Thomas Silverstein, a notorious inmate in the US prison system, was dubbed “the most dangerous prisoner ever incarcerated” for his violent actions. Spending a staggering 36 years in solitary confinement, the longest recorded in federal prison history, Silverstein was known by aliases like “Terrible Tom” and “America’s most dangerous prisoner” due to his involvement in multiple murders and leadership within a feared prison gang. His criminal activities prompted the establishment of the high-security “supermax” prison system in the country.
Having lived 67 years, Silverstein served 42 years behind bars, with 36 of those years in isolation, some of which were under a strict “no human contact” status. Following the murder of correction officer Merle Clutts in 1983 at Marion prison in Illinois, where Silverstein was held, the facility was put on extended lockdown for 23 years. Subsequently, Silverstein was relocated to a prison in Atlanta, where his security classification was listed as “no human contact.” The incidents at Marion prison led to the inception of the federal “supermax” prison in Florence, Colorado, dedicated to housing the most dangerous offenders in the federal system.
Before the Clutts incident, Silverstein had already taken the lives of two other inmates in separate brutal attacks. His affiliations with the Aryan Brotherhood, a notorious prison gang involved in various criminal activities, further solidified his reputation as a dangerous inmate. Despite his troubled past, Silverstein’s acquaintances, like author Pete Earley, portrayed him as intelligent and articulate, pointing out the harsh treatment he endured in prison.
Silverstein, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 67 due to complications from heart surgery, left a legacy of violence and controversy. While his actions were condemned, some individuals who knew him during his incarceration acknowledged the challenging circumstances and conditions that influenced his behavior within the prison system. The debate around Silverstein’s treatment and the necessity of extreme measures to manage his behavior continued even after his death.
