For Cell Grading released in Cleared for Transfer DLC, see Cell Grading
Cell Quality was added in Alpha 33. It ranges from 0-15 and dictates how comfortable a prisoner is in that cell.
The using of cell quality can be toggled in the Policy Tab. When using the cell quality rating, it is highly advisable to have shared cells (or dormitories). Else, if all low quality cells are full, prisoners might rot in solitary.
There are 20 attributes that when completed raises [+1] or lowers [-1] a cell's quality:
- [+1] Room size at least 6 Squares per Prisoner (e.g. a 3x2 space qualifies as 6 squares).
- [+1] Room size at least 9 Squares per Prisoner.
- [+1] Room size at least 16 Squares per Prisoner.
- [+1] Item : 1 Shower Head per 4 Prisoners.
- [+1] Item : 1 TV/Large TV per 4 Prisoners.
- [+1] Item : 1 Radio per 4 Prisoners.
- [+1] Item: 1 Soft Pillow
- [+1] Item: 1 Comfy Bed
- [+1] Item: Punch Bag
- [+1] Item: 1 Pet Bird
- [+1] Item: 1 Sink & Mirror
- [+1] Item: 1 Canvas & Paint
- [+1] Item : 1 Bookshelf per 4 Prisoners
- [+1] Item : 1 Chair per 4 Prisoners
- [+1] Item : 1 Office Desk per 4 Prisoners
- [+2] Item: 1 Outdoor Window (1 per 8 Prisoners a window that has a view to an outdoor location)
- [-1] Item: 1 Old Bed or 1 Bed (Foam Mattress)
- [-1] Surrounded by depressing walls or Glass walls
- [-1] No windows
- [-1] Has PA system in cell block
Prisoners are automatically allocated higher-quality cells (should they be available) based on the number of days they have gone without incident (one day is equivalent to one point of cell quality).
If a prisoner has a cell that is better than average, they will be less inclined to commit a misdemeanor within your prison; likewise, if a prisoner has a cell that is worse than average, they will become more willing to commit a misdemeanor.
Manual Allocation[]
The automatic system does work but it is rather slow and does have problems when prison population reaches the maximum capacity.
While prisoners are in their cells (Lockdown/Sleep regime) it is possible to move them to valid new cells by left-clicking(highlight) the prisoner and then right-click (move) to the new cell you want them to be in. Guards will transfer them eventually, but the prisoner will move by themselves if you open doors for them on the way to their new cell. This is very accurate but time consuming.
Another much easier way is the use of the unlocked zone designation in the Deployment Tab. While in-cell regime is active, prisoners in "Unlocked" zones will move to another valid cell if they deserve a better OR worse cell. Else they just keep sleeping in their adequate cell. While transferring on their own from unlocked zones, guards wont bother interfering. You do this with one cell block, wait for the prisoners to find their new homes, change the unlocked zone back to what it was before and repeat it with another cell block. Your have to do it one by one because prisoners will only move FROM unlocked zones, but not TO them. If you have several cell quality within a building, add normal doors to separate the quality sections to make then individually unlockable.
Using this method prisoners will transfer within the automatic allocation rules which state a cell with +-3 quality as valid. But they will not move to a holding cell automatically, offender (zero rating) in a good cell needs to be send to holding cell by hand (if all low quality cells are in use).