01x01 - Shanks and Shakedowns

[bunniefuu]

[siren wailing]

[reporter 1] An already bursting jail

and prison system

becoming more problematic.

[reporter 2] A violent fight.

The old state prison in Draper.

[reporter 3] Video tonight of two Rikers

Island correction officers being attacked.

[narrator] Jails in America

are violent and understaffed

[reporter 4] The jail

at its breaking point.

Two officers watching nearly 300 inmates.

[narrator] which means inmates

are locked down for up to 23 hours a day.

[reporter 4] A huge problem? The violence.

[narrator] But things

are only getting worse.

[reporter 1] In the past three months,

there were five assaults.

[reporter 5] Inmates being beaten,

stabbed, or even k*lled.

[reporter 3] At least five homicides

at this prison alone.

[officer] Enough is enough.

We need help.

We need change, and we need it now.

[narrator] That's why

this sheriff is willing

to risk it all on a new radical idea.

There's people who think what you need

is just to be locked behind a door.

That's not helping.

That's what this is about.

[narrator] No locks and no officers.

We're gonna open up all the doors.

And the deputies

are gonna stay out of the unit.

Really?

And let y'all be a community.

[laughing]

Time out!

[narrator] Treat the inmates

like responsible adults

[inmate] You treat 'em like animals.

You treat 'em like a f*cking caged animal.

[narrator] and they'll behave

like responsible adults.

-We're gonna ride on these guards.

-We're gonna ride on 'em and k*ll 'em!

[narrator] That's the theory, at least.

[upbeat music playing]

I got nothing left ♪

I'm making this decision.

My name's on the line.

nothing left to lose ♪

[narrator] And this sheriff

is betting his reputation on it.

I need y'all to prove to me

that I'm right about what this can be.

Got nothing left to lose ♪

Wow!

Y'all in the ride for y'all life now.

[theme music playing]

[inquisitive music playing]

[banging]

[indistinct yelling, whistling]

[narrator] In H Unit,

the experiment has not yet begun,

and the inmates have no idea

that in less than a week,

they'll be part

of the jail's innovative program.

[indistinct chatter]

[inmate] These n*gg*s too damn old

to be crying like b*tches.

They be crying like f*cking girls.

We be crying like what?

-Some girls, bro.

-You act like a b*tch and a girl.

Don't never disrespect me no more.

[narrator] They've just been let out

after 23 hours behind locked doors.

Tempers run high, and conflict can erupt

over even the smallest perceived slight.

n*gga, apologize!

[pensive music playing]

-[inmate] Come in.

-[inmate 2] Guilty.

-You guys, don't move.

-Comin' in. They're comin' in.

405, upstairs, guys.

Come down and eat.

-[inmate] What are we gonna talk about?

-[inmate 2] Let me talk and I'll explain.

[inmate 3] You just brung

six more peoples in here.

A whole barrack full of f*ck' hardheads?

It's gonna be hectic, man.

[inmate 4] Got a rat. Got a rat in here.

Get the f*ck away.

I can't believe you.

After everywhere we've been together,

you f*cking think it's me.

I ain't no f*ck' rat!

[inmate 5] Stay the f*ck away from me.

Don't come over here around this table.

I'll do whatever the f*ck I wanna do.

-sh*t, no, you ain't.

-Okay.

No, you ain't, and I'll come

and smash you if you come over.

I don't care about your funky a*s.

-You ain't wanna do sh*t anyway.

-b*tch-a*s m*therf*cker. Go on.

I'll beat your a*s right now, bro.

You know I will. You know I will.

[music intensifies]

Come on, step out here.

Step out here, bro. Step out here.

[tense music playing]

[whistle blows]

[officer] Hey! Everybody, lock it down!

Hey, everybody, by your doors!

Back up in the cells!

[whistle blows]

Calm down!

You do this same sh*t!

This m*therf*cker every g*dd*mn day!

[inmate] Wait!

[door slams]

[music fades out]

[man] We're here in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Pulaski County

Regional Detention Facility.

My name is Eric Higgins.

This is my fifth year.

I'm starting

my second term here as sheriff.

So, H Unit, you know,

it's a true reflection of the facility.

Most of 'em are waiting to go to trial.

Some of 'em have gone to trial,

they've been sentenced,

and they're waiting

to go to prison to start their time.

But we're not holding

really low-level offenders.

These are all felons,

from drug charges,

burglaries,

robberies, battery,

homicide.

They're people charged

with serious crimes.

[banging] Still stuck behind this door.

[Higgins] Oftentimes you're locked

for 23 hours. You're in your cell.

So that tension builds up.

Then when you walk out

and engage with someone else,

it creates conflict.

[officer] Keep your hands on the wall!

