# Orange is New Black prison question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 14, 2015, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487 "2015-06-14T04:54:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/1 "2015-06-14T04:54:14Z")
On the show they have prisoners driving prison vehicles in the community, getting furloughs, and doing electrical work. Also different groups at any time control the kitchen. This time its the hispanics. Is any of that true? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/2 "2015-06-14T05:04:03Z")
I haven’t seen the series, but in my state, inmate labor is commonly used in various ways. Prisoners earn “trustee” status with good behavior, and get assigned to various jobs, including maintenance, janitorial, lawn care, etc. The inmates are paid a small amount, which gets credited to their fines, or to their canteen account if all fines are paid–they can buy junk food, magazines, toiletries, etc from the prison store. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/3 "2015-06-14T05:19:17Z")
In the book (so presumably in real life) prisoners drove vehicles, learned to do electrical work, worked in kitchens, etc. - I have not seen the show, but believe they have taken a lot of dramatic license (for example, in the book there is essentially no violence or sex depicted.) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/4 "2015-06-14T06:23:10Z")
The real life Piper Kerman served her time at Danbury, a minimum security prison. At that type of prison, lots of prisoners work outside the facility. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/5 "2015-06-14T10:08:47Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > In the book (so presumably in real life) prisoners drove vehicles, learned to do electrical work, worked in kitchens, etc. - I have not seen the show, but believe they have taken a lot of dramatic license (for example, in the book there is essentially no violence or sex depicted.) In real life much of the maintenance work like electrical and plumbing requires certification and in some places done only by union members. I just dont see the prisoners being licensed electricians. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/6 "2015-06-14T17:21:29Z")
In the prisons I’ve worked at, you’d generally have civilian employees as electricians and plumbers. And they would often have prisoners who worked as their assistants. The quality of the assistance varied between prisoners based on their experience and intelligence. Some assistants were essentially qualified to carry the tool box. Others knew how to do the job as well as the civilian did. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/7 "2015-06-15T05:14:00Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > In the prisons I’ve worked at, you’d generally have civilian employees as electricians and plumbers. And they would often have prisoners who worked as their assistants. > > The quality of the assistance varied between prisoners based on their experience and intelligence. Some assistants were essentially qualified to carry the tool box. Others knew how to do the job as well as the civilian did. Yeah, I knew a guy who went to prison for fraud. On the outside he was a contractor and while inside they put him in charge of some maintenance projects. When he finished his sentence they hired him back as a contractor. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/8 "2015-06-15T06:12:15Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > In real life much of the maintenance work like electrical and plumbing requires certification and in some places done only by union members. I just dont see the prisoners being licensed electricians. AFAIK in some places, you don’t have to be a trades-qualified plumber or electrician (etc.) to do work - it just has to be inspected and approved as properly done (“supervised?”) by the appropriate qualified trade. OTOH, the guards in “Orange Is The New Black” don’t seem to have any meaningful union protection, so I doubt any issue beyond “Does it work?” is relevant to the repair and operation of the prison. IIRC the prison in the TV series is supposed to be a federal facility - not sure how that affects the union status or options versus a state-run facility. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/9 "2015-06-15T11:28:06Z")
I’ve been in a couple of situations where I’m around alot of women and all the estrogen or whatever it is in the air I swear messes with me (IE makes me horny). How would a man working in such an environment handle it? The one guard who got an inmate pregnant, how common is that? I heard the guard can go to jail for it. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/10 "2015-06-15T17:18:18Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > I’ve been in a couple of situations where I’m around alot of women and all the estrogen or whatever it is in the air I swear messes with me (IE makes me horny). How would a man working in such an environment handle it? As the warden said in one of the new episodes, “Do what I do - go back to the office, lock the door, and handle the problem yourself… if you get my drift.” [He sees a hot-looking inmate go by in her underwear] “Uh, excuse me, I forgot something in the office.” > [@](#): > > The one guard who got an inmate pregnant, how common is that? I heard the guard can go to jail for it. It falls in the same category as rape by a teacher or guardian. The inmate is in no position to freely consent, due to the differences in power and authority. Obviously its one of those situations where when the inmate does show up pregnant, a crime has been committed and the inmate is in no position to refuse DNA evidence. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/11 "2015-06-15T17:31:33Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > In real life much of the maintenance work like electrical and plumbing requires certification and in some places done only by union members. I just dont see the prisoners being licensed electricians. Could a person become a licensed electrician (or other licensed tradesperson) by taking the exams, etc. in prison? I know that many prisoners are illiterate, but not all. Are most trades licenses revoked or voided on conviction of a crime, or is that more common in white-collar professions like medicine and law that have a larger ethics concern? E.g. if I am a licensed electrician at the time of conviction, do I generally stay a licensed electrician or would the licensure board probably take my certification away due to being a criminal and whatnot? ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/12 "2015-06-15T17:53:00Z")
