Overview
This is how you create a fully function and healthy prison in the early stages without too much trouble.
Table of Contents
* If you want to skip directly to a section, use the navigation over there —>
1. Introduction
2. Planning
2.1. Tricks & Tips
2.2. Execution
2.3. Objects & paths
2.4. Utilities
3. Rooms
3.1. Offices
3.2. Storage & Staff Room
3.2. Holding Cell, Cell & Solitary
3.3. Yard & Shower
3.4. Kitchen & Canteen
3.5. Infirmary & Morgue
3.6. Visitation, Telephone booths & Common Room
3.7. Workshop & Classes
3.8. Security, Kennel & Armory
3.9. Execution
4. Bureaucracy
4.1. Finance
4.1.1. Land Expansion
4.2. Security
4.2.1. Deployment
4.2.2. Patrols
4.2.3. Contraband
4.2.4. Prison Policy
4.2.5. Armory
4.2.6. Body Armour
4.3. Mental Health
4.4. Health
4.5. Maintenance
4.5.1. Prison Labour
4.5.2. Cleaning
4.5.3. Grounds Keeping
5. Staff
5.1. Workman
5.2. Warden
5.3. Guard
5.4. Accountant
5.5. Cook
5.6. Chief
5.7. Psychologist
5.8. Doctor
5.9. Foreman
5.9.1. Janitor
5.9.2. Gardener
6. Utilities
7. Deployment
8. Emergencies
9. Prisoners
9.1. Level
9.2. Needs
9.3. Routes
9.4. Tools
9.5. Weapons
9.6. Work
10. Programs
11. Build your prison!
12. Tips & Tricks
1. Introduction
Hi, My name is Alex Westergaard. I play a lot of Prison Architect when I’m playing alone/with myself just to waste some time. I think it’s a very entertaining and interesting game.
In this guide will I explain how I managed to build a low-mid-high risk prison without too much trouble with the prisoners. I did not start with all three types of prisoners thou, because in the start do you really need to focus on the prison rather than the prisoners.
I’m going to tell you how I build my prisons and manage to survive the madness. I’m going to tell you how you avoid prisoners to dig holes or getting weapons/tools with them around without spending too much money.
I would like you to read this to help you, not to make you a “step-by-step” guide. Use a little imagination and combine it with these tips & tricks, and you will be just fine!
2. Planning
When you start your prison would I recommend you to plan the prison before you start to build it, because then you know if there is space enough for all of it. I usually start on the map “small” and then expand it as I need it, rather than having a large space confusing you when building a small prison in the start anyway.
2.1. Tricks & Tips
When you start to plan, then think about what should be easy accessible and what can be stores further to the back. I usually make a space to visitors and morgue near by the ‘delivery’ spot in order to get a nice flow.
I also make sure to make a walk-path around my prison so my staff can come around more easily, and then of course making the way to “staff only” to avoid prisoners from escaping the prison.
2.2. Execution
If you make a plan before you start to build, you can make it all so much better, because you know what to build where, and then you wont waste money on walls or buildings that you need to expand or shrink later on.
I usually build the whole building as I want it, but I don’t put in all of the equipment before I need it. Lets take the Canteen as an example. It has to be big to fit all of the many prisoners that you are going to deal with. Build a nice big place, and then make only 3-4 spots in the start, and leave the rest of the room for future expanding.
2.3. Objects & Paths
It can be very nice to define where to but the objects in a room. A nice tool to count if you can have it all and still keep is systematic. I use it a lot to know where to put my stuff, even though you can’t define what each square it meant to be.
I usually use ‘Walls’ to define buildings and walk paths, ‘Objects’ to define objects and that stuff, and then ‘Path’ to define ‘metal detectors’ so I know how to make less of them work more effective.
2.4. Utilities
You can’t plan utilities that easily, but I can give you a trick anyway. If you make all your halls double squared then make power below one, and water below the other so they run side by side. Then you never have to guess where you ended any of them.
3. Rooms
There is a few different types of rooms, and here is a short description of the rooms purpose, and how to use them.
3.1. Offices
The offices is very simple to understand. It’s a place where your need to place your administrating bosses of the prison you are running. You should have 5 offices for unlocks and then separated offices to your Psychologists because the prisoners will need to enter the office if you run “therapy” services.