[Higgins] When you have the conflict

and there's a fight or something,

you're not doing

what the deputy is instructing you to do,

then the end result is,

"Everybody back in your cell,

and you're on lockdown."

sh*t.

'Cause this sh*t here f*cked up.

[Higgins] I'd say, "We gotta do more."

"There's something we've gotta do.

We can't continue on this cycle."

I'm trying to do something different.

[narrator] H unit is on the precipice

of a unique experiment

that will last for six weeks.

A network of 19 cameras,

separate from

the jail surveillance system

What's up, class?

has been installed throughout

the day room and in many of the cells.

Them cameras rolling, though.

They watching everything.

[narrator] And a crew will document

the sheriff's unprecedented efforts

to improve his jail.

Oh, hell yeah. Hell yeah.

I've always wanted to do that.

[narrator] Right now, the inmates

are aware of the documentary,

but haven't yet been told

about the experiment itself.

m*therf*cker finna get served!

[Higgins] Soon we're gonna open the doors.

We're going to move

the deputy outside the unit.

The detainees will have six weeks to prove

that they can act more like people

and not criminals.

If this program is successful,

it may mean that even though

someone's been in jail,

been arrested several times,

even of a violent crime,

they'll realize that there's

a better way to do things.

And if this can work in H Unit,

then I can move to the next phase

and start looking at other units as well.

And we can try to make this the culture,

the environment of this facility.

[door slams]

But I am definitely concerned.

There are people charged

with more serious crimes.

So, what's really gonna happen?

How are they really gonna behave in there?

[determined music playing]

[inmate] I mostly do this sh*t right here.

I'll probably dread it up.

Usually have this sh*t all the way right.

We keep this sh*t right too.

We players in here.

We gotta have our sh*t right, you know?

It ain't too much you can do in here.

I know somebody's always watching.

We gotta keep ourselves up.

I definitely gotta be in, know

what I'm saying? Real pretty boy, man.

Not just your average gangster,

but a real pretty boy.

[chuckles]

In your book, I be the crook ♪

But you look awfully good on me ♪

Baby, baby, baby ♪

You look awfully good on me ♪

My name is Krisna Piro Clarke,

and everybody know me as Tiny.

I'm a small dude. I'm 5'3".

I've been small all my life,

so this the kind of name I picked up

from former g*ng members or whatever

'cause I was always

the smallest person in the crew.

I remember I was, like, eight years old.

I got this big pocketknife

from my old, big cousin, man.

And I went over to the eastside.

I see the big boys up there on the porch.

They was trying to play baseball.

I'm like, "Hey, can I play?"

They say, "No, you're too small."

I can remember this big cat, man.

He threw this plastic football

as I was walking off the porch.

Hit me on the back of my head.

I made the decision then that nobody

was gonna put their f*cking hands on me

or pick on me.

I didn't give a f*ck

who or how big you were.

Pop my knife out and hit

a couple times with this m*therf*cker.

I watched him start squirting.

Turned around and walked the f*ck off.

Man, sh*t.

I've been stabbing

m*therf*ckers ever since.

Yeah.

My charges are aggravated robbery

and 1st degree battery.

I've been in and out of jail

since I was 19 years old.

But in this m*therf*cker right here?

It's hard as f*ck.

23 and 1 is

keep your a*s locked down all day.

You only come out for just a hour.

That's it.

You f*cking just sit in here.

You know what I'm saying?

So, it's real hard

to be in a cell for 23 hours a day.

You're f*cking angry, and you got

so much sh*t built up in you.

You know?

Yeah, it kind of f*cking drives you, man.

Get up ♪

[bass music playing]

Well, I do have a few things

I do want to talk about.

You know, preparing for this,

it was a process.

To work through it and meet,

and we addressed everything

and meet again and it's like,

"We didn't think about this."

So it took several months,

but this is my last meeting

before we move forward.

And it's so important that they tell me

if they have concerns

because we're moving forward after this.

So, we're going to do a change in H Unit.

Try a little project.

For six weeks,

unlock the doors

to the unit's individual cells.

We're gonna remove the deputy,

put him outside,

adding some responsibilities

for the inmates.

[curious music playing]

I'd say what we house

are the worst of the worst.

Aggravated robbery, r*pe,

m*rder, capital m*rder.

So I was

a little bit concerned about that.

So with the deputy not being in the unit,

what are the big issues

we're gonna have to look at?

-There will be several pod bosses.

-Mm-hmm.

If you're trying to develop

that type of community.

-Somebody is gonna take control.

-[woman] Mm.

Somebody is gonna be stronger,

and that somebody is gonna use

whatever tactics

they feel like they need to take.

[officer] Makeshift shanks.

