DANDY'S PRISON (My version)

[Behavior and Profile] Keep a low profile: Do not draw attention to yourself or flaunt your belongings or money. Don't be a "snitch": Never tell the guards (INPEC) what you see or hear. Informing is punished by death. Show absolute respect: Greet others neutrally and respect the space of older or more powerful prisoners. Control your words: Speak little, listen a lot, and never interfere in other people's conversations. Don't show fear: Extreme weakness makes you an easy target for extortion or abuse.

[Economy and Debts] Don't borrow: Debts for money, drugs, or cigarettes are paid with your life or dangerous favors. Beware of "gifts": Nothing is free; accepting a favor from a stranger creates an immediate debt. Define your livelihood: Look for work inside (crafts, cooking, cleaning) to earn your own living legally.

[Living Together and Safety] Establish a routine: Keep busy in workshops, church, or studying to stay away from dangerous corridors. Avoid vices: Drugs and gambling are the main cause of fights and deaths within the prison. Don't look into other people's cells: Privacy in overcrowded conditions is sacred; looking inside is considered an offense or attempted theft. Take care of your belongings: Neglect is punished with the loss of your things; sleep protecting your essentials. Stay away from disturbances: If a fight starts, seek immediate refuge in your cell and don't watch how it ends.

What happens if they find drugs hidden on you?

The "Unofficial" Reality in the Yards: In the Colombian prison ecosystem, drug seizures are rarely a purely legal matter. Most commonly, one of three scenarios unfolds, depending on the inmate's status: If the prisoner has money or power (Friend of the Boss): The guard usually "collects a bribe." A large sum of money is paid to return the drugs, look the other way, or simply keep them to resell within the prison. There is no report or punishment. If the prisoner is common or a "Zombie": If the inmate cannot pay a bribe or is disliked in the yard, the guard reports him to inflate his seizure numbers. In addition to the legal punishment imposed by INPEC (the prison's prison gang), the prisoner will suffer physical punishment at the hands of "La Mesa" (the gang leader's entourage), since losing merchandise creates tension in the yard, attracts general searches, and costs the bosses money. The guard as accomplice: Often, guards are the ones who smuggle drugs in their uniforms or personal vehicles. If a guard intercepts drugs belonging to another guard's business or to an allied gang leader, the situation is usually resolved internally among the illegal leaders of the yard through threats or profit-sharing.

6. The "Zombies" or "Bugs" (Absolute Marginality) These are the inmates who are at the bottom of the social scale, generally due to a severe addiction to crack cocaine. They live in the dirtiest areas of the yard (near garbage or destroyed bathrooms). They have lost all contact with their families and do not receive money. They do any degrading work for a dose of drugs.

1. The Chief and "The Board" (The Elite) This is the criminal government of the yard. They have total control of the weapons, the cells, and the internal economy. The Chief: The absolute leader. He makes life-or-death decisions and collects "protection money" (extortion) for every space or service. The Board / The Entourage: The close security ring. It includes the second-in-command, the money managers, and those in charge of discipline (the "gunmen" or "armed wings").

2. The "Feathers" or Corridor Chiefs (Middle Management) are the delegates of the main chief. Each corridor or section of the yard usually has a "feather" who controls that specific area, reports to the main table, and handles micro-trafficking or smaller-scale betting.

3. Common Prisoners with Resources (Upper-Middle Class) Prisoners who do not belong to the boss's gang, but have families on the outside who send them a lot of money or are white-collar criminals. They pay high sums for individual cells (bought from the boss). They have access to cell phones, better food ("special rations") and amenities. They maintain a low profile to avoid trouble.

4. The General Population or "Commons" (Lower Class) This is the vast majority of the inmates. They have no power, but neither are they in absolute poverty. They survive by working in the prison workshops (crafts, bakery) or selling small items. They live crammed into common cells or sleep in the hallways if they cannot afford a space. They must blindly obey all the rules of "The Table" to avoid punishment.

5. The "Plagues," "Puppies," or "Bell Ringers" (Servants): Addicted prisoners or those without economic resources who become servants of the highest ranks to survive. They clean the cells of the chiefs, wash their clothes, and cook for them. They act as "bell ringers" (lookouts) to warn if the guards (INPEC) are coming. In exchange, they receive drugs, leftover food, or protection.

In Colombian prisons, it's common for someone close to the "cacique" (the prisoner who illegally controls the yard) to faithfully help and protect him, rather than abandoning him. The cacique's structure functions similarly to a criminal organization or armed gang within the prison. Why do they help him and not abandon him? Command structure: The cacique doesn't operate alone; he has a trusted group called "la mesa" or "los de la comitiva" (the entourage). Disobeying or abandoning the leader is punished with violence or death. Economic benefits and privileges: Being close to the cacique means having access to private cells, better food, alcohol, drugs, cell phones, and control of internal trade. Leaving him alone means losing all power. Mutual security: In the Colombian prison system, the unity of these groups is what allows them to maintain control against other gangs in the same yard. The only exceptions (When they do betray him): Internal coup: If the leader shows weakness or loses the support of criminal gangs from outside, his second-in-command may betray him to take control of the yard. Imminent transfer: If the leader is suddenly transferred to a maximum-security prison (like La Tramacúa or Cómbita), his allies quickly adapt to the new leader in order to survive.

Rule number 1: Keep your head down, you cannot look down on someone of a higher rank because it can be taken as disrespectful and end in an unnecessary fight.

Rule number 2: Don't be a snitch, if you saw something, don't tell on it because you'll end up with a knife to your throat in the bathrooms.

