L isa R aye ▁Mc Co y ), ▁a ▁tim id ▁woman ▁that ▁is ▁new ▁to ▁the ▁prison ▁system , ▁during ▁their ▁bus ▁ride ▁to ▁the ▁correction al ▁facility . ▁The ▁women ▁arrive ▁at ▁the ▁prison , ▁where ▁they ▁meet ▁Captain ▁Alan ▁De ase ▁( Cl if ton ▁Pow ell ), ▁who ▁proceed s ▁to ▁line ▁them ▁up ▁and ▁exc laim ▁the ▁rules ▁of ▁the ▁prison ▁and ▁consequences ▁for ▁not ▁ab iding ▁by ▁them . ▁ ▁As ▁Frances ▁is ▁esc orted ▁by ▁an ▁officer ▁to ▁the ▁j ail ▁cell ▁she ▁will ▁be ▁living ▁in , ▁she ▁enters ▁to ▁a ▁scene ▁of ▁female ▁conv ict s ▁g amb ling , ▁sm oking , ▁and ▁talking ▁amongst ▁themselves . ▁She ▁attempts ▁to ▁move ▁in ▁with ▁her ▁cell mate ▁Nik ki ▁Bar nes ▁( N ' Bus he ▁Wright ), ▁who ▁is ▁pres umed ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁leader ▁amongst ▁the ▁conv ict s , ▁but ▁is ▁denied ▁and ▁instead ▁lives ▁with ▁Lil ’ ▁M ama ▁( L ark ▁Voor h ies ), ▁a ▁ 1 7 - year - old ▁pre gn ant ▁conv ict ▁who ▁is ▁deeply ▁involved ▁in ▁Christian ity ▁and ▁be fri ends ▁Frances . ▁Lil ’ ▁M ama ▁introdu ces ▁Frances ▁to ▁another ▁in mate ▁named ▁W et ▁( Mon ica ▁Cal h oun ), ▁who ▁inform s ▁her ▁on ▁the ▁different ▁cre ws ▁in ▁the ▁prison . ▁When ▁asked ▁what ▁crime ▁she ▁committed , ▁Frances ▁conf esses ▁that ▁she ▁accident ally ▁murder ed ▁her ▁ab us ive ▁husband ▁in ▁an ▁effort