You know,

we're not gonna be in there as we would.

They can make a shank in no time.

Shakedowns should be able to occur

whenever we want them to occur.

You know,

just to kind of keep them on they toes.

One thing to think about

is what we're trying to do.

We'll be doing shakedowns

and everything else every three hours,

then we might as well not do this.

[Freeman] Mm-hmm.

I'm just saying, let's find that balance

between the security and the safety

and the environment

that we're trying to create.

If these detainees can take some control,

they'll make a safer jail

and maybe less crime when they get out.

So that's the goal.

We're tasked, you're tasked

with trying to make this happen

and happen in a safe way.

Before we do this, we need to do a sweep.

A shakedown needs to happen

for the safety of this facility.

We have to thoroughly search H Unit

to confiscate anything dangerous

before we open these doors.

All right. I appreciate you guys.

-[Freeman] Yes, sir.

-Thank you.

My name's on the line.

I mean, I'm the sheriff.

I'm making this decision.

That's a risk I'm taking.

[Freeman] I'm always up for

trying something different

to see if it's going to work.

But leaving the inmates alone Oh sh*t.

It's kind of scary. They could create

some type of riot situation.

That would be

one of the worst-case scenarios.

We get a lot of individuals that come in

and just don't want to do right.

[narrator] Before the sheriff

can begin the experiment,

his team will have to find and remove

anything that could be used as a weapon,

as well as contraband such as hooch,

drugs, or makeshift tattoo kits.

He did this.

This one. He did this one and this one.

He's my tattoo man.

You probably ain't gonna see

no cellies as comfortable as us.

[producer] Looks like

you got a cut on your hand?

-[inmate] Yeah, he stabbed me.

-[inmate 2 laughs]

Yeah, he stabbed me.

Piece of sh*t.

We had a shank battle, bro.

[rock music playing]

My name's John McCallister.

They call me Eastside.

I've been in jail 14 times.

So, ever since I was 19,

I've been in and out of jail,

you know what I mean?

My charge now is

possession of drugs with a firearm.

All I've been around is criminals.

I've never even had a driver's license,

but I've been f*cking in high-speed chases

and some worse sh*t, know what I mean?

I love the adrenaline-rush high,

knowing you could get caught.

When I was 19, I robbed a pet store.

I'm getting super ready for this sh*t.

I'm getting high.

Doing meth and doing pills,

and I take a hit of acid,

and they got these

cool-a*s $500 little snakes.

I hit the door with the f*cking hammer.

I go in, grab the pillowcase

using my hand

to f*cking punch out the cages

like I'm some kind

of f*cking superhero or some sh*t.

I got a pillowcase full of snakes.

And I got one wrapped around me,

big as f*ck.

And a f*cking iguana in my hand.

So I'm, like, coming out the hole,

and I see the f*cking cop.

I'm like, "Oh sh*t."

And I f*cking turn around so fast,

I must've scared the iguana

'cause this m*therf*cker

bites my f*cking d*ck.

I got this f*cking big-a*s snake,

and there's a fence.

A big-a*s fence.

I'm starting to climb the f*cking fence.

And this f*cking snake

starts tightening up on me.

I'm like [wheezing].

Fall off the fence.

I couldn't even breathe.

And I'm like [groans]

And [chuckles]

And I'm just laying on the ground.

f*cking cops are like, "Don't move!"

I'm like, "I can't!" You know what I mean?

[chuckles]

You see this?

This is a wing, and I took him under it.

He's like, "Come be my celly!"

So, I'll be his celly.

I get in there,

I'm thinking he setting me up.

So I'm sitting here like paranoid as f*ck.

-I didn't know he's never tried deuce.

-Yeah.

But I'm in there so f*cking high.

I'm on the toilet, I'm like

It was so weird.

Like, he was having a full episode.

I stood up,

but I didn't know I was standing.

It was some f*cked up sh*t.

I've been using meth since I was eight.

I could be sober. You know what I mean?

As long as I got people

that are, like, sober around me.

People get drugs in here.

If it's like

everybody's doing 'em around me,

when sh*t's getting hard, I'm like,

"f*ck it." That's what I know best.

And, like, I mean, this is

the worst jail I've been in so far.

These m*therf*ckers here,

the police here, they don't give a f*ck.

Like, the shakedowns

we got going on all the time.

That's pretty f*cking weird.

[sinister music playing]

We on a mission to find 'em ♪

[Freeman] All right. Y'all ready?

Try to block our steps

We keep climbin' ♪

We out, we on assignment ♪

In the dark of the night

We stay shining ♪

We out, we on assignment ♪

No matter the kind, we ride it ♪

We out, we on ♪

[continues indistinctly]

[Higgins on radio] 208 to central control.

