The title of “most dangerous prisoner in the world” is difficult to definitively give to any one person. However, there are certainly some prisoners throughout history who have committed horrific crimes or who are seen as continuing threats even behind bars. This article will examine some of the most notorious and infamous prisoners worldwide and look at why they could be considered extremely dangerous.

What Makes a Prisoner Dangerous?

There are a few key factors that contribute to a prisoner being deemed dangerous:

• The severity of crimes committed – Prisoners who have committed cruel, deadly or highly destructive crimes are seen as threats to society even when incarcerated. Serial killers, terrorists, cartel leaders and war criminals are examples.
• Leadership capabilities – Prisoners who held high-ranking positions in organized crime, terrorist organizations or guerrilla groups maintain influence and power even in prison. They can still direct outside criminal activities.
• Escape capabilities – Some prisoners have previously escaped from high-security prisons or still possess the intelligence and determination to try. Their drive for freedom makes them dangerous.
• Radicalization of other prisoners – Charismatic prisoners who inspire and radicalize other inmates into committing crimes or taking extreme actions are highly dangerous. They amplify their threat.
• Life sentence and nothing to lose – Prisoners facing life sentences or the death penalty may see no reason to reform or control their actions, making them a danger to prison staff and other inmates.

So in summary, the combination of extreme criminal histories, leadership capabilities, escape risk, tendencies to radicalize and a lack of incentive to behave makes certain prisoners among the most dangerous in the world. With this criteria in mind, here are some of the most notorious and dangerous prisoners in recent times:

Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán

Once the leader of Mexico’s powerful Sinaloa drug cartel, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán is considered by many to be one of the most dangerous prisoners alive today. Some key reasons:

• He was a driving force behind brutal cartel wars that claimed thousands of lives in Mexico. His cartel trafficked huge amounts of drugs like cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines into the United States and around the world.
• Despite being jailed multiple times before, Guzmán managed to escape from two high-security Mexican prisons through elaborate escape tunnels built by his associates. This highlighted his capabilities.
• From prison, Guzmán kept directing Sinaloa cartel operations until he was extradited to the United States in 2017, where he is currently serving a life sentence at ADX Florence in Colorado.
• Guzmán still maintains loyal allies in Mexico who could potentially help him escape again. He also has the financial resources to accomplish this.

For these reasons, Guzmán is seen as an extreme escape risk and a highly dangerous prisoner even in America’s most secure prison. His drug empire gave him power comparable to the leader of a small country.

Felicien Kabuga

Rwandan businessman Felicien Kabuga is one of the most wanted genocide suspects from the Rwandan genocide in the 1990s. He was arrested in 2020 after decades on the run:

• Kabuga was a wealthy businessman with close ties to the Hutu extremists who organized the 100-day genocide against ethnic Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994. Approximately 800,000 people were massacred.
• He is accused of being a central figure who imported and funded the machetes that were used by militias during the genocide as well as operating the hate radio station Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines that incited massacres.
• For 26 years after the genocide, Kabuga remained a fugitive and among the most wanted genocide suspects. He hid across several countries in Africa, Europe and the Middle East using false identities and passports.
• Now in his late 80s, Kabuga remains in prison in The Hague awaiting trial. If convicted, he faces a life sentence.
• Although now frail, authorities still consider Kabuga highly dangerous due to his former wealth, intelligence connections and capabilities to incite ethnic violence from behind bars. He polarizes groups even today.

Thomas Silverstein

Thomas Silverstein is a former leader of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang who has committed four murders in prison. He has been incarcerated since 1978:

• His initial crime was an armed robbery. However, he later stabbed and killed a fellow inmate and two correctional officers while imprisoned in Marion, Illinois. This gave him a “no human contact” order in prison.
• In 1983, he killed a fourth correctional officer in Marion, contributing to the entire federal prison system adopting a “no human contact” policy towards Silverstein.
• Silverstein was placed into solitary confinement with virtually no human contact for the next 27 years while imprisoned. This is believed to be the most extreme solitary confinement in American history.
• His isolated conditions are seen as creating major psychological damage, but he remains a safety risk if released into the general prison population. Despite his isolation, he still exhibits dangerous behaviors to guards.

For his ruthless killings of guards and other inmates coupled with his extended isolation that likely created chronic mental health issues, Silverstein is seen as an extremely volatile and dangerous prisoner.

Salvatore “Totò” Riina

As head of the Sicilian mafia known as Cosa Nostra in the 1980s and early 1990s, Salvatore “Totò” Riina was responsible for launching a brutal mafia war against the Italian government:

• Riina planned high-profile assassinations of prosecutors, magistrates, journalists and police officials who threatened the Cosa Nostra’s power. This period was known as the “Second Mafia War”.
• He turned the Sicilian mafia into a highly centralized criminal organization and commanded from prison even after his 1993 arrest by Italian authorities.
• Riina bragged about personally killing over 40 people and ordering the assassination of hundreds more during his reign as the “boss of bosses”.
• He died of cancer while serving multiple life sentences in an Italian prison in 2017. At the time of his death, authorities still considered the now 86-year old Riina an escape risk and extremely dangerous due to hisComplete Article:

Who is the Most Dangerous Prisoner in the World?

The title of “most dangerous prisoner in the world” is difficult to definitively give to any one person. However, there are certainly some prisoners throughout history who have committed horrific crimes or who are seen as continuing threats even behind bars. This article will examine some of the most notorious and infamous prisoners worldwide and look at why they could be considered extremely dangerous.

What Makes a Prisoner Dangerous?

There are a few key factors that contribute to a prisoner being deemed dangerous:

• The severity of crimes committed – Prisoners who have committed cruel, deadly or highly destructive crimes are seen as threats to society even when incarcerated. Serial killers, terrorists, cartel leaders and war criminals are examples.
• Leadership capabilities – Prisoners who held high-ranking positions in organized crime, terrorist organizations or guerrilla groups maintain influence and power even in prison. They can still direct outside criminal activities.
• Escape capabilities – Some prisoners have previously escaped from high-security prisons or still possess the intelligence and determination to try. Their drive for freedom makes them dangerous.
• Radicalization of other prisoners – Charismatic prisoners who inspire and radicalize other inmates into committing crimes or taking extreme actions are highly dangerous. They amplify their threat.
• Life sentence and nothing to lose – Prisoners facing life sentences or the death penalty may see no reason to reform or control their actions, making them a danger to prison staff and other inmates.

So in summary, the combination of extreme criminal histories, leadership capabilities, escape risk, tendencies to radicalize and a lack of incentive to behave makes certain prisoners among the most dangerous in the world. With this criteria in mind, here are some of the most notorious and dangerous prisoners in recent times:

Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán

Once the leader of Mexico’s powerful Sinaloa drug cartel, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán is considered by many to be one of the most dangerous prisoners alive today. Some key reasons:

• He was a driving force behind brutal cartel wars that claimed thousands of lives in Mexico. His cartel trafficked huge amounts of drugs like cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines into the United States and around the world.
• Despite being jailed multiple times before, Guzmán managed to escape from two high-security Mexican prisons through elaborate escape tunnels built by his associates. This highlighted his capabilities.
• From prison, Guzmán kept directing Sinaloa cartel operations until he was extradited to the United States in 2017, where he is currently serving a life sentence at ADX Florence in Colorado.
• Guzmán still maintains loyal allies in Mexico who could potentially help him escape again. He also has the financial resources to accomplish this.

For these reasons, Guzmán is seen as an extreme escape risk and a highly dangerous prisoner even in America’s most secure prison. His drug empire gave him power comparable to the leader of a small country.

Felicien Kabuga

Rwandan businessman Felicien Kabuga is one of the most wanted genocide suspects from the Rwandan genocide in the 1990s. He was arrested in 2020 after decades on the run:

• Kabuga was a wealthy businessman with close ties to the Hutu extremists who organized the 100-day genocide against ethnic Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994. Approximately 800,000 people were massacred.
• He is accused of being a central figure who imported and funded the machetes that were used by militias during the genocide as well as operating the hate radio station Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines that incited massacres.
• For 26 years after the genocide, Kabuga remained a fugitive and among the most wanted genocide suspects. He hid across several countries in Africa, Europe and the Middle East using false identities and passports.
• Now in his late 80s, Kabuga remains in prison in The Hague awaiting trial. If convicted, he faces a life sentence.
• Although now frail, authorities still consider Kabuga highly dangerous due to his former wealth, intelligence connections and capabilities to incite ethnic violence from behind bars. He polarizes groups even today.

