Juvenile Correction Facilities

Nightline

No one yearns to experience the inside of a prison—but to understand the American criminal justice system and those who enter it at an early age, spending a couple of nights behind bars yields powerful results. This ABC News program is the product of unprecedented access to Arizona’s juvenile correction facilities, documenting six months in the lives of inmates between 12 and 17 years old. Although the settings can be violent, the young interviewees display remarkable honesty, resilience, and hope for the future, reminding viewers that even in “juvie,” opportunities for learning and self-discovery are still available. (39 minutes)

Brother 2 Brother: Positive Personal Change for At-Risk Youths

National Film Board of Canada

Many at-risk youths see negative lifestyles such as hustling drugs as the only real alternatives open to them. Introspective in tone, this documentary presents a different point of view through the emotional journey of at-risk young black men attending an intensive retreat led by older black men whose life experiences qualify them as powerful mentors for positive personal change. Overall, the participants come away with a stronger sense of themselves, a new bond of brotherhood as a group, and a feeling of connection with elders who have faced similar circumstances and succeeded in turning their lives around. Some language may be offensive. (41 minutes)

If I Could: Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Child Abuse-Educator's Edition

Filmsters

“Families destroy themselves, so families have to heal themselves.” If I Could is the heart-wrenching chronicle of Tracy Marasco, a single mother struggling to help her adolescent son James cope with severe emotional trauma resulting from abandonment by his father and sexual abuse by his father’s cousin. To complicate the situation, Tracy herself was victimized as a child, sexually abused by her father and forced, for a time, into prostitution. Rage and despair permeate this disturbing program, but so do hope and determination—represented, in part, by VisionQuest, a provider of innovative intervention services to at-risk youth and families. Tracy benefited from it as a teen; can it turn James around, too? Will the Marascos’ multigenerational cycle of abuse be broken? Sally Field narrates. Contains mature content; viewer discretion is advised. Comes with 90 minutes of bonus material (DVD only)—comments by NPR’s Fred Goodwin, post-viewing reactions of numerous medical professionals, an interview with director Patti Obrow White, and more. (99 minutes + