The Portrayal of the Criminal Justice System in TV Dramas
“Orange is the New Black” is an American comedy-drama television series. It tells a story about the life, struggle and experience of Piper Chapman in a female prison. The first episode “I Wasn’t Ready” explains why Piper is sentenced to prison and describes her beginning days in there. About ten years ago, Piper helped her girlfriend, Alex, to transport a luggage of drug money. Ten year passed, in her thirties, when she and her fiancé, Larry, is being happy together, her past crime catches her up. Then, she decides to self-surrender. She is charged for fifteen months in prison. Piper and Larry promise that they will wait for each other. Before Piper enters the prison, her body is checked …show more content…
For instance, members in a family can be kept in the same female prison and the counselors are provided for the inmates. About the first accurate idea about family members in the same female prison, when Piper and the new inmates just enter the prison and Morello is introducing the place, a lady comes to them and slaps one of the newcomer, Diaz. When Morello asks Diaz if that lady was her friend, Diaz replies “No. It’s my mom.” In male prisons, if the families have more than one criminals, the prisoners cannot find that relatives in the same prisons. They are not allowed to be in the same place (Madoo, 2016). However, in female prisons, they can. Mothers, daughters or sisters might encounter the others in the same prisons (Madoo, 2016). About the second correct idea about inmates’ counselors, we can see in this movie that the new inmates can get their counselors. There is a long scene about the conversation between Piper and her counselor, Mr. Healy, in their first meet. They talk about how she is sentenced and Mr. Healy gives her some advice to survive in prison. Indeed, this happens in real prisons. The inmates are provided with counselors (Junior, 2013). In this way, the female prisoners can have someone to talk with, to share feelings about their difficulties and frustration. Thanks to the counselors, the inmates are helped to overcome loss and stress. They can learn how to deal with …show more content…
The first incorrect thing is male officers work in close proximity to female inmates. In this episode, we can see that there are no female officers inside the prison. The male officers take full control of the prison. They check the female prisoners, enter the room to count the prisoners and supervise the prisoners the entire time. Indeed, male officers are prohibited from having “direct-contact positions with women prisoners” in real life (Soliman, 2000). There are some positions for male officers in female prisons, however, only female officers take responsibilities to work closely and directly with female inmates. The second inaccurate portrayal that is the prisoners cook with knives in the kitchen without supervision. In this episode, a group of inmates work in the kitchen to prepare food for the other inmates. They use knives and sharp tools, but no police is inside the kitchen to keep an eye on them. In true prison life, the prisoners are permitted to prepare the meals (Kjaer, 2014). Nevertheless, they need to be supervised strictly. If not, they might steal or use the kitchen’s tools as weapons, which turns out dangerous (Kjaer,
“Orange is the New Black” is an American comedy-drama television series. It tells a story about the life, struggle and experience of Piper Chapman in a female prison. The first episode “I Wasn’t Ready” explains why Piper is sentenced to prison and describes her beginning days in there. About ten years ago, Piper helped her girlfriend, Alex, to transport a luggage of drug money. Ten year passed, in her thirties, when she and her fiancé, Larry, is being happy together, her past crime catches her up. Then, she decides to self-surrender. She is charged for fifteen months in prison. Piper and Larry promise that they will wait for each other. Before Piper enters the prison, her body is checked …show more content…
For instance, members in a family can be kept in the same female prison and the counselors are provided for the inmates. About the first accurate idea about family members in the same female prison, when Piper and the new inmates just enter the prison and Morello is introducing the place, a lady comes to them and slaps one of the newcomer, Diaz. When Morello asks Diaz if that lady was her friend, Diaz replies “No. It’s my mom.” In male prisons, if the families have more than one criminals, the prisoners cannot find that relatives in the same prisons. They are not allowed to be in the same place (Madoo, 2016). However, in female prisons, they can. Mothers, daughters or sisters might encounter the others in the same prisons (Madoo, 2016). About the second correct idea about inmates’ counselors, we can see in this movie that the new inmates can get their counselors. There is a long scene about the conversation between Piper and her counselor, Mr. Healy, in their first meet. They talk about how she is sentenced and Mr. Healy gives her some advice to survive in prison. Indeed, this happens in real prisons. The inmates are provided with counselors (Junior, 2013). In this way, the female prisoners can have someone to talk with, to share feelings about their difficulties and frustration. Thanks to the counselors, the inmates are helped to overcome loss and stress. They can learn how to deal with …show more content…
The first incorrect thing is male officers work in close proximity to female inmates. In this episode, we can see that there are no female officers inside the prison. The male officers take full control of the prison. They check the female prisoners, enter the room to count the prisoners and supervise the prisoners the entire time. Indeed, male officers are prohibited from having “direct-contact positions with women prisoners” in real life (Soliman, 2000). There are some positions for male officers in female prisons, however, only female officers take responsibilities to work closely and directly with female inmates. The second inaccurate portrayal that is the prisoners cook with knives in the kitchen without supervision. In this episode, a group of inmates work in the kitchen to prepare food for the other inmates. They use knives and sharp tools, but no police is inside the kitchen to keep an eye on them. In true prison life, the prisoners are permitted to prepare the meals (Kjaer, 2014). Nevertheless, they need to be supervised strictly. If not, they might steal or use the kitchen’s tools as weapons, which turns out dangerous (Kjaer,