Before we do this,

we have to make sure we have a safe unit.

[officer] Hold it there.

[Higgins] I need to make sure

this is a safe and secure facility.

[officer 2] Need code 2A facility.

[officer 3 on PA] Attention, all units.

Code 2A in the facility.

[officer 2] I'm turning it over to you,

Team Leader,

and we're gonna go ahead

and enter the unit.

[officer 4] Everybody, outside the doors!

Stand by your doors!

[inmate] f*cking knew it.

[inmate 2] Shakedown?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

-Hey guys! Everyone on their feet!

-[officer 3] Just pop it.

[inmate] Damn, man!

[officer 4] On the walls!

Beside your cell door!

[officer 5] Come out! Come out! Come out!

Keep your hands on the wall!

Do not speak while we are in here!

-Heard that?

-[whispering] Oh sh*t! Block the door.

-What did they say?

-Block that for me!

[doors buzz]

[Ty] Hey!

[whispers] Shut up!

-I'm tryin' to hide some sh*t.

-[Ty] Hurry!

-Cops are already here.

-[Ty] Oh.

[Eastside] Duh!

[officers yelling indistinctly]

During the shakedown,

I definitely had sh*t.

[tense music playing]

I got f*cking paranoid 'cause I know

somebody finna tell on some sh*t,

so I floom.

Threw it in the toilet, flushed it.

[Eastside] Ty's nervous as f*ck.

He's never done this type of sh*t,

you know what I mean?

Eastside, he's really,

like, paranoid as f*ck.

But he really just penitentiary.

He's been in the pen a lot,

you know what I'm saying?

[tense music continues]

[officer] Keep your hands on the wall.

Do not speak while we are in here.

[Freeman] So right now,

we want to just go in, hit it hard,

do a full complete unit shakedown

of every individual,

every cell, every mat.

Somebody's hands will touch everything.

Just to make sure that we get

all the contraband out of there

and minimize the risk factor

once the doors open up.

[officer] Get it out!

[officer 2] He's had stuff before.

We know that.

I'm looking for contraband.

[Tiny] They comin' in there

shaking us down.

The lieutenant telling them

to make sure you get everything.

Okay, y'all can come up

three, four m*therf*cking times.

I know I ain't got sh*t.

[tense music playing]

[Tiny] They take the sh*t

that you need, man.

If they can't find something,

they take that sh*t anyway.

They don't give a f*ck.

They don't care.

[officer] We're gonna have

all the doors popped,

and so it's really important to take items

that could be used as a weapon.

Bottles, deodorant bottles that are empty.

The shampoo should have shampoo in it.

If it doesn't have shampoo, we take it.

[officer 4] What's up? What's up, man?

[officer 5] I think it's something metal

taped up. Could be a pipe-type thing or

Maybe it's a weapon.

-Yeah, okay.

-Yeah.

What cell?

401?

They're from the same cell

when they shook it down.

We found a couple of things of hooch,

and we found a makeshift shank.

[Owens] Yeah,

it is a little bit terrifying.

Once the doors are open,

I just feel like

it's gonna be a sh*t show.

[officer] I did not think

this was gonna go smoothly.

Making sure that nothing goes wrong,

or they are safe, I'm safe.

[Owens] I hope I'm wrong,

but really, like,

they're not used to the doors being open

and not having a deputy in here

to hold them accountable.

To tell you the truth, I don't even care.

I don't even give a f*ck.

I don't give a f*ck

about none of this sh*t.

I'm at my breaking point anyway.

I don't give a f*ck.

Man, they took my soap. That's crazy.

Damn.

It raises the temperature.

That's why when people come out,

they be so eager to be angry.

You know what I'm saying?

A m*therf*cker ready to fight,

got some steam built up.

All type of sh*t. You know?

Because of this sh*t.

[rock music playing]

[Ty] Damn!

Just like the pen, dawg.

[Eastside] They just f*ck'

ransacked my sh*t.

I've been in this jail a year.

I know, like, the little ins and outs,

so definitely hid the contraband.

They didn't even take

the contraband that's in my lid.

[Ty] I don't think

they took really anything.

Besides my virginity.

-Yeah, they didn't find nothing on us.

-They didn't find nothing.

I still have all my tattoo stuff,

still got everything.

Player central.

-Woop woop.

-Woop woop woop.

Yeah.

[suspenseful music playing]

Sheriff, we were able

to get some things out of there.

[Higgins] Sounds like

y'all got a lot of stuff out.

Yes, sir. We did.

So what have we done

with the individual that had the shank?

-We immediately moved him out.

-[Higgins] Okay.

We took him out.

[Higgins] I'd love to have

a facility with no shanks,

but that's just the reality of a jail,

and I'm hoping

to go to a different reality.

