PJI signs onto letter sent to New Orleans City Council demanding a public hearing in response to Netflix “Jailbirds” season featuring people incarcerated at Orleans Parish Prison

New Orleans, LA - Promise of Justice Initiative (PJI) signed onto a letter sent to New Orleans City Councilmembers on September 20, 2021 demanding a public hearing in response to Netflix series “Jailbirds” which filmed and chronicled the lives of women incarcerated at Orleans Parish Prison (OPP). The letter, originally authored by the Orleans Public Defenders, highlights the violation of public trust that has emerged in response to allowing film crews inside the correctional facility. The letter was signed by 14 organizations and criminal justice advocates.

The letters raises questions about the legality of producing a reality TV show featuring pretrial incarcerated people whose lawyers were not consulted. According to the Advocate, attorneys at the Orleans Public Defender were not aware of the production. The letter also says that Sheriff Gusman told lawyers at the Macarthur Justice Center twice that production was “shut down and terminated,” according to the Lens.

The authors and signees of the letter also raised several ethical concerns. On the subject of compensation, the letter tells Councilmembers that incarcerated people “earn as little as 12 cents per hour, have no OSHA protections, are disciplined for not working, or have the government taking up to ⅔ of their paycheck.” Issues with voluntary and informed consent, exploitation, and the goals of producing a reality TV show featuring incarcerated people were also included in the letter sent to councilmembers.

The Promise of Justice Initiative also joined Orleans Public Defenders, Orleans Parish Prison Reform Coalition (OPPRC), and Voice of the Experienced (VOTE) in a public statement which says, “…During an ongoing global pandemic, where incarcerated people are exponentially more at risk for serious illness, priority should be on protecting the health and safety of those in [Sheriff Gusman’s] care, not creating voyeuristic entertainment.

Mass incarceration has innumerable and detrimental impacts to individuals, their families and the community. It should not be misconstrued as some form of summer camp for adults, or used for punchlines, sound bites, or exploitation of vulnerable people. That reality TV is a priority speaks volumes.”