The new Netflix show ‘Unlocked’: A Jail Experiment focuses on the work of Sheriff Eric Higgins in American Prison: Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility. It is a social experiment where inmates are given beyond-usual freedoms and trust by unlocking their cell doors 24-7 for 6 weeks and given gradual privileges. The outcome proved the effectiveness of providing prisoners with more freedom to interact with other inmates and the added responsibility for solving conflicts within their unit. Despite fluctuating progress, the unit proved that collective efforts made a fair and regulated community possible, even behind bars.
The experiment offers solutions and alternatives that might apply to UK prisons.
According to the Ministry of Justice, in 2022 the overall recidivism rate was 25.5%. Factors such as the reoffending rate for adult offenders, juvenile offenders, and adults released from custody are considered in the overall percentage. Thus, the UK recidivism rate is relatively high. In comparison, the United States has one of the highest recidivism rates of 44% according to the National Institute of Justice. Alaska has the highest reoffending rate within three years of release at 61.6%. The high recidivism rate pairs with the fact the USA roughly consisting 25% of the world’s total prison population. Thereby, illustrating the difference between the UK and the USA’s offending rate that of the UK is overall lower.
The UK prisons are struggling with overcrowding as the prison population in England and Wales rapidly increases. Data released by The Britain Ministry of Justice state that 98% of prison spaces are full until their maximum capacity. This is due to successive Prime ministers’ committing to being “tough on crime”, with longer sentences and criminals serving a greater percentage of their sentences.
Since 2010, the Conservative Party have been the primary governing body in the UK. The criminal prevention approach has effectively decreased total crime by 10% based on CSEW (Crime Survey for England & Wales) by the end of June 2023. Current UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak claimed that 50% of overall crime decreased ‘’under the conservative party’’ since 2010. The statistic is based on the data by CSEW but does not account for crimes such as fraud and computer misuse, therefore not accurately representing all criminal activities in the UK. Moreover, the ‘tough on crime’ approach may have contributed to the rising prison deaths in England and Wales. Prison healthcare is given no urgent attention, as suggested by the 2019 finding that male prisoners are 3.7 more likely to commit suicide due to the 23-hour cell entrapment. Female self-harm rate increased by 47% according to the Ministry of Justice within the three months of June 2021. Attempts to reform the prison system by encouraging rehabilitation by the Conservative party are done through Conservative privatisation of probation however caused disastrous results. In four short years, serious crimes such as rape and murder increased by more than 50% committed by offenders on parole.
The tactic of increasing punishment seems effective, however the UK recidivism rate suggests that offenders are finding it difficult reintegrating themselves into society. Limited rehabilitation programs, longer sentences for infractions and emphasis on punishment in the UK, possibly contributes to the high reoffending rate.
According to the documentary, the audience is given an insight into the prison life of many American inmates. Nonetheless, it would be possible to apply observations to any classification of prisons.
By Nikath
Winchmore School, London
Well done Nikath – this is a fantastic article. P.S. I will check out the show too.