Unlocked: A Jail Experiment swiftly became one of Netflix's biggest hits in the documentary genre, owing to its brilliant, thought-provoking premise, which has affected more lives directly than most shows hope for.
Led by Arkansas Sheriff Eric Higgins's bold (and slightly dangerous) idea, the series follows the story of Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility in Little Rock, Arkansas, where inmates were let out of their cells for six weeks, leaving them with the power and authority to establish their own structure and community, something that has been appreciated by viewers worldwide.
Sheriff Higgins, who was concerned about the high recidivism and terrible living conditions in prisons, told Netflix's official site Tudum about the experiment—
"They each have their own issues, whether it’s court, their charges, their contact or lack of contact with family members, their lack of support… all of those things are coming into play,...They stepped up. They recognized that they can improve their environment. And the majority of the people in the unit did the right thing from Day 1."
One of the convicts in the show, Krisna Piro Clarke, aka Tiny, has already been released from prison, following which the former inmate expressed his gratitude for the freedom. Unlocked: The Jail Experiment was also a crucial part of his rehabilitation as he got to connect with his son and the outside world.
Now a free man, Tiny is now living outside, grateful for the life and for his child, with whom he now maintains good contact.
Why was Tiny from Unlocked: A Jail Experiment sent to prison?
In the Netflix show, Tiny always seemed like a more likeable inmate with a personal story that is quite heartbreaking. The former convict was sent to Pulaski County Detention Facilit’s H-Unit for aggravated robbery and first-degree battery. But his criminal career goes way back.
While talking about himself, Tiny shared that he got his nickname due to his small height, which also led him to carry a knife around. His criminal journey began when he stabbed a bully in his youth, leading to multiple encounters with law enforcement.
However, participating in Unlocked: A Jail Experiment provided more clarity to the former convict, whose biggest achievement was reconnecting with his son. After some failed attempts to contact his child, Tiny also got into an altercation with a fellow inmate, but he soon managed to reach his son and has maintained regular contact since then.
There was also some drama regarding a violent brawl during the experiment, which resulted in a 24-hour lockdown, which enraged Tiny as he could not contact his son. But things were soon back on track, and his son even visited him. He reconnected with his son and even apologized for the path he had taken in life.
In the end, Unlocked: A Jail Experiment proved to be a transformative experience for Krisna Piro Clarke, who was recently released from prison.
As a free man, he expressed his gratitude for the little things in life like open space and fresh air. He also expressed how the show helped him learn many lessons and taught him to be a better person.
Though there is ample interest in Tiny's life from all around the world, the former inmate has stayed away from the spotlight since he got out of prison and is not very active on social media platforms either.
All eight episodes of Unlocked: A Jail Experiment are now streaming on Netflix.