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FEATURE: A Clear and Present DangerCalifornia Prisions Under Pressure - A New CCPOA-Produced Documentary Examines the State's Prision CrisisA Message from CCPOA Communications  As part of our continued commitment to improving the profession for our members, CCPOA is proud to present California Prisons Under Pressure, a groundbreaking film documentary that examines some of the root causes of prison overcrowding. The documentary can be viewed "on demand" at www.prisonsunderpressure.com, and can also be seen on the California Channel, a cable channel covering state government and politics. (To find a cable system near you that that carries the California Channel, go to www.calchannel.com/carriage.htm.) The documentary series was produced by Peppers.TV of Mather, California. The four-part series, each a half-hour long, focuses on state policies and politics that have resulted in the current prison situation that many have labeled a corrections crisis.Filmed at multiple locations throughout the state of California, California Prisons Under Pressure is a balanced journalistic account of the issues that have combined to create prison overcrowding. Representatives from law enforcement, corrections, prisoners' rights groups, and state legislators from both sides of the political aisle give their views on the root causes of the crisis. They also offer suggestions for reforms and new policy initiatives to solve long-term issues that led to the current crisis. "This groundbreaking documentary is designed to get past the newspaper headlines and 30-second sound bites, and provide viewers with a look at the facts as well as the diversity of opinion surrounding the issues affecting crime, punishment, and incarceration in California," said CCPOA State President Mike Jimenez. The documentary brings the issues to a wide audience. The film gathers information from a variety of state reports, official documents, and interviews from experts, and makes it all accessible to the public. Using archival footage, the film traces the recent history of corrections in the state, using clear story telling and dynamic graphics that makes the information easy to understand, informative and entertaining. Viewers can watch the documentary on the Internet and make their opinions known by sending an email to the site. "Film can take you right to the location, show you the situation, and let you hear directly from those involved in the issues," Jimenez said. "Our hope is the facts and perspectives presented in the documentary will facilitate a more accurate debate on the complex issues concerning public safety policy." "We took a wide, comprehensive look at the issues and worked hard to put the crisis in context," said Bill George, the documentary's executive producer. "In the first segment, called The Crisis, we examined the policies of four former governors to see how their decisions led to the conditions in the prisons today. We look at issues such as the impact lawsuits from prisoners' rights groups have had on public safety policy, and we have interviewed correctional officers, prisoners, ex-cons, and rehabilitation experts," he continued. "Their dramatic first-person accounts provide viewers with a vivid portrait of the people and issues caught up in the prison crisis," George explained. Other reports in the documentary series focus on the call for sentencing reform, the effort to change the Three Strikes and You're Out law and parole policies. While most news media reports center on controversy and negative news, CCPOA felt it was important to show that major parts of the effort to protect public safety are working. Too often the media presents the corrections issue as being hopeless. This documentary illustrates the fact that progress has been made; despite the rise in California's population our crime rate has dropped. Many people are working hard every day to make the corrections system better. So the documentary lays out the facts and issues but also shows how people are making a difference in improving public safety. Check out California Prisons Under Pressure to watch a unique effort that tells a complex story in a new and compelling fashion.  Print This PageBack to Volume 25, Issue 1 Back to PEACEKeeper Main Page |