3.2. Storage & Staff Room
The storage room is a place where your workmen can place objects which is not in use. You would probably make this close to the ‘delivery’ area, or near by the center of your prison to make it available for your workmen anytime they need to get something.
The Staff Room is a place where your staff can go if they get tired. They won’t go very far to find one, so make sure to make a few of them across your prison. (Only needs to be 5x5m2, have a couch and a soda-machine)
3.2. Holding Cell, Cell & Solitary
The Holding Cell(s) is very important to have, because this is the place(s) where your prisoners will be placed if you have no available Cells for them. If you want to separate your prison between “minimum, medium and maximum” then make sure to make separated Holding Cells. Don’t forget to make some Guards guarding the Holding Cells since they are the place(s) where the troubles usually starts!
You should try to keep up with the Cells as possible. If you have ‘Continuous intake’ then be sure to make your Holding Cells large enough so you can place some beds in there (yes, it works very well!) – and still try to make Cells enough to separate as many prisoners as possible.
3.3. Yard & Shower
While you are still making your prison can you just mark a large area as Yard so your prisoners are allowed to get outside whenever it’s time to get outside. Then shrink it as you need to construct building until you have the Yard where it needs to be by your plans.
You can actually separate your yard into 2 and then put in some shower heads, showers doesn’t have to be inside! (A very neat trick to get it done!)
3.4. Kitchen & Canteen
When you are coming to it, make sure that your Kitchen and Canteen is connected to the prisoners enter the Canteen, and the staff has to enter the Canteen in order to enter the kitchen. By doing this do you only have to set a Metal Detector outside the Canteen, and also make it a lot easier for prisoners to work in the Kitchen!
3.5. Infirmary & Morgue
The Infirmary is very important since this is the place your guards and prisoners will go/be taken if they are hurt, injured or dead. Normally is it enough with just one place, but you can make a few of them if you are trying to separate your prisoners.
You can place the Morgue where you want to, but it is most effective if you put it nearer the ‘Delivery’ area than the Morgue (otherwise will they put the dead into the Infirmary beds!).
3.6. Visitation, Telephone booths & Common Room
Visitation rooms are not important, but they are necessary to keep the “family need” low. You can also use telephone booths in the Yard to keep it down.
The common room can help on the “recreation” if you put in a TV or Pool table inside a “common room”.
3.7. Workshop & Classes
The Workshop(s) is a place where your prisoners can be set to work and get experience. The stuff that they make you can be sold for money. You can make Classes to help your prisoners to gain experience and do better when they someday get released from your Jail. (This is more optional, but if you like to make a ‘good’ prison, this is an option!)
3.8. Security, Kennel & Armory
If you have unlocked the CCTV cameras, will you be able to create Security rooms, where you can put in a monitor. This monitor needs a guard to trigger it, which can easily be fixed by setting a single “Guard path” on it, and then set a guard to stand there.
The Kennel is the place where you would place your dogs if you choose to have dog patrol in your prison. The Armory is the place where you can place Armored Guards or give your normal guards a safety west and/or tasers (if unlocked!)
3.9. Execution
The Execution room is a place where you kill prisoners who is set in with death penalty. I have never really used it, and never seen others use it as well. I believe it’s there for the use in the tutorial. You can play around with it if you want to.
4. Bureaucracy
The Bureaucracy is the place where you unlock necessary stuff for your prison. This can be stuff like the accountant which allows you to see if you have a positive or negative outcome every day.
4.1. Finance
This unlocks the Accountant, which allows you to see how much money you receive and how many of them you spend on stuff in your prison. This is very useful if you wan’t to know how much money you receive/owe per day.
Tip: If it goes negative, try and fire some of your workmen or guards (if you have enough of them to do so! At least have 5 of both..)
4.1.1. Land Expansion
This allows you to expand your prison if you need more space. You will need this more if you use the ‘Small’ map than if you have one of the larger maps. (which makes sense!)
4.2. Security
This allows you to choose if an area is ‘Staff Only’, ‘Minimal Security Prisoners’ [, etc.]. This is very useful if you make areas where you only want your staff to go. Your prisoners will not go these places unless they are Rioting.
4.2.1. Deployment
Now that you can choose what areas is for who, you can now define if an area need to have guards in the area. With this tool do you demand (if having enough) you guards to go there until there is as many as you demand to be. This is very useful in the Holding Cell(s), Cell(s) and Solitary areas. I would also recommend you to have a few guards in the Yard, Canteen, Common Room as well as work places.