The big issue is that there are a number of courses that require “accreditation” and supervised exams. I knew people going for Electrician and Stationary Engineer in Canada, and they had to complete community college courses and then pass the exams, as well as work in the field under a current journeyman doing practical work. OTOH, the practical courses can be taught. Another fellow, his brother got out of prison and was hired on as a labourer. (Many many years ago) When they found out he was trained to weld in prison, they put him to work in the plant shop. They did not care if he was certified, his work was just fine and was of course inspected by qualified welders. (Millwrights, I think?) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/13 "2015-06-15T19:09:20Z")
That’s the kind of thing I’d like to see in prisons: if they don’t have a skill that pays better than a life of crime, teach them one… ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/14 "2015-06-15T19:14:27Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > That’s the kind of thing I’d like to see in prisons: if they don’t have a skill that pays better than a life of crime, teach them one… I think they try but security becomes an issue. Imagine all those prisoners with access to tools, wire, and whatnot? I knew a guy who finished his HS diploma in prison. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/15 "2015-06-15T20:26:37Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > I think they try but security becomes an issue. Imagine all those prisoners with access to tools, wire, and whatnot? > > I knew a guy who finished his HS diploma in prison. There are medium and low security prisons, and “Club Fed”. If you are out in 6 months or a year, and have good prospects once done, why screw it up and add years by busting out? (The son of the former premier of Saskatchewan, Colin Thatcher, made the news years ago since while he was in jail for murdering his wife, he had his horse brought to the prison stable. ) As for losing accreditations - there are qualifications that require a degree of trust - Lawyer, accountant, or doctor for example. If you do something that would demonstrate you cannot honestly perform your job, obviously the board of whatever cannot allow you to continue. However, I don’t recall ever hearing of an accountant losing their certification for, say, domestic assault. Fraud, job-related theft, or embezzlement would be a no-brainer. An unrelated conviction might impact the ability to get bonded and that might impact the job. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/16 "2015-06-16T02:04:35Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > I’ve been in a couple of situations where I’m around alot of women and all the estrogen or whatever it is in the air I swear messes with me (IE makes me horny). How would a man working in such an environment handle it? By not being a 14 year old boy? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/17 "2015-06-16T02:21:42Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Yeah, I knew a guy who went to prison for fraud. On the outside he was a contractor and while inside they put him in charge of some maintenance projects. When he finished his sentence they hired him back as a contractor. I believe you, but that seems like a bad idea. You have a guy that’s made friends on the inside that’s now regularly going in and out of the prison and, I assume, is unsupervised while he’s working inside the prison. Seems like a bad idea. But I don’t know anything about the situation. I mean, if all he was doing was fixing the pavement on the outskirts of the grounds when no one was around, that’s probably no big deal, but if he’s going plumbing work in the bathrooms with no guard supervision, that seems like a bad idea. As far as letting the prisoners drive the vehicles, that never made sense to me. Zomby, you said in the book, prisoners drove vehicles, but did they drive the off premises or just to shuttle people around on the grounds? I mean, typically there were two guards in the van, why not have one of them drive instead of the jailbird? If it happened in real life, I’ll accept it, but if it didn’t, that was always a hard one to swallow, even when I know that little of OITNB is based on real life (both the real Piper and the real Alex have said so) and I know they’ve taken liberties on what goes on in a prison. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/18 "2015-06-16T03:02:31Z")
As far as I know, people with felonies can’t be licensed electricians. I used to date a guy with an aptitude for electrical work who also had a felony and he said he couldn’t get a license. Not sure about other trades. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/19 "2015-06-16T03:23:34Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Zomby, you said in the book, prisoners drove vehicles, but did they drive the off premises or just to shuttle people around on the grounds? From memory I’m not 100% sure, but IIRC they did sometimes drive off grounds - remember IRL this is not the “PRISON” you have in mind from movies/TV with violent people locked up in cells and whatnot, it is the sort of women’s minimum security place where Martha Stewart served time, and is more of a dormitory/work environment…if you are really interested in the subject I’d recommend checking out the book. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487/20 "2015-06-16T04:03:50Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > From memory I’m not 100% sure, but IIRC they did sometimes drive off grounds - remember IRL this is not the “PRISON” you have in mind from movies/TV with violent people locked up in cells and whatnot, it is the sort of women’s minimum security place where Martha Stewart served time, and is more of a dormitory/work environment…if you are really interested in the subject I’d recommend checking out the book. I actually have the book, got a few chapters into it, kinda forget about it and found out I wasn’t the only person who didn’t really care for it. Also, Alex now has a book out as well. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-is-new-black-prison-question/722487.md?page=2)