When Batman and Robin sent the crooks to the big house they went to Gotham State Penitentiary.
Batman went here many times and Bruce Wayne was even on the parole board.
This prison is very unique however, it is not really in Gotham City. It is actually the Statesville Prison located in Joliet Ill.
What makes this prison unique is that it is constructed in a circular design. This design concept was called the panopticon model ( or "roundhouse" ) That theory concluded if the individual cells were set in a circle with a guard tower in the middle, the inmates would never know when they are being watched.
They then would better "watch themselves". This theory never really caught on and Statesville is the only such prison in the United States.
The prison was built in 1925 and houses 2500 prisoners.
If you find yourself in Illinois, you may want to visit Statesville but it sure isn't a nice place to live :)
