How Women's Maximum-Security Prisons Actually Work | How Crime Works | Insider

Jacqueline Montanez, formerly known as "Loca D," served 31 years in maximum-security women's prisons in Illinois and Florida. She was originally sentenced to life in prison as a minor for double murders that she committed at age 15 for the Maniac Latin Disciples, a Chicago gang. Her sentence was later reduced to 63 years after a Supreme Court ruling on life sentences for minors was applied retroactively. Montanez talks to Business Insider about security, dynamics between prisoners and guards, and gang relationships in women's prisons. She also reveals the details of gang violence, prison economies, pregnancy, and how prisoners navigate romantic relationships. Since her release in 2022, Montanez has been an advocate for prison reform and has worked with several youth advocacy groups, such as Queens for Queens. For more:   / jackiemontz.2025   00:00 - Intro 00:23 - The First Day 04:46 - The Security 06:47 - The Money 08:29 - The Violence 10:53 - The Guards 15:14 - The Relationships 17:53 - The Backstory 20:51 - Childbirth 22:50 - The Facilities 26:02 - The Breaking Point 29:29 - The Aftermath 34:00 - The Future 36:17 - Credits ------------------------------------------------------ #prisons #maximumsecurityprison #prisonreform #howcrimeworks MORE HOW CRIME WORKS VIDEOS: How Opioid Pill Mills Actually Work    • How Illegal Pain Clinics Actually Work | H...   How Drug Trafficking On Cargo Ships Actually Works    • How Drug Trafficking On Cargo Ships Actual...   How Corrupt NYPD Cops Actually Work    • How Corrupt NYPD Cops Actually Work | How ...   Insider is brought to you by Business Insider is a global newsroom covering business, technology, innovation, and the economy. Visit our homepage for the top stories of the day: https://www.businessinsider.com/?utm_... Sign up for our newsletters: https://www.businessinsider.com/subsc... Find Business Insider on Facebook:   / businessinsider   ... on Instagram:   / businessinsider   ... on X: https://x.com/BusinessInsider ... on TikTok:   / businessinsider   ... on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3VMNsyS... How Women's Maximum-Security Prisons Actually Work | How Crime Works | Insider