Doing time: The crumbling prisons that once housed America's toughest criminals that have now been left to rot themselves
- Photographer Matthew Christopher has captured the haunting atmosphere of the once feared institutions
- Paint and plaster crumbles off the walls that once harboured America's toughest criminals
- But some eerie reminders remain of the despair that convicts were once subjected to
- In one shot, a prisoner has ticked off the days he has left to spend in solitary confinement asking 'for what?'
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It is perhaps fitting that these prisons - which US convicts would once have called home - have themselves been abandoned and left to rot.
The images, taken by US photographer Matthew Christopher, show two deserted institutions: Old Essex County Jail in Newark, New Jersey, and Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia.
The 35-year-old has captured the sense of despair that so many of the lags incarcerated behind the walls of the two jails would almost certainly have felt. It is as if the prisons themselves have been sentenced to a lifetime of rust.
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Deserted: Prisoners would once have lined these now empty benches, where they might have played cards and swapped stories
Bustling: The entrance to the cafeteria at
Old Essex County Jail, where convicts would once have filed in and out
for their unappatising prison food
Dreaming of Release: The light shines down from a lit in the ceiling of a cramped cell in Holmesburg Prison, Philadelphia
Built in 1896, prisoners were often kept in solitary confinement and only allowed 20 minutes of exercise each day.
According to website Hidden City, the prison was exposed for the 'bake-oven murders' in 1938. Guards were found to have been putting prisoners into a small building fitted with steam radiators, where they would turn up the heat to full blast.
An investigation by the governor of Pennsylvania following a local police cover-up resulted in involuntary manslaughter convictions for the deputy warden and guard.
In the 1950s, medical testing a programme of medical testing began at Holmesburg. Hidden city claims experiments were carried out on inmates on behalf of private clients.
The CIA was also said to have tested more than a dozen psychotropic drugs there during the course of a decade. The programme ended in 1974.
In 1973, two prisoners stabbed warden Patrick Curran and his deputy Robert Fromhold to death. The current county jail, Curran-Fromhold Correctional Center, was named after them.
Holmesburg finally closed its doors in 1995.
Cell: A bed sits by the window, which the
occupant would have spent much of his time gazing from (left). A tree
appears to have taken hold in the picture on the right
Crumbling: Paint is peeling from the wall in
great chunks (right), but the toilet and sink can be clearly made out.
Graffiti has been daubed on the wall (left)
Also known as Newark Street Jail, it was located over two storeys and had 300 cells, with each one fitted with running water and toilet facilities.
But when a new prison was opened in 1970, Old Essex was closed down.
According to Forbidden Places website, it is the oldest building in the county and is on the national register of historic places.
In 1991 scenes for the Malcolm X, a film starring Denzil Washington, were shot at the prison.
Ten years later a fire took hold in the building causing considerable damage.
Nothing is being done to bring the building back into use, and it is said to be a retreat for squatters, dealers and drug-addicts.
Solitary confinement: One of the last
prisoners to occupy this cell ticked off the days until he was released.
He clearly believes he is the victim of a miscarriage of justice
Abandoned: Graffiti now adorns the wales of
Old Essex County Prison in Newark, New Jersey, which finally closed its
doors in 1970 after 133 years
Cafeteria: The crumbling bricks, paintwork,
and debris on the floor disguise the fact this used to be the place
where inmates ate their meals. A sign on the far wall warns that all
kitchen staff must wash their hands
He said: 'I want to be able to convey the respect, appreciation and awe that I have for the locations I visit. Trying to tell someone about a place conveys so little compared to being able to show it to them.
'My favourite part of exploring ruins is that to me, it is peaceful. I can focus on what I am seeing and experiencing rather than being wrapped up in my thoughts all the time.
'Discovering new or intriguing places, finding something you know not many people have seen, or managing to get permission to somewhere you'd really like to see are also a lot of fun.
'These places also help me appreciate the comforts of the waking world when I return to it.'
Open wide: A dental chair, complete with
check-up equipment has been abandoned. One can only guess at how gentle
the dentist would have been
Realising that words alone could not
adequately convey the harsh realities of institutional care, Matthew
embarked on a journey to visit and photograph crumbling state schools
and asylums all over the US.
Ten years later, Matthew's focus has
broadened to include the ruins of American infrastructure, industry,
churches, schools, theaters, hospitals, prisons, resorts and hotels.He Added: 'The Baltimore Gas and Electric's Westport Power Station was a favourite of mine, but I love different things about each place I've visited.
'Sometimes it can get scary, especially if a place is really structurally unstable, that would probably be my biggest concern. I also don't want to get murdered for my camera gear or arrested.
'There have been several occasions where I have had close calls with security and police, but thankfully nothing that has ever proven to be a long-term issue.
'I try to be very quiet and careful to avoid anybody when I am photographing a location, and if I do run into anyone am polite and respectful, I try to get across the fact that I am not vandalising, damaging, or stealing anything. I have been lucky that so far that has been enough.'
Derelict: Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia
has been abandoned for so long, even the graffiti is now peeling off the
wall along with the plaster
His work has gained international attention and he is considered a leading expert on urban blight and the efforts to preserve America's endangered architectural history.
'I do quite a bit of research about the locations to try to find them. I also get tips from people who follow my work, and network with others who have similar interests.
'I am very fortunate to have a fantastic family that has never discouraged me from doing what I do and has been very supportive of it all along.
'Many of my friends are the same way, although there are certainly those that just don't find it interesting or follow it as much and we get along for other reasons.
'My current goal is figuring out new ways to make sites more accessible and raise funds for site maintenance or restoration efforts, as well as continuing to add to the amount of locations I photograph.
'I am typically pretty busy, always working out how to take things one step further and help people understand what is so important about them, both historically and in terms of their cultural significance to our own era.'
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