American Crimes

Violence often seems inevitable in prison; whether it stems from racial tension, or a dispute between cellmates, it's the job of Corcoran's officers to prevent attacks; in doing so, however, they put their own lives on the line.

A salesman racks up illegal credit card charges on thousands of customers; an investment manager takes on tough clients and steals their money.

Attorney Carlos Perez-Olivo burns clients; he is disbarred; he is convicted of murdering his wife.

With his long beard, ponytail, and ubiquitous advertising, Jamie Balagia - AKA The DWI Dude - is well-known in Texas as a flamboyant defense attorney who can get drunk driving defendants out of a jam.

Inmates at Tennessee Prison For Women gain career skills by taking part in a cosmetology program.

California State Prison, Corcoran is a turbulent sea of politics: from old school prison gangs to disruptive street gangs, it's a dangerous mix for staff and inmates; known gang members are sent to security housing units to control their activity.

Prison is a lonely place for any inmate; relationships that existed on the outside become strained and the ones that blossom within the prison walls are often dangerous; or they can be simply a one-sided obsession, leading to nothing but trouble.

Bad decisions have landed thousands of inmates in Corcoran; once in prison, they've got two choices, do their time and go home or become even more destructive on the inside; the path they choose could determine the difference between life and death.

Inside the Orange County Jail a senior inmate takes up rap; a gang member poses a threat; another inmate makes the most shocking confession ever heard on Lockup.

Every year, close to 70,000 people are processed through the five facilities that make up the Orange County Jail in Southern California; some will call the jail home until their cases are resolved in court - a process that can take years.

Prison is an underground economy, where some deals are signed in ink and others are signed in blood; a rare look at the schemes, hustles and extortions conducted behind prison walls and the consequences they carry.

Extractions provide some of the most dramatic interactions that ever occur between inmates and staff, and few extractions in the state of Colorado have provided more drama than the ones involving Roy Slagle.

The Emergency Response Team have their hands full of a sadistic murderer who transforms the jail, a roller derby queen who takes a hard fall and one inmate who realizes that even a good day in jail can have a dark side.

Inmates at Tennessee Prison For Women gain career skills by taking part in a cosmetology program.

California State Prison, Corcoran is a turbulent sea of politics: from old school prison gangs to disruptive street gangs, it's a dangerous mix for staff and inmates; known gang members are sent to security housing units to control their activity.

Prison is a lonely place for any inmate; relationships that existed on the outside become strained and the ones that blossom within the prison walls are often dangerous; or they can be simply a one-sided obsession, leading to nothing but trouble.

Bad decisions have landed thousands of inmates in Corcoran; once in prison, they've got two choices, do their time and go home or become even more destructive on the inside; the path they choose could determine the difference between life and death.

Inside the Orange County Jail a senior inmate takes up rap; a gang member poses a threat; another inmate makes the most shocking confession ever heard on Lockup.

Every year, close to 70,000 people are processed through the five facilities that make up the Orange County Jail in Southern California; some will call the jail home until their cases are resolved in court - a process that can take years.

Prison is an underground economy, where some deals are signed in ink and others are signed in blood; a rare look at the schemes, hustles and extortions conducted behind prison walls and the consequences they carry.

Extractions provide some of the most dramatic interactions that ever occur between inmates and staff, and few extractions in the state of Colorado have provided more drama than the ones involving Roy Slagle.

The Emergency Response Team have their hands full of a sadistic murderer who transforms the jail, a roller derby queen who takes a hard fall and one inmate who realizes that even a good day in jail can have a dark side.

Inmates at Tennessee Prison For Women gain career skills by taking part in a cosmetology program.

California State Prison, Corcoran is a turbulent sea of politics: from old school prison gangs to disruptive street gangs, it's a dangerous mix for staff and inmates; known gang members are sent to security housing units to control their activity.

Prison is a lonely place for any inmate; relationships that existed on the outside become strained and the ones that blossom within the prison walls are often dangerous; or they can be simply a one-sided obsession, leading to nothing but trouble.

Bad decisions have landed thousands of inmates in Corcoran; once in prison, they've got two choices, do their time and go home or become even more destructive on the inside; the path they choose could determine the difference between life and death.

Inside the Orange County Jail a senior inmate takes up rap; a gang member poses a threat; another inmate makes the most shocking confession ever heard on Lockup.

Every year, close to 70,000 people are processed through the five facilities that make up the Orange County Jail in Southern California; some will call the jail home until their cases are resolved in court - a process that can take years.