A new 11-part docu-series The Jail: 60 Days In will start on the Crime+Investigation (DStv 170) on 2 April at 21:00 following 7 innocent people who are literally thrown in jail in the Clark County Jail in Jeffersonville, Indiana to show what it's really like inside prison.
The 7 people - ranging from a social worker, policeman, military wife, conservative ex-marine, security guard and a teacher to someone whose older brother was jailed - end up in jail to try and experience what really happens behind bars.
Living with the other inmates, none of the prison officials, fellow inmates or staff know their secret, while cameras capture all the problems and drama as the 7 try to adapt to unfamiliar environments and people.
The 7 people were given a safephrase that will see them instantly being removed if they feel threatened or can't cope - "I really miss the coffee" - as well as a visual cue - putting a towel on their heads - to be removed from what they feel is a dangerous situation.
"It was no secret that the Clark County Jail had problems and we neede to take quick control," says sheriff Jamey Noel.
"The only way to truly understand what was going on in the jail was to implement innocent participants into the system to provide first-hand unbiased intelligence."
"These brave volunteers helped us identify critical issues within our system that undercover officers would not have been able to find."
The Jail: 60 Days In is produced by Lucky8 TV for A&E Networks with executive producers Gregory Henry, Kimberly Woodard and Jeff Grogan.
