NOTE: some things have changed with the latest update in September and thus this guide might contain some faults.

I've done enough prison time now to get a good picture of how everything works with in the walls of this maximum security prison.

Going there as a civilian:

It is possible to go to the prison as a civilian/smuggler.
The easiest way to get out of there is by the teleporter: 135412, 91180 (roughly)
Teleporter is located on the 3rd/4th floor, take the stairs next to the shower room.

This is a one way teleporter, meaning it can only be used to leave the prison not used to going back there.

Becoming a convicted inmate:

To become a convict you have to commit a crime.
The mission needed to commit the crime is provided by Antonio in Tangerine, just a bit north of the TP (134397, 83735)
(read the mission dialogue carefully if you don't want to ask for help later)

At this point you are still "free", once you do the next step there is "no" way out.

When you're done committing crimes and are ready to serve your prison sentence you have to report to the Booking Officer in the prison at 135393, 91115.
You'll be provided a No Way Out Prison Identification Card and get the status as an inmate.

Once you've become an inmate you will have limited access to different parts of the prison and you will not be able to use the teleporter to leave the prison.

Life as an inmate:

Once you have become a inmate you have to earn your respect through various missions, including killing cops, inmates and other players.
Here: NWOMSP - Missions is a list of the different missions inside the prison!
You'll gradually earn more respect and thus be able to move around more freely in the prison.

Finally you'll earn your way out.

As an inmate you wont have access to your Storage nor the Auction.
There is however access too Trade Terminal, Repair Terminal, Technician and Crafting facilities.

Interrupting your prison sentence:

There are 3 different ways you can interrupt your progress inside the prison.
The first two is inside the prison if you screw up!

1. You don't accept or cancel the dialogue with an inmate that is about to give you a mission!
   
   
   
   This will give you a bad rep and any cop or inmate that you don't have earned respect from yet will kill you if you talk to them.
   Penalty: kill 50 extra inmates, mission given on yard.
   
2. You abandon a prison quest!
   
   
   
   Penalty: kill 50 extra inmates, mission given by various cops/inmates on ground level that offers you to get back on track.
   
3. You teleport out of the prison!
   
   
   
   This will make you a super snitch and prompt you with a dialogue about every time you teleport somewhere on ROCKtropia.
   Penalty: kill 250 extra inmates, given by the cop in the booth on the main floor.
   (natural skill gains are rewarded during the mission even though dialogue might suggest otherwise.)

Every penalty mission wont give a reward. (I think, not 100% confirmed)

After serving your time:

When you have served your prison sentence you can freely move around in the prison and you can also use the teleporter located inside the prison, both to get there and to leave.

Problems, rumours etc.

It is possible to leave the prison at any time during your prison sentence.

The only way to leave prison as an inmate is by teleporting out.
Beware that you probably will need a Teleport Chip II to be able to get out!
Since you have to teleport out far enough that you will revive in another zone, else you'll just spawn back in prison!
(from the latest update we were told the following:
"-Kill Box removed from prison perimeter. Penalty for trespassing on prison grounds remains."
thus this statement about needed teleportation might be wrong)

Once you leave prison you are prompted every now and then when teleporting. This dialogue contains a claim that you wont be able to do any missions until you serve your time in prison. You can choose to only see this message once.
This is just a threat, it is possible to finish missions and start new once.

I've written this guide since there is a lot of speculation about how it works. And all the time I meet new people that comes with the same questions. Instead of repeating it all over I'm providing this guide!

If there is something vital missing feel free to post it. It should contain most info you'll need to understand the way of being an inmate.

I was also asked to do this sort of by one of the developers as I told him about a few problems and complaints about the prison. He wanted some feedback on what could be improved.
But please keep it simple and clean, anything that just contains "this place sucks", "the missions are boring, change the requirements" etc. will just get deleted.
I'm aware that the mission chain can get quite repetitive but that is the way of being in prison it shouldn't really be pleasant and you are warned once you enter. I have myself already escaped
What is asked for is feedback on what isn't working and what could be done better.

Well done Amber, finally some solid information instead of just here-say.

To become a convict you have to commit a crime.
The mission needed to commit the crime is located in at Kashas Corner and is provided by Antonio outside the club across the street from the teleporter.
(read the mission dialogue carefully if you don't want to ask for help later)

At this point you are still "free", once you do the next step there is "no" way out.

When you're done committing crimes and are ready to serve your prison sentence you have to report to the Booking Officer in the prison at 135393, 91115.

I have done this and the end of dialog with Antonio was i have to go to New Harlem and find something in a dumbster behind a shop. Never found it and nothing more has happend - Am I doing something wrong?

Going there as a civilian:

You can leave with a TP chip II

Originally Posted by Yquem

I have done this and the end of dialog with Antonio was i have to go to New Harlem and find something in a dumbster behind a shop. Never found it and nothing more has happend - Am I doing something wrong?

Yes, the dumbster is in New Harlem...

(read the mission dialogue carefully if you don't want to ask for help later)

135428, 88117, 116

Where do i need to go with the pick kit there was something about a safe somewhere but cant remember and you cant get the info afterwards anymore :/

I started the prison quests but found it way to difficult with my gear so I escaped with my TP II chip.

I can confirm that you can still be offered and complete quests when you leave after being convicted. As of yet I have not received any police radio quests so not sure if they work or not.

Great guide

Originally Posted by hotass

Where do i need to go with the pick kit there was something about a safe somewhere but cant remember and you cant get the info afterwards anymore :/

LoL, another one that didn't pay attention

I wont give coords for this one, you have to work some.
Look for the Cavendish Dance Studio in Tangerine...
Its a shop owned by the ROCKtropia Manager.

Originally Posted by Amber Knightley

This will make you a super snitch and prompt you with a dialogue about every time you teleport somewhere on ROCKtropia.

So are you saying that these popup spam only happen on RT? I mean to be fair it's not that bad since you can just leave this place then to get rid of it... but did anyone test if this happens on other planets?

Originally Posted by XeroX

So are you saying that these popup spam only happen on RT? I mean to be fair it's not that bad since you can just leave this place then to get rid of it... but did anyone test if this happens on other planets?

Not tried but normally missions are only linked to planets (Check mission log when on RT and you will not see your Calipso ones)