’60 Days In’ Returns With A New Group Of Undercover Inmates


The first season of 60 Days In gave viewers a riveting look behind the cold, hard walls of the Clark County Jail located in Jeffersonville, Indiana. From the very first episode, the docu-series was full of tension and drama as seven innocent and frightened volunteers were followed from the very first day, when they entered their assigned pods, up to their final day of incarceration. According to People, 60 Days In came in as the top-rated, unscripted cable show.

60 Days In is the brainchild of executive producer Greg Henry and Sheriff Jamey Noel. Due to ongoing drug use, crime, and corruption, Noel initiated the 60 Days In program to receive vital information from the volunteers. The goal is for each participant to spend 60 days among the jail’s general population without officers, other inmates, or staff being aware of the real reason they are behind bars. Noel’s idea began to pay off almost immediately, and Variety shared that the A&E network realized they were onto something unique with 60 Days In.

60 Days In is the perfect example of A&E’s unique brand of disruptive non-fiction storytelling that takes viewers outside of their comfort zone,” said Elaine Frontain Bryant, A&E EVP and head of programming. “As soon as footage from Season 1 began to come in, we knew we had something special and we immediately ordered a second season. We hope viewers will share our passion for this groundbreaking series.”

As with the first group of volunteers for 60 Days In, the second set of participants had to complete their time before anyone became aware of the program. Secrecy was paramount in order to protect the volunteers and the project as a whole. With over 500 prisoners, this was not an easy task to accomplish, but the hundreds of cameras set up throughout the pods were a valuable tool and followed the second group of 60 Days In volunteers as they slowly become integrated into the daily but harrowing routines of surviving in jail.

Five of the original seven volunteers on the first season of 60 Days In were able to complete the program. As for the second season of 60 Days In, it will be interesting to see how the eight volunteers cope with the harsh new reality that they find themselves in and whether they will be as successful as their predecessors. Hopefully, the new group of 60 Days In volunteers will be able to continue to provide Noel and Captain Scottie Maples with even more timely and important information. People provided a sneak-peek video of the new season along with a small amount of information regarding the second group of volunteers for 60 Days In.

Dion is a 24-year-old graduate student who will soon receive his Masters in Criminology, Law, and Society. He’s previously counseled troubled youth in juvenile detention centers, and would like to focus on improving neighborhoods for the better, which in turn would help the kids he works with by improving the quality of their lives.

Ryan, 27, serves in the Army Reserve as a medic and hopes to become a police officer. Sheri is a 39-year-old former corrections officer who is now a stay-at-home mother to her three little girls. She believes that this experience will aid her when she decides to return to the workforce.

Monalisa, 49, has an incarcerated daughter, and she founded a national support and advocacy group for parents of jailed children. Fifty-three-year-old Quentin is a retired police captain and now works as a private investigator and bounty hunter. Although he has seen the inside of many jails, this will be his first time seeing what jail is like from an inmate’s point of view.

Ashleigh is a 29-year-old new mom and her husband, Zac, was part of the first group of volunteers for 60 Days In. Now it will be Zac’s turn to care for their son while his wife is incarcerated for the 60 Days In program. A recovering addict who has been sober for four years, Ashleigh is now pursuing a career in social work and drug/alcohol rehabilitation.

Brian, 39, is an attorney with the Department of Corrections and works with the Internal Affairs office during their investigations. He often recommends what penalties should be given for misconduct, and it will be interesting to see if his stance changes once he’s experienced what it’s like to be incarcerated.

Chris is the 25-year-old brother of a former convict. He feels like jail damaged his brother and hopes that by volunteering for 60 Days In, he will gain a deeper understanding of what it’s really like to be incarcerated.

TV Series Finale noted that there will be a special preview episode titled “Meet the Participants” that will air on August 11 at 10 p.m. ET. Viewers will get to know more about the new season of 60 Days In and more about the second group of volunteers as they explain why they decided to enter the program. Each participant’s background and life experiences should contribute greatly to the program and hopefully will provide the sheriff with more valuable intel and feedback.

Did you watch the first season of 60 Days In? Do you think what these innocent volunteers are doing is worth the risk? Leave your comments, thoughts, and opinions below. The second season of 60 Days In premieres on August 18 at 9 p.m. ET on the A&E channel.

[Image via 60 Days In/Facebook]

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