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The Truth Behind Bars: Orange Is The New Black

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Jojo Baker
Professor Tullo
Enc 1102
9 September 2014
The Truth Behind Bars
A new show has become the latest craze because of the shocking subject matter; the tumultuous lives of female prison inmates. Orange Is the New Black is the name of this gripping new television drama series, only available on Netflix, and it is about a young woman named Piper Chapman. She was put into jail for fifteen months because she was an accomplice with her former girlfriend, Alex Vause who was an international drug dealer. They were caught by transferred a suitcase of money through an international airport together. Ten years after committing the crime, Chapman was living with her boyfriend, soon to be fiancé, Larry Smith in New York City. During that time, Vause was sent to trial and named Piper Chapman as her accomplice and they were both immediately sent to prison. The series goes on to show Pipers life and experience throughout prison which is based on a true story. …show more content…
Currently there are more than 200,000 woman in prison and in jail. About one million woman are in trouble with the law, such as violating probation. Many women in prison struggle with drug abuse, mental illness, and physical and sexual abuse. In the television series it shows examples of issues with health care for transgender women, pregnant woman, mental and physical abuse and women who are experiencing relapse. With all of these seemingly implausible scenarios occurring in the television show, one must pose the question ;Does Orange is the New Black appropriately represent what prison is like for real life female

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