Ep 1. Locked Angeles

In season 3, episode 1 of the award-winning CNN series This Is Life With Lisa Ling, the journalist and host takes viewers on a journey into the complex and often chaotic world of Los Angeles County's criminal justice system.

The episode is titled "Locked Angeles" and focuses on California's overcrowded prisons and jails, which are bursting at the seams with inmates despite the recent implementation of statewide reforms aimed at reducing the population behind bars.

Ling explores the various factors that have contributed to the current state of L.A.'s jails and prisons, including the state's controversial three-strikes law and the war on drugs, which disproportionately affects people of color and those from low-income communities.

Throughout the episode, Ling interviews people from all walks of life who have been trapped in the criminal justice system, from former inmates who are now trying to rebuild their lives to family members of those who have been incarcerated for years.

Ling also takes viewers inside one of L.A.'s most notorious jails, where she witnesses firsthand the harsh realities of life behind bars and speaks with correctional officers who are struggling to keep up with the demand for services.

The episode underscores the urgent need for reform in California's criminal justice system, highlighting the ways in which overreliance on incarceration has contributed to high rates of recidivism and perpetuated cycles of poverty and violence in some of the state's most vulnerable communities.

By shedding light on the human costs of mass incarceration and the ways in which it affects not only individuals but also entire communities, "Locked Angeles" provides a powerful and eye-opening look at a pressing issue facing our country today.