Netflix's Girls Incarcerated is nothing less than necessary to watch. The eight episode series follows the lives of young women serving their time at Madison Juvenile Corrections in Madison, Indiana. The series sheds a light on one of our nation's under discussed issues: juvenile incarceration in America. The students we get to know are often victims of their own environments.
While some of them are able to leave and start fresh leaving their locked up lives behind, others never get the chance to leave. Much like every other drama series there are girls that you think don't have a change of redemption. On the other hand, there are girls that you feel sad for and girls you really want to see succeed in life.
Najwa Pollard was perphaps one of the most heart breaking stories. She was first admitted at the age of 14 for drug abuse and bad behavior. When you first meet her you think she's just a young kid with a bad attitude, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Najwa, or referred to by her fellow students as Pollard, struggles with the reality of her situation. As a viewer I got to see her ups and downs. Her bright smile and positive attitude drew me to her, despite completing her program and not being able to be released due to her age and not having a home to go to she stayed positive. With every disappointment she felt, I felt. While I felt sorry for her at times, there was always a faint sense of hope that her situation will improve.
Taryn Twine, another girl with a heartbreaking story, caught my attention due to her resilience, calm nature and her extremely unique situation.The first time you meet her you immediately wonder how a girl liker her ended up in juvenile prison. Twine is an extremely intelligent and articulate individual who doesn't fit the typical prisoner criteria. Her stay in prison was a form of self punishment. After leaving a party one night Twine was driving on a dark road when she suddenly came to a curve in the road that she did not see. Her car went flying off the road and in the aftermath of the wreck she found out her best friend had passed away. It was proven that she was not drinking and that this was a legitimate accident. Living with guilt, at her own request she was placed in the juvenile facility. One can only hope that she can recover from this terrible incident and find peace on the outside.
Girls Incarcerated sheds an open and honest light on incarceration in America. The series focuses on why these girls act out, their journey of self discovery while in prison and their hope to better themselves.
