The Untold Truth Of Girls Incarcerated

The following article includes references to drug addiction.

Shelter-in-place orders due to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19 might have made us feel like we were in prison, but in reality, hanging out in the luxury of your own home is a far cry from what prison is actually like. Don't believe us? Well, if you find yourself with some extra time on your hands, look no further than the Netflix series "Girls Incarcerated: Young and Locked Up." While the series — a reality show-style look at the lives of teenage girls who are sent to juvenile detention centers — was short-lived, it still manages to generate buzz.

Rife with drama, yet heartfelt and honest at its core, "Girls Incarcerated" will give you an idea of what prison life actually looks like and offer you a glimpse of how the system treats those who are forced to endure it, whether they deserve it or not.

So what's the untold story behind the show? Let's take a look.

If you've ever flipped through the channels on your television and landed on networks like MSNBC, A&E, or TLC, you're probably aware of the "prison docuseries" genre — shows that use either an episodic documentary format or a reality TV format to take viewers inside detention facilities and penitentiaries in the United States and beyond. While some of them tend to use gimmicks to lure in viewers ("Love After Lockup") or use ethically murky practices to pull in ratings ("60 Days In"), "Girls Incarcerated" takes a slightly different approach — one that makes it a standout among other shows like it (and a lot less exploitative).

"Girls Incarcerated" focuses on a group of youths in two detention centers. The first season is set in Indiana's Madison Juvenile Correctional Facility (before its closure in 2018, it was considered one of the best rehabilitative facilities of its kind), while the second season focuses on a different cast at another Indiana juvenile facility known as LaPorte. Rather than salaciously framing the day-to-day of those featured in each season's eight episodes or having the production team ratchet up the drama from behind the scenes, the makers of "Girls Incarcerated" rely on their interview subjects to tell their own stories. And if you go by what critics had to say about the Netflix series, it was a change in the right direction.

As Decider pointed out in its review of the show's first season, the subject matter "Girls Incarcerated" dwells upon is one that's often overlooked. Minors who are placed in the juvenile detention system often have difficulty escaping the lifestyle because they have little support. The respective casts featured in each season of "Girls Incarcerated" are no exception.

This notion, paired with the sense of agency the makers of the show allowed their subjects to have — even while under lock-and-key — is what seemed to win critics over far and wide. New Yorker critic Doreen St. Felix elevated the Netflix show above others like it: "The series largely forgoes the macabre violence that one finds on MSNBC's long-running prison reality series, 'Lockup,' and it lacks the judgmental tone of, say, MTV's 'Teen Mom,' in which young mothers are presented as the saboteurs of the American family unit. 'Girls Incarcerated' is instead civil, empathetic; in some ways, this view of America, the prison nation, might even seem uplifting."

"Girls Incarcerated" gives names and faces to kids imprisoned by the system. Audiences have the opportunity to root for the cast members' rehabilitation and re-entrance into society. The show can give you the feels while also revealing the hard realities that lead young people like these into the circumstances we find them in — circumstances that are sadly far too common.

While each girl's story is worth an individual article, there are some standouts from each season that tug at the heartstrings. In the first season, we meet Brianna Guerra, a self-anointed "bad girl" whose anger threatens to curtail her release; Aubrey Wilson, a teen whose substance abuse sheds a light on the high rates of recidivism for those who make it out; Najwa Pollard, a two-year resident who completes the program but remains because she has no home to return to; and Taryn Twine, a straight-A student and former cheerleader who asks to be sent through the system as penance after a car accident killed her best friend while she was behind the wheel.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Despite receiving praise from critics, "Girls Incarcerated" has not yet returned for a third season. The reason is not entirely clear. Netflix is rather elusive when it comes to releasing its streaming data, and though Cinemablend reported that the unscripted series would be canceled after a third season, Netflix has not released an official statement on the matter. Maybe that means there's some hope for a Season 3? At the time of this writing, "Girls Incarcerated" has not been renewed for another season, but it also hasn't been officially canceled. For what it's worth, it took Netflix more than a year to drop the second season of the show into our feeds after the first season debuted.

Even if we never get another season of "Girls Incarcerated," the first two seasons are definitely a worthwhile watch. The girls of "Girls Incarcerated" have important stories that need to be told, and the more of us that are here to listen to them, the better.

Did the teens of "Girls Incarcerated" Season 1 achieve their goals after being released? Let's overview what the cast is up to today. We watched Paige Mcatee learn how to manage her emotions throughout the season. Having become a mother of three upon leaving the facility, it appears she was able to turn her life around, as her Instagram bio indicates she is a dental assistant, a certified lash tech, and is even studying to become a sonographer. Brianna Guerra (pictured above) also went on to become a mother to two adorable sons. Additionally, she has a successful YouTube channel with nearly 130,000 subscribers. Similarly, Sarah Maxwell announced her pregnancy in late 2021.

Sadly, Aubrey Wilson ran into more trouble show after the show wrapped. A Facebook page for "Girls Incarcerated" fans posted a screenshot of court records that revealed Wilson was charged with "unlawful possession of syringe" in 2020. Meanwhile, Taryn Twine shocked viewers when she revealed she opted to attend the juvenile detention center as a punishment for accidentally taking her friend's life in a car crash. Her Facebook posts suggest she's been able to cope with her past and is now enjoying her life outside of imprisonment. Heidi Lakin appears to have sadly suffered a miscarriage, per In Touch, but can also be found documenting her newfound freedom on social media. 

Armani Buckner seems to be studying in Indiana while living the single life, per Facebook. Finally, counselor Jacie Minnick confirmed via Twitter that Najwa Pollard was no longer behind bars in 2018.

Season 2 of "Girls Incarcerated" followed the lives of a new group of teens, whose heartbreaking backstories likely left viewers wondering if they were able to heal from their pasts. Well, this is what they're up to these days. 

Tiffany Kristler, who was separated from her young daughter upon entering LaPorte Juvenile Correctional Facility in Indiana, revealed in a 2019 YouTube video that they would be reuniting. Harley Moody seemingly restarted her life after her release, as her Facebook bio indicates she began working as a cleaning technician after completing her education at Greensburg Community Schools. Jesse Rose had a lot to work through on the show. With both parents being incarcerated, she sadly didn't have a stable environment to return to after being released. She seems to be doing well today, though, as she documents her life with friends and family on Facebook and Instagram, and studied at Ivy Tech Community College, per Distractify. Zarriah Thomas' Facebook bio reveals that she also attended the same school.

Carisa Hale is one of the many "Girls Incarcerated" stars who welcomed a child after being released. She made the big announcement on Facebook, where she often posts photos with her boyfriend. You may be happy to hear that Carli Meisberger (pictured above) also became a mom upon recovering from her addiction. While Arionna Davis and Hannah Aberegg both live their lives privately and off of social media, Distractify reports that the latter also worked on her sobriety with the goal of becoming a nurse.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).