Nightmare in Badham County

Cathy is a UCLA student who, after a flat tire, becomes entangled with Badham County's authorities. She is resourceful, outspoken, and determined to protect her friend Diane, even when faced with hostility. After her arrest, she endures harsh treatment and devises an escape plan.

Diane is Cathy’s companion who endures a brutal assault by Sheriff Danen that Cathy witnesses. She remains resilient and collaborates on an escape plan. She ultimately vanishes and is later revealed to have died, leaving Cathy with a haunting cost.

Sara is a longtime inmate who befriends Diane and becomes a quiet force within the farm. She shows defiance in defense of Cathy, ultimately killing Greer to protect herself and Cathy. Her actions reveal a dangerous streak of resistance and the fragility of safety inside the farm.

Greer is the most brutal guard at the farm, known for humiliation and violence. She torments Cathy and Diane, and her authority is a constant threat. In the climactic confrontation, she is killed by Sara, underscoring the extreme dangers of rebellion within the system.

Dulcie is a guard who is initially sympathetic to Cathy, offering a warning rather than punishment. She is part of the female guard group that enforces discipline, while showing occasional humanity. Her position highlights the complexities of power among the guards.

Smitty is a guard known for cruelty and enforcing the farm’s racial segregation. She participates in punishments and retaliation against Cathy. Her actions contribute to the regime’s oppressive atmosphere.

Superintendent Dancer oversees the farm and its routine, embodying the bureaucratic side of oppression. He enforces the rules with a cold efficiency and is complicit in the system’s abuses.

The local sheriff who initially helps Cathy and Diane but becomes abusive and hostile, orchestrating arrests and assault. He represents corruption at the local level and the perversion of law enforcement.

The corrupt judge who imposes heavy fines and extends sentences, showing the legal system’s willingness to profit from punishment. He upholds the punitive status quo rather than justice.

An unnamed inmate at the Badham County Farm who shares the harsh realities of life inside the facility and participates in the broader social dynamics of the camp.