San Pedro Prison in La Paz, Bolivia, is unlike most prisons in the world. Instead of simply being assigned a cell, inmates inside this unusual prison can buy their own accommodation and even pay an entrance fee to get inside.
The prison resembles a small village rather than a traditional correctional facility. Around 3,000 inmates live there, and the unusual system means that the quality of life inside can depend heavily on how much money a prisoner has.
Inmates can purchase their own cells, with different types of accommodation available depending on what they can afford. Some prisoners may end up in a tiny cell that they have to share with three other people, while those with more money can obtain something closer to a luxury apartment.
The prison is also home to more than just inmates. Some prisoners have their spouses and children living with them, making the facility feel even more like a small community where families can share daily life.
Money plays an important role in almost every part of San Pedro. Inmates are expected to earn a living, and the prison has jobs and businesses where prisoners can work to support themselves.
Some inmates work in kitchens, while others operate shops or even hair salons. Rather than having every aspect of their lives controlled by prison authorities, prisoners can earn money and use it to improve their living conditions.
This creates a strange divide inside the prison. Those who have enough money can afford better accommodation, while prisoners with fewer resources may have to live in much smaller and more crowded cells.
The prison’s unusual economy means that earning money can become an important part of surviving life inside. A prisoner who can find work and make money has a better chance of paying for improved accommodation.
But the system goes far beyond ordinary prison jobs. According to the account of San Pedro, some inmates even start cocaine labs inside the prison, adding another dangerous side to the unusual community.
Perhaps the strangest part is that there are almost no guards in the main part of the prison. The lack of strict control has helped San Pedro develop its own internal system, where prisoners manage much of their daily lives.
The prison has even attracted tourists. Some visitors have taken illegal tours through San Pedro, entering a place that operates very differently from a conventional prison.
These tours could end with drug fueled parties involving the inmates, making the prison an unusual destination for people willing to enter an environment that was never meant to function like a tourist attraction.
San Pedro is therefore more than a place where prisoners are locked away. It operates like a small community with homes, jobs, shops, families, and its own economy.
For some inmates, money can mean the difference between sharing a tiny cell with three other people and living in a much more comfortable apartment. Inside these prison walls, earning money is not simply about having extra cash. It can determine what kind of life a prisoner is able to have.
