Staff Prison Architect Guide
Last update: 25 May 2016
No prison can function without proper personnel. Prisoners have to be watched over by guards, while doctors care about the wounded and cooks prepare meals. In order for the whole structure to work properly, you also need specialists like the psychologist or chief, who give access to additional options.
Not all types of personnel is needed for the proper functioning of the establishment - gardeners and janitors are an additional luxury without much effect on the game itself. They care about the aesthetics of the prison, but don't influence the way it works.
The Staff menu can be found in the lower part of the interface (screen above).
Below there's a list of all types of employees which you can hire.
Workman
Hiring cost | Wage | Requirements | Description | |
 | 500$ | 100$ | None | A specialist responsible for building and renovating the prison. Installs new objects and repairs the broken ones. Can move objects and dismantle them should you want to. Essential in the beginning, becomes less important later on. |
Guard
Hiring cost | Wage | Requirements | Description | |
 | 500$ | 100$ | None | Watches over prisoners, moves them and - in case of riots - pacifies the rebelling ones. The only one possessing keys to prison doors, therefore he can let prisoners and outsiders through such obstacles. Having multiple guards lets you deal with problems more easily and speeds up the transfer of prisoners. In order to obtain the Basic Detention Centre grant you need at least two guards, though you should quickly increase their numbers (it will improve the way the whole facility functions). You should have one guard for no more than 8 prisoners. |
Doctor
Hiring cost | Wage | Requirements | Description | |
 | 1000$ | 100$ | Health | Heals wounded prisoners and members of the staff. If you have an infirmary in your prison, the doctor will remain inside - otherwise she will wander around the whole facility. Two doctors are enough for almost any prison to function, regardless of its size. Such an amount is also required to obtain the Health and Well Being grant for 10000$. |
Cook
Hiring cost | Wage | Requirements | Description | |
 | 500$ | 100$ | None | The role of the cook is preparing meals. He takes raw food from the delivery zone to the kitchen, where he then prepares ready meals and sends them to the canteen. In the end he brings dirty dishes back to the kitchen and cleans them there. The main area where he works is of course the kitchen, where he uses the fridge, the cooker and the sink. Cooks begin their work a few hours before the set meal time and end after cleaning all the dishes. In order to complete the Basic Detention Centre grant you need at least two cooks. You should have at least one for each 20 prisoners - otherwise some of them might be hungry because of an insufficient amount of meals prepared on time. |
Gardener
Hiring cost | Wage | Requirements | Description | |
 | 500$ | 100$ | Grounds Keeping | The only responsibility of the gardener is taking care of the lawns and bushes found on the area of the prison. Besides that he performs no other work. |
Janitor
Hiring cost | Wage | Requirements | Description | |
 | 500$ | 100$ | Cleaning | Takes care of the aesthetic and cleanness of the prison. Walks throughout the facility and sweeps all rubbish, which however doesn't influence the gameplay anyhow. Despite what it might seem, janitors don't need bleaches or the cleaning cupboard to complete their duties. |
Warden
Hiring cost | Wage | Requirements | Description | |
 | 1000$ | 200$ | None | The most important official on the game, required for unlocking the other bureaucracy specialists (listed further). He works in an office and lets you invent: Security, Finance, Maintenance, Mental Health, Health, and Legal. Having him gives access to regime in the reports menu (see: Regime). One prison can have maximally one warden. |
Chief
Hiring cost | Wage | Requirements | Description | |
 | 1000$ | 200$ | Security | Prepares bureaucratic solutions regarding the safety sphere. He's responsible for Deployment, Riot Guards and Cctv. Just like the other officials, he works in an office and rather doesn't leave it. Employing him opens access to the anger gauge at the top of the screen (see: Interface - basics). Deployment is essential in each prison, is it lets you employ prisoners in the laundry - which is one of the basic requirements in a good prison. |
Foreman
Hiring cost | Wage | Requirements | Description | |
 | 1000$ | 200$ | Maintenance | Working in his office, the foreman gives access to advanced maintenance options and prison labour: Cleaning, Grounds Keeping, Prison Labour and Clone. The foreman should be one of the first members of staff you hire, as without prison labour it's impossible to run the laundry. Lack of such a room will mean problems with washing dirty clothes, from where there's a straight road leading to protests and riots. |
Psychologist
Hiring cost | Wage | Requirements | Description | |
 | 1000$ | 200$ | Mental Health | Gives access to needs in the reports menu (see: Prisoners' needs). As an official, he works in an office and - despite what it might seem at first - does not meet with any prisoners. One psychologist is enough for a whole prison, regardless of its size and population. He's one of the most important officials on the game, so you should hire him rather fast. HE also lets you complete the Health and Well Being grant. |
Accountant
Hiring cost | Wage | Requirements | Description | |
 | 1000$ | 200$ | Finance | Lets you buy additional terrain using the Land Expansion option and unlocks access to the daily balance (see: Interface - basics). Hiring her gives access to Valuation and Finance in the reports menu (see: Interface - Reports). The accountant works in an office and hiring her lets you complete the Administration Centre grant. A larger number of them isn't required. |
Lawyer
Hiring cost | Wage | Requirements | Description | |
 | 1000$ | 200$ | Legal | Doesn't work at the moment. |