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Prisons Trivia Quizzes

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23 Prisons quizzes and 250 Prisons trivia questions.
1.
  Straight to Jail   great trivia quiz  
Label Quiz
 10 Qns
Locating Famous American Prisons
Go to jail! Go directly to jail! Do not pass Go! Do not collect 200 dollars! Match each prison or correctional institute with the US state in which it is located. Some of the prisons listed are no longer in use.
Average, 10 Qns, kyleisalive, Nov 21 23
Average
kyleisalive editor
Nov 21 23
388 plays
2.
  Infamous, Inhumane, Notorious, Horrific    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
There have always been prisons, just like there have always been criminals. This quiz is about some of the worst institutions devised by various societies to deal with their lawbreakers and POWs. Man's inhumanity to man on display.
Average, 10 Qns, ncterp, Aug 29 23
Average
ncterp gold member
Aug 29 23
333 plays
3.
What Evil Lurked Within
  What Evil Lurked Within?   top quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
One can only imagine the unspeakable horrors that awaited prisoners within these walls.
Average, 10 Qns, ponycargirl, Nov 14 13
Average
ponycargirl editor
894 plays
4.
Oh No Youve Been Sentenced to Devils Island The year is 1900 and the French courts have just found you guilty of a crime and have sentenced you to time at Devil's Island prison. What will your life be like? The pictures will give clues!
Average, 10 Qns, stephgm67, Jul 04 17
Average
stephgm67 gold member
Jul 04 17
440 plays
5.
  10 Most Interesting Facts about Alcatraz   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is about the notorious prison of Alcatraz, which had the fame of being inescapable.
Average, 10 Qns, beatka, Feb 19 18
Average
beatka gold member
Feb 19 18
2252 plays
6.
  Locked Up!   great trivia quiz  
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Can you match these notorious prisons to the location in which they can be found?
Easier, 10 Qns, pagea, Jun 22 17
Easier
pagea
Jun 22 17
560 plays
7.
  Prisons and Convicts   great trivia quiz  
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Match the prisons to the prisoners, some of them infamous, others merely famous.
Easier, 10 Qns, dellastreet, Jul 10 17
Easier
dellastreet gold member
Jul 10 17
416 plays
8.
  The Ultimate The Tower of London Quiz   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The Tower is my all time favourite London landmark. Every out-of-town visitor I show around London gets taken there. Here are some questions on it. Enjoy!
Tough, 10 Qns, succubus, Oct 10 18
Tough
succubus
Oct 10 18
1471 plays
9.
  Where Do You Want Your Porridge?   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
"Porridge" is a slang English term for a prison sentence. Where do you want to do yours?
Average, 10 Qns, 480154st, Feb 19 19
Average
480154st gold member
Feb 19 19
306 plays
10.
  The Ultimate Prisons Quiz    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Free lodging and free food, now what could be better than that? Well, there are a few restrictions on your freedom, but you take the bad with the good. This quiz is all about well-known prisons. See how well you can pick them out.
Easier, 10 Qns, OldManJack, Feb 17 20
Easier
OldManJack gold member
Feb 17 20
516 plays
trivia question Quick Question
Near what major California city is San Quentin State Prison located?

From Quiz "San Quentin Prison: The Home of Death"




