Install safely

The repository guidance identifies Schedule I, a current MelonLoader installation, and .NET Framework 4.7.2 or later as prerequisites. Use the specific release’s installation notes if they differ from this general overview.

  1. Back up the save you care about before changing your mod set.
  2. Download the intended Behind Bars release from the project’s GitHub Releases page.
  3. Extract the release into the Schedule I mods folder described by that release.
  4. Launch the game and confirm MelonLoader reports the mod without a loader error before relying on a long-running save.

Do not mix runtime-specific files blindly. An IL2CPP build is compiled against its target game assemblies. A DLL built for a different Schedule I installation can load incorrectly even when its filename and version look right.

The justice flow

Behind Bars is designed to make the period after an arrest more consequential. The exact path depends on the release and the game state, but it generally follows this sequence:

  1. Arrest and assessment. The mod records the event and assesses the applicable severity and fine context.
  2. Jail or fine decision. A player can face payment or custody paths, with jail infrastructure and sentence tracking handling the custody side.
  3. Release. The release flow returns control through the jail and officer systems rather than a silent direct completion.
  4. Parole. The parole lifecycle can apply supervision, conditions, check-ins, violations, and completion handling after release.

Important: the exact jail, release, and parole route can vary with the release and your game state. Check the release notes for any version-specific changes.

Feature status for players

Available in the current mod

  • Jail, booking, sentence tracking, release, guards, inmates, and associated jail infrastructure.
  • Bail calculation and negotiation foundations.
  • Crime and rap-sheet tracking, including parole-related records and violation handling.
  • Parole supervision foundations: conditions, check-ins, curfew/employment foundations, completion handling, and officer-driven interactions.

Not included yet

  • Court: the full courtroom experience, judge, evidence flow, and court session framework remain planned.
  • Multiplayer: multiplayer and friend-bail work are still experimental and are not part of the released mod.
  • Parole refinements: the roadmap still calls out native concealment-search UI, clearer check-in and fee communication, announced home-visit windows, more complete drug-use recording, counseling, and early-discharge work.

Configuration

Behind Bars writes its settings to UserData/MelonPreferences.cfg inside your Schedule I installation. Close the game before editing it, then restart after saving. Look for the [Behind_Bars] section.

A normal starting point

This is a small selection of the live default options. It is a good place to start if you want the standard experience and a reference for the names and formatting.

[Behind_Bars]
BailoutKey = "B"
EnableUpdateChecking = true
EnableDebugLogging = false

Global_SentenceMultiplier = 1.0
Enable_RepeatOffenderPenalties = true
Enable_WitnessMultipliers = true
Enable_SeverityMultipliers = true

Sentence_Trespassing = 15.0
Sentence_Assault = 180.0
  • BailoutKey is the key used to pay bail and leave jail early.
  • Global_SentenceMultiplier adjusts every sentence: 1.0 keeps the default, 0.75 makes sentences 25% shorter, and 1.25 makes them 25% longer.
  • Sentence_Trespassing and Sentence_Assault are individual sentence lengths in game minutes. Change only the individual offence you mean to tune.
  • The three multiplier switches control repeat-offender, witness, and severity adjustments. Leave them enabled to retain the default crime consequences.

Leave EnableDebugLogging off for normal play. It adds detailed log output and is only useful while troubleshooting. Keep EnableDeveloperShortcuts disabled; those shortcuts can change jail and door state.

Support and safety

For reproducible issues, include the game runtime, the exact Behind Bars version, other installed mods, and the relevant MelonLoader log excerpt. Do not upload a full save or personal data publicly unless the maintainers ask for it through an appropriate channel.

  • Start with the project’s GitHub issues to avoid duplicate reports.
  • For a runtime failure, state whether the game is Mono or IL2CPP and whether the issue occurs on a fresh launch.
  • For a feature request, distinguish a new idea from a broken documented flow.