Are womens' prisons in general much like Litchfield as portrayed in the show Orange is the New Black
Piper Chapman has a rough first few days in prison.
Photo: (Jessica Miglio / Netflix)
Created by Jenji Kohan of Weeds fame, the show is about Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), a yuppie living in New York City with her fiancé (Jason Biggs) and trying to get an artisanal soap business off the ground. However, Chapman used to date an international drug smuggler (Laura Prepon), and transferred cash for her a few times. That past catches up with Piper and she ends up with a 15 month sentence in a federal prison in Litchfield, NY — a prison where Alex, her drug-smuggling ex, is also doing time.
The show's based on the memoir of Piper Kerman, who really did date a drug smuggler and really did end up in prison for 15 months as a result. So the basic plot isn't totally unrealistic. But are women's prisons in general much like Litchfield as portrayed in the show?
Dylan Matthews breaks it down, point by point here
It's an interesting and excellent read.
Source: The Washington Post
By: Dylan Matthews
First published: July 17th 2013
