OZ versus Real Prison

[Anonymous]

I have just started watching OZ (I know, a decade late). Thankfully I have no expose to prison life and there are some questions on fiction versus reality. The prison is a maximum security facility, so based on that.....

Do the prisoners really have that much freedom, comparatively speaking? They are hanging out in empty classrooms getting high. Wandering in & out of each other's cells, taking showers with what seems like a flexible schedule, going in & out of supply closets. Not being escorted by guards.

Are they allowed to watch the news or whatever they want on TV?

They have razors & lighters, really?

The guards and prisoners seem to be in much closer contact when they don't really need to be. If a guard is not having direct contact with a prisoner wouldn't there be a wide personal space for the guards.

The prisoners are able to walk in a staff member's office & shut the door, leaving them both alone, no guards, without any security cameras.

Are there female guards in male prisons? Wouldn't it make sense to put them in with the female population? There aren't as many female guards so there would always be a need for them in a woman's facility.

Would the "hole" really be the prisoner naked sleeping on the ground?

If it is known that one prisoner is abusing another, couldn’t one of them be moved to another cell block or whatever would keep them away from each other?

Can they really wear whatever they want? Is the dress code not strict & all clothing provided? On OZ one of the male staff members dresses more like an inmate than some of the inmates.

I know it is TV, no reason to point that out. So anyone know how it really works behind bars? I won't ask how you know what you know

[Anonymous]

Is it on Netflix? Amazon Prime? I've never watched but might get into it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it on Netflix? Amazon Prime? I've never watched but might get into it

It is now free on Amazon Prime. You have to drill down to each episode to see that it is free, if you just look at the overall seasons it looks like $1.99 an episode (I hate the Amazon User Interface).

People warned me it was pretty graphic but I have found it to be much less so than Law & Order:SVU. Was suprised at the male frontal nudity when they are thrown in solitary.

[Anonymous]

As I recall, most of the action takes place in an "experimental" cell block that has different rules/freedoms, and the rest of the prison is like a regular prison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have just started watching OZ (I know, a decade late). Thankfully I have no expose to prison life and there are some questions on fiction versus reality. The prison is a maximum security facility, so based on that.....

Do the prisoners really have that much freedom, comparatively speaking? They are hanging out in empty classrooms getting high. Wandering in & out of each other's cells, taking showers with what seems like a flexible schedule, going in & out of supply closets. Not being escorted by guards.

Depends on what type of security (and if they are in a threaputic community type program). But yeah, some prisons have "free" type cells. Not as much freedom as you saw on OZ, but yeah...it's like that.

Are they allowed to watch the news or whatever they want on TV?

Again, it depends. There is some news, but it was usually limited (for example, if a prisoner was being executed - that coverage was usually blocked because it would get the inmates fired up. We did movies, but it was a lot of G rated stuff.

They have razors & lighters, really?

I never saw lighters, but razors yes.

The guards and prisoners seem to be in much closer contact when they don't really need to be. If a guard is not having direct contact with a prisoner wouldn't there be a wide personal space for the guards.

Correctional officers (they are not called guards) have enough contact, but they learn how and when to keep their distance. Also, as a female working in a correctional facility - you learn how to walk wide as well.

The prisoners are able to walk in a staff member's office & shut the door, leaving them both alone, no guards, without any security cameras.

No.

Are there female guards in male prisons? Wouldn't it make sense to put them in with the female population? There aren't as many female guards so there would always be a need for them in a woman's facility.

There are female correctional officers and vice versa. Actually, male correctional facilities are much better. I liked working with men MUCH more - the female facilities are much more violent.

Would the "hole" really be the prisoner naked sleeping on the ground?

No.

If it is known that one prisoner is abusing another, couldn’t one of them be moved to another cell block or whatever would keep them away from each other?

Correctional facilities are very over populated places, I think TV makes this so much more dramatic. There just isn't this much fighting as on TV. Most of the prison violence is gang related.

Can they really wear whatever they want? Is the dress code not strict & all clothing provided? On OZ one of the male staff members dresses more like an inmate than some of the inmates.

Depends on the facility (max, min, etc.).

I know it is TV, no reason to point that out. So anyone know how it really works behind bars? I won't ask how you know what you know

[Anonymous]

You should watch Lockup on MSNBC. Comes on Friday through Sunday all evening long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should watch Lockup on MSNBC. Comes on Friday through Sunday all evening long.

I think I've seen that bits & pieces of that a couple of years ago. Interviews & stories with some inmates, usually each show is from one prison?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should watch Lockup on MSNBC. Comes on Friday through Sunday all evening long.

I think I've seen that bits & pieces of that a couple of years ago. Interviews & stories with some inmates, usually each show is from one prison?

That show was hysterical!

[Anonymous]

Oz is a documentary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oz is a documentary.

you should check out the thread about the Discovery channel mock-umentary shows. We all know mermaid are just as real as OZ

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should watch Lockup on MSNBC. Comes on Friday through Sunday all evening long.

I think I've seen that bits & pieces of that a couple of years ago. Interviews & stories with some inmates, usually each show is from one prison?

That show was hysterical!

Yes the show is a mess but I've found myself watching 5 straight hours of it when I had late nights with my baby

[Anonymous]

If you want to see some fun "real" (sometimes re-enacted, sometimes not) prisons, check out Locked Up Abroad. Some of those places make Oz seem nice!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oz is a documentary.

Noooooo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As I recall, most of the action takes place in an "experimental" cell block that has different rules/freedoms, and the rest of the prison is like a regular prison.

This