11.
  Ida's Historical Peek at the Dungeon   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
Hi, I'm Ida the Adult Ed Instructor. Welcome to my course on the Dungeon. First we study origins & generalities; then off we go on a field trip to visit specific dungeons, mostly British. Looks like you're on my roster, so take your seat and let's begin.
Average, 15 Qns, gracious1, Apr 25 23
Average
gracious1 gold member
Apr 25 23
592 plays
12.
  History of The Tower of London   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is on the history of the Tower of London and some of the people, famous and infamous, who were imprisoned there over the centuries.
Difficult, 10 Qns, LindaC007, Nov 04 18
Difficult
LindaC007
Nov 04 18
3149 plays
13.
  Around the World - Behind Bars    
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
I will give you the name of a prison and you need to match it with the place in the world where it can (or could) be found.
Easier, 10 Qns, dcpddc478, Dec 06 17
Easier
dcpddc478
Dec 06 17
529 plays
14.
  Escapes From Alcatraz editor best quiz    
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
This quiz is about escapes from Alcatraz. Some are famous and some are not. Alcatraz was considered 'the escape proof prison', but as you will see from this quiz, it most definitely was not escape proof. Good luck!
Very Difficult, 20 Qns, JuniorTheJaws, Dec 18 07
Very Difficult
JuniorTheJaws gold member
2116 plays
15.
  10 Questions: The Tower of London Multiple Choice Quiz    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
How well do you know London's great royal fortress?
Average, 10 Qns, cancerstu, Jul 01 23
Average
cancerstu
Jul 01 23
1866 plays
16.
  Leavenworth: Yesterday and Today    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
It's one of the most famous penitentiaries in the United States. How much do you know about this prison?
Average, 10 Qns, pugslyandpolly, Nov 23 06
Average
pugslyandpolly
482 plays
17.
  Convict Life In Australia's Early Days   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Modern Australia was built on the lives of its convicts. The following questions deal with some of the historic sites where they lived and served their sentences.
Tough, 10 Qns, ClaudiaCat, Apr 28 15
Tough
ClaudiaCat gold member
229 plays
18.
  London Prisons: Time for Roll Call!    
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
Houses of Correction, penitentiaries, gaol... London has had many of these over time. Here are some historical questions about the various London correctional institutions. Enjoy!
Tough, 20 Qns, Flapjack44, Apr 08 05
Tough
Flapjack44
948 plays
19.
  San Quentin Facts    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
I went on a private tour of San Quentin (located in unincorporated San Quentin, California in Marin County) back in June of 2013 so here are some questions about what I learned! Good luck!
Tough, 10 Qns, CAGuy0206, Apr 08 14
Tough
CAGuy0206
231 plays
20.
  San Quentin Prison: The Home of Death   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
San Quentin State Prison is home to convicted criminals, many of whom await their death. Test your knowledge on this famous American prison.
Average, 10 Qns, lilady, Apr 04 14
Average
lilady
717 plays
21.
  Alderson Federal Prison Camp    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
"It's a good thing." At least for some people. Martha Stewart was sentenced to spend five months there. She's not the only famous person to do time there. Unless otherwise noted, all information is from The Register-Herald, Oct. 8, 2004.
Average, 10 Qns, books407, Dec 15 13
Average
books407
453 plays
22.
  Test yourself! The Tower of London Quiz    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The Tower of London is believed to be the oldest palace, fortress, and prison in Europe. Take this quiz to test your knowledge of this beautiful, ancient building.
Tough, 10 Qns, Morrigan716, Jun 04 10
Tough
Morrigan716 gold member
1108 plays
23.
  Alcatraz    
Multiple Choice
 5 Qns
I only visited Alcaztraz once but I put some of the info in the quiz!
Average, 5 Qns, corny05, May 28 07
Average
corny05
1796 plays

Prisons Trivia Questions

1. Russia's toughest prison may have a nice name, but allegedly the only way out is to die. What is it called?

From Quiz
Where Do You Want Your Porridge?

Answer: Black Dolphin

Black Dolphin, on the border with Kazakhstan, is one of the oldest prisons in Russia and gained notoriety in 2000 when it began taking in criminals serving life that other prisons felt unable to accept, such as child molesters, cannibals and serial killers. It houses approximately 700 inmates, who between them are estimated to have killed over 3,500 people and all are under constant video surveillance. Prison rules dictate that inmates are only allowed to use their bed for sleeping, and strict punishments are given out if one is caught sitting or leaning on the bed during non sleeping hours. Whenever a prisoner is moved to another area of the prison, they are blindfolded and forced to walk bent double at the waist, in order to make looking at surroundings, and therefore formulating a map impossible. One of the prison's most notorious inmates is Vladimir Nikolayev, convicted of murder, cannibalism and selling human flesh to unsuspecting buyers, saying it was kangaroo meat.

2. The dungeon originally referred not to a place a punishment but to what area of the medieval castle?

From Quiz Ida's Historical Peek at the Dungeon

Answer: The Great Keep (main tower)

The word dungeon comes from the French word for "lord" - "don-jon". It referred to the the Great Keep, a freestanding, central fortified tower in a castle complex. It was the inner tower or stronghold of the castle. It was originally not meant for use in keeping prisoners; only later did this association develop, around the 11th-13th centuries. Before that, as it was the most fortified place of the castle, it was where the nobles lived. Over time, however, the families moved to nicer areas of the castles, rooms with warmth and comfort. Valuable possessions were kept in the Great Keep, and eventually, prisoners. As more time passed, the term moved further away from its original meaning. By the 14th century, "dungeon" had come to refer prison cells beneath the castle keep, in cold, damp storerooms, or indeed almost any undesirable place within the castle.

