Who is the longest-serving inmate in US history?
Asked by: Kellie Trantow | Last update: October 5, 2025Score: 5/5 (23 votes)
Paul Geidel Jr. (April 21, 1894 – May 1, 1987) was the longest-serving prison inmate in the United States whose sentence ended with his parole, a fact that earned him a place in Guinness World Records. He is now the 2nd longest-serving inmate next to Francis Clifford Smith who survived 70 years, 31 days.
What inmate has been on death row the longest?
- Reuters. Iwao Hakamata has been awaiting his potential execution for 56 years.
- Getty Images. Hakamata's supporters outside the court cheered “banzai", a Japanese exclamation that means "hurray", as the verdict was handed down.
- Getty Images.
What is the longest time you can stay in jail?
When it comes to the maximum amount of time you can spend in jail for a crime, the answer varies depending on the crime. For some crimes, such as murder, you could spend the rest of your life in jail. For other crimes, such as a traffic violation, you may only spend a few days behind bars.
What is the longest time someone has been in solitary confinement?
A member of the Angola 3, activist Albert Woodfox is widely believed to have served the longest time in solitary confinement of any person in the U.S. He spent over 40 years in solitary confinement—in a 6-foot by 9-foot cell, 23 hours a day, in notorious Angola prison in Louisiana—all for a crime he did not commit.
What's the longest time someone has been alone?
Not only did Thibeault win The History Channel's “Alone” solo survival challenge in 2021 spending 50 days alone off the coast of Labrador, Canada, but she also set a record for the most time – 123 days across two seasons – spent in the wilderness alone.
New York's longest serving inmate granted parole
How long can someone legally be in solitary?
Human rights experts have stated that prolonged solitary confinement may amount to torture, and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (known as the Mandela Rules) were revised in 2015 to prohibit placements in solitary for longer than 15 days.
What is the maximum you can stay in jail?
the greatest quantity or amount possible, assignable, allowable, etc. the highest amount, value, or degree attained or recorded.
Why is a life sentence only 25 years?
Sometimes indeterminate sentences contain a number of years before the life sentence part, as in 25 years to life. This timeframe gives the judge leeway for assigning the minimum years, as well as the point at which the possibility of parole can be reached.
Why do they do executions at midnight?
One other advantage of holding executions in the middle of the night is that the rest of the prison's inmate population is locked down and presumably asleep. That minimizes the threat of any sort of unrest at the appointed hour.
Who is the oldest person to be executed?
Nixon's record was surpassed by Walter Moody, who was executed on April 19, 2018, at the age of 83.
Which US state has the most inmates on death row?
In 2021, 2,382 prisoners were sentenced to death and awaiting execution, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. More than half of prisoners with a death sentence were held in California (690 people), Florida (324), and Texas (198), the most populous states.
Who was the first inmate ever?
The first name appearing on the list is that of Charles Currier, a 22-year-old cabinet maker, received January 25, 1851. He was convicted of grand larceny out of Sacramento County. According to news reports at the time, his crime was “horse stealing” landing him two years behind bars.
What is the longest sentence ever given?
Longest Jail Sentence
One of the most striking examples of an incredibly long sentence is the case of Chamoy Thipyaso, a Thai woman who, in 1989, was sentenced to an astounding 141,078 years for corporate fraud related to a pyramid scheme.
Who has the most prisoners in the world?
The United States is home to the largest number of prisoners worldwide. Roughly 1.8 million people were incarcerated in the U.S. at the end of 2023. In China, the estimated prison population totaled to 1.69 million people that year.
What is the 100 prisoner rule?
In this problem, 100 numbered prisoners must find their own numbers in one of 100 drawers in order to survive. The rules state that each prisoner may open only 50 drawers and cannot communicate with other prisoners after the first prisoner enters to look in the drawers.
What is the maximum Social Security benefit in 2024?
Qualifying for Social Security benefits requires ten years of work/40 work credits. The maximum monthly benefit is $3,822 for someone at full retirement age in 2024. If you delay collecting benefits until age 70, the maximum monthly benefit is $4,873.
Who is the guy who does world's toughest prisons?
I'm Raphael Rowe, host of the Netflix series “Inside the World's Toughest Prisons” and I'm to answer your questions.
Who is the longest death row inmate?
A court just exonerated him. Hakamata was arrested on August 18, 1966, when he was 30 years old. A pair of blood-spattered trousers in a miso tank and an allegedly forced confession helped send Iwao Hakamata to death row in the 1960s.
Which US state has the most prisoners?
Texas has the highest prison population with 133,772 individuals, followed by California with 101,441 individuals. On the other hand, the states with the lowest prison populations are Vermont with 1,287 individuals and Maine with 1,577 prisoners.
What is 23 and 1 in jail?
It's called “23 and 1” because you spend 23 hours alone in your cell, with one hour to take a shower or make a phone call, if allowed. There are no educational programs.
How much yard time do prisoners get?
Depends on the prison, housing unit, the custody level. There are many variables here, but it could be anywhere from an hour a day to “open yard”. It depends on a few things, your job which will dictate the times you can go out.
What was the first state with jails?
Colonial criminal punishments, jails, and workhouses. The "Old Gaol [Jail]" in Barnstable, Massachusetts, built in 1690 and operated until 1820, is today the oldest wooden jail in the United States of America.