So, we've done the shakedown.

We've made a safe unit,

and now I'm gonna go in

and tell the detainees

what we're getting ready to do.

-[Freeman] I'm glad we found it.

-[Higgins] Well, yeah.

-Before the doors opened.

-Right.

[narrator] The inmates are unaware

that in just a few days,

their lives will change completely.

For now,

they're still living the same routine.

Oh! This is gonna be good.

[officer] Randall!

-[Randy] Okay.

-Come over here.

[Randy] Okay.

[officer] I called

I called you four times.

Yeah, but I had to get the crew up.

They're the ones I use with trays.

Gather them up.

[officer] The lower level eat first.

They'll sit down, eat,

they have 15 minutes.

Then the upper level comes out.

Same thing, same procedure.

They sit down,

15 minutes, they go back up.

All right, look out, lower level!

Look out, lower level!

Step outside your doors. Get ready to eat!

[narrator] Most of the inmates get only

one hour per day outside of their cells.

-[inmate] One bread?

-[Randy] One bread.

[narrator] But the few who work jobs

are allowed more freedom

and certain privileges.

The unit deputy picks their own cleanup.

I picked the cleanup

that I know is gonna be productive,

that's going to work hard.

I like Randall as a cleanup.

He's a good help. He's a good worker.

Y'all have ten minutes left to eat.

Ten minutes left to eat.

Ten minutes.

Run over the trays, wash the tables,

Saturday get the laundry.

That's my routine.

This is a hard, hard, hard responsibility.

That's the reason why I took it.

[bluesy music playing]

My name is Randy Randall

from North Little Rock, Arkansas,

and they went from calling me

Northside Randy to True Story.

They said, "This is the True Story show."

Straight to the point. True story.

True story.

-Ain't sh*t, bro.

-True story!

True story. I'm cool.

Man, I'm just being for real.

And I still don't get it,

but I guess it is a true story.

I was messin' around with drugs,

experimentin' drugs.

I lost everything.

And here I am, sitting up in here.

Sometimes I be wantin' to just snap.

I've been to jail, like, nine times.

I was locked up for seven years

in the penitentiary.

I don't want to experiment

no drugs no more ever in my life.

Excuse me, Mama, but f*ck that sh*t.

It scared me.

Mama, you didn't see that.

But I don't wanna experiment

no drugs no more, ever.

Come on out. Close your doors!

Come on out!

I like this I like this group.

I like everybody in here.

You know what I'm saying?

We come together as one.

I don't cause a lot of problems

around here anyway.

I try to solve more problems than I cause.

'Cause I hate confrontation.

[Wainwright] When we get finished,

the trays are stacked up on the cart.

Some inmates will go

to the cart and pick and eat,

but for health reasons,

we're not allowed to let them do that.

[Wainwright] Don't do that no more.

-[Tyler] What?

-[Wainwright] Don't do that no more.

[Tyler] The f*ck does it matter

if I eat leftovers?

[Wainwright] Say what?

[Tyler] I said what the f*ck

does it matter if I eat leftovers?

[Wainwright] Don't tell me about,

"What the f*ck?"

Next time you disrespect me

and do that, you gone!

[Tyler] I didn't disrespect you.

If you got disrespected by that,

that's sad.

[Wainwright] Shut that door!

[Tyler] Sorry, b*tch.

You guys are as ignorant

as the rest of 'em.

Tyler disrespected Miss Wainwright

in front of everybody in here.

You don't ever touch nobody's meals, ever.

Put your hands on nobody's trays.

Always respect.

I'mma be frank with you. I don't like him.

I do not.

Hey, let me tell you something.

And I want you to really listen to me.

Don't ever disrespect

that old woman like that again.

-[Tyler] Hold on.

-No, hold on. Listen.

-[Tyler] Hey, True Story, hold up.

-Listen.

[Tyler] Tell me. Before you get started!

How did I disrespect her?

-That old woman right there.

-[Tyler] How did I disrespect her?

I'll talk to you later.

He got all uptight about it.

To me, it's disrespectful.

That's gonna push buttons.

True Story! Come talk to me!

I don't like nothing about him.

I don't like his attitude,

I don't like his characteristic.

I don't like nothing about him.

He's poison.

Tyler is poison.

Karma come back and get him.

[peppy music playing]

[Higgins] Today's the day I let

the detainees know about the program.

Be interesting to see

what they have to say.

I know there's risk involved,

but I'm comfortable at this point

to continue moving forward.

[pensive music playing]

[Freeman] Hey, listen up, fellas.

Everybody upstairs, come to your doors.

[doors buzz open]

Hey, listen up, fellas.

Come on out. Secure your doors behind you.