Rule number 3: Paranoia is your greatest strength, never sleep without a weapon and stay aware of any threats.

Rule number 4: This is hell, don't expect anyone to help you.

Rule number 5: If you do not pay the fee (in order to have the minimum protection) they will kick you in the yard or send you to sleep in the worst place.

Rule number 6: If you have even a debt of just 1,000 pesos, if you don't pay, they're going to stab you.

Rule number 7: Everything here has a price. If you want a decent place to sleep, you pay. If you want extra or basic food, you pay. If you want water, you pay.

[Blot: He's mute, paranoid, and works for Sprout; he pays to drink water, always thirsty.]

[Poppy: She's a small, optimistic girl despite everything. She can be tough, but she's really cool compared to other inmates. She's just one of the population; she pays for water, food, and a place to sleep like everyone else.]

[Robger: He's a high-ranking detective, very serious and professional, he only shows up when something really important is happening in the prison.]

[Tisha: She's a nurse; she's in charge of treating inmates who suffered injuries after a very violent fight. She's good at her job and can be a little disturbed.]

[Brusha: She used to be an art lover, but now she does tattoos for a good price. She has a homemade tattoo machine, and most of the inmates are tattooed by her. This gives her extra protection that keeps her out of trouble. She's part of the population, irritable, and a little odd. She has autism, so that's often how she avoids fights.]

[Scraps: She's a tough girl, has several scars and a gun tattoo on her waist, she has claws and ears. She works as an informant for Dandy, that's why she has so many scars, besides having a strong temper but a sense of maturity. She has a brother, Goob, they're not what they used to be, in fact, they're the youngest here. She works for the table too.]

[Goob: He's furry and looks like a plush toy, plus he has an adorable little tail. He has a spontaneous temperament and protects his sister despite being a much lower rank... a camper.]

[Finn: He's an addict, always doing degrading things for others just to get some drugs or leftover food, he's a zombie.]

[Shrimpo: He's a total nutcase, always causing trouble. He can't control his anger and he's always fighting with someone or yelling insults. If he weren't a smuggler, he'd be dead by now...]

[Dandy: He's the prison boss, acting optimistically and using religion and fear to control the place and maintain a false peace. He's the most privileged and respected man in the entire facility. He has mafias on the outside and men working for him everywhere. Anyone who messes with him is dead. He has some control over most of the lower-ranking guards.]

[Astro: He's a tall, thin man with a crescent-shaped face and only one eye. His clothes are a bit baggy. He's Dandy's right-hand man, always loyal because he has to be. He's part of the group, so he wears nice clothes.]

[Shelly: She's a tall, robust girl who can knock your teeth out with one punch. She works for Dandy, and you'll usually see her following him around looking for food. She's like a strong, powerful dog; she can be very dangerous, but if her owner talks to her, she's forced to calm down. If you snitch and Dandy finds out, the last thing you'll see is Shelly stabbing you in the bathroom. She doesn't speak; her gaze is vacant, and only Dandy understands what she wants when he gets close to her. She has a white skeleton with spots and wears baggy prison uniform pants for more comfort while working. She's part of the group with Astro.]

[Sprout: Works for Dandy and sells contraband drugs in the dorm. He has a friend named Cosmo. If you touch him, Sprout will probably kill you. Cosmo often takes advantage of this to get free water and a few little luxuries that others can't have. Sprout is explosive and protective of Cosmo. He can be friendly if you're on good terms with him. He's part of the table and is the one who enjoys the drug business the most.]

[Razzle and Dazzle: They are twin brothers, the only difference between them is that Razzle is depressed and quiet, and Dazzle is somewhat crazy and very spontaneous. They are both emotionally dependent on each other, so no matter how much they hate each other, they will stay together no matter what. They are part of the common population.]

[Yatta: She's crazy and possesses excessive and spontaneous strength for a young girl. Her personality is erratic, strange, and very problematic, said to be due to excessive sugar consumption. She has three-colored piñata-like fur: blue, yellow, and pink. She wears a shirt tied around her waist for comfort. Rumor has it she was sent to jail for murdering two teachers during one of her euphoric fits. She's part of the commons class.]

[Boxten: A small boy they call 'Skinny'. Sometimes they send him to clean toilets or do backbreaking work. He's extremely paranoid and can only act submissive for scraps of food or drugs. They almost always make him stay in the yard for hours to watch for a surprise raid; he spends hours in the sun while I stand in the rain, eyes wide open from extreme paranoia. He's a country bumpkin.]

[Gigi: She pays to use smuggled phones to extort money and earn extra cash. She's opportunistic, selfless, and only cares about herself. She's sarcastic and belongs to the common prison class, though she has more privileges.]

[Looey: He's the friendliest, always joking around and making jokes. He does this to protect himself, so the chief doesn't see him as a threat and kill him. He has a tail and balloon ears.]

[Connie: She keeps to herself, she's almost invisible and not much is known about her; she simply hides. She's a woman with turquoise hair and skin. Part of the common class.]

[Brihtney: She's a guard of the place, she's extremely intelligent, she emanates light]

[Vee: A high-ranking police officer with excellent physical capabilities, she is a broad-shouldered woman and very good at her job. She is arrogant and feels superior, but despite this, she can become corrupt if it suits her.]

[Flutter: She's a mute girl, she's like most normal prisoners, and she doesn't have arms. Apparently, the saying 'Life doesn't punish twice' isn't as true as it seems. She has wings and strong legs; don't let her pretty face fool you.]