom.
