Think about how the “going to jail” feature works in Monopoly. 

You’re sent directly to jail if you draw a bad card or land on the wrong space. 

And you’re stuck there. You can roll doubles with the dice and get out quickly—sort of a “parole” option.

Or you sit and serve out your sentence. And with that comes numerous additional punishments we often don’t consider. 

You don’t collect $200 dollars from moving around the board, so you’re worth less with each successive turn. 

And you can’t keep up with the other players. They quickly get ahead of you in terms of cash, properties, rent, and overall wealth.

When you finally get out, you’re just expected to pick up the game as if nothing ever happened. But in reality, you’re starting from a severe disadvantage compared to the rest. 

It’s not unlike what real former inmates face when they’re finally released. They spend years or decades isolated from the rest of the world, and when they finally get out, they’re expected to “figure it out.”

Get a job, even though no one will hire them. 

Find a place to live even though they’ve gone years without the ability to produce income. 

Sometimes, the games we play give a glimpse into real life.

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