In an effort to reduce problems with discipline and recidivism, the sheriff in Pulaski County, Arkansas rolled out a radical plan for the county jail. Instead of the standard 23-hour lockdown, he’d open the doors in one pod for six weeks and let the detainees run things without the presence of guards. The goal: empower them to become self-sufficient and learn the skills needed to succeed on the outside. But the experiment is not without its risks - for both the inmates and the sheriff.

The Netflix series Unlocked: A Jail Experiment takes us behind bars and into a make-shift community of O.G. prisoners and a new generation of inmates as they try to navigate their new responsibilities. Can they work together to improve behavior in the unit and preserve their newfound privileges? Or will the old ways of jailhouse culture return and force the sheriff to shut the experiment down?

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews Executive Producer Greg Henry and Pulaski County Sheriff S. Eric Higgins.

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched Unlocked: A Jail Experiment yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on. 

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