June 3, 2024

Stop the exploitation of incarcerated individuals in reality television.

Take Action

• Support America on Trial, Inc., which empowers those affected by incarceration and police brutality, advocating for incarcerated workers' rights, fair wages, improved working conditions, police accountability, and our #AIRS Campaign.

• Sign  the petition to abolish “60 Days In.” 

• Call the A&E office at 212-210-1400 and demand that they take down "60 Days In." Your voice can make a difference in ending the exploitation of the incarcerated population in reality TV.

• Join the #AIRS campaign to abolish incarcerated reality shows.

Get Educated

Reality TV exploiting incarcerated individuals is thriving, with recent launches like Netflix's "Unlocked: A Jail Experience," and upcoming seasons of A&E's  “60 Days In” and “Inmates To Roommate.” Since the 1980s, the fusion of prisons and television, termed the Prison-Television Complex, has been operational. By the early 2000s, American TV embraced incarceration as a central theme, often exploiting violence and further marginalizing incarcerated individuals.

Major networks like CourtTV, TLC, ID, National Geographic, MSNBC, A&E, and Netflix churn out over 20 prison reality shows, exacerbating mass incarceration. In these programs, incarcerated individuals are often unpaid actors, lacking compensation and labor protections, perpetuating societal norms and perceptions. Currently, in the United States, 2.3 million individuals are incarcerated, with men of color comprising the majority. As someone who has experienced incarceration and now works to combat mass incarceration, I'm acutely aware of the negative impact that reality shows featuring incarcerated individuals can have. These shows divert attention away from the important messages championed by directly affected leaders, grassroots movements, and community organizers.

The #AIRS campaign aims to eliminate prison and jail reality TV shows that exploit the harsh realities faced by incarcerated individuals for entertainment and profit. Reality shows neglect the daily struggles of incarcerated individuals, from detention to reintegration into society and exploitation in low-paying jobs. Through rallies, marches, outreach, and speaking events.

Upcoming Workshops

Weekly episodes of these incarcerated reality shows revolve around the motivations, experiences, conflicts, and emotions of the clandestine prisoners, crafted through an observational style with occasional infographics citing statistics on U.S. mass incarceration. These series blend commercial reality TV conventions with a promise to expose and reform life behind bars, drawing high ratings and prompting sequels in various locations. As with most reality entertainment, the broadcast episodes are closely tied to a multi-platform social media presence. Although fictional television series have showcased mass incarceration as imagined by writers, directors, and producers, shows like "60 Days In" represent a deeper entanglement between punishment and the U.S. culture industries. The prison-televisual complex monetizes and extends this process by aligning itself with carceral capitalism for entertainment purposes.

Incarcerated people serve as the setting and cast for television production, generating value for the prison and the network that profits from their visibility. The logics of the prison-televisual complex extend to social media, where promotional content bolsters economic rewards for media companies and prisons alike. While incarcerated people of prison TV are forced laborers, undercover participants and prison officials seek exposure and micro-celebrity through the show and its affiliated social media presence. Reality TV viewers are offered an “authentic” carceral experience, but these shows do not advocate for prison abolition, focusing instead on making prisons more controlled and effective.

Audience demographics for these shows are revealing. For example, people aged 18-49 make up 15% of the viewership, with women aged 18-49 representing 16% and men 17%. Persons aged 18-34 account for 7% of the audience, with women comprising 17% and men 5%. Persons aged 24-54 represent 21% of the viewership, while those aged 50 and older constitute 26% of the audience. This data underscores the significant reach and influence of these shows, making it even more critical to address the narratives they perpetuate and the impact they have on public perceptions of incarceration. 

It is imperative that we recognize and challenge the exploitation of incarcerated individuals in reality TV. These shows profit from the suffering and struggles of people behind bars, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and reinforcing systems of oppression. By supporting the #AIRS campaign, we can work towards ending this exploitation and fostering a more just and equitable society. Let's stand together to demand that networks like A&E, Netflix, and others stop producing and airing these damaging programs. Our collective voice can drive the change needed to dismantle the Prison-Television Complex and restore humanity and dignity to those who have been exploited for entertainment.

Written by Vidal Guzman (he/him)

Key Takeaways

• The reality TV genre exploiting incarcerated individuals is thriving, with shows like Netflix's "Unlocked: A Jail Experience" and A&E's "60 Days In" and "Inmates to Roommates."

• This trend, part of the Prison-Television Complex since the 1980s, saw American TV fully embrace incarceration themes by the early 2000s, often exacerbating violence and marginalization.

• Major networks produce over 20 prison reality shows, perpetuating mass incarceration. These shows typically feature incarcerated individuals as unpaid actors without compensation or labor protections, reinforcing harmful societal norms and perceptions.