As an ex-prison governor with a passion for the culture and behaviours that organisations create, it is no wonder, perhaps, that I couldn’t get enough of the Channel 4’s 60 Days In Jail series. Many a time in my “prison days” I had said I would love to spend a night in a cell, to really understand what went on when we closed the doors behind us. It was as if someone read my mind; seven members of the public went completely undercover in a Jeffersonville Federal Jail for 60 days. Each had different reasons for joining the programme, but their remit was to report back to the Sheriff (the only one who knew who they were) on what the staff and prisoners were really doing. A rare glance into a world that, whilst for me still feels like “home”, is for others a source of intrigue and excitement.
Isn’t it funny how sometimes, when you watch a TV programme, particularly a series, you feel in some way connected to the characters? One of the participants, Tami - a police officer who is gay and who was brought up in foster care - caught my attention especially. Soon after the knowing glance my partner and I exchanged as she appeared on screen, Tami was talking about her wife and her eight-year-old daughter. Same-sex relationships are becoming increasingly common on TV (even in series like Location, Location, Location!) yet we still shared a smile in recognition of this small step towards inclusion.
As the episodes continued, Tami’s story began to unfold and my sense of empathy and admiration grew. A connection. So imagine my mix of excitement and slightly stalker-esque nerves when DIVA offered me the opportunity to Skype her for an interview!