[inquisitive music playing]

Everybody make sure if you got a celly,

make sure he's up and he's out.

It's gotta be something exciting.

I don't know.

[Ty] When the sheriff walks in,

I'm like, "Oh f*ck."

He clean as f*ck, first off.

-Second off, it's just not good at all.

-[laughs]

It's not good at all.

He only speaks

if he has to speak on some sh*t.

Oh, f*ck.

All right, fellas.

Right now we have the sheriff in here.

He's about to give you guys a little spiel

on what's about to happen.

Appreciate it, Lieutenant.

Y'all good?

Yes, sir.

How many of you guys

love being on lockdown 23 to 1?

Nobody.

Okay.

Y'all think we can improve the

how we do things here?

[Randy] Yes, sir.

Now, I know it's hard

y'all being here together.

I'mma ask a question.

How many of y'all planned on

being in the Pulaski County

Regional Detention Facility

at the same time?

Y'all made some arrangements,

and so y'all scheduled things

to be here together?

-Anybody?

-[indistinct chatter and laughter]

[Higgins] Nobody. Okay.

So one of the things we want to work on

is that you don't come back, okay?

'Cause I'm sure nobody wants

whatever happens, wherever you go,

you don't want to come back to jail.

A lot of times, society,

we can think what you need.

And let me say this to you, gentlemen.

There's people who think what you need

is just to be locked behind a door.

And then when you get out,

you better do better.

That's not helping.

How can we help you?

That's what this is about.

So what I'm looking at doing

is doing something a little bit different

in this facility,

starting in this unit.

So, what I'm looking at doing,

open up all the doors.

[dramatic percussive music playing]

You'll have the ability

to come in and out of your cell.

But having the deputy step out as well.

And let y'all be a community.

[laughing]

Time out! Time out.

[laughing and chatter]

Listen. There are still rules in here.

[Randy] Yes, sir.

-[Higgins] This is still a jail.

-Yes, sir.

It's all gonna depend on

how y'all operate and work together.

That's right.

Now, you think y'all can handle

the doors being open?

[inmates] Yes, sir.

It's gonna take all y'all working together

and caring about each other.

This is an experiment.

I'm looking at doing this

for several weeks.

And if y'all prove to me

that it can't be done in 30 minutes,

then we done.

If this unit can run smoothly

without any fights,

without any contraband,

with y'all communicating to us,

then it's possible,

because I believe

that for whatever reason you're here,

that doesn't define who you are.

[Randy] Thank you.

Yes, sir.

I see that you real big on being

a humanitarian and helping the people.

What about programs that help people

get out of jail

instead of being comfortable in jail?

I don't wanna be here and be comfortable.

I don't wanna be here and be pacified.

I want to go home to my family

and start anew

and become a man and join society.

-What's your name, sir?

-My name's Willie Lovelace.

[Higgins] Mr. Lovelace.

-Yes.

-That's what I'm trying to do.

I promise you that.

That's what this is about.

This is a beginning.

That's what you guys gotta understand.

It starts with the unlocked door.

It could end

with truly helping somebody

To be free.

to be free and stay free.

I need y'all to prove to me

that I'm right about you.

That I'm right about what this can be.

-[inmates applauding]

-Okay? Appreciate it, gentlemen.

[indistinct chatter]

[upbeat music playing]

[narrator] The inmates now have

less than 24 hours

to process what the sheriff has told them

and decide how they want to conduct

themselves when the experiment begins.

The guards leaving up out of here.

Get your a*s up out of there.

Go take your a*s in the box.

I don't wanna see y'all no more.

We running the pod now.

This is gonna be a lot of problems.

I guarantee you.

There's gonna be problems.

I'mma tell you what'll happen.

This is gonna be shut down.

Shut down!

He's not an idiot.

He knows it's gonna fail.

There's no way that you can

possibly let criminals govern theirself.

I think if they do what they say,

we're gonna be all right.

[inmate] Yeah.

I'll believe it when I see it, though.

It's about time that this situation

is being acknowledged.

They're paying attention

to the real problem in this here county.

There's a tension in the air now,

know what I'm saying.

So now they're gonna taste blood.

So, I don't know what's gonna happen.

Talking about no officers? At all?

Yeah, man. Got to be some authority.

A little bit. You know what I'm saying?

Some people gonna need

some g*dd*mn help. You hear me?

I think it's going to work.

This is going to work

because this is all of us together.

We come together as one,

and it's going to work.

I have faith in it.

[Dennis] Lockdown!

[indistinct chatter]

[funky music playing]

Oh God, this is gonna be

very, very interesting.

Very interesting.

It's gonna be very interesting.

They came in to pour water on this seed.

Now it's up to us to nurture this seed

and make the seed grow.