4.2.2. Patrols
This allows you to drag paths and to put guards on it. The guards will go until the meet another person patrolling the same path, or till it ends. All paths not connected has to have have a guard mark to have guards patrolling via the path.
4.2.3. Contraband
This tool is very good to use in order to understand where your prisoners can get weapons and tools. If the contraband doesn’t show anything, you doesn’t have to be so secured about it. The best way to secure your prison is to use Metal Detectors outside your cell-blocks anyway! (not each cell, just on the way to the area with the cells!)
4.2.4. Prison Policy
You are now allowed to define if the guards should search a prisoner and/or their Cell if you find tools/weapons on them, or they do bad stuff like destroying stuff or attacking staff/other prisoners.
Besides can you define if a prisoner should be send to solitary or they Cell, and for how long they should be there before being released again.
4.2.5. Armory
This allows you to hire armed guards. You can give them routes to follow or just stand them somewhere you think is useful. They will fight the prisoners normally unless you allow them to use their shotguns. (You will have an extra red button/icon in the bottom right of the screen with a target mark to toggle this on/off).
4.2.6. Body Armour
This allows your normal guards to have a security west also. Your guards will be more expensive because they will get a west + hiring guards will be more expensive because they are now bought with the west on already.
4.3. Mental Health
You can now get the Psychologists. With these can you start a Therapy course, and help prisoners to manage their anger, etc. By hiring one will you also be able to see the needs of your prisoners.
Example: You can see if they need sleep, food [,etc.]
4.4. Health
Give you access to the doctors which is very usable to keep the prison running. They will heal your staff members ans prisoners if needed. They are worth the money!
4.5. Maintenance
With this can you now teach prisoners to work in the workshop! (If they pass their exam!)
4.5.1. Prison Labour
This is the tool that give you the permission/access to let prisoners work in your prison. Some of the work they can be doing required that they pass a course. Before you can open any Courses do you need to put “Work” on the time schedule!
4.5.2. Cleaning
This person will clean your inside areas.
4.5.3. Grounds Keeping
This person will clean your outside areas.
5. Staff
Here is the (in my opinion) best order to get the unlocks and staff in the prison. The points with a star (*) after it is the ones you need to unlock via the Bureaucracy.
5.1. Workmen
These are the guys to does all the work when you create something new, places an object or dismantles something. Make sure to have a group on 5+ if you want something to happen!
5.2. Warden
This is the most important person, mainly because he unlocks the Bureaucracy. He will need an office before the bureaucracy will progress – Make sure his office is one of the first things to be build to unlock bureaucracy stuff earlier!
5.3. Guards
These are the tough guys who has to make sure the prisoners doesn’t fight and/or escape the prison. Make sure to have at least 40% of your prisoners in guards (or you will loose fights too easy, and Riots will start more often)! [Every time you have 10 prisoners will you need to have 3-4 guards at least!]
5.4. Accountant *
This is the person who allows you to see if your have a positive or negative income per day. Make sure the numbers are Green!
5.5. Cooks / Chefs
These are the guys that makes sure your prisoners ain’t starving. Make sure to have a least 2+!
5.6. Chief *
This is the guy who makes all of the patrol and guarding stuff possible!
5.7. Psychologists *
Gives you insight in what your prisoners needs. Good to have!
5.8. Doctors *
Heals your prisoners and staff members. Makes it possible to survive for longer!
5.9. Foreman *
Give your prisoners the option to learn how to work in the workshop, and to unlock the “Prison Labour” which allows your prisoners to actually work in the prison.
5.9.1. Janitors *
Cleans all you inside areas.
5.9.2. Gardeners *
Cleans all you outside areas.
6. Utilities
The utilities allows you to have water and power in your prison. If you have a smaller prison is it enough to have only one power station and water station. If you are having a bigger prison can it be useful to have multiple power stations.
If you have multiple power stations do you need to make sure they are not connected, or they will shut down. The best way to have multiple power stations is if you have multiple separated areas in your prison.
You only need one water station to run the entire prison. (Which is quite awesome!)
7. Deployment
When you can use the deployment tool, then make sure that all the places where your prisoners can go (like Canteen, Common Room, Shower, Yard, Etc.) is covered with guards to make sure Riots and fights doesn’t start. If you can keep it down, you will have less trouble with your prisoners, and less need of the doctors.
