Orange Is the New Black — The Reality of Prison in Your Face

On July 11th, 2013 the Netflix original, Orange Is the New Black was released. For those who have been wards of the states or perhaps federal property, watching the first episode presented the world with a snapshot of a period of an inmate’s life lived in a subculture that society cannot identify with and more often than not, chooses to ignore. For someone who has not known the prison subculture, watching the first few episodes were enough to make viewers squirm.

The media ignited with the topic of prison shortly after the show debuted, and has been on the minds of millions of people since its release. Taken from the real account of Piper Kerman, the storyline spotlights many lives of characters and the series of events leading to incarceration that can be transferrable to many real-life former and current inmates.

The series brings to light issues to which society pays very little attention: racism, mental illness, lack of education, poverty, and violence. One of the most appealing elements of the show is the spotlight on the backstory of each character and the circumstances in their lives, which have led them down the alternate life path to incarceration.

Fraternizing is another huge issue in the prison system and accurately captured in each episode. Off-screen, prison staff fraternizing…