Inmates on the male chain gang in Estrella Jail at dawn.
March, 31st, 2013, Phoenix, AZ, USA : Inmates in Maricopa County Jail who have volunteered to work on the chain gang. Estrella Jail is home to the male and America's only female chain gang. Inmates stay in their tiny 8 X 12 foot cells 23 hours of the day during " lock down," unless they are out on assigned chain gang chain gangs perform menial labor around the Phoenix area. They must memorise ten rules of conduct addressing grooming, behavior and attitude. Sheriff Joe Arpaio has instituted the chain gang as a way of rehabilitating the inmates through hard work, while providing financial restitution to the comunity. All the inmates complain about the food and the prison was sued by a group of prisoners because of it. In addition to the Estrella block there is " Tent City, " where inmates are housed in surplus army tents. Despite Maricopa County Jails financial saving it has incurred legal costs defending Tent City and the chain gangs from critics such as Amnesty International.
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Photo credit: © Scott Houston / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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