New York Town Stands by Prison After Brazen Escape

The 40-foot-high wall of the maximum-security state prison in Dannemora runs right along the main street, a hulking symbol of the institution's dominance over practically every aspect of life. Nearly everyone in this mountain village of about 5,000 near the Canadian border works at the prison or is related to someone who does, a link that in some cases goes back generations. That's why the audacious prison break over the weekend by two convicts using power tools cuts deep into the collective pride. Resident Dave Coulson says, "I have been here long enough I don't even recognize the wall. To me, it's an economic engine. That's what it is." Former prison maintenance worker Craig Bowman added, "It's been 150 years and no one ever escaped. Stuff happens. The COs around here are doing a good job."