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According to a research published by Prison Policy Initiative “at least 1 in 4 people in the US who go to jail will be arrested again within the same year” hence raising questions regarding what’s being done to ensure societal acceptance and integration of incarcerated individuals post release and weather the land of opportunities is willing to provide second chances to such individuals.
However, Litton Entertainment’s newly announced original series Free Enterprise seems to be a step in the right direction. The show, which is the only one of its kind, is basically a platform, where former inmates get a chance at redemption and starting anew.
Incarcerated individuals often find it difficult to get employment due to their criminal record. Unable to find a job, they are often pushed into a cycle of unemployment, poverty and crime that often makes them end up in prison again. Free Enterprise aims to break this cycle by turning these individuals into entrepreneurs and providing them with a stable source of income.
Hosted by ABC News’ host Ryan Smith, the series airs every Saturday morning on ABC stations in the US and features entrepreneur and financial-technology pioneer and Inmates to Entrepreneurs founder Brian Hamilton, who with his team works with and aids former inmates to start businesses with no or very little capital.
The show is special in the sense that it has premiered in a time where media production has become more challenging due to Covid-19 and a time in which incarcerated individuals and people belonging to the lower strata of the American society have felt the economic repercussions of the pandemic much more deeply than others. Free Enterprises showrunner Mike Gross and associate producers Maritza Carbajal and John Molly deserve special praise for making the series possible amid the pandemic.
The show also provides viewers with insights into the processes of product development, marketing, pricing and customer service. It reframes the American dream, diverse and with beautiful content that helps not only the former inmates but pretty much anyone that wants to start a small business.