3. Under whose reign did the building of "The Tower of London" begin?

From Quiz The Tower of London

Answer: William I

William I, also known as William the Conqueror was King of England at the time, he reigned from 1066 to 1087. The exact date the building of "The White Tower" began is unknown but is traditionally given as 1078, what is known is that it certainly was started during the reign of William I.

4. The name of the prison comes from a Spanish word 'alcatraz'. What does it mean?

From Quiz 10 Most Interesting Facts about Alcatraz

Answer: Pelican

Alcatraz was given its name by a Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala. In 1775 he discovered the San Francisco Bay, mapped it and named one of the islands Isla de los Alcatraces, after the birds that inhabited it.

5. Near what major California city is San Quentin State Prison located?

From Quiz San Quentin Prison: The Home of Death

Answer: San Francisco, California

San Quentin is a very well-known and old prison. Its cell bars were opened for the first time in July 1852, covering 432 acres.

6. In which state is the Leavenworth U. S. Penitentiary located?

From Quiz Leavenworth: Yesterday and Today

Answer: Kansas

Leavenworth U.S. Penitentiary was built near Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The town originated in 1827 when Colonel Henry Leavenworth was charged with the task of establishing a fort that would serve as a stopping point for wagon trains heading west on the Santa Fe Trail and the Oregon Trail.

7. Where is Alderson Federal Prison Camp?

From Quiz Alderson Federal Prison Camp

Answer: West Virginia

According to Newsday.com, Alderson opened in 1927. It was the vision of Eleanor Roosevelt and Mabel Walker Willebrandt, the first woman appointed to run federal prisons.

8. Which part of the Tower of London was the first part to be built?

From Quiz The Tower of London

Answer: The White Tower

The building of the White Tower was ordered by King William I in 1078. Before that, since 1066, William had erected a temporary castle on the site. The White Tower was completed in around 1097 and was then the tallest building in London, standing 90 feet. It is the oldest surviving building in the Tower. For centuries the White Tower was an armoury. Between 1810 - 1815 arms were no longer manufactured at the Tower. Arms and armour were stored in the tower until the 1950's when many of the pieces were moved to museums around the country. Pieces connected to the Tower's history were kept and the removal of most of the collection allowed the people in charge to display the remaining pieces in a very effective way. The White Tower has some fascinating artefacts of war. Henry VIII's armour alone is worth a look. He was a BIG man! The exhibition in the White Tower has clearly been put together with a lot of thought and is one of the most interesting things in the Tower of London. Now...some interesting facts about the other options (don't worry, I'll be brief). The Medieval Palace is the outer part of the Tower beside the Thames and was added by King Henry III in 1220. Traitor's Gate was added by King Edward I (Henry III's son) in the 13th century. It is a gate that leads out onto the river Thames and this is how traitors entered the castle by boat. The Queen's House is the official residence of the Tower's governor and is right near the main entrance to the Tower.

9. Construction of the Tower of London first began under whose reign?

From Quiz The Tower of London

Answer: William the Conqueror

Building was begun on The White Tower during the 11th century. It was built on the same site that Claudius, the Roman Emperor built a fort more than 1,000 years before. Parts of the Roman wall can still be seen in The Tower.

10. During which king's reign was the Great (White) Tower, the original stone fortress of the Tower of London, built?

From Quiz History of The Tower of London

Answer: King William I

The Tower of London began as a timber fortress, in an earthern enclosure, on the north bank of the Thames in London. In 1078, William I (the Conqueror) replaced this timber fortress with a massive stone fortress called the Great Tower. The Great Tower has also been called the White Tower since it was whitewashed in 1241, during the reign of Henry III. The Great Tower rises 90 feet in height, and measures 118 feet by 117 feet. Gannulf, the Bishop of Rochester, is thought to have designed the Great Tower for William I, who reigned from 1066-1087. Geoffrey de Mandeville was appointed as the first Tower Constable. Not only was the Tower an impregnable fortress, but it also served as a royal residence in London during the reign of several monarchs. Additions, repairs, and improvements to the Tower of London were added over the centuries until is a complex of twenty towers covering an eighteen acre site. Of the other kings mentioned, King Edward (known as the Confessor) was king from 1042-1066, King Harold II was king from January 6, 1066 until October 14, 1066, when he was killed, and his army defeated, by William, the Duke of Normandy, during the Battle of Hastings. Henry I was the son of William I, and reigned after the death of his brother, William Rufus.

11. Who originally built the Tower of London which was subsequently used as a prison (for important prisoners) until as late as the twentieth century?

From Quiz London Prisons: Time for Roll Call!

