Prisons

**Building Count** | Various

**Prisons** (刑務所 *Keimusho*), often called a "correctional facility", "detention center", "jail", or "penitentiary", are the sites in which Inmates are forcible confined to. This site of punishment has a variety of amenities dependent on the prison's classification, and will house the inmates until their sentence is served.

## Overview

As the prevailing punishment method, prisons are purpose-built correctional designed buildings to reflected punitive patterns reproducing ideals of enforced solitude and intimidation. These large institutions are often located in remote rural areas, or located out deserted islands. They are often stark in outward appearance, with abundant security provision to announce the building’s function as a place of confinement. These heavy security features assert absolute control with the tall perimeters topped with razor wire, visible watch towers and heavy surrounding gates. The insides are characterized inside by walls that are typically uniform in color and textures, and separated into massive cellblocks holding a large number of individuals. The cells are typically gloomy and undersized concrete cells with steel-barred windows and sliding bar doors; though some prisons have decided to try and boost inmate moral by painting walls more vibrant colors. Cellblocks are organized along long, narrow corridors, within various buildings to separate different classes of inmates.

Amenities are often included to help enrich inmate lives and prevent psychiatric breakdown from isolation. When held in small enough facilities, inmates may receive more focused attention, programming and individualized treatment. To also aid in rehabilitation, facilities are typically broken down into small units appropriately sized in accordance with security risk and needs. To avoid the mixing of inmate groups, each unit/building is discrete and self-sufficient, and include both individual, as well as a variety of collective spaces where groups of people can congregate to replicate some of the activities they would be engaging in on the outside. These activities can include cooking, dining, studying, watching television, reading, playing games, and exercising. Prison yard have become a mandatory amenity within prisons, as it gives inmates the minimum two hours outside to exercise.

## Organization

All prisons follow the typical hierarchy within their walls as the demands of security dictates the use of straight-line supervision, that provide a clear channel of authority. The hierarchy of prison staff follows as numerous guards, then supervisors, then a warden at the top of the "authority pyramid". At the cellblock level, security is accomplished by organizing the spaces with the supervisor’s desk strategically located inside the living area with clear, direct line of sight into the cells. An alternative can also be used where a security monitor room is at the center, with cameras strategically placed throughout the building. Allowing adequate floor space is essential to improve visual openness however, as it makes it easier for the officer to see, hear, and supervise inmates. Guards will typically make rounds of the building to promotes constant, direct interaction and normalized communication between staff and inmates, proactively identifying and addressing potential problems before they escalate. Though in order to improve this staff-inmate interaction, many prisons take the approach of ensuring that inmates are not confined in their rooms all day, but rather participate in scheduled activities and programming, and are free to move about and use the resources available to them within the housing unit.

## Classifications

While traditional prisons are set up generally the same, in regards to their organization and overview, there are a few special classes that differ from the norm. These special classifications of prison will typically have a difference in the sense of the prison staff, inmate amenities, and prison infrastructure. The inmates that are sent these facilities will have characteristics that make them require special care that would not be available in a normal prison; these characteristics can be criteria such as age of the inmate, mental stability of the inmate, and severity of the crime committed.

### Youth Detention Centers

Most often called "juvy", these prisons house those who are convicted under the law and are under the age of eighteen. Some only reside there until their hearing at the courts arrive, while others serve their sentence until they turn eighteen and are transferred to a regulation prison. The supervision of these inmates is far more pressing, as the inmates are still classified as juveniles, so the country is usually responsible for providing education, recreation, healthcare, and other services with the intent of maintaining a juvenile's well-being during their custody. The education of these inmates is the main cornerstone in these prisons, as children have the mandatory obligation of attending classes paid for by the state to obtain a general high school degree. Dependent on the funding put forth by the state, the quality of education varies greatly between juvenile facilities.

### Mix-Gender Prisons

Though the name is a bit misguided, these prisons are home to both sexes within the same facility. In order to prevent sexual offenses however, the genders are kept within separate buildings and are not allowed to physically interact with the opposing gender. This is ensured by coordinating the yard times to be opposite of that of the opposing gender. The biggest issue at these prisons, aside from the potential for sexual misconduct, is the conflict of security that arises when a woman inmate comes into the system pregnant. These pregnancies are high risk, due to inadequate healthcare provided, and are often not carried to completion. These mix gender prisons will often have to transport the inmate to a hospital facility if labor is induced, where the mother is immediately brought back to the prison after the baby is born to continue her sentence.

### Psychiatric Prisons

These prisons are specially equipped to handle inmates who suffer from diagnosed mental disorders, or unstable mental abilities. These prisons are often equipped with specialized cells for inmates with self-destructive tendencies, as well as specialized staff who are trained and equipped to handle mentally unstable inmates. Most modern psychiatric prisons provide a primary emphasis on treatment, and attempt to help patients control their metal state with the use of a combination of psychiatric drugs and psychotherapy. With the advent and discovery of superhuman abilities, these psychiatric prisons have become equipped with means to counter telekinetic powers and other mental fortitudes, such as memory manipulation. These superhuman inmates even have to option of reducing their sentence if they use their gifts to help with the treatment of other patients within the facility.

### Maximum Security Prisons

These prisons are the highest level of security within the system, and can be found as monitored units within regulation prisons, or function as their own independent prison system; examples being that of Alcatraz and Nanba Prison. These prisons house the deadliest of criminals, who possess information or abilities that are a threat to national and international security. These units, or stand-alone prisons, subject their inmates to 23 hours per day of single-cell confinement with minimal interactions between prison staff and inmates. Inmates within these cells are often sentenced for an indefinite period of time, where they have little access to natural light and no time for physical activity. The hour a day that they are allowed to spend outside is done alone in a very confined space, not much bigger than their cells. Solitary confinement is the principle punishment in these prisons, with constant video and physical surveillance; where guards and prison staff have absolute authority and can delve out punishment without outside review from the country’s system.

## Trivia

* Any user is free to create a prison, just please be sure to add your prison to the list above.