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How to run a prison with the smallest amount of guards?
How to Survive a Tough Prison as a Weakling?How can a prison offer a safe way for inmates to commit suicide?How to enforce a sign language curfew in a maximum security prison?How should implanted technology be handled in prison?How would we maintain an unbroken line of communication with a moon base?Early Army without foraging: How do we keep ourselves supplied in the field?How can the American government legalize a program that implants microchips into convicts in order to curb prison violence and future crimes?On a world with differently sized humans, how do I keep wages fair?How to run a prison planet?
$begingroup$
So, this takes place in a post apocalyptic world, within the borders of a government called the USC. 30 miles north of The Junction (modern-day Bakersfield) is the JSCF, or Junction State Correctional Facility.
About 2500 prisoners are held within the JSCF. The JSCF is used as a punitive labor prison, where convicts are used to do public works projects, such as building roads and railways.
The USC wants to use the smallest amount of guards they can, to cut costs. So, my question is how could a labor prison be run in a way that minimizes the amount of guards needed to run it?
The current technological level is near that of 1890s America, and the USC has considerable infrastructure
Basic layout of JSCF (please tell me if it isn’t realistic)
logistics prison
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
So, this takes place in a post apocalyptic world, within the borders of a government called the USC. 30 miles north of The Junction (modern-day Bakersfield) is the JSCF, or Junction State Correctional Facility.
About 2500 prisoners are held within the JSCF. The JSCF is used as a punitive labor prison, where convicts are used to do public works projects, such as building roads and railways.
The USC wants to use the smallest amount of guards they can, to cut costs. So, my question is how could a labor prison be run in a way that minimizes the amount of guards needed to run it?
The current technological level is near that of 1890s America, and the USC has considerable infrastructure
Basic layout of JSCF (please tell me if it isn’t realistic)
logistics prison
$endgroup$
2
$begingroup$
The smallest number of guards would be to just kill everyone. A prison is humane punishment or a source of labor. What are the needs of your prison?
$endgroup$
– Andrey
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
@Andrey: What do you mean? The needs of my prison are to punish/rehabilitate prisoners by use of hard labor
$endgroup$
– DT Cooper
10 hours ago
$begingroup$
You don't state how 'post' apocalyptic the world is, but presumably there are sufficient resources to make it worthwhile feeding and housing criminals rather than just killing them. Without any other details, this doesn't seem any different to real-life for-profit prisons that operate nowadays. These are already (by their very nature) answering the question of what the minimum-viable staffing level is.
$endgroup$
– K. Morgan
10 hours ago
2
$begingroup$
You also don't state the tech level of the world you are building - is it greater than we have now? Less? This affects the nature of the answers you will get (e.g. a fully-automated AI-run murder prison requires zero staff).
$endgroup$
– K. Morgan
10 hours ago
$begingroup$
You might want to look at the Panopticon (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon) which was designed to work with a single guard. Would be a fairly radical redesign of the structure though.
$endgroup$
– Matthew
9 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
So, this takes place in a post apocalyptic world, within the borders of a government called the USC. 30 miles north of The Junction (modern-day Bakersfield) is the JSCF, or Junction State Correctional Facility.
About 2500 prisoners are held within the JSCF. The JSCF is used as a punitive labor prison, where convicts are used to do public works projects, such as building roads and railways.
The USC wants to use the smallest amount of guards they can, to cut costs. So, my question is how could a labor prison be run in a way that minimizes the amount of guards needed to run it?
The current technological level is near that of 1890s America, and the USC has considerable infrastructure
Basic layout of JSCF (please tell me if it isn’t realistic)
logistics prison
$endgroup$
So, this takes place in a post apocalyptic world, within the borders of a government called the USC. 30 miles north of The Junction (modern-day Bakersfield) is the JSCF, or Junction State Correctional Facility.
About 2500 prisoners are held within the JSCF. The JSCF is used as a punitive labor prison, where convicts are used to do public works projects, such as building roads and railways.
