Ananova:

Hardened criminals were forced to wear nothing but pink underwear, flip-flops and handcuffs to walk to their new prison.

The prisoners were made to wear the outfits as they were transferred from their old overcrowded jail to a brand-new facility in Pheonix, Arizona.

Humiliating the tough inmates by forcing them into shocking pink underwear, flip-flops and handcuffs was the brainchild of Joe Arpaio - America's toughest sheriff.

Sheriff Arpaio reckoned the dangerous hardmen would be too embarrassed to go on the run.

He said: "I put them on the street so everybody could see them. They can see this is what happens to people who break the law."

More than 700 inmates made the two-mile journey - dubbed the Walk-A-Conâ - chained by the ankles and wearing nothing but their tattoos and the pink apparel.

After arriving at their new maximum-security home there was an official opening ceremony with one prisoner cutting a pink ribbon on the gates.

The prisoners were watched closely by police in helicopters, armed guards, mounted police, dog teams and marksmen during the transfer.