Hard Time

National Geographic follows new inmates and correctional officer cadets as they first enter the treacherous world of Georgia's prisons - embarking on a yearlong journey behind bars.

Follow new inmates as they learn the ropes and face the hurdles that come with entering Hays State Prison, one of the toughest facilities in the state of Georgia.

Step inside Hays State Prison where a war is underway between inmates and officers.National Geographic follows inmates and prison officials as they struggle to set the rules inside these walls.

Step into the extreme world of a state correctional system, where transformation often occurs and starts physically, sometimes in the form of an illegal prison tattoo, sometimes becoming what some call "the female gender" behind bars.

Go inside Hi-Max - the most extreme prison environment allowed in Georgia - and at the other end of the spectrum "shock incarceration," an intense boot camp for non-violent first-time offenders.

Follow the intense manhunt for two escaped convicts from Hays State Prison as inmates go into lockdown, tactical squads assemble and K-9 units scour the countryside looking for clues.