The routes is mostly only usable if you want to make areas visible without having a guard running there with no purpose, then you can make a path going though multiple areas and make a guard going the route. This can be useful if you have a lot of walk paths for your prisoners.
You should also make sure to mark all the necessary rooms with “Staff Only”, but still make sure that work places is set to “shared”. You do also need to make sure there is a path to freedom or your prisoners which has served their time won’t leave your prison.
8. Emergencies
These are the services you will need to call if you REALLY needs them. Don’t call them unless it is necessary. Every time you call one of the teams will you pay $100 game credit.
You can call Firemen to if your prison is burning down. To avoid this can you also install Sprinklers in the rooms where your prisoners has access. They are not necessary any other places since your staff won’t burn down your prison.
You can also call RIOT guys to beat your Rioting prisoners. You should only call these guys if your guards can’t handle it on their own. You can also hire armed guys and/or dog patrol to help yourself defending the prison.
The last team is a medical team. This team is good if you have a lot of injured people in your prison. Which is typical after a riot beat-down. You should only hire these people if your guards and doctors can’t handle it on their own.
9. Prisoners
Since the prisoners are the important part of this game would I like to tell you a little about them.
9.1. Level
When you get prisoners then you define if they should be Minimum, Medium or Maximum security prisoners. Minimum is mostly innocent prisoners and Maximum is very aggressive prisoners (like serial murders or something really “badass”. The medium prisoners is the inbetweeners of the min and max categories. Choose wisely before you start to receive your prisoners.
9.2. Needs
Your prisoners will have needs like normal people would. This can be anything from a shower (Hygiene) to family needs (visitation or phone calls). If you make sure to keep they needs low will you have less trouble with them.
9.3. Routes
Your prisoners will always take the shortest way from A to B, but they will also try to escape anytime they get the possibility. Make sure that your prisoners always has a route to their destinations, and then lock the rest of them with “Staff only” to make sure no prisoners goes there by default. If your prisoners are aggressive or rioting will they ignore these rules, so make sure to guard places where they can find weapons and/or tools.
9.4. Tools
Prisoners will try to get tools in order to destroy your prison or escaping it. It can be spoons from the Canteen to dig exit-holes, or lighters/”Cigs” to burn it down. You can avoid this from happening by making sure your prisoners goes through the Metal Detectors before leaving rooms with tools inside.
9.5. Weapons
Prisoners will also try to get weapons in order to attack your staff or other prisoners. This can also be avoided with the Metal Detectors.
9.6. Work
Prisoners can do work like Laundry, Cooking, Etc. Some of your prisoners will be interested in working, and there can be a good idea to make work places for them to go. Just make sure that they doesn’t steal either tools or weapons from their working spots/places.
9.7. Safety
The prisoners will also feel safe if you have enough guards, but you can risk that they get suppressed if there is too many. This will make them angry more easily, which you can try and avoid with the Therapy Classes. Try to give your prisoners some privacy from the guards without being alone if there is more prisoners in one location.
10. Programs
Programs allows you to let your prisoners attent to school, therapy or learn how to be in the kitchen, workspace. Programs take place in your “Worktime” on the schedule. Before you can start a program, you have to check how many hours it takes by holding the mouse above the “Start” button to the program, and then look at the pop-up boks. If a program takes 3 hours, you have to make sure that you have 3 workhours right after eachother on the schedule, or you will receive the “All Rooms Bookes” alert-message.
11. Build your prison!
Now that you have read this guide, it is time for you to open the game and build your prison! If you liked this guide, feel free to favorite and like it to show me and your friends that it’s been worthed. Thanks for reading!
12. Tips & Trics
- You can put beds in your holding cell to keep balance on your prisoners need of Sleep and Comfort.
- Solitary Cells doesn’t have to be inside, so you don’t have to waste money on more than the walls around and the door. To save extra money then don’t build a wall where the door is going to be.
- Let your prisoners do laundry so they got something to do, as well as balancing the Hygiene and “Cloth” needs.
- Always make sure that your prisoners are close enough to everything in order to have time enough to get there and do their thing before having to go somewhere else.
- Make sure to have sprinklers in the rooms where your prisoners come. In the prisons can you put it above the toilet so you don’t have to build more water pipes.