OITNB S5 E5 “Sing it, White Effie” is about:

* (More of) the backstory of Janae (Vicky Jeudy). Earlier in the series, we learned she was a successful athlete who got caught up with a guy and ended up left holding the bag after an armed robbery). Now we learn that when she was younger, she was an accelerated student in a high school in a poor neighborhood. Her teacher sets her up to visit a private school (in order to let her see possibilities that could open up for her if she continues to work hard). The visit does not go well.

* The Governor and the CEO of MCC (Management and Corrections Corporation) discuss the appropriate response to the Riot (both decide to stand down).

* Piper (Taylor Schilling) and Alex (Laura Prepon) are trying to figure out how to make it work despite all of their differences and complicated history. Also, Piper is still trying to get her head around Alex’s desire to admit her guilt and how Alex seems to have become a cult leader for all of the people choosing to live out on the yard (instead of inside the unit).

* Gloria (Selenis Leyva) is having problems with taking care of Daya (Dascha Polanco) at the same time she is having a hard time being honest with Daya’s mother Aleida (Elizabeth Rodriguez) about how the riot started. At the same time, Aleida is having problems finding work after release.

* The Nazi’s have made Judy King (Blair Brown) a “slave but they decide to “sell” her. Sankey says “If you want her you have to buy her, like an American.” Yes, they have an actual auction in the cafeteria (sigh). Judy gets sold to Cindy (Adrienne C. Moore) for a “baby calendar.” Taystee (Danielle Brooks) and her crew decide to use Judy to get their message out to the press. But Taystee, after listening to Janae, takes things into her own hands delivers the message herself and release Judy King.

* The continuing adventures of the meth-heads vs. Doggett (Taryn Manning) and of Doggett and CO Donuts (James McMenamin) which is still really uncomfortable to watch. Ultimately, Doggett takes the gun from Angie then gives it to Donuts who accidentally shoots Leanne’s finger off. Donuts takes the gun and leaves the prison. Big Boo (Lea DeLaria) tries to warn Doggett not to help Donuts, but Doggett doesn’t listen.

“Sing it, white Effie” is a reference to young Janae (Journee Brown) watching young white girls dressed up like The Supremes singing songs from the musical Dreamgirls.

5. “So Many of These Women are Mentally Ill”

Aleida sees a "so-called" expert talking about the riot on television. The expert is arguing that the women of Litchfield are unredeemable because many of them are “mentally ill” and that the others are mostly gang members with no interest in doing good in the world or in being rehabilitated.

Okay, lots of stuff to unpack here.

So, this will probably sound crazy, but I HATE the term rehabilitation.

First, there is no connection between teaching people how to clean toilets and “rehabilitating” them. The vast majority of jobs in prison don’t teach anyone anything that they could not learn in five to ten minutes on the outside and have absolutely NOTHING to do with inspiring me to change my (or any other prisoner’s) feelings toward crime.

Second, the jobs almost always limited to janitorial or food service work and they have nothing to do with providing people an opportunity to succeed on the outside. Yes, it is good to get a GED for instance, but a GED is unlikely to convince someone to change their life by providing them with a low-level of education and some skills in using a mop (or to convince an employer to hire them).

Third, it is an incredibly paternalistic term. It is usually used to induce people to reach down deep and find a place in their heart to throw scraps at former prisoners. I committed no crime against most of the people who insist upon rehabilitating me (and/or giving me a “second chance”). I believe that I paid my debt when I served my sentences and if I am qualified for your job you should hire me because I am a qualified and not because I have been "rehabilitated." Want me to reconnect successfully to your community, treat me like I am welcome.

In other words, I don't want a second chance, I paid my debt. I want a chance if and because I am qualified.

This doesn't mean that I am not sorry for what I did it or that I haven't made amends or paid a price, it means I don't owe you a never ending apology for what I did or additional thanks for giving me a chance.

A crime is something I did, it is not who I am.

I am not a game you can play, a way for you to earn credits in heaven, or your rehabilitation project. I am a human being, a citizen of the United States of America, and I am not your prisoner or your good deed.

Now, if you want to train people to have and choose alternatives to crime on the outside, talk to them and find out where their real potential lies. Take that information and use it to create meaningful options to help them learn the skills necessary for them to get a job, In other words, provide the skills necessary for them to actually believe a different life is possible and then connect them to opportunities to utilize those skills.

Just last week Jeff Bezos of Amazon asked for crowdsourced ideas for ways to use his money productively. I suggested that he could make a massive difference in the world by helping to create a "model in-reach program" in prison that starts directly after sentencing and extends all the way until each prisoner gets a job in his or her chosen field. Help me make this happen, write or tweet him (@JeffBezos) and show support for a model in-reach program for prisons.

Ok, next, yes there are a TON of mentally ill people in prison. In fact, jails and prisons are the largest “treatment” system for mentally ill people in virtually every state. Unfortunately, not much treatment happens and when it does, it is usually based on discredited models. This is also true of addiction treatment in prison (in case you were wondering). There are some best practices being developed but their spread is way too slow for my taste.

Anyway, the idea that somehow being mentally ill disqualifies you for help or redemption is an unfortunate cultural meme. Way too often the mentally ill are judged dangerous because a very small percentage of mentally ill people commit horrific acts.

I have said this before here, and I will likely say it again, NOTHING in my time in prison made me more ashamed to be an American than how we treat the mentally ill in jails and prisons.

4. “Getting Mad Job Offers”

Aleida is having real problems getting jobs because all she knows how to do is paint nails and nobody seems to want to hire her at nail shops. Despite this, she tells Gloria that she is “getting mad job offers.”