Prisoners at the ADX—we’re talking serial killers, terrorists, mobsters, cult leaders, and drug kingpins—live in near-continuous solitary confinement, spending 23 or more hours a day isolated in soundproof, one-man cells that are only 7-by-12 feet, with a small, four-inch slit for a window. The United States Penitentiary ADX is a federal supermax prison located in Colorado - and it is the prison El Chapo is going to. When it premieres on Monday, Feb. 6, HBO's documentary Solitary: Inside Red Onion will give a firsthand look at one of the strictest supermax prisons in the United States. The complex has the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, but is surrounded mostly by a barren landscape. Updated 7:52 PM ET, Thu June 25, 2015. Famous Prisoners at ADX Florence Facility . Dubbed a "cleaner version of hell" by one former warden, Florence opened in 1994 as the only Supermax facility in the United States penitentiary system. Powerful administration: supermax administrators and correctional officers have ample authority to punish and manage inmates, without outside review or prisoner grievance systems. A prison that has a section with maximum security also may be called a supermax prison or supermax unit, a shortening of the term super maximum. So who else is housed at Supermax? There are some most secure prisons with extreme measures of security. Share. Such facilities, whether existing alone or within a prison, usually minimize contact between prisoners with as much as 23-hour solitary confinement per day, and a number of systems (like cell doors and locks) automated to limit contact with guards too. Here are some of the high-profile prisoners who are there now. Which are Supermax Prisons in The World? There are some most secure prisons with extreme measures of security. Supermax is one of the federal prisons inside the Federal Correctional Complex near Florence. The pros and cons of supermax prisons will also be discussed. Connect. It is sometimes referred to as "the Alcatraz of the Rockies." A former warden once told CNN that imprisonment at the Supermax prison in Colorado is "far much worse than death." Discover. Get the most out of your experience with a personalized all-access pass to everything local on events, music, restaurants, news and more. 1 of 9. Alfred E. Neuman. Updated August 14, 2019 315.5k views 65 items . In this lesson, you will learn about a supermax prison and how it differs from other facilities. And Ramzi Yousef, the man convicted of leading the 1993 World Trade Center attacks, claimed last week his restrictions at Supermax are "just plain unfair." To protect prisoners and prison employees, the ADX Supermax facility was built and housed with prisoners who are unable to adapt to prison life elsewhere and those who pose too high a security risk to be incarcerated under the normal prison system. However, there's nothing imaginary about America's real-life haunted house -- the USP ADX Florence Supermax Prison, located 100 miles south of Denver, Colorado. This is a list of notable inmates who were once held at the United States Penitentiary, … Long-term: once transferred to a supermax prison, prisoners tend to stay there for several years or indefinitely. Famous Supermax prisoners. Escape is almost impossible from them.