FIRST AND LAST.

• Author: Shackford, Scott
• Position: DOCUMENTARY - Television program review - Brief article

"It doesn't matter what your situation is. You're a criminal once you come through those doors." That's how Angela, 62, describes her (fortunately very short) stint at Gwinnett County Jail in Georgia. Angela was not, it turns out, a criminal. Yet in the six-part Netflix documentary First and Last, she discovers that simply being accused of battery is enough to be treated very badly indeed.

First and Last gets its title from its unique storytelling focus: It documents the experiences of men and women when they are first brought to the jail, as in Angela's case, or in their last hours before release. As such, each episode gives an isolated slice of what the criminal justice system looks like. In Gwinnett County--and there is no reason to believe that county is unique--it's nothing for a nation to be proud of.

For the first 48 hours, Angela's freedom depends on whether she can come up with $1,300 for bond. That amount is based on preset...