I'm Rebecca Lervoy and this is You Can't make this up is the podcast where we uncover the true stories behind

your favorite Netflix documentaries and films. On today's episode, we take a closer look at the Netflix documentary series,

Unlocked, a jail experiment.

So what I'm looking at doing, open up all the doors, you'll have the ability to come in and out of

yourself, but having a deputy step out as well, and let y'all be a community.

Today we're talking to Executive producer Greg Henry and Sheriff Eric Higgins.

In an effort to reduce problems with discipline and recidivism, the Sheriff and 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 isn't without risks for both the inmates and the sheriff.

The Netflix series unlocked, a jail experiment, takes us behind bars and into a makeshift community of

longtime 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? I think there's consequences and repercussions

for these actions that you take, you know what I mean?

Trash will take itself out.

All you gotta do is sit back and watch it, you know what I mean?

But it's still gonna ruin it for a lot of people, you know what I'm saying? And I'm joined now by executive producer Greg Henry and Pulaski County Sheriff Eric Higgins, welcome to you can't make this up.

Thank you so much for having us today.

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