By floating the idea of reopening the notorious Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, President Trump revealed more than just a nostalgia for tough-on-crime theatrics — he also evinced a dangerous misunderstanding of what modern justice requires.

Alcatraz was not closed in 1963 because America suddenly went soft on crime. It was shut down because the institution itself had become unsustainable — economically, physically, and morally. Crumbling infrastructure, soaring operational costs, and its symbolic weight as a fortress of isolation made it clear that Alcatraz belonged to a........

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