The prison was originally designed to hold 600 inmates and now holds nearly 3000 inmates. Inmates must purchase … See more

San Pedro prison is guarded by police officers rather than a hired civilian force as in many western countries. Their primary job is to patrol the border of the prison walls. Latin American prisons like San Pedro are … See more

There are eight democratically elected section committees. The committee in charge of each section manages it. They perform various maintenance duties like sidewalk repair and the painting of walls. A director set… See more

When an inmate enters the prison they can either purchase a cell from the prison mayor or through a freelance real estate agent. The mayor charges around 50 percent more than the freelance agents and housing in t… See more

Aside from the 1,500 prisoners and the guards there are numerous others inside the prison walls. The wives and children of the inmates often stay inside the walls but are allowed to come and go as they please. Without th… See more