The prison was originally designed to hold 600 inmates and now holds nearly 3000 inmates. Inmates must purchase their own cells from other inmates because cells are not assigned by or run by any uniformed prison officials. The names of the housing section are Posta, Pinos, Alamos, San Martin, Prefectura, Palmar, Guanay and Cancha. Of those, Posta, Pinos, and Alamos are considered the higher end communities and act similar to gated communities. Each section has a rating that indicates its housing quality. Representatives of the higher end communities usually lock non-residents out around 9:00 p.m. The lower end communities are said to house the drug addicted inmates and are identified as the most dangerous at nighttime where most stabbings occur. Each section operates like a small village or neighborhood, with its own courtyard, restaurants, markets, and services.Skarbek, B.David "Self Governance in San Pedro Prison","The Independent Review", Volume 14, Number 4,Spring 2010.Young, Rusty, and Thomas McFadden. 2003."Marching Powder: A True Story of Friendship,Cocaine, and South America’s Strangest Jail." New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.
