Many prisons built in the 1800s and early 1900s were massive foreboding structures which offered only the most basic needs to the inmates they housed. The antiquated concept of reform was designed to break the spirits and force conformity. The methods used were viewed even then as barbaric by some.

Many who study paranormal activity believe these prisons, each with its own history of immense pain and suffering, attract spirits who are caught between worlds. They believe some of these spirits were too evil to move on, others have old scores to settle and some wander the prison's cell blocks looking for the way out.

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Ever since ancient times, the folklore of most cultures around the world has been rich with ghost stories--tales of spirits who return from the dead to haunt the places they left behind. Certain places seem to be particularly susceptible to hauntings, while some of the most famous ghostly sightings have been of historical personalities--from queens to politicians to gangsters--who attained a good degree of fame or notoriety in life and died early, often violent deaths.

Happy Halloween

BOO...........................no - really........................BOO (from a ghost con)....................

Interesting post. An interest that i merely haven't dedicated much time too, ok no time, but something that maybe someday, if I ever get any free time, I would be interested in looking into more...

 Adri -

If you're ever in PA - there are quite a few - Eastern State is by far the best - but so much better without all the hype of Halloween.

Another supposedly haunted prison. I know it gives me the creeps just driving near it. I've heard some really spooky tales from within that place.

http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/old-tennessee-state-prison/

If you ever get a chance and are in SF, visit Alcatraz. Not only is it cold being next to the Bay, it's eerie too.

The ohio State Reformatory is very well known as having tons of paranormal activity.  I have a great interest in the paranormal as I have had experiences myself that are otherwise unexplainable.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those types of people that automatically believe a place is haunted just because someone says so.  I am a very skeptical person and need to see the proof ot otherwordly phenomena.  I must agree with AdrieK here, that it is not just the "evil" that lingers, it seems that there is plenty of "good" that also stays behind because there are things that they still need to accomplish.  This is a great post.

 I'm not a believer at all and almost laughed at this thread but I have seen some strange things and have heard even stranger stories while working at Stateville in IL and even at the newer facility that I'm at now. 

 curedgirls says ...

 

 Adri -

If you're ever in PA - there are quite a few - Eastern State is by far the best - but so much better without all the hype of Halloween.

Oh I definitely have a "places to visit" list if I ever go to PA....Gettysburg is definitely on top of the list! I have family in PA so I'd like to visit there one day.

My mom was at the Capitol when she saw a book about Haunted places in California and picked it up for me. I read through it all and could nt believe how many places in Cali had activity, especially places I've been in. Pretty neat!

Oh now Gettysburg?? That's a whole haunting in itself - just did a Ghost Tour for Halloween - SO cool down there !!!

I think Ghost Adventures, Ghost lab,and Ghost hunters investigated at this prison pictured above. They all say its haunted so it must be.

cgregor12 says ...

According to some of our 10-16 (Mental subjects) our facility is, but I have never experienced anything. Our facility is only 11 years old and we had only our 2nd inmate death about 4 months ago.

There have been theories as to a link to mental illness and being in tune to the paranormal. I really haven't researched that aspect of it and I have a hard time believing it.

The fact that 2 people died in the prison/jail CAN make it into a haunted place if one (or both) of the dead inmates somehow have some unfinished business here on Earth and somehow, connect their energies to the prison. Then again, it just depends on the dead inmates and whether they've accepted their fate or not.

I have many pics on my page concerning this topic.  I tried to add a couple here to the post but for some reason I can't.  There are quite a few on my page that show that there is something there and that we are not alone.  There are a couple from Waverly Hills (I know it's not a prison so to speak but it might as well have been, with the way the patients were treated) as well as from the Ohio State Reformatory.  Not to mention the personal experiences that I have had on the trips that I made to the old Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield.  I was not a believer for a long time and was probably the biggest skeptic until I started having my own unexplained experiences. 

Thanks for the info hnyangl.  I heard that TAPS was going to be going there this year.