The USC wants to use the smallest amount of guards they can, to cut costs. So, my question is how could a labor prison be run in a way that minimizes the amount of guards needed to run it?
The current technological level is near that of 1890s America, and the USC has considerable infrastructure
Basic layout of JSCF (please tell me if it isn’t realistic)
logistics prison
logistics prison
edited 10 hours ago
DT Cooper
asked 11 hours ago
DT CooperDT Cooper
2,47671846
2,47671846
2
$begingroup$
The smallest number of guards would be to just kill everyone. A prison is humane punishment or a source of labor. What are the needs of your prison?
$endgroup$
– Andrey
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
@Andrey: What do you mean? The needs of my prison are to punish/rehabilitate prisoners by use of hard labor
$endgroup$
– DT Cooper
10 hours ago
$begingroup$
You don't state how 'post' apocalyptic the world is, but presumably there are sufficient resources to make it worthwhile feeding and housing criminals rather than just killing them. Without any other details, this doesn't seem any different to real-life for-profit prisons that operate nowadays. These are already (by their very nature) answering the question of what the minimum-viable staffing level is.
$endgroup$
– K. Morgan
10 hours ago
2
$begingroup$
You also don't state the tech level of the world you are building - is it greater than we have now? Less? This affects the nature of the answers you will get (e.g. a fully-automated AI-run murder prison requires zero staff).
$endgroup$
– K. Morgan
10 hours ago
$begingroup$
You might want to look at the Panopticon (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon) which was designed to work with a single guard. Would be a fairly radical redesign of the structure though.
$endgroup$
– Matthew
9 hours ago
add a comment |
2
$begingroup$
The smallest number of guards would be to just kill everyone. A prison is humane punishment or a source of labor. What are the needs of your prison?
$endgroup$
– Andrey
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
@Andrey: What do you mean? The needs of my prison are to punish/rehabilitate prisoners by use of hard labor
$endgroup$
– DT Cooper
10 hours ago
$begingroup$
You don't state how 'post' apocalyptic the world is, but presumably there are sufficient resources to make it worthwhile feeding and housing criminals rather than just killing them. Without any other details, this doesn't seem any different to real-life for-profit prisons that operate nowadays. These are already (by their very nature) answering the question of what the minimum-viable staffing level is.
$endgroup$
– K. Morgan
10 hours ago
2
$begingroup$
You also don't state the tech level of the world you are building - is it greater than we have now? Less? This affects the nature of the answers you will get (e.g. a fully-automated AI-run murder prison requires zero staff).
$endgroup$
– K. Morgan
10 hours ago
$begingroup$
You might want to look at the Panopticon (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon) which was designed to work with a single guard. Would be a fairly radical redesign of the structure though.
$endgroup$
– Matthew
9 hours ago
2
2
$begingroup$
The smallest number of guards would be to just kill everyone. A prison is humane punishment or a source of labor. What are the needs of your prison?
$endgroup$
– Andrey
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
The smallest number of guards would be to just kill everyone. A prison is humane punishment or a source of labor. What are the needs of your prison?
$endgroup$
– Andrey
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
@Andrey: What do you mean? The needs of my prison are to punish/rehabilitate prisoners by use of hard labor
$endgroup$
– DT Cooper
10 hours ago
$begingroup$
@Andrey: What do you mean? The needs of my prison are to punish/rehabilitate prisoners by use of hard labor
$endgroup$
– DT Cooper
10 hours ago
$begingroup$
You don't state how 'post' apocalyptic the world is, but presumably there are sufficient resources to make it worthwhile feeding and housing criminals rather than just killing them. Without any other details, this doesn't seem any different to real-life for-profit prisons that operate nowadays. These are already (by their very nature) answering the question of what the minimum-viable staffing level is.
