The movie wasn't that bad but it wasn't a survivors guide to prison at all. I feel like someone about to go to prison somewhere is going to watch this and be like "thanks for the stats but I learned jack about how to survive in prison". I mean the documentary brings up some good points, if a bit one sided.You might not feel the same way but I hate the fact that celebrities who never went to prison or knew anything about anything would comment throughout the film. Why are they here? They know nothing, they've never been to prison. If you want some good points for your college paper it's good (trust me that's what I used this film for), if you want to survive prison find something else.

If you want to open your mind take a look at US incarceration rates trends over the past 25 years AND violent crime rates which have plummeted. google some charts on incarceration rates and violent crime/murder rates and superimpose them in your mind. AS incarceration rates rose, US murder and violent crime plunged. US murder is down 55%, gun murder rate down 59%. shortly after Us incarceration rates started falling again (and they have fallen the last four years) , murder started to creep up again News coverage of murder has increased, but murder has decreased (yes even mass shootings are down by 40%) . The peer reviewed science using anonymous surveys of prisoners shows on average they commit 20 serious crimes for every crime for which they are caught. 93% of all US murder is committed by prior criminals, 80% by prior felons or persons with 10 or more arrests (meaning 100 crimes). I don't care about people who live in buildings with heavy security like Cynthia Nixon, Danny Glover, have to say, they have not been victims of violent crimes. Russel Simmons? So now we have people with sexual assault allegations? Who will be lecturing us next? Harvey Weinstein?As far as drug offenses the number of people in prison solely for recreational drug use is under 0.1% . This game has been played before bringing out as an example someone arrested for drugs, but not mentioning they were mugging people or beating people or also selling to children.As far as comparing us to Japan-- come on. The confession rate for crime in Japoan is 95% the conviction rate is 99%. That is not exaggeration just google japan confession rate or japan conviction ate. In japan they can hold you in jail for a month without charging you and interrogating you 12 hours a day. If you want to get rid of the fourth and fifth amendments you can then talk about comparing the US to other countries. Even in Canada and Australia OJ Simpson could have been criminally tried a second time, something forbidden in our criminal defense system. Across the board in other developed democracies it is easier to get warrants, easier to wiretap, more evidence not specified on warrants is allowed in court. In most counties police do not need reasonable suspicion to search your car at all. In Germany and half of the developed world there is no such thing as a jury trial Criminals get away with more crime, we have more crime and therefore we have more people imprisoned. If you want to copy systems where prospective criminals are more certain to go to jail, therefore lowering crime before it is committed, then fine. Tell the ACLU they have to accept what they would call a police state

This documentary shows the viewer a handful of people who were wrongfully convicted and then suggests this could be widespread the USA. The current system is by no means perfect, and innocent people will sometimes be wrongfully convicted, but they represent a tiny percentage of those currently in prisons. Most of the people who are imprisoned deserve to be there because they've committed a crime and are being punished.This programme suggests that imprisoning individuals doesn't work. Then what should we do with rapists, murderers, robbers, and drug dealers? They can't just walk the streets. I'm all for rehabilitation but that needs to happen in prison where the public can be kept safe from violent offenders and other dangerous people. Lastly, this program pushes the idea that blacks are more likely to be convicted (which is true but not for the reasons given within the documentary). A disproportionate number of black people are incarcerated because of their culture, not institutional bias. Black people commit crimes in numbers way above that of any other ethnicity. There's a criminal culture within the black community and these people need to take responsibility for that. They're not being locked up for simply walking down the street.

I never do reviews..but ..After watching Wendy Williams interview with David Arquette.. And having experience working in the prison systemi thought I would check this out.... given the cast, many whom I like and respect ,I found this to be very good and honest for the most part. A large part of the American Criminal justice system , particularly corrections are employed by average people who are ethical and not corrupt and who are just trying to make an honest livings to support their families who really do put themselves on the line to protect the public. But it is a large money making enterprise.. But a lot of these officers come face to face with people that you would not ever want to meet .or have around your family .. They should be commended for that !! Most American inmates also live bette than many people living in third world countries .. ! Unfortunately no system is perfect and hence this documentary does touch the surface and shows some excellent examples this other unfortunate side, as well as provide good examples of cautionary tales of those newly incarcerated that have no clue about the system. The story of the wrongly convicted gentlemen were very heartbreaking..but it is a stone cold reality . I noticed that most of the interviews of the inmates were done with Caucasian inmates who were released because I'm quite sure it would be difficult for them to find any inmates who would be filmed in California unless their identity is hidden, as the unwritten rules of gang politics prohibit being filmed normally. Everyone that participated on camera seemed to have been very knowledgeable about what they were speaking about , but I'm sorry the lady at the desk who was over the educational system really seemed a bit clueless .?.and seemed a bit out of place for such an excellent documentary ..I I don't want to be offensive .. as I'm not quite sure what unicorn filled cup of sunshine she was drinking during this interview, but at the end of each murder , you still have a victim. To say that most murders are" situational " shows a very diminished understanding an insensitivity of the impact that murder has on its victims and those left behind, as well as a lack of basic fundamental knowledge of the type of brutality that occurs everyday among inmates while incarcerated. I would think as the head of the educational prison program, she should have had a more educated insight about what goes on.. clearly she has no clue and it might have been better to edit her part out. But then again perhaps they left her part in just for that very reason. Except for that part ..great overall. Would have like to see perhaps a part II or III ..