San Quentin Facts Trivia Quiz

Answer: True

The first prisoners at San Quentin were housed in tent-like areas. This was during a time when the prison housed both men and women. San Quentin opened in July of 1852.

Answer: World War II

The warden of San Quentin at that time felt that the prison should not be enforcing the same methods of torture that were being carried out in Nazi Germany, so he decided to shut down the dungeon in the early 1940s. The dungeon is located on the ramp-way down to the exercise yard.

Answer: East Block

The East Block houses prisoners who pose a moderate threat to the staff at the prison. The North-Segregation complex houses prisoners who do not cause problems and the Adjustment Center houses the worst death row inmates. Our tour guide said he never takes tour guests through the Adjustment Center due to the safety issues involved.

Answer: True

This happens in the Adjustment Center since the inmates there have been known to lob very uncomfortable things at the guards.

Answer: Dining hall food

Prisoners only have a very limited time to eat their meals and, as they cannot take it back to their cells, some may end up needing to scarf it down very quickly!

Answer: The main courtyard

They have facilities here for people of most religious backgrounds and prisoners for the most part can enter them at any time during the day.

Answer: Death row inmates are escorted everywhere in restraints while regular inmates are not

Death row inmates are assessed to be more violent than regular inmates, so guards escort them everywhere in handcuffs and leg irons. This could range from a routine medical appointment to a major meeting with their lawyer. Each death row inmate is escorted by two guards and each guard carries a specific weapon that is angled at the prisoner's face: one has pepper spray and the other carries the night stick. Regular inmates for the most part walk around without restraints. Death row inmates also have pictures outside their cells identifying them, while regular inmates do not.

Answer: Green

If you see an inmate with a green uniform, odds are he is serving a small sentence, such as a year and a half. Orange jumpsuits are worn by people with moderate offenses while people with lengthy sentences, such as life imprisonment, wear blue uniforms.

Answer: Mental illnesses

The first floor handles any physical ailment while the second floor is specifically for any inmate with a mental illness issue, such as if they are suicidal. The San Quentin hospital facility is immaculate and up-to-date, and we learned that there are at least 40 mental health professionals employed by the prison.

Answer: Prisoners are segregated by race

Because race issues are very contentious behind bars, prisoners are segregated by race during their exercise periods. In regards to the exercise yard, there are only three guards who patrol the area. However, to maintain security, guards situated along the perimeter wall carry guns and use them if necessary.