Is Unlocked A Jail Experiment Real? How did the Experiment Go?

Is Unlocked A Jail Experiment Real?

Yes, Netflix’s show ‘Unlocked: A Jail Experiment’ is a real-life social experiment done at a jail in Arkansas. They said there would be no locks and no officers, but that wasn't true.

At first, they took deputies out of one part of the jail, so the inmates had more control over what they did every day. The Sheriff set up a system where inmates who behaved well could get more rights and freedoms, based on a system used in another part of the jail. Scroll down and get more information about the experiment.

Unlocked: A Jail Experiment

‘Unlocked: A Jail Experiment’ is a documentary series on Netflix. It premiered on April 10. The show is about an unusual test at a prison in Arkansas. In this experiment, the cells in the prison were unlocked, and the prisoners were allowed to move freely inside. There were no locks on the cells, and there were no guards nearby.

Netflix says the series looks at what happens when prisoners are given freedom inside a prison for six weeks. They see how the prisoners build their own community and rules without guards controlling them.

How did the Experiment Go?

The people being held in the jail were left to figure out how to manage their part of the facility.

Sheriff Eric Higgins said, “They each have their own issues, whether it’s court, their charges, their contact or lack of contact with family members, their lack of support… all of those things are coming into play,” Higgins said. “They stepped up. They recognized that they can improve their environment. And the majority of the people in the unit did the right thing from Day 1.”

“In this country, we have a certain perception of someone who goes to jail — the assumption being that they’re guilty,” Higgins said. “But they deserve dignity. These individuals, they’re fathers, they’re uncles, they’re sons. People care about them… they’re not just a number. I believe that if you treat people right, and you hold them accountable… I think they take that with them when they walk out of this facility. I think we have proven that people will rise to the expectation.”

Why was the Experiment Conducted?

On April 10, the NAACP in Jacksonville had a Q&A session with Higgins. He talked about why he decided to go ahead with the controversial jail experiment.

Higgins said he wanted to make people seem more human. He wants to give them the power to make a difference in their culture, surroundings, and community. He believes that if you can do this in jail with people you might not have cared about at first, you can take that mindset with you when you leave and make a positive impact on your neighborhood and family.

Barry Jefferson, the President of the NAACP Jacksonville branch, also supported the experiment. He thinks we need to change because the current system isn't working. Building more prisons and putting more people in jail isn't solving the problem. He believes we can change how jails work and prevent people from going back to jail. He thinks this is important because people shouldn't feel like they have no choice but to go to jail.

Unlocked A Jail Experiment Cast

Unlocked A Jail Experiment Review

This documentary takes us inside a prison and shows us what it is like for the men who are there. It shows us that these men are not just villains, they are alos human beings with their own stories.

We all make mistakes, though not all of us end up in prison for them. It is important to remember that people don't become criminals overnight. There are reasons why they do what they do, some of which they can't control. So, before we judge someone who's in prison, we should think about what led them there.

The goal was to see if giving inmates more freedom and less supervision could create a more community-focused atmosphere. There were some good results, like inmates learning to cooperate. But in the end, things turned violent when one prisoner was caught cheating at cards.

After watching ‘Unlocked: A Jail Experiment,’ you might find yourself being more understanding and less quick to judge others.