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On April 10, 2024, Netflix released Unlocked: A Jail Experiment, a one of its kind docuseries chronicling the lives of a group of inmates from Arkansas Jail. Since its release in the US and other selective regions, the eight-part docuseries has been a hot topic of discussion.
This is mainly because, up until the release of the series, audiences were unaware of the side of the inmates that was depicted in the show. While some found it appalling that the prisoners were behaving a certain way when given the idea of no jurisdiction over them, others were apathetic to their trends.
The official synopsis of the show reads—
"At an Arkansas detention facility, a sheriff implements a radical social experiment to grant men who are incarcerated more agency."
Disclaimer: The following article comprises spoilers for Unlocked: A Jail Experiment. Please read at your discretion.
Who were the inmates featured in Unlocked: A Jail Experiment?
This "radical social experiment" conducted in Unlocked: A Jail Experiment primarily focused on the lives of five Arkansas jail inmates, namely:
- Chauncey Young
- Randy Randall
- Raymond "AJ" Lovett
- Krisna Piro "Tiny" Clarke
- John "Eastside" McAllister
Besides this other inmates of Arkansas Jail were also put in the controlled experiment. These people were:
- Mardaleon Marbley
- David Miller
- Adam Peters
- Jordan Parkinson
- Johnathan Cox
- Mason Abraham
- Curtland Watson
- Willie Lovelace
- Krisna Clark
- Andre Reece
- Tyler Bancroft
- Brian Walls
- RaShadd Scott
- Landon Stiblet
- Christian Johnson
- Roseikeo Wright
- James Stigall
- Walter Means
- Jarrod Ellison
- Jeremy Jefferson
- Ronald Lewis
- Tony Robinson
- Phillip Gembarski
- Daniel Gatlin
- Kaelon Presley
- Ferrad Mccoy
- Kenneth Cobb
- Joseph Wutzke
- Rodney Franklin
- Jon Poston
- Quincy Harris
- Preston Wehrer
- Melvain Jones
- Nicholas Spinosa
- Elliott Finch
- Kevin Pitts
- Cheradrd Harriott
- Johnny Binns
- Caleb Crew
- Zachary Manos
- Daniel Perry
- TY Clement
- Javian Sprinkle
- Fabian Sykes
- Terry Beckton
Why were the inmates of Unlocked: A Jail Experiment in prison?
As depicted in Unlocked: A Jail Experiment, the prisoners of Arkansas Jail were arrested for the following:
- Chauncey Young: Aggravated robbery, theft of property, first-degree battery, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
- Randy Randall: Drug possession and domestic assault
- Raymond "AJ" Lovett: Capital murder and aggravated assault for the shooting that took place at CHI St. Vincent Hospital in Sherwood in 2022.
- Krisna Piro "Tiny" Clarke: First-degree robbery and aggravated battery
- John "Eastside" McCallister: Drug possession, firearm possession, and pet store robbery.
What were the objectives of the experiment highlighted in Unlocked: A Jail Experiment?
The "experiment" studied the behavior of selective prison inmates when they were given limited freedom inside the cell, as opposed to no freedom at all. Their behavior was observed and documented over some time by Netflix with the help of Arkansas Sheriff Eric Higgins.
In an article published on April 18, 2024, speaking to Netflix's Tudum, Sheriff Eric Higgins mentioned the reason behind this experiment and said—
“We thought, What can we do to create some ownership for those detainees in that unit? How do we make the facility safer, and what can we do to still hold them accountable but empower them at the same time? ”
Eric Higgins went on to say—
"In this country, we have a certain perception of someone who goes to jail — the assumption being that they’re guilty. But they deserve dignity. These individuals, they’re fathers, they’re uncles, they’re sons. People care about them… they’re not just a number.
The sheriff added—
"I believe that if you treat people right, and you hold them accountable… I think they take that with them when they walk out of this facility. I think we have proven that people will rise to the expectation.”
Unlocked: A Jail Experiment is currently streaming on Netflix.
