In the wake of Obama's prison reform efforts, which was sparked by two women found dead in their cells, we may start to think about prison. Prison isn't exactly the nicest thing to come to our minds, but it's necessary to consider sometimes. We look to find anything we know about prison. For many, including me, that would be the Netflix series "Orange is the New Black."
OITNB is based on a book of the same name, and the book is based on a woman's actual experience in prison. However, the show did change a few things in order to make it appropriate and entertaining. Yet, "Orange is the New Black" is, surprisingly, pretty darn accurate. So if you've ever wondered what was true and what was questionable in your favorite prison drama series, here is a list of a few things I found:
1. One of the very first scenes in the series shows the lead character, Piper, being asked what she did to end up in prison. She replies saying she heard you weren't supposed to ask that. This is true. You are never supposed to ask what someone did to land them in prison. You will get this reaction ... or worse.
2. When Piper first arrives in prison a fellow inmate tells her to sleep on top of the bed rather than in the covers. This is accurate.
3. Officers being extremely rude to inmates like Officer Mendes? Of course that happens. Although there's always some good ones like Officer Fischer.
4. In the series a guard and an inmate have a seriously inappropriate relationship. This does, in fact happen, and sometimes they even get together once the inmate is released.
5. There is an episode where one of the inmates gets released, but within only a couple days she is back in prison. Unfortunately this does happen sometimes. When prisoners come out of jail, there is too often not enough opportunities open to them. They sometimes resort to crime and land themselves back in prison. Prisoners are often not equipped with the right skills to integrate themselves back into the community and are shocked by what they encounter in the outside world.
6. Alex gives up Piper's name in court in efforts to get a shorter sentence. They are then put in the same prison. This would most likely not happen. Due to the animosity they might hold towards each other it would be safer for them to be separated.
7. They describe the racial divide in the show as "tribal" rather than racist. This divide is very real. Inmates often stay within their own ethnic group and are advised not to stray. Even the dorms are often split up depending on race.
8. In the show the worst thing that could happen to an inmate is to be taken to the SHU. The SHU is solitary confinement, and it really is that bad.
9. The inmates in the show talk about furlough as if it were a unicorn. They know that getting furlough is very rare if it even exists, but in one episode Piper is granted furlough to attend her grandmother's funeral. Although furlough is rare it is sometimes granted to prisoners with 24 months or less to serve, if they have been on outstanding behavior.
10. In the show the inmates make alcohol they call "hooch." This is real, and there are even recipes online in case you're interested. Add that to your Pinterest board.
11. Although the show depicts some violence, it is thought to be pretty rare to see violence in a minimum security women's prison.
12. In the show many of the characters are mothers and some are even pregnant. In reality more than half of the women in prison have children under 18.
13. While only a few of the characters in "Orange is the New Black" are portrayed as having mental health problems (mental health problems do not always manifest themselves as visible, so other characters could potentially have mental health problems as well) in reality over half of the women in federal prisons suffer various mental health problems.
14. The inmates all have various essential jobs, which help the prison run smoothly. Some jobs include electrical work, running the kitchen, cleaning and driving. In reality inmates do have jobs in prison it helps to give them a sense of purpose, keep their skills sharp for when they go back into society, and sometimes they even make a bit of money. However driving is more of a rare privilege because of the chances it could go wrong.
15. Inmates have a few extracurriculars such as a drama class, AA meetings, yoga, a library, a track and, at one point, a newsletter. This is all very normal (except maybe the newsletter). In addition prisons often have educational classes.
16. Gossip spreads really fast throughout the prison in this show. In reality gossip is very prevalent in inmates lives, however it is looked at negatively, and it is especially bad to snitch on someone.
17. Lets just say prison food is as gross as they make it out to be in the show. Although the inmates who work in the kitchen may put effort into making the food the best it can be the funding is often not there. (So that one time Piper got a waffle was pure bliss).
18. The effervescent Laverne Cox plays the role of a hairdresser in the show. Surprisingly this isn't so far from the truth. When hairdressers are locked up, they often make the best of it by continuing to work on hair in prison. Some prisons even have their own beauty salons.
19. Lesbian relations although technically forbidden are quite prevalent in the show. This is accurate. Women often turn to each other to quench their sexual and emotional needs when there are no men around, whether they went in straight or not (although this is obviously not always the case). Just like in the show, this actually does take place in the church of the prison more often than you would like to think.