New doors will open,

and I want my voice to be heard

in any means necessary.

Uncle Squirrel, listen.

I know what we should do.

Listen.

Since you good

at fixing problems before they occur,

you going to be over

all the problem-solving.

I was on a mission

to put together this power team.

This the way this gonna run.

Everybody that comes through that door?

I'mma give them the rules!

We need to run

our own community thing up in here.

'Cause we ain't gonna let nobody

come in and f*ck this sh*t here up.

-We're gonna keep these doors open, man.

-[cackling]

If you got the elders up in here,

we come together,

and we'll take care of their problem.

It's gotta be up to the elders.

We got more experience

by doing and been through this

and these youngsters don't have a clue.

Finch! Come here.

I need your help

to try to run something up in this unit.

So this is the way we're gonna do this.

-[Finch] Yeah, boss! Come here, boss!

-Okay.

We nominate you.

The newcomers come in,

you gonna talk to them

about the things that's going on.

-Okay. All right, cool.

-Thank you, brother.

Nominate you to do what?

Like, help the guys

when they come in and sh*t.

"You're gonna point and this and that.

Blah, blah, blah."

I'm like, "Okay, man. Whatever."

That's not your job. That's not

You know what I'm saying?

Once again, that's somebody

putting theirself above others.

You're not in that position.

You're here for the same sh*t.

I don't like that.

I'm not gonna disagree with him.

I'm not trying to get in no altercation.

I don't wanna beat nobody up.

You.

We need you.

For what?

I think it could be productive.

And a little bit of it

I think would be some bullshit.

[Randy] We gotta help each other in here.

So, what you need?

Yeah, man, I need you to

Eastside will give you

See if he'll give you

a couple shots of coffee.

[Randy] Okay.

I will help Tiny,

and he the one who will help me.

But we all gotta work together in here.

-Eastside. Here.

-What?

[Randy] Dude says you'll give him

a couple shots of coffee today?

Who?

For the little short light-skinned dude.

I gave a bunch already.

All right.

[Randy] And I'll take this back to him.

We're finna have

a good committee board going on here.

I'm gonna talk

to the juveniles about this right here.

We're not finna let

nobody mess this up for us.

This is our house.

Until we go home, bail up outta here,

this is our home for now.

And we finna let nobody come in

and destroy our home.

Come in and steal our TV.

Kick our doors in.

[Ty] Thinks he's f*ck'

a politician or some sh*t.

[imitating Randy]

"I'm gonna talk to the juveniles."

[Randy] He just gave you this.

[Tiny] All right.

[Randy] This team that I put together,

it's going to work.

Y'all in the ride for y'all life now.

I got it.

I am the vibe boss!

[upbeat music playing]

I made it. I made it.

I made it. I made it. Whoo.

Okay. I guess

we start cleaning up this place.

True story.

This power team right here

We'll help these youngsters.

They ain't gonna let

nothing happen to us as a community,

to make this community fall.

They ain't gonna take no drama.

Another convict telling me

that I have to do this.

I don't like that. It pushes my buttons.

It makes me It makes me buck, you know.

I feel like the older folks are gonna

f*ck up this sh*t. f*ck up this program.

We gotta make our time here.

-We're not f*cking robots.

-[Mayham] Yes.

How you feel about the "no lockdown"?

Definitely gonna be a lot more tattoos

in this m*therf*cker.

-[Eastside] Definitely.

-[Ty] Definitely.

It's gonna be fun

'cause we can come up in here.

Be like, "Hey, pop out at our crib."

I'm saying we having

a spades game in this m*therf*cker.

"Oh, what are y'all doing in here?"

That could be the front for tattoos,

you know what I mean?

[Eastside] Definitely.

-Definitely more partying.

-Definitely.

You don't have to worry

about bullshit the guards say.

Like, "Sit down!"

Yeah. "Be quiet!"

None of that. We running it. It's us.

We're gonna get lit in this m*therf*cker.

-We're definitely making hooch.

-f*ck yeah.

[Eastside] Definitely.

[Ty] Definitely.

["Don't Play by Rules"

by Kikbak ft Eclipse Darkness playing]

I don't play by the rules ♪

But I'm still in the game ♪

I'mma earn my respect

Tell 'em write a check ♪

Put it in my name ♪

I don't play by the rules ♪

But I'm still in the game ♪

I'mma earn my respect

Tell 'em write a check ♪

Put it in my name ♪

'Cause I don't play by the rules

Nah, I don't play by the rules ♪

[narrator] The experiment begins

in a matter of hours,

and the inmates are already thinking about

how the balance of power will play out

once the doors are open.

But some are being

more proactive than others.

