Skildring

During the 1970's, besides Spanish inmates, many backpacking youth from Western countries including U.S.A., Germany, Sweden, France, England and many other countries were arrested and detained in this facility for the possession of 'drugs'. In some cases minute quantities. Gen. Francisco Franco, a cohort of Adolph Hitler, was in his 80's & still in charge of running a fascist Spain during that time. Youth could expect to spend between 2 and 6 years in prison if caught with ANY amount of hashish, pot or any other substance determined to be a drug. As Morocco was common destination of errant youth at that time & just a few miles to the East of the Canary Islands, it was common that the 'hippies' would have something with them from their visit as the Canary Islands were a 'free port' at that time, necessitating no baggage checks or duties. A Minimum sentence was 6 years and a day if caught. Sentences could be reduced by good behavior, blood donations, working in the prison, etc...or good luck or good lawyer. This was a holding prison. Once a trial was over, usually taking a year or more to attain, the guilty party would be sent off to one any number of larger prisons. The "Prision Provincial" on the island of Tenerrife located on calle Avda. Bonito Perez de Armas was a common destination, or one of many prisons in mainland Spain.

The prison is quite old and is said to have been built some time ago, perhaps during the Spanish civil war. The upper floor consisted of 2 large dormitories on either side of the center. There were bunk beds pushed together in pairs down both sides and up the middle of the floor. Along the walls were wooden cabinets above the upper bunks for storage for those who were lucky enough to get one. The barred windows were open air as glass was not allowed, of course. The bathroom consisted of 4 'squat' toilets with short swinging doors in front of them and 3 or so sinks for hand washing. The ground floor consisted of some rooms and offices and the main office as well as the entrance to the patio where one was most of the day. In the basement were showers (2x a week) and solitary confinement cells. The kitchen and mess hall were adjacent to a small patio on the other side of the main hall leading from the pkg lot into the prison which was reserved for minors most of the time. Google earth photos today show that patio apparently covered.

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