$endgroup$
– K. Morgan
10 hours ago
$begingroup$
You don't state how 'post' apocalyptic the world is, but presumably there are sufficient resources to make it worthwhile feeding and housing criminals rather than just killing them. Without any other details, this doesn't seem any different to real-life for-profit prisons that operate nowadays. These are already (by their very nature) answering the question of what the minimum-viable staffing level is.
$endgroup$
– K. Morgan
10 hours ago
2
2
$begingroup$
You also don't state the tech level of the world you are building - is it greater than we have now? Less? This affects the nature of the answers you will get (e.g. a fully-automated AI-run murder prison requires zero staff).
$endgroup$
– K. Morgan
10 hours ago
$begingroup$
You also don't state the tech level of the world you are building - is it greater than we have now? Less? This affects the nature of the answers you will get (e.g. a fully-automated AI-run murder prison requires zero staff).
$endgroup$
– K. Morgan
10 hours ago
$begingroup$
You might want to look at the Panopticon (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon) which was designed to work with a single guard. Would be a fairly radical redesign of the structure though.
$endgroup$
– Matthew
9 hours ago
$begingroup$
You might want to look at the Panopticon (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon) which was designed to work with a single guard. Would be a fairly radical redesign of the structure though.
$endgroup$
– Matthew
9 hours ago
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
Turn prisoners into managers
Many societies across time have used this tactic (Romans for one, Nazis and Stalinists for more modern/malicious examples). Find the prisoners who are willing to enforce rules on other prisoners in exchange for more rights/luxuries/privileges. This creates a type of managerial oversight among the prisoners themselves. It's better to manage than to labor.
Extreme rewards and punishments
Any small violation of rules is enforced brutally. Beatings, tortures, etc. Snitches are rewarded handsomely with accommodations and protection from guards. This keeps prisoners looking for relief an easy way out of their rough situation: betray someone acting out. This type of regulation also keeps prisoners from trying to group together or make a consolidated effort at rebellion.
Group rewards and punishments
If a road or building is constructed well, everyone is rewarded with a day off. If one person makes a run for it, everyone in the group has to work through the night. This reinforces the idea of group obedience.
Keep prisoners occupied
Wake up, work, sleep. Repeat. Give them neither time nor energy to think about anything except their labor. Just enough food to get the work done, and only at the end of the day when they finish the labor. No lunch breaks. Keeping prisoners hungry and desperate for "one more meal" will deplete resolve and eliminate any practical hope of escape.
Although this also breeds intense resentment, there should be a clear path to eliminate or minimize their suffering. Snitching on others, pursuing management over other guards, and performing good labor are simple, safe, straight-forward paths to make their situation better. If there is no (reasonable) hope of escape, but clear paths "up" by turning on other prisoners, then prisoners will pursue those options. Make extreme examples of those who don't.
All these together allow for a few, well-organized, intensely brutal and malicious guards to control a large number of prisoners.
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
So divide and conquer, basically
$endgroup$
– DT Cooper
10 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
Depending on how brutal the society is, the 'group punishment' mindset can turn the majority of your prisoners into guards - Every 'cell group' overwatched by a guard with a Gatling gun: Any serious infraction by any member of the group results in said Gatling gun being used to punish the entire cell group... Prisoners now have a vested interest in ensuring no one around them steps out of line.
$endgroup$
– TheLuckless
9 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Inmates are the guards. This is the Trusty system.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusty_system_(prison)
The trusty system had designated inmates used by staff to control and
administer physical punishment to other inmates according to a strict,
prison-determined, inmate hierarchy of power...
The bulk of guarding and disciplining of the inmates was performed by
inmate trusties. They also performed most of the administrative work,
supervised by a few employees... Essentially, the trusties ran the
prison system. Highest in the prison inmate hierarchy were the inmates
armed with rifles, called the "trusty shooters." Their job was to act
as prison guards and control other inmates on a day-to-day basis in
the residential camps or out on the field work crews. Next came the
unarmed trusties who performed janitorial, clerical, and other menial
tasks for the prison's staff. Simple tasks, such as distributing
medication, were carried out by other categories of inmates such as
"hallboys.' Inmate trusties enforced discipline within the prison
inmate living quarters (16 different residential camps) and in the
work camps and farms.