Answer: William the Conqueror

When William invaded in 1066 and made his way up to London, he was nervous about the London mobs and so built a stockaded building. He replaced this twenty years later with the White Tower (the main building that stands in the centre of the Tower of London to this day).

12. Who was the warden of Alcatraz from 1934 to 1948?

From Quiz Escapes From Alcatraz

Answer: James A. Johnston

Before he became the warden of Alcatraz, he was the warden of San Quentin prison. At San Quentin he was given the nickname 'Golden Rule Warden' because he carried with him a reputation as a strict disciplinarian. In 1934, he became the very first warden of Alcatraz, where he was able to hand pick his correctional officers from the Federal Prison System. During Johnston's reign as warden, Alcatraz had a very famous criminal, Al Capone. It was not discovered why Johnston left The Rock in 1948.

13. 'The Birdman of Alcatraz' was the nickname of what famous inmate?

From Quiz Alcatraz

Answer: Robert Stroud

Robert Stroud was called the 'Bird Man' because he used to preform experiments on birds. Good and bad!

14. Between 1965 and 1981, a drawing by Salvador Dali hung in the inmate's dining room of which American jail?

From Quiz Where Do You Want Your Porridge?

Answer: Rikers Island

In 1965, Rikers Island was at the forefront of "art as therapy" and accordingly invited Dali to the prison. Unfortunately, he became ill on the day he was scheduled to visit, and instead donated a drawing of Christ on the cross, to be hung in the dining hall. In 1985, with the sketch valued at $175,000, it was moved to a more secure area in the jail entryway, which is staffed 24 hours a day. However, despite the constant staffing of prison guards, the drawing was stolen in 2003, by which time its value was over half a million dollars. Later that same year, prison officer Greg Sokol turned himself in and named his co-conspirators, resulting in a trial at which Sokol, fellow officer Tim Pina and assistant deputy warden Mitchell Hochhauser eventually pleaded guilty, receiving sentences of three years probation, five years probation and three years in prison respectively. As for the Dali drawing, it was never recovered and is believed to have been destroyed by the gang in an attempt to hide the evidence.

15. This island in Sydney Harbour operated as a convict penal station from 1839 to 1869. What island is it?

From Quiz Convict Life In Australia's Early Days

Answer: Cockatoo Island

Cockatoo Island had a large supply of sandstone so the creation of a penal colony was done to harvest the stone for building projects in Sydney, such as the retaining wall at Circular Quay. The penal colony was mainly manned by re-offending prisoners and they were worked hard in quarrying, reaping and storage of grain and ship building. You can still see the extensive dockyard, large workshops, slipways, wharves, residences and other buildings as well as the records of the ship building industry.

16. Meaning "place of forgetting", an underground prison which most people in the nowadays refer to as a dungeon was called what in the Middle Ages?

From Quiz Ida's Historical Peek at the Dungeon

Answer: oubliette

Again this is a French derivation. Another term for it is cachot. This may be closest to what most moderns think of as a dungeon: a dark, damp, underground prison. But the prisoners often did not access it by walking down stairs. Prisoners were lowered by rope through a trap door in the ceiling. Ofttimes the cell was so narrow they had to remain standing. Here, they were left to rot, starve, or possibly drown when groundwater would seep in. Not all dungeons were oubliettes; this was reserved for prisoners to be left for dead, forgotten. The term did not come into use until late in the Middle Ages, in the 14th century.

17. During which century did "The Crown Jewels" start been held at the tower?

From Quiz The Tower of London

Answer: 14th

You can go and see "The Crown Jewels" at the tower. They are held in "The Jewel House" and have been on display to the public since the 17th century but in different locations. The only time the jewels were not at the tower was during the Second World War when they were moved to a secret location and were returned in 1945.

18. The Alcatraz island, before it became home to a prison, was used as what?

From Quiz 10 Most Interesting Facts about Alcatraz

Answer: Military site

The island became a military site in 1850. The U.S. army built there a Citadel, which was transformed into a military prison. The fortress was torn down in 1909, and a new prison was erected. The island remained in possession of the U.S. Army until 1933. One year later, the infamous prison started operation.

19. After Congress approved the building of a federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, who actually built the prison?

From Quiz Leavenworth: Yesterday and Today

Answer: Prisoners from the existing military prison built the new penitentiary

St. Louis architect William S. Eames designed the new penitentiary. Construction began in 1897 and did not end until 1926 when the dome was placed on the top of the central section of the building. Daily, prisoners marched two and one-half miles from Ft. Leavenworth to the new site of the federal penitentiary. The work took a long time because the prisoners were unskilled and (understandably) less-than-enthusiastic workers.

