Lockup Extended Stay: Boston Season 1 Episode 2 The Box Life

In season 1, episode 2 of Lockup Extended Stay: Boston, titled "The Box Life," viewers are given an inside look into Suffolk County Jail. This facility is known for its notoriety and dangerous reputation, with some inmates serving time for serious crimes such as murder and drug trafficking.

"The Box Life" refers to the reality of living in solitary confinement, which is where many inmates in Suffolk County Jail spend their time. The episode centers on several inmates who have been placed in "the box" for various reasons, such as fighting or disobeying orders. These inmates spend 23 hours a day locked in a small cell with no contact with other people.

One of the inmates featured in this episode is a man named Bill, who has been in solitary confinement for three years. He is allowed one hour of recreation time each day, during which he exercises alone in a small, outdoor enclosure. Bill speaks candidly about the toll that solitary confinement has taken on his mental health, and how his only solace is the Bible that he spends hours reading each day.

Another segment features an inmate named Marcus, who has been placed in the box for starting a fight in the general population. Marcus is a young man who struggles with anger management issues, and he admits to the cameras that he feels lost and alone in solitary confinement. In an emotional scene, Marcus talks about how much he misses his family and how he wishes he could turn his life around.

Throughout the episode, viewers are given a sense of the daily routine of inmates in solitary confinement. Meals are delivered through a slot in the door, and inmates are given limited access to books and television. Guards make regular checks on the inmates, and there is a sense of tension and unease throughout the cellblock. Some inmates cope with the isolation by singing or talking to themselves, while others fall into a deep depression.

"The Box Life" also explores the impact that solitary confinement can have on inmates who are eventually released back into society. Many experts believe that prolonged periods of isolation can cause psychological damage that may be difficult to undo. The episode features interviews with psychologists and activists who argue that solitary confinement should be used only as a last resort, and that there are better ways to handle difficult inmates.

Overall, "The Box Life" is a sobering look at the realities of life in solitary confinement. It offers an unflinching portrayal of the toll that isolation can take on the human psyche, and reminds viewers of the need for more humane approaches to incarceration.