Lockdown Season 1

Year: 2007

Grade: B-

Country: USA

Director: Unknown

Review

national geographic documentary series that goes to different prisons/jails around the country and does a little profile of their operations and a couple of their inmates. interesting to see how the other half lives. overly dramatic writing and narration drag it down a bit, but if you’re able to cut through the crap, these series can be educational. eventually all the prisons sort of blend together. the overwhelming theme is one of paranoia on the part of the prisoners and the guards. they all think they’re going to be the victim of violence any minute. another dominant theme is that the prisoners are basically wasting everyone’s time while in prison. it’s babysitting and there is very little in the way of rehabilitation that is occurring. lots of mental health issues, lots of violence to deal with and only occasionally are there GED programs and things that help the inmates’ recidivism rate. pretty depressing overall.

i’d love to report that these guys (and girls – they visit one or two women’s prisons) are the same as you and me, but many of them are not (any more). some of them are so far gone it’s ridiculous.

Watched on TV