Welcome to Prison Valley

With few other business opportunities in the region, the industry of building and running prisons has come to dominate the local economy.

The Fremont County Detention Center, the sheriff's jail, serves as a way station for the whole county system. All told, the 13 prisons in the county house approximately 7,500 inmates.

"If the prisons weren't here," says Brenda, above, "there wouldn't be anything or anyone here, because they don't have anything to offer."

The most dangerous prisoners in America are housed here. Among the many infamous inmates living behind its walls are Theodore Kaczynski, the Unabomber; FBI agent turned Soviet spy Robert Hanssen; Richard Reid, the "shoe bomber"; and Mafia boss Sammy "the Bull" Gravano.

Allen Rexford works as an officer in the Supermax prison. He is also the first vice president of the officers' union.

Many of the officers have their work clothes made at the Dress Code, a local shop.

Rick Smitley, whose job is to monitor the federal prisons' electronic systems, owns the Dress Code with his wife Shelley.

The prisoners themselves participate in making cells for new prisons. The program has provided cells for private prisons in other states.

Once a year, area citizens gather to pay tribute to guards who died in the course of duty.

The newest complex in the valley, Colorado State Penitentiary II, is currently under construction in the heart of Cañon City. At this facility, a state-prison spokesman says, prisoners "won't receive any visits or calls. They won't have contact with anyone. That's our version of Supermax."

To learn and hear more about Philippe Brault's work in Prison Valley visit his website.