Is Oz True to Life?

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/13/06 at 10:16pm

The HBO OZ, of course Is prison life really like this show? Sure, things are played up for drama's sake, but it seems to me that it is a bit much. Are there really that many drugs and murders in jail? Again, I know it is just the show, but does Oz an accurate portrait of real life prison. Are there units like Emerald City?

[Glebb]

Posted: 1/13/06 at 11:30pm

I have no way of knowing but I'm praying to B.D.Wong at this very moment.

[Mandi Moo]

Posted: 1/13/06 at 11:39pm

I started watching Oz when I was 10. I think it scarred me. Hm.

Anyhow, one would think that if there were that many murders in prisons, we'd hear about it.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 12:26am

bump

[Glebb]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 12:28am

OZ was cool.

[Plum]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 12:30am

Anyhow, one would think that if there were that many murders in prisons, we'd hear about it.

Um, yeah. Because convicted violent criminals are exactly the kind of people society is really concerned with.

Over and over again, ****ty conditions in prisons are revealed, and people wonder, how could no one have noticed? The truth is, not too many people can bring themselves to care. Being an advocate for prisoners isn't quite as appealing as working for the health of fuzzy bunny rabbits or something.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 12:31am

Yes it was. We've been renting the DVD's. We're on Season Four. I can't get enough. It's so fascinating.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 12:34am

I agree Plum, but I can't help thinking that it is a tad over-the-top, especially with the drug use, and gangs. But I guess, I'm glad I don't know what real prisons are like.

I think the episode where a prisoner digs his way out of jail was a bit much. And the guards always plotting and taking bribes, seems at tad too much. At least, I hope.

[DG]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 12:36am

It depends on the prison type and the location. In most high-security places, the prisoners are kept in individual lockdown up to 23 hours a day - which kind of negates the opportunity for the kind of shenanigans that go on in OZ. However, it also makes a difference whether it's a state-run or federal facility. The state-run places are usually looser, and therefore more subject to abuse of priveledge. And if you're in a high-crime state (or in a facility that they ship those state's prisoners off to, it can get a little rough.

But honestly, the scenarios depicted in OZ are a kind of condensation of every possible prison scenario imaginable. Not that those things don't happen, just that they're pretty rare. Overall, daily life in prison is exactly what it is intended to be - deadly dull and soul-sapping. Most of the mental torture and fatigue comes from anticipation of events that never materialize.

So I've heard.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 12:40am

It just seems odd that they put the hardcore murderers in with other criminals serving smaller terms.

The episod that we're watching right now has prisoners taking an aging drung in exchange for a shorter prison term.

Again, doesn't seem possible.

[DG]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 12:45am

Unfortuantely, the realism of space shortage is not a fictional thing - and that leads to some VERY unusual bunking situations. It might not be how the system was designed, but because we keep locking more and more people up for less serious offenses, at some point the lack of space causes cross-overs that were never meant to be - or are any good for either party.

There's a reason that 'prison guard' is considered one of the top-ten careers for the future, and why they keep looking for money to build more facilities. And people would be shocked at the number of prisoners that are transported daily from one institution to another simple because they don't have space. Some of the midwestern states are making a killing housing inmates from the coasts - at an exhorbitant cost per head to the home state.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 12:47am

Well, the whole point of Emerald City is that it's not like all the other units. All the prisoners were handpicked to be in this program because of the vision the head guy had (it's been years since I've watched it) of creating an environment that was different from the standard prison unit. So even if it's like a serial killer and a one time drunk driving killer sharing a cell, they established within the show that it's not supposed to represent all prisons.

[DG]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 12:48am

That's interesting about the show, Skittles - I didn't know that part of the set-up. The only thing I've seen from that show were the clips of Meloni having sex - and that pretty much covered my needs.

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 12:52am

OZ was my favorite show. Realistic or not, I thought the writing, directing, photography, casting, acting, everything-was BRILLIANT. My favorite?-Adibisi.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 12:54am

SOme of the guys are super hot. It confuses me so...

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 1:02am

Having studied corrections and offender treatment programs extensively, I've been to several prisons in Canada and Washington State, and the near-unanimous response I get when I sheepishly ask this is, "This place makes Oz look like Disneyland." Not just in the violence and murders, but when it comes to the dynamics between prisoners, between C.O.s, and between prisoners and C.O.s.

[DG]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 1:03am

Well Bobby, the guys are hot because it's television. I can asure you they're not all like that. However, there are a large number of men who do nothing with their time but work-out, so you can draw your own conclusions . . .

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 1:06am

The guys are hot, the situations aren't. THe second I realize what character they're playing I get less turned on.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 1:06am

I get more...sick, isn't it?

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 1:57am

Not really related, but I just wanted to make a point without starting a new thread - if anyone watched L&O this week, Lee Tergesen was on. Is it cruel that they FINALLY get Lee Tergesen on a L&O and it's not even SVU with Chris Meloni? And they limited him to the thankless lawyer role, to boot.

[NYC4Life]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 4:11am

My friend actually just wrote a paper on america's prison systems and said that most people have no idea. He also said that television shows like OZ and Prison Break are laughable compared to what awful things really happen in prisons.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 5:18am

Prison Break is pretty laughable, period.

I thought the whole point of the Emerald City in Oz was so they had a viable reason for throwing together all kinds of different levels of prisoner. McManus is an idealist and thinks it can somehow help but of course the sparks are going to fly.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 10:43am

I have nothing to add to this discussion except that when I think of Oz, I think of poor George Michael dressed up like the Tinman expecting see the Wizard of Oz, but instead, tuning into this show. Oh, Arrested Development!