Molàro prison
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| Location |  Montecara |
|---|---|
| Status | Operating |
| Security class | Mixed-security |
| Capacity | 1,050 |
| Population | 954 (as of 1 January 2019) |
| Opened | 1898 |
| Managed by | Secretariat of Defense and Security |
| Governor | Damàs Bertòn |
| Street address | Vìa Galèri 20 |
| Website | difseg |
Molàro prison (Montecaran language: Calçèr Molàro) is the main penal institution in the city-state of Montecara.
History
Rapid population growth at the end of the 19th century meant that Montecaran state infrastructure found itself rendered obsolete. The prison system was no exception. Before 1898, prisoners were held in a variety of ad-hoc arrangements, including in the cells of Castèl Gerò, in the basements of court buildings, and most notoriously, in the dungeon of the Doxe's palace. The total capacity of the penal system was only a few dozen at a time, as punishment was generally focused not on long-term state incarceration but on forced labor, house arrest, or various forms of overseas exile. As the focus of punishment shifted toward rehabilitation and restitution, the state found itself in need of a permanent home for inmates.
Thus, in 1895, construction began on what was to become Molàro prison. It is located on the former site of an open-air market in central Montecara and was built over the course of three years, mainly using convict labor. Prisoners quarried the stones themselves and constructed a building that was originally planned to hold approximately 500 prisoners in single-occupant cells.
Prison life
Life at the prison, though monotonous, is generally safe, and the state makes efforts to rehabilitate inmates and reduce the risks they pose to society. Prisoners at Molàro have access to educational opportunities, including the chance to finish secondary school and take university-level courses. Inmates are responsible for most of the prison's day-to-day operations, including cooking meals, cleaning, doing laundry, making basic repairs, and doing administrative and clerical work. This makes the prison a largely self-sustaining community. Inmates even produce some of their own food in the prison garden and care for the prison's long-standing population of stray cats.
Under Montecaran law, inmates cannot produce goods for sale outside the prison. They are given a small weekly stipend of approximately Ł40 which they can use to buy sundries at the commissary and can be sent a limited amount of money by friends or relatives. Inmates are allowed regular visits and phone calls, and are guaranteed access to their spouses, children, attorneys, religious ministers, and consuls if foreign citizens.