45 Former Inmates Share Secrets About What Being Incarcerated Is Really Like

The movies make things dramatic, entertaining, and eye-catching on screen. That means that what you see on TV isn't always true and, at the very least, isn't the whole picture. With shows and movies about jails almost everywhere you turn, some people took to Reddit to ask real inmates what their experiences were really like. We've compiled the most honest answers...

We've already touched on the fact that when you turn on Orange Is the New Black or Shawshank Redemption, you're getting a dramatized version of jail or prison on screen. As for this person, they said that those movies and TV shows really didn't line up with their experience when they were in High Desert State Prison in Nevada. It seems like nothing is quite like it seems on the silver screen.

When you go to prison or jail, you're going somewhere that's housing you for the duration of your stay. After all, the whole point is that you aren't allowed to leave. This person shared that during their time in a holding cell, they learned that while it might be built for housing people, the jail was far from comfortable. Even the temperature stood out to them as nearly unbearable to the point of huddling for warmth.

One thing about going to jail or prison that can be incredibly difficult is that you don't have much of your own. In fact, your personal belongings are confiscated when you walk in the door. This person's former fiancé was incarcerated for a time and noted how he had to start over with nothing once all of his personal belongings were confiscated, including the literal shirt off of his back. Clearly, that's not something this person agrees with.

Aside from your belongings, there's a lot more that you lose when you're incarcerated. For example, you aren't going to find a lot of privacy either. When this person described the monotony that the days can take while incarcerated, it was a few notes here that most of us would especially find difficult. Most people want a little privacy when they head to the bathroom or shower — which isn't something that many jails and prisons offer their inmates.