San Quentin State Prison, maximum-security correctional facility for men located in San Quentin, near San Francisco, California. Opened in 1854, the penitentiary is the state’s oldest prison and its only facility that conducts executions. San Quentin is also among the most well-known prisons in the United States. The prison’s origins date to the California Gold Rush, a period that roughly spanned from 1848 to 1852. The influx of fortune seekers to the San Francisco area also brought an increase in crime. When the city’s jail proved inadequate, prisoners were briefly held on ships until the state opted to build a prison. In 1852 some 20 acres (8 hectares) of land were acquired at San Quentin, overlooking San Francisco Bay. Convicts began constructing the building later that year, and the cell blocks were completed in 1854. San Quentin State Prison originally featured 48 windowless cells, which were designed to hold 250 inmates, though that number was quickly exceeded. In addition to male inmates, the prison housed female prisoners until 1933.

San Quentin State Prison holds some of the most dangerous people in the world. Inside its walls, power and violence are a constant struggle, where some of the most feared gang members live on the edge every day. These individuals have shaped the prison's history through their actions, leaving a mark that is impossible to ignore. In this video, we’re diving into the lives of the most dangerous gang members inside San Quentin. From high-profile escape attempts to violent conflicts, these stories reveal just how far they’ll go to keep their control.

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