Prisons using this system did it for exactly your reasons: limit required paid employees. Trustys were chosen as people who would recognize when they had a good thing going and not screw it up. Oversight was not a priority. American prisons in the South had to quit doing this this way in the 1970s but this system is still used in other countries.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
One Guard
All you need is a warden to make the decisions and an automated system. Prisoners have obedience collars. Door are remotely operated. Cameras are everywhere and everything is recorded.
If a prisoner plays up the collar can do everything from an electric shock to blowing their head off.
Should a collar be removed, other prisoners can be employed to capture/execute the escapee through the threat of their own collar.
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Two problems here: First is that it does not conform to the 1890s tech limit. Second is that actual prisoners are very creative at finding ways to beat systems, and it takes equally creative guards to recognize and thwart prisoner innovation. Automation won't proactively adapt like human guards can.
$endgroup$
– Nosajimiki
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Your Answer
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
Turn prisoners into managers
Many societies across time have used this tactic (Romans for one, Nazis and Stalinists for more modern/malicious examples). Find the prisoners who are willing to enforce rules on other prisoners in exchange for more rights/luxuries/privileges. This creates a type of managerial oversight among the prisoners themselves. It's better to manage than to labor.
Extreme rewards and punishments
Any small violation of rules is enforced brutally. Beatings, tortures, etc. Snitches are rewarded handsomely with accommodations and protection from guards. This keeps prisoners looking for relief an easy way out of their rough situation: betray someone acting out. This type of regulation also keeps prisoners from trying to group together or make a consolidated effort at rebellion.
Group rewards and punishments
If a road or building is constructed well, everyone is rewarded with a day off. If one person makes a run for it, everyone in the group has to work through the night. This reinforces the idea of group obedience.
Keep prisoners occupied
Wake up, work, sleep. Repeat. Give them neither time nor energy to think about anything except their labor. Just enough food to get the work done, and only at the end of the day when they finish the labor. No lunch breaks. Keeping prisoners hungry and desperate for "one more meal" will deplete resolve and eliminate any practical hope of escape.
Although this also breeds intense resentment, there should be a clear path to eliminate or minimize their suffering. Snitching on others, pursuing management over other guards, and performing good labor are simple, safe, straight-forward paths to make their situation better. If there is no (reasonable) hope of escape, but clear paths "up" by turning on other prisoners, then prisoners will pursue those options. Make extreme examples of those who don't.
All these together allow for a few, well-organized, intensely brutal and malicious guards to control a large number of prisoners.
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
So divide and conquer, basically
$endgroup$
– DT Cooper
10 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
Depending on how brutal the society is, the 'group punishment' mindset can turn the majority of your prisoners into guards - Every 'cell group' overwatched by a guard with a Gatling gun: Any serious infraction by any member of the group results in said Gatling gun being used to punish the entire cell group... Prisoners now have a vested interest in ensuring no one around them steps out of line.
$endgroup$
– TheLuckless
9 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Turn prisoners into managers
Many societies across time have used this tactic (Romans for one, Nazis and Stalinists for more modern/malicious examples). Find the prisoners who are willing to enforce rules on other prisoners in exchange for more rights/luxuries/privileges. This creates a type of managerial oversight among the prisoners themselves. It's better to manage than to labor.
Extreme rewards and punishments
Any small violation of rules is enforced brutally. Beatings, tortures, etc. Snitches are rewarded handsomely with accommodations and protection from guards. This keeps prisoners looking for relief an easy way out of their rough situation: betray someone acting out. This type of regulation also keeps prisoners from trying to group together or make a consolidated effort at rebellion.
Group rewards and punishments
If a road or building is constructed well, everyone is rewarded with a day off. If one person makes a run for it, everyone in the group has to work through the night. This reinforces the idea of group obedience.
