Here is a concise summary of the provided text:
**Title:** Life Inside Pelican Bay Supermax Prison
**Location:** Pelican Bay, California, USA (one of the toughest penitentiaries in the US)
**Key Facts:**
* 3,500 prisoners, mostly murderers and dangerous individuals, with little hope of release
* Supermax section: 1,000 prisoners in solitary confinement, with extreme security measures
* Prisoners have 1 hour of outdoor time daily, in a secure yard, and are otherwise isolated
* Guards maintain strict control, with remote door operations and minimal inmate interactions
* Inmates often develop mental health issues due to prolonged isolation
**Featured Inmates:**
* Eddy Mills: serving life for robbery, considered a "good element" but still under high security due to past aggressions
* Fernando Medina: sentenced to life for murder, questioning his mental health after 17 years in Supermax
**Daily Life:**
* Prisoners spend 23 hours/day in windowless cells, with limited activities (e.g., studying, exercising)
* Meals are served in cells, with no utensils or social interaction
* Guards regularly search cells for contraband, and even simple items (e.g., feathers) are confiscated due to potential security risks.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text, numbered and in short sentences, excluding opinions:
**Prison Overview**
1. Pelican Bay Prison is located on the west coast of the United States, in northern California.
2. The prison is situated in the middle of a redwood forest.
3. Approximately 3,500 prisoners are incarcerated at Pelican Bay Prison.
4. The prison is considered one of the toughest in the United States.
**Supermax Section**
5. The Supermax section is a high-security unit within the prison.
6. It is located about 100 meters away from the main prison building.
7. Around 1,000 prisoners are held in the Supermax section.
8. There are no windows in the high-security section.
9. Prisoners in Supermax can only communicate with each other by voice, not by sight, except during brief periods outside their cells.
**Security Measures**
10. The fence surrounding the prison is electrified, capable of delivering a fatal shock.
11. Guards in the Supermax section do not carry firearms to prevent hostage situations.
12. Doors in the Supermax blocks are controlled remotely from a central corridor.
13. Some cells in the Supermax have plexiglass screens to protect guards from inmate attacks.
**Life in Supermax**
14. Meals are served directly to cells in the Supermax, with prisoners eating with their hands.
15. Prisoners in Supermax spend 23 hours a day in their cells, with one hour for exercise.
16. Exercise time is the only period when prisoners can see the sky.
17. Prisoners are escorted individually to prevent interactions.
**Specific Inmates**
18. Eddy Mills is a prisoner serving a life sentence, considered a "good element" by the administration.
19. Eddy has been in the Supermax section for 11 years, after stabbing another inmate.
20. Fernando Medina has spent 17 years in the Supermax section, sentenced for murder.
**Health and Safety**
21. 85% of inmates in the Supermax section have hepatitis C.
22. Inmates who have been in the Supermax for extended periods may experience psychological deterioration.
**Statistics**
23. Since the prison's establishment, 18 inmates have been murdered.
24. 5 inmates have been shot by guards.
25. Approximately 25,000 inmates are held in high-security units across the United States.