20. What was Martha Stewart convicted of?

From Quiz Alderson Federal Prison Camp

Answer: Lying to the government

She was convicted of both lying to the government and obstruction of justice. The Securities fraud charge was thrown out by the judge.

21. On Monday, April 27, 1936, inmate no. 210-AZ tried to escape. What was his name?

From Quiz Escapes From Alcatraz

Answer: Joseph 'Dutch' Bowers

Joseph 'Dutch' Bowers was forty years old when he attempted to escape from Alcatraz. Unfortunately for Bowers he was shot twice and fell head first over a cliff. The fall did not kill him. The cause of his death was a bullet lodged in his lungs.

22. Alcatraz was built as a fort in what year?

From Quiz Alcatraz

Answer: 1853

It was first noted on maps in 1776 but it remained a lonely little island.

23. The "Hanoi Hilton" was a prison so named by the American POWs held there during the Vietnam War. POWs were tortured and beaten, despite North Vietnam being a signer of the Geneva Convention. What was the real name of the "Hanoi Hilton"?

From Quiz Infamous, Inhumane, Notorious, Horrific

Answer: Hoa Lo Prison

Hoa Lo Prison was originally built by the French in 1896 to house 450 inmates. By the 1930s, its population was in excess of 2,000 prisoners. Disease, starvation, torture, and oh yes, the guillotine were responsible for thousands of deaths under French rule. Almost 600 American POWs were held there.

24. In which prison did British Member of Parliament (M.P.), Bobby Sands die after 66 days on hunger strike?

From Quiz Where Do You Want Your Porridge?

Answer: Maze

Sands was a member of terrorist organisation the Provisional IRA in Northern Ireland, who was imprisoned for 14 years in 1977 for possession of a handgun, following the bombing of businesses in Dunmurry. While in prison, he was made leader of the Provisional IRA prisoners in the Maze and in 1980 he, along with six other men, began to refuse food until they were given political status. This was denied for 53 days, until Margaret Thatcher's government appeared to give in to the striker's demands, but as it became clear the demands had not been met, Sands started a hunger strike again on March 1st 1981. Whilst on strike, a by-election was held in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, which Sands won, thereby winning a seat in the House of Commons. In theory, his new status allowing him better access to lobby for his demands, but they were still not met and he died on May 5th.

25. What name are the Yeoman Warders also known as?

From Quiz The Tower of London

Answer: Beefeaters

The Yeoman Warders were installed at the tower in the 15th century during the reign of Henry VII. They were the Kings bodyguards but today they combine their traditional ceremonial role with that of a tourist guide.

26. What was Alcatraz prison's most famous nickname?

From Quiz 10 Most Interesting Facts about Alcatraz

Answer: The Rock

The island was nicknamed so by the U.S. army soldiers, as it consisted mostly of rocks. There was hardly any vegetation and no source of fresh water there. "The Rock" is also the title of a 1996 movie about Alcatraz.

27. What did the media dub Alderson Federal Prison Camp?

From Quiz Alderson Federal Prison Camp

Answer: Camp Cupcake

It is a Federal Prison Camp and not a walk in the park. Prisoners are treated strictly, but a former inmate had this to say about it: "It looks like a college. There's no bars, no locked doors, no razor wire. If you have to do time, do it at Alderson because it is nice."

28. What was Traitors' Gate orignially called?

From Quiz The Tower of London

Answer: The Water Gate

The name of the Water Gate was changed to the name Traitor's Gate because it was used as the entrance to The Tower for many famous prisoners, who were entered that way for the last time.

29. The Great Tower is also called the White Tower, because it was whitewashed in what year?

From Quiz History of The Tower of London

Answer: 1241

The Tower was strengthened and repaired by both William Rufus and Henry I, but it was during the reigns of Henry III (1216-72) and Edward I (1272-1307) that bastions, towers, gateways, and walls were added. During the reign of Henry III the area enclosed by the outer walls of the fortress buildings extended to more than twelve acres. Further additions to the Tower were added over time until the area enclosed by the outer walls grew to its present eighteen acres. Although the whitewash is gone, the name White Tower still remains.

30. Ludgate prison was located on a site near to which major present-day London tourist attraction?

From Quiz London Prisons: Time for Roll Call!

Answer: St. Paul's Cathedral

Ludgate was one of the gatehouses to the City of London which also served as a prison (thereby creating an extra source of income for the gatehouse keeper). There is a plaque marking the site half way down Ludgate Hill, and directly due east, looming up above you, is St Paul's Cathedral.

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