Keep prisoners occupied
Wake up, work, sleep. Repeat. Give them neither time nor energy to think about anything except their labor. Just enough food to get the work done, and only at the end of the day when they finish the labor. No lunch breaks. Keeping prisoners hungry and desperate for "one more meal" will deplete resolve and eliminate any practical hope of escape.
Although this also breeds intense resentment, there should be a clear path to eliminate or minimize their suffering. Snitching on others, pursuing management over other guards, and performing good labor are simple, safe, straight-forward paths to make their situation better. If there is no (reasonable) hope of escape, but clear paths "up" by turning on other prisoners, then prisoners will pursue those options. Make extreme examples of those who don't.
All these together allow for a few, well-organized, intensely brutal and malicious guards to control a large number of prisoners.
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
So divide and conquer, basically
$endgroup$
– DT Cooper
10 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
Depending on how brutal the society is, the 'group punishment' mindset can turn the majority of your prisoners into guards - Every 'cell group' overwatched by a guard with a Gatling gun: Any serious infraction by any member of the group results in said Gatling gun being used to punish the entire cell group... Prisoners now have a vested interest in ensuring no one around them steps out of line.
$endgroup$
– TheLuckless
9 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Turn prisoners into managers
Many societies across time have used this tactic (Romans for one, Nazis and Stalinists for more modern/malicious examples). Find the prisoners who are willing to enforce rules on other prisoners in exchange for more rights/luxuries/privileges. This creates a type of managerial oversight among the prisoners themselves. It's better to manage than to labor.
Extreme rewards and punishments
Any small violation of rules is enforced brutally. Beatings, tortures, etc. Snitches are rewarded handsomely with accommodations and protection from guards. This keeps prisoners looking for relief an easy way out of their rough situation: betray someone acting out. This type of regulation also keeps prisoners from trying to group together or make a consolidated effort at rebellion.
Group rewards and punishments
If a road or building is constructed well, everyone is rewarded with a day off. If one person makes a run for it, everyone in the group has to work through the night. This reinforces the idea of group obedience.
Keep prisoners occupied
Wake up, work, sleep. Repeat. Give them neither time nor energy to think about anything except their labor. Just enough food to get the work done, and only at the end of the day when they finish the labor. No lunch breaks. Keeping prisoners hungry and desperate for "one more meal" will deplete resolve and eliminate any practical hope of escape.
Although this also breeds intense resentment, there should be a clear path to eliminate or minimize their suffering. Snitching on others, pursuing management over other guards, and performing good labor are simple, safe, straight-forward paths to make their situation better. If there is no (reasonable) hope of escape, but clear paths "up" by turning on other prisoners, then prisoners will pursue those options. Make extreme examples of those who don't.
All these together allow for a few, well-organized, intensely brutal and malicious guards to control a large number of prisoners.
$endgroup$
Turn prisoners into managers
Many societies across time have used this tactic (Romans for one, Nazis and Stalinists for more modern/malicious examples). Find the prisoners who are willing to enforce rules on other prisoners in exchange for more rights/luxuries/privileges. This creates a type of managerial oversight among the prisoners themselves. It's better to manage than to labor.
Extreme rewards and punishments
Any small violation of rules is enforced brutally. Beatings, tortures, etc. Snitches are rewarded handsomely with accommodations and protection from guards. This keeps prisoners looking for relief an easy way out of their rough situation: betray someone acting out. This type of regulation also keeps prisoners from trying to group together or make a consolidated effort at rebellion.
Group rewards and punishments
If a road or building is constructed well, everyone is rewarded with a day off. If one person makes a run for it, everyone in the group has to work through the night. This reinforces the idea of group obedience.
Keep prisoners occupied
Wake up, work, sleep. Repeat. Give them neither time nor energy to think about anything except their labor. Just enough food to get the work done, and only at the end of the day when they finish the labor. No lunch breaks. Keeping prisoners hungry and desperate for "one more meal" will deplete resolve and eliminate any practical hope of escape.
