Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Broken On All Sides

More African Americans are under correctional (prison) control today than were enslaved in 1850. This provocative documentary dares to ask why.

Produced and directed by Matthew Pillischer, who bases himself in Philadelphia, Broken On All Sides: Race, Mass Incarceration & New Visions for Criminal Justice in the U.S. explores mass incarceration across the U.S. and the intersection of race, poverty, the criminal justice and penal systems. The film centers around Michelle Alexander's theory in her groundbreaking book, The New Jim Crow, wherein the system incarcerates people of color at disproportionately high rates. The movie dissects the War on Drugs and 'tough on crime' movement, illustrates how the emerging Occupy movement offers hope for change, and explores possible reforms and solutions to ending mass incarceration and this new racial caste system. 

Watch the trailer on the film's website: Broken On All Sides Website