Thomas Silverstein

Thomas Silverstein is a former leader of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang who has committed four murders in prison. He has been incarcerated since 1978:

• His initial crime was an armed robbery. However, he later stabbed and killed a fellow inmate and two correctional officers while imprisoned in Marion, Illinois. This gave him a “no human contact” order in prison.
• In 1983, he killed a fourth correctional officer in Marion, contributing to the entire federal prison system adopting a “no human contact” policy towards Silverstein.
• Silverstein was placed into solitary confinement with virtually no human contact for the next 27 years while imprisoned. This is believed to be the most extreme solitary confinement in American history.
• His isolated conditions are seen as creating major psychological damage, but he remains a safety risk if released into the general prison population. Despite his isolation, he still exhibits dangerous behaviors to guards.

For his ruthless killings of guards and other inmates coupled with his extended isolation that likely created chronic mental health issues, Silverstein is seen as an extremely volatile and dangerous prisoner.

Salvatore “Totò” Riina

As head of the Sicilian mafia known as Cosa Nostra in the 1980s and early 1990s, Salvatore “Totò” Riina was responsible for launching a brutal mafia war against the Italian government:

• Riina planned high-profile assassinations of prosecutors, magistrates, journalists and police officials who threatened the Cosa Nostra’s power. This period was known as the “Second Mafia War”.
• He turned the Sicilian mafia into a highly centralized criminal organization and commanded from prison even after his 1993 arrest by Italian authorities.
• Riina bragged about personally killing over 40 people and ordering the assassination of hundreds more during his reign as the “boss of bosses”.
• He died of cancer while serving multiple life sentences in an Italian prison in 2017. At the time of his death, authorities still considered the now 86-year old Riina an escape risk and extremely dangerous due to his criminal networks and radicalization capabilities.

Key Takeaways

• There is no definitive consensus on the world’s most dangerous prisoner, but inmates like Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, Felicien Kabuga, Thomas Silverstein and Salvatore “Totò” Riina are routinely cited.
• Extreme criminal histories, leadership capabilities, escape risks, tendencies to radicalize others and having nothing to lose contribute to prisoners being highly dangerous.
• Even when imprisoned for years or decades, the most dangerous prisoners still direct outside criminal activities, command loyalty and wield influence over followers.
• Authorities consider escape risks, leadership skills and capabilities to incite violence as making even elderly prisoners still dangerous.
• The most dangerous prisoners require dedicated maximum security facilities to contain their threat. Yet even years in solitary confinement may not eliminate the danger.

So while no prisoner currently incarcerated can be definitively deemed the “most” dangerous in the world, the ones examined here certainly rank among those who pose an extreme risk from behind bars due to their past actions and continued impact even while imprisoned for many years. Their crimes, influence and threats don’t simply fade away after sentencing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the most dangerous man alive today?

There is no consensus, but prisoners like Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, Felicien Kabuga and terrorists like Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri would rank among the most dangerous for their extreme crimes and continued ability to direct deadly activities even while imprisoned.

Who is the most dangerous criminal in history?

Some of history’s most dangerous criminals include Adolf Hitler for orchestrating the crimes of the Holocaust and World War 2, Joseph Stalin for widespread political oppression and mass murders, and terrorist leaders like ISIS’ Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi for inspiring extremist violence.

What makes a serial killer high risk or dangerous?

Traits like high intelligence, charisma, lack of remorse and a perverse dedication to killing make serial killers like Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy and Jeffrey Dahmer especially dangerous. Uncontrollable and repeated homicidal compulsions mean they will likely kill again if not imprisoned.

Are there any women among the most dangerous prisoners?

Some of the most dangerous women prisoners have included convicted serial killers like Aileen Wuornos and Rosemary West as well as cult leaders like Charles Manson follower Susan Atkins who was complicit in multiple murders. Female criminals are less common but certainly capable of extremely dangerous acts.

What is the most secure prison for dangerous criminals?

The United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility (ADX) in Florence, Colorado is considered the most secure prison in the country and houses some of the highest risk criminals like drug lord Joaquín Guzmán, terrorist Ted Kaczynski and serial killer Charles Ng. Its isolated, highly regulated conditions make it very difficult to escape from.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while no current prisoner can definitively earn the title of “most dangerous in the world”, inmates like Joaquín Guzmán, Felicien Kabuga, Thomas Silverstein and Salvatore Riina possess disturbing histories, retain influence and exhibit qualities that make them enduring threats even within maximum security prisons. Their crimes, leadership capabilities, tendencies to escape and radicalize others require constant monitoring and restrictions. However, identifying and studying the world’s most dangerous prisoners provides insights that can help shape policies and procedures to contain them. With vigilant controls, their influence and threat can at least be minimized during incarceration.