Although this also breeds intense resentment, there should be a clear path to eliminate or minimize their suffering. Snitching on others, pursuing management over other guards, and performing good labor are simple, safe, straight-forward paths to make their situation better. If there is no (reasonable) hope of escape, but clear paths "up" by turning on other prisoners, then prisoners will pursue those options. Make extreme examples of those who don't.
All these together allow for a few, well-organized, intensely brutal and malicious guards to control a large number of prisoners.
answered 10 hours ago
cegfaultcegfault
1,14749
1,14749
1
$begingroup$
So divide and conquer, basically
$endgroup$
– DT Cooper
10 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
Depending on how brutal the society is, the 'group punishment' mindset can turn the majority of your prisoners into guards - Every 'cell group' overwatched by a guard with a Gatling gun: Any serious infraction by any member of the group results in said Gatling gun being used to punish the entire cell group... Prisoners now have a vested interest in ensuring no one around them steps out of line.
$endgroup$
– TheLuckless
9 hours ago
add a comment |
1
$begingroup$
So divide and conquer, basically
$endgroup$
– DT Cooper
10 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
Depending on how brutal the society is, the 'group punishment' mindset can turn the majority of your prisoners into guards - Every 'cell group' overwatched by a guard with a Gatling gun: Any serious infraction by any member of the group results in said Gatling gun being used to punish the entire cell group... Prisoners now have a vested interest in ensuring no one around them steps out of line.
$endgroup$
– TheLuckless
9 hours ago
1
1
$begingroup$
So divide and conquer, basically
$endgroup$
– DT Cooper
10 hours ago
$begingroup$
So divide and conquer, basically
$endgroup$
– DT Cooper
10 hours ago
3
3
$begingroup$
Depending on how brutal the society is, the 'group punishment' mindset can turn the majority of your prisoners into guards - Every 'cell group' overwatched by a guard with a Gatling gun: Any serious infraction by any member of the group results in said Gatling gun being used to punish the entire cell group... Prisoners now have a vested interest in ensuring no one around them steps out of line.
$endgroup$
– TheLuckless
9 hours ago
$begingroup$
Depending on how brutal the society is, the 'group punishment' mindset can turn the majority of your prisoners into guards - Every 'cell group' overwatched by a guard with a Gatling gun: Any serious infraction by any member of the group results in said Gatling gun being used to punish the entire cell group... Prisoners now have a vested interest in ensuring no one around them steps out of line.
$endgroup$
– TheLuckless
9 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Inmates are the guards. This is the Trusty system.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusty_system_(prison)
The trusty system had designated inmates used by staff to control and
administer physical punishment to other inmates according to a strict,
prison-determined, inmate hierarchy of power...
The bulk of guarding and disciplining of the inmates was performed by
inmate trusties. They also performed most of the administrative work,
supervised by a few employees... Essentially, the trusties ran the
prison system. Highest in the prison inmate hierarchy were the inmates
armed with rifles, called the "trusty shooters." Their job was to act
as prison guards and control other inmates on a day-to-day basis in
the residential camps or out on the field work crews. Next came the
unarmed trusties who performed janitorial, clerical, and other menial
tasks for the prison's staff. Simple tasks, such as distributing
medication, were carried out by other categories of inmates such as
"hallboys.' Inmate trusties enforced discipline within the prison
inmate living quarters (16 different residential camps) and in the
work camps and farms.
Prisons using this system did it for exactly your reasons: limit required paid employees. Trustys were chosen as people who would recognize when they had a good thing going and not screw it up. Oversight was not a priority. American prisons in the South had to quit doing this this way in the 1970s but this system is still used in other countries.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Inmates are the guards. This is the Trusty system.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusty_system_(prison)
The trusty system had designated inmates used by staff to control and
administer physical punishment to other inmates according to a strict,
prison-determined, inmate hierarchy of power...
