The popularity of "Orange Is the New Black" made people think that the jail jumpsuits look cool, which prompted the Saginaw County Jail in Michigan to change their prisoners' uniform color to black-and-white.
The shift from citrus color to horizontal black-and-white, as reported by UK's Independent, was not a random decision. The jail administration chose the color combination because it indicates "jail inmate." In addition, they noted that people are not commonly seen sporting clothes with this particular color and design assemblage.
Sheriff William Federspiel told MLive that the top rating Netflix show gives viewers the impression that walking around in public looking like a Saginaw County Jail prisoner with their distinctive luminous jumpsuits, makes them look awesome.
Federspiel admitted that the trend generated by the "Orange Is the New Black" of making jail jumpsuits look cool is bothering them. Because they allow their inmates to perform work outside jail occasionally, there is a risk of confusing them with civilians. The resulting confusion could open opportunities for an easy escape because people will not be able to confirm whether they are jail prisoners or not as they walk away.
According to ABC News, the sheriff admitted that so far, no such incidents occurred. However, he remained adamant about not wanting to risk it. The inmates were not happy with the authorities' decision, though, saying that the new uniform color makes them look like criminals.
"Orange Is the New Black" has put the fictitious life in Litchfield Prison in the spotlight, making it interesting and somewhat hilarious. However, it does not glamorize inmates' uniform, let alone the way of life they lead behind bars.
Federspiel stressed out that despite this fact, it is still necessary to ensure that people do not mistake fiction for reality. He added that he is responsible for redefining these boundaries, as people tend to obscure them in popular culture and think that wearing the "Orange is the New Black" jail jumpsuits are cool.
