Watch Breaking Down the Bars

Breaking Down the Bars is a documentary series that premiered on Oprah Winfrey's network, OWN, in 2011. The show follows the lives of incarcerated women at the Kentucky Correctional Institute for Women as they go through a rigorous rehabilitative program. The show's main focus is on the women themselves, profiling their personal stories and how they landed in prison. The inmates come from a wide range of backgrounds and have varying offenses, but they all share a desire to turn their lives around and return to society as better versions of themselves.

Throughout the course of the show, viewers get to know the inmates through interviews and interactions with one another. The women discuss their struggles, their hopes, and their fears, offering the audience a rare look into the lives of those behind bars.

The show also highlights the rehabilitative program that the women are enrolled in. The program aims to teach practical life skills, such as job training and parenting classes, as well as address deeper issues such as addiction and trauma. The program is led by a team of dedicated staff members who work tirelessly to help the inmates achieve their goals.

Breaking Down the Bars was praised for its honest and sympathetic portrayal of the incarcerated women, as well as its exploration of the complex issues surrounding incarceration in the United States. The show offers a rare and important look at the lives of those who are often marginalized in society, and provides insight into the ways in which the criminal justice system can better serve its citizens.

Overall, Breaking Down the Bars is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant series that offers a unique perspective on the lives of incarcerated women. Its emphasis on rehabilitation rather than punishment makes it a valuable addition to the discussion surrounding criminal justice reform.

Breaking Down the Bars is a series that ran for 1 seasons (7 episodes) between February 15, 2011 and on OWN