The bulk of guarding and disciplining of the inmates was performed by
inmate trusties. They also performed most of the administrative work,
supervised by a few employees... Essentially, the trusties ran the
prison system. Highest in the prison inmate hierarchy were the inmates
armed with rifles, called the "trusty shooters." Their job was to act
as prison guards and control other inmates on a day-to-day basis in
the residential camps or out on the field work crews. Next came the
unarmed trusties who performed janitorial, clerical, and other menial
tasks for the prison's staff. Simple tasks, such as distributing
medication, were carried out by other categories of inmates such as
"hallboys.' Inmate trusties enforced discipline within the prison
inmate living quarters (16 different residential camps) and in the
work camps and farms.
Prisons using this system did it for exactly your reasons: limit required paid employees. Trustys were chosen as people who would recognize when they had a good thing going and not screw it up. Oversight was not a priority. American prisons in the South had to quit doing this this way in the 1970s but this system is still used in other countries.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Inmates are the guards. This is the Trusty system.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusty_system_(prison)
The trusty system had designated inmates used by staff to control and
administer physical punishment to other inmates according to a strict,
prison-determined, inmate hierarchy of power...
The bulk of guarding and disciplining of the inmates was performed by
inmate trusties. They also performed most of the administrative work,
supervised by a few employees... Essentially, the trusties ran the
prison system. Highest in the prison inmate hierarchy were the inmates
armed with rifles, called the "trusty shooters." Their job was to act
as prison guards and control other inmates on a day-to-day basis in
the residential camps or out on the field work crews. Next came the
unarmed trusties who performed janitorial, clerical, and other menial
tasks for the prison's staff. Simple tasks, such as distributing
medication, were carried out by other categories of inmates such as
"hallboys.' Inmate trusties enforced discipline within the prison
inmate living quarters (16 different residential camps) and in the
work camps and farms.
Prisons using this system did it for exactly your reasons: limit required paid employees. Trustys were chosen as people who would recognize when they had a good thing going and not screw it up. Oversight was not a priority. American prisons in the South had to quit doing this this way in the 1970s but this system is still used in other countries.
$endgroup$
Inmates are the guards. This is the Trusty system.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusty_system_(prison)
The trusty system had designated inmates used by staff to control and
administer physical punishment to other inmates according to a strict,
prison-determined, inmate hierarchy of power...
The bulk of guarding and disciplining of the inmates was performed by
inmate trusties. They also performed most of the administrative work,
supervised by a few employees... Essentially, the trusties ran the
prison system. Highest in the prison inmate hierarchy were the inmates
armed with rifles, called the "trusty shooters." Their job was to act
as prison guards and control other inmates on a day-to-day basis in
the residential camps or out on the field work crews. Next came the
unarmed trusties who performed janitorial, clerical, and other menial
tasks for the prison's staff. Simple tasks, such as distributing
medication, were carried out by other categories of inmates such as
"hallboys.' Inmate trusties enforced discipline within the prison
inmate living quarters (16 different residential camps) and in the
work camps and farms.
Prisons using this system did it for exactly your reasons: limit required paid employees. Trustys were chosen as people who would recognize when they had a good thing going and not screw it up. Oversight was not a priority. American prisons in the South had to quit doing this this way in the 1970s but this system is still used in other countries.
answered 10 hours ago
WillkWillk
115k27217481
115k27217481
add a comment |
add a comment |
$begingroup$
One Guard
All you need is a warden to make the decisions and an automated system. Prisoners have obedience collars. Door are remotely operated. Cameras are everywhere and everything is recorded.
If a prisoner plays up the collar can do everything from an electric shock to blowing their head off.
Should a collar be removed, other prisoners can be employed to capture/execute the escapee through the threat of their own collar.
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Two problems here: First is that it does not conform to the 1890s tech limit. Second is that actual prisoners are very creative at finding ways to beat systems, and it takes equally creative guards to recognize and thwart prisoner innovation. Automation won't proactively adapt like human guards can.
$endgroup$
– Nosajimiki
1 hour ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
One Guard
All you need is a warden to make the decisions and an automated system. Prisoners have obedience collars. Door are remotely operated. Cameras are everywhere and everything is recorded.
If a prisoner plays up the collar can do everything from an electric shock to blowing their head off.
Should a collar be removed, other prisoners can be employed to capture/execute the escapee through the threat of their own collar.
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Two problems here: First is that it does not conform to the 1890s tech limit. Second is that actual prisoners are very creative at finding ways to beat systems, and it takes equally creative guards to recognize and thwart prisoner innovation. Automation won't proactively adapt like human guards can.
$endgroup$
– Nosajimiki
1 hour ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
One Guard
All you need is a warden to make the decisions and an automated system. Prisoners have obedience collars. Door are remotely operated. Cameras are everywhere and everything is recorded.
If a prisoner plays up the collar can do everything from an electric shock to blowing their head off.
Should a collar be removed, other prisoners can be employed to capture/execute the escapee through the threat of their own collar.
$endgroup$
One Guard
All you need is a warden to make the decisions and an automated system. Prisoners have obedience collars. Door are remotely operated. Cameras are everywhere and everything is recorded.
If a prisoner plays up the collar can do everything from an electric shock to blowing their head off.
Should a collar be removed, other prisoners can be employed to capture/execute the escapee through the threat of their own collar.
answered 3 hours ago
ThorneThorne
17.4k42352
17.4k42352
$begingroup$
Two problems here: First is that it does not conform to the 1890s tech limit. Second is that actual prisoners are very creative at finding ways to beat systems, and it takes equally creative guards to recognize and thwart prisoner innovation. Automation won't proactively adapt like human guards can.
$endgroup$
– Nosajimiki
1 hour ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Two problems here: First is that it does not conform to the 1890s tech limit. Second is that actual prisoners are very creative at finding ways to beat systems, and it takes equally creative guards to recognize and thwart prisoner innovation. Automation won't proactively adapt like human guards can.
$endgroup$
– Nosajimiki
1 hour ago
$begingroup$
Two problems here: First is that it does not conform to the 1890s tech limit. Second is that actual prisoners are very creative at finding ways to beat systems, and it takes equally creative guards to recognize and thwart prisoner innovation. Automation won't proactively adapt like human guards can.
$endgroup$
– Nosajimiki
1 hour ago
$begingroup$
Two problems here: First is that it does not conform to the 1890s tech limit. Second is that actual prisoners are very creative at finding ways to beat systems, and it takes equally creative guards to recognize and thwart prisoner innovation. Automation won't proactively adapt like human guards can.
$endgroup$
– Nosajimiki
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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2
$begingroup$
The smallest number of guards would be to just kill everyone. A prison is humane punishment or a source of labor. What are the needs of your prison?
$endgroup$
– Andrey
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
@Andrey: What do you mean? The needs of my prison are to punish/rehabilitate prisoners by use of hard labor
$endgroup$
– DT Cooper
10 hours ago
$begingroup$
You don't state how 'post' apocalyptic the world is, but presumably there are sufficient resources to make it worthwhile feeding and housing criminals rather than just killing them. Without any other details, this doesn't seem any different to real-life for-profit prisons that operate nowadays. These are already (by their very nature) answering the question of what the minimum-viable staffing level is.
$endgroup$
– K. Morgan
10 hours ago
2
$begingroup$
You also don't state the tech level of the world you are building - is it greater than we have now? Less? This affects the nature of the answers you will get (e.g. a fully-automated AI-run murder prison requires zero staff).
$endgroup$
– K. Morgan
10 hours ago
$begingroup$
You might want to look at the Panopticon (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon) which was designed to work with a single guard. Would be a fairly radical redesign of the structure though.
$endgroup$
– Matthew
9 hours ago