The Lictor-class Dungeon Ship entered service practically at the end of the Clone Wars. It would later earn the nickname, Imperial Dungeon Ship. It was designed by the surviving Mandalorians to safely transport Jedi Knights and other hazardous foes. A variety of built-in features, and operation procedures ensure that prisoner control is maintained. Each section is partitioned, which allows variable gravity, lighting, atmospheric and other factors (such as: mild electric shock, which causes no lasting injury, sirens, and hallucinogenic gases) to be imposed. These conditions are purposefully uncomfortable to keep prisoners docile. Droids and heavily armed organic wardens (whose orders were to maintain order no matter what) guarded the prisoners. Those prisoners who prove problematic were put to death. As a result uprisings onboard these ships were rare.

    Confining Jedi Knights proved to be a challenge. Since the usual restrains prove useless against a Jedi, the only way to keep one under lock and key is to ensure that they are disorientated and engrossed with their survival. Each cell is lined with super-dense alloys that prevent escape. In addition, it was (incorrectly) thought that these alloys would block Jedi telepathy attempts. The cell's life support levels were set to extreme minimums, forcing the Jedi to hibernate for the duration of their transport. Later, the Jedi's advantages were nullified with the installation of energy shields (technology from the Universal Energy Cage) around the cells' perimeter. Special prisoner transfer is accomplished via a flank hatch located at the base of the ventral tower.

    Further measures defeat attempts by prisoners from escaping or commandeering the Imperial Dungeon Ship. This ship does not possess a nav computer, but rather a computer that stores only two hyperspace coordinates. Hence, stealing the ship is all but impossible. Generally, the two coordinates stored are the prisoner transfer world and the prisoners' final destination. If multiple hyperspace jumps are required, then at each stop over a new set of coordinates must be received and fed into the computer. The ventrally located bridge, complete with its own rations and signal beacon can be ejected from the four engine Dungeon Ship in the most dire circumstances.