Frank Schershel. Photos licensed for personal non-commercial use only by LIFE
I was made aware of this set of photographs last week (sorry I forget the source!). They’re an interesting document of a bustling metropolis’ prison with an open program of movement, activity and an array of inmates.
The number of visitors and family members involved in many of the images leads me to think of this prison as an institution where people remained until the peculiarities of their situation could be agreed upon and then communicated to ensure release.
The social engagement of inmates with those from outside suggests to me (with an acknowledgement of harsh lockdown-modern-prisons) that the authorities of 1950s Mexico City either weren’t convinced of prisoners guilt, could be convinced otherwise, or simply didn’t map the denial of family-involvement on to the landscape of criminal punishment.
Frank Schershel. Photos licensed for personal non-commercial use only by LIFE
Frank Schershel. Photos licensed for personal non-commercial use only by LIFE
Schershel’s photographs recalled Richard Ross‘ image from Architecture of Authority. Schershel’s images doubled my visual knowledge of Mexican prisons, and so know I find myself in the unacceptable position that Mexican penitentiaries are – in my mind (at least temporarily) – the Palacio de Lecumberri … which means I have to do more research to get away from that inadequate knowledge base.
Palacio de Lecumberri (former prison) Mexico City, Mexico 2006. © Richard Ross
Until Schershel’s photo set, I had thought that Ross’ picture depicted a tower in the centre of a modestly-sized jail, but Schershel’s image puts the tower and rotunda into its larger setting (top left octant).
Frank Schershel. Photos licensed for personal non-commercial use only by LIFE
6 comments
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May 8, 2010 at 10:46 pm
HENRY AGUEROS
I spent almost 10 years of my life in what was the hellhole of Lecumberri. Crujia “D”…Crujia “C”, Crujia “B” and Crujia “M”. The worst was Crujia “D”
… I carry the scars to prove it.
September 27, 2011 at 10:51 pm
David B kamm
David Kamm
I spent April 71- Nov 72 in Dormitorio F What an amazing experience Wow
March 26, 2012 at 9:52 am
Dwight Worker
I spent 2 years and 1 week here, from December, 1973, thru December 1975, forcibly enrolled in gladiator school. It was survive by almost any means possible, or else. And they did not care about the ‘or else’.
March 26, 2012 at 10:32 am
David Kamm
Dwight Lets connect David Kamm 415-216-9975
March 26, 2012 at 8:49 pm
DB Kamm
There were two towers. The largest was the tower in the Peligano.which was centered in the middle of the prison.From this central point the prison guards could monitor the movement in the different dormitorios and work places. I met the rep from the US Consulate there many times
By chance if Jeffrey Goldstein reads this connect with me It’s about time NO!
June 9, 2018 at 12:26 pm
Richard Ferrar
I was there in ’68-’69, first in “La Fu” on the floor of the “Infermeria” whose only other occupant was “Patricia” then in Crujia D. in a cell with Felix who was the pilot of a drug lord named Domingo, whose cell was turned into a duplex. He had a full-time butler/man-servant. He also hosted nightly card games in his cell for friends replete with liquor, cocaine, La Dona Maria, etc. Spent many evenings there until an incident moved me from “Ayudante” to “Fagina”; a tiny cell next to the latrine with about 16 others and too many rats to count! What an experience.