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Sister of Arkansas Netflix jail inmate shares impact of experiment

Unlocked: A Jail Experiment illuminates a different way of handling inmates, but is it having a lasting impact on those men? An inmate's sister shares her thoughts.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Since premiering last week, a show featuring the Pulaski County jail has been the most viewed on Netflix in the U.S.

Unlocked: A Jail Experiment has had almost four million views globally and reveals a different way of handling inmates.

The show centers around experimenting with the Pulaski County inmates to see if they can manage themselves without guards.

Juanita Gatlin is the sister of Daniel "Crooks" Gatlin. In the middle of the docuseries, viewers meet Crooks, who shares his battle with addiction and what led him to be behind bars.

Crooks said a car wreck that took his father's life was a pivotal moment when he started getting into trouble.

"It really took a toll on his life," Juanita Gatlin said. "It changed him."

Crooks' sister said he has been in and out of jail for most of his adult life. 

Juanita Gatlin was also featured in the documentary when she visited him. At the time, she said the experiment was good for the inmates.

However, after the series came out, she said it may not have been positive for everyone.

"Looking at it, I think everyone experienced it a little differently," Juanita Gatlin said. "It would be beneficial for some, but maybe not for everybody from what I'm seeing."

Juanita Gatlin said after her brother got out of the Pulaski County jail, he had a renewed sense of direction in where he wanted to take his life. She said he wants to open a transitional house and speak to others about what he's endured.

Crooks entered rehab in Florida, where things seemed to be looking up, but now he's back in jail.

According to a CBS affiliate in Florida, Gatlin was arrested in January for allegedly selling and trafficking drugs. Police said he tried to sell meth to an undercover police officer and that he then admitted to detectives he was getting the drugs from Mexico.

Juanita Gatlin said her brother is still hopeful that one day he will break the cycle.

"He's still positive to this day," Juanita Gatlin said. "He's still trying to make a difference, and he still has that mindset that he still wants to make a difference in people's lives."

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