Survivors Guide to Prison (2018)

Today, you're more likely to go to prison in the United States than anywhere else in the world. So in the unfortunate case it should happen to you - this is the Survivors Guide to Prison.

Director:

Matthew Cooke

Writer:

Matthew Cooke

Stars:

Patricia Arquette, Susan Sarandon, Jesse Williams

Cast

Credited cast:
Patricia Arquette	...	Herself
Susan Sarandon	...	Narrator
Jesse Williams	...	Himself
Danny Trejo	...	Himself
Danny Glover	...	Himself
Cynthia Nixon	...	Herself
Ice-T	...	Himself
Quincy Jones	...	Himself
RZA	...	Himself
Busta Rhymes	...	Himself
Tom Morello	...	Himself
Q-Tip	...	Himself
Matthew Cooke	...	Himself
Russell Simmons	...	Himself
Macklemore	...	Himself

Storyline

Following the stories of Bruce Lisker and Reggie Cole who spent year after year in prison for murders they didn't commit - audiences get a harrowing look at how barbaric the US justice system is. The film ultimately asks how we can survive the prison model at all, and looks at better solutions for conflict resolution, harm reduction, crime and more. Hosted by filmmaker Matthew Cooke and guest hosting representatives from the massive range of Americans joining forces to change this broken system.

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Taglines:

Don't Leave Home Without It

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 February 2018 (USA)

Also Known As:

Poradnik, jak przetrwać więzienie

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,982, 25 February 2018, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$8,982, 25 February 2018

Company Credits

Production Co:

Saturday Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Criticises the prison system without offering alternatives

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.