I don't play by the rules ♪

But I'm still in the game ♪

I'mma earn my respect

Tell 'em write a check ♪

Put it in my name ♪

'Cause I don't play by the rules ♪

Guarantee I won't lose ♪

[Randy] Tyler. He needs to

be watching everything.

'Cause I got some friends.

You know who my friend is?

[indistinct chatter]

[pensive music playing]

[Owen] Hey, guys, lockdown, please!

[inmate] Oh no.

[indistinct chatter]

[Owens] Hey! Lockdown!

[indistinct chatter]

He was very rude. Very disrespectful.

I won't let that slide.

That's it.

[indistinct chatter]

[door buzzing]

[Rosco] Is you ready to fight?

-[Tyler] What the f*ck we fighting for?

-[Rosco] It's about respect.

[Tyler] You tell him I ain't fighting.

I have a power team.

And it's up to y'all

to say yes or no to us.

[Tyler] Yo!

[punching]

[grunting]

[grunting]

[Rosco] b*tch!

[Tyler] Stop. My head's bleeding.

My f*cking head's bleeding, man. Stop!

Stop. My head's gushing.

Man! You fight for no g*dd*mn reason.

Where the f*ck is your heart at, dude?

[door buzzes open]

-[Owens] What happened? What?

-[Tyler] I fell off the bed.

I slipped and fell off the bed

and hit my head.

Busted all up.

He told them he slipped and fell.

That's nuts.

And I did that. No one else.

Today I'm speaking.

Everything is to be spoken and heard.

[Owens] What happened?

You didn't slip off the bed.

[Tyler] Yes, I did.

I believe in karma.

What goes around comes around.

[Rosco] Damn, she takin' bro out.

[indistinct chattering]

[inmates yelling]

[Owens] Hey!

[yelling continues]

As far as the open doors and them

their "bigger picture,"

what kind of impact it makes.

But [chuckles]

I'm not really excited about that.

-[nurse] Don't touch your head.

-All right.

Leave it alone.

-We gotta stop the bleeding.

-Yeah.

When those doors come open,

I think it's gonna be a little chaotic

'cause everybody's gonna have to find

their place until they can establish

who's dominant in the unit.

You think we're ready?

-Yes, sir. We'll make it happen.

-Okay. Okay.

-You know the important thing is safety.

-Yes, sir.

We wanna make sure

everybody's safe in there.

We've been preparing for several months.

We've cleaned the units,

we've let the detainees know,

and today, we're gonna open the doors

and start this experiment.

[inmate] As far as

the guards being removed,

I can handle it.

A lot of people here should be able to,

but it don't take but one person in here

to mess all of that up.

That's it.

[Higgins] Opening the doors

is just the beginning

of opportunities that they may have.

If it's a success, okay, great, it worked.

Then we're talking about

who else can do this?

If it fails, people are gonna say,

"Sheriff doesn't know what he's doing.

I can't believe he's done this."

"We knew it wouldn't work."

So, it's on me.

What I heard was, "We're giving you

a chance to go ahead and screw yourself."

"We're betting against you on all odds

that you clowns is gonna f*ck up."

"And the moment that you do,

we can show America

this is why we keep

you stupid clowns behind the door."

Worst-case scenario to me

is that, sh*t, everybody in the unit

decides to get together and say,

"f*ck it, let's get up out of here."

[pensive music playing]

[Tiny] My grandmother taught me,

"Keep your hands to yourself,

keep your feet on the ground,

and keep your spit

in your m*therf*cking mouth."

When the doors pop,

any of those violations towards me,

I'mma f*cking open your sh*t up.

[music continues]

[Tiny] Oh f*ck.

Hello!

Pop the doors!

Yo!

Hey, listen up!

Hey, listen up!

[inmate] Man, f*ck that!

[Freeman] Hey.

You can come out right now if you want to.

Listen up! Listen up!

I need everybody to stay in your cells

until me and Deputy Dennis walks out.

Once we walk out of here, you can

come out of the doors and y'all can go in.

[Randy] Yeah!

It's time! It's time!

Celly! Look!

[inmates cheering]

[inmate 2] Let's go!

Hey, man! What the f*ck is that?

This ain't gonna work.

This ain't gonna work.

m*therf*ckers start beating on the door,

yelling, "Get the f*ck up out of here!"

"f*ck y'all!" Doot, doot, doot.

I was like, "This sh*t

ain't gonna live more than 30 minutes."

[inmate 3] Uh-oh! Uh-oh!

[computer] ER, are you sure?

[banging on doors, yelling]

[beep]

[siren wailing, doors buzz open]

[Mayham] Here we go.

[inmates yelling]

[whooping]

Open doors, baby!

You got me thinking

I need to go and get me a f*cking knife.

[ambient music playing]