Cast Biographies

Series 2 Cast Bios

Ashleigh’s mother introduced her to alcohol when she was only 10 years old and by the time she was a teenager her addiction was out of control. She finally got clean after an overdose landed her in the hospital and now she has been sober four years. Ashleigh’s behavior could have easily landed her behind bars for several months and she wants to face the harsh reality that could have been her life. She expects to meet other women with stories similar to her own and would like to help those inmates who are struggling with addiction. At the same time, being constantly surrounded by women who remind her of her old life will be challenging.

Ultimately, Ashleigh plans to pursue a career in social work or drug/alcohol rehabilitation and she sees this as a unique and inspiring start. The Sheriff believes that Ashleigh’s past will help her relate to the multiple women in the unit who are struggling with addiction or incarcerated for DUIs. And as Zac’s wife, she could report on whether some of the Sheriff’s solutions to problemsZac identified are fixing the issues.

Brian is an attorney with a west coast based Department of Corrections Legal Affairs’ Prosecution Team and works with the Internal Affairs office during their investigations. He often recommends penalties for the department’s corrections officers when they find misconduct. Prior to this, Brian worked in private practice. Currently, Brian sees a limited side of the corrections system and wants the opportunity to interact with the CO’s as an inmate instead of a lawyer. He is the proud father of two sons and though it is hard to leave his family, he knows this immersive experience will provide him with unique insight and a deeper understanding of how the system works.

The Sheriff feels Brian’s professional experience and perspective will help him more thoroughly evaluate the relationship between the correctional officers and inmates in his facility.

Chris’ younger brother got arrested at a young age and it rattled their conservative Southern family and shaped Chris’ views on the system. He feels like jail hardened his brother and that he came out a changed and damaged man. It took his sibling almost two years to get his life straightened out after dealing with drug abuse and homelessness. Chris wants to see firsthand what incarceration looks like for someone like his brother, who made one wrong decision at a young age and paid a hefty price inside of jail and after coming out. Chris is concerned about the abuse of power within law enforcement and believes incarceration is like caging animals.

He feels strongly that there isn’t enough rehabilitation inside and too many people are serving long sentences for petty crimes. Chris would like to be a source of encouragement to the guys inside, however he’s also afraid of being forced to seek protection from people that terrify him. The Sheriff is interested to hear how the changes he is making within his facility could help people like Chris’s brother.

Dion has been studying the criminal justice system for almost six years, but thinks time behind bars would teach him more than all his classes combined. With all he’s learned in school, plus what he’ll discover inside, Dion wants to go back to the crime-ridden streets of his hometown neighborhood to show the community that jail is not the answer.

Dion grew up one of nine siblings and his parents separated shortly after he was born. Dion felt he could have easily ended up behind bars like many of his friends and family. He was able to leave home without a criminal record and is about to receive a Masters in Criminology, Law and Society. He’s counseled youth in juvenile detention centers in the past and now wants to focus on bettering neighborhoods and ultimately young kids’ lives.

Dion hopes to be an example for at-risk youth, showing them that they can rise above crime and build strong, meaningful careers. The Sheriff recognizes Dion’s passion to help his community and thinks his education paired with his own rough life will bring a fresh point of view to the program.

Monalisa’s daughter is serving a ten-year mandatory prison sentence. The guilt and shame Monalisa felt after her daughter’s arrest was paralyzing. She never imagined she’d be a prison mom and jail life seemed like another world to her. Not a day goes by where she doesn’t pray to switch places with her child.

In 2014, Monalisa started Parents With Incarcerated Children, a national support and advocacy group for parents, in hopes to build a community of families that could connect on this emotional issue. After spending time behind bars, living in her daughter’s shoes, this brave mom wants to be able to relate to her daughter as she finishes out her sentence. She also hopes her experience can be a source of support for other parents in similar situations. The Sheriff believes Monalisa can provide an important perspective as a mother of an incarcerated child and as an advocate for sentence reform, specifically mandatory minimums.

Quintin is a recently retired State Police Captain and currently works as a licensed private investigator and bounty hunter. He is a strong believer in the criminal justice system, and feels it is his duty to protect his community. Between his 29 years on the police force and his new bounty-hunting career, Quintin has helped put many people behind bars. Now, he’d like to come full circle and understand the fate he has sentenced to so many.

Quintin is highly competitive, and says he will have to “pump the brakes” on his strong-willed personality once inside. He has seen many facilities in the past and is eager to learn how this facility functions and what, if anything, they let their inmates get away with while behind bars. The Sheriff believes Quintin’s professional experience is invaluable and that he will provide a thorough assessment of Clark County Jail.

Ryanrecently started the application process to become a police officer. He feels there are too many corrupt officers in this country and wants to make a difference. After high school, Ryan joined the Army Reserves and went through training at Fort Benning. He then worked as a code team medic within the ICU at a local hospital and is about to finish a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy. The aspiring police officer believes that what he sees behind bars will greatly affect the kind of officer he becomes. He equates it to basic training in the military: you must experience it first before you understand how to use the force and power of the weapon.

This experience would give him the knowledge to use his authority as a police officer with empathy. The Sheriff is interested to hear from the young, aspiring police officer who is eager to be part of a generation of change and reform.

Sheri spent two years as a corrections officer at a maximum-security state prison before starting a family and becoming a stay-at-home mom to three little girls. She found her time in the facility fascinating and has always wanted to see things from a detainee’s point of view. Sheri’s main duty as a CO was to know the prisoners’ rights and to make sure they are being given their rights at all times. She felt as a CO she did not get the luxuries that the inmates she watched over were given. But overall, Sheri loved the position and credits her time working with the inmates for making her a better, less judgmental person and mother. Leaving her daughters behind will be the hardest part of this journey, but now that she’s ready to return to her career as a CO, this experience will be eye opening.

She’ll learn how other officers operate to determine how she did on the job, and ways she can work more safely and be better at her job in the future. The Sheriff is interested in hearing Sheri’s perspective as a Correctional Officer in order to better assess his facility.