Playing a Prison-Themed Save

@Mariefoxprice83 I don't know how it works but I believe at least some prison systems have work release programs where prisoners are allowed to leave to work. I'm guessing it would depend on the crime. Something for you to maybe research?

"Starfree;c-18220002" wrote:
@Mariefoxprice83 I don't know how it works but I believe at least some prison systems have work release programs where prisoners are allowed to leave to work. I'm guessing it would depend on the crime. Something for you to maybe research?

That sounds about right to me but it wasn't quite what I wanted to do with this save and I don't want to worry too much about being uber realistic, though I have done a little googling. I caved in and decided to see what happens by letting them attend university. I usually make the sims try hard to get good grades so maybe it will be fun to experiment.

The good news is that sims don't have to go to class to pass university. I played a test save once with not a convicted criminal, but a disabled sim and his household robot, and they managed to get their degrees with a lot of studying at home.

Wow, that's really cool. I was thinking that it might be possible, so fingers crossed.

Prisoners who are on good behavior are sometimes hired for community service type work like planting trees, picking crops and such. Maybe you could take them to a community garden type lot for extra activities and meeting people. There are also prison restaurants open to the general public which are staffed by inmates for their rehabilitation and skilling process, you could probably run a restaurant or bakery, or a prison shop to sell their crafts. Also, they receive visitors, so you could have a day when you invite other sims to the lot to meet them. It could be their family, friends, lawyer, fans (some criminals do get fans, and have penpals, some even marry this way and married folks can have conjugal visits). If the prisoner is pregnant, they could visit the hospital to give birth. Sometimes prisoners get bad tattoos and scars and try to seduce the prison guard or doctor, or you could get them to try escape by building a secret tunnel under their cell one tile at a time.

"crocobaura;c-18220039" wrote:
Prisoners who are on good behavior are sometimes hired for community service type work like planting trees, picking crops and such. Maybe you could take them to a community garden type lot for extra activities and meeting people. There are also prison restaurants open to the general public which are staffed by inmates for their rehabilitation and skilling process, you could probably run a restaurant or bakery, or a prison shop to sell their crafts. Also, they receive visitors, so you could have a day when you invite other sims to the lot to meet them. It could be their family, friends, lawyer, fans (some criminals do get fans, and have penpals, some even marry this way and married folks can have conjugal visits). If the prisoner is pregnant, they could visit the hospital to give birth. Sometimes prisoners get bad tattoos and scars and try to seduce the prison guard or doctor, or you could get them to try escape by building a secret tunnel under their cell one tile at a time.

Thanks for your suggestions, I'm not sure I want to send the prisoners off the home lot but I've been thinking about making families for both the prisoners and the guards, to widen their world a bit. Having said that, I could let one or two of the prisoners out with one of the guards to wander the home neighbourhood as well.

"JustinB113;c-18220073" wrote:
If I was doing this then to start I would...

- have a reception area with the guards and maybe a receptionist non detective and lock all other paths. And make that a friendly social area.

- make the prisoner families and give them high relationship so they might drop in. Then the guards can let them into the locked areas or not. And I’d have visitors rooms in a corridor.

- have a big dining cafeteria area probably with HSY cafe.

- have a laundry room and make the sims alternate laundry duty in pairs.

- do either the GED from HSY or home university.

- give them all at least one trait that might cause drama so they can fight and stuff

- have a computer room and give them unique personalities via what they do, so one might have penpals and one might troll forums and the guard revoke their privilege etc.

- have them work on fitness and gardening skill and maybe even music. And also mischief.

- maybe explore the discover university roommate system for some prisoner because then their partners and that come around and I wouldn’t have direct control of them.

I like your suggestions, but I don't own HSY so that element is out. Some of the other suggestions are very much in my ballpark, and may help me improve the game.

"JustinB113;c-18220087" wrote:
Awesome, I’m glad you liked them.

HSY isn’t important, it just has a nice cafeteria item that would suit a prison but you can find something in other packs for sure. And I’m not even sure how the GED works, the home university will be more in depth and demanding for sure. This sounds very fun. Good luck, you should post photos :smile:

Thanks, I might do that once I have made the family members.

Plan a 'prison' break.

"Mariefoxprice83;d-1005988" wrote:
The trouble is, I am feeling directionless because 6 of the 8 household members members of the household are confined to the home lot every day, so they can't do rabbit hole or active careers, and they can't go out and meet sims.

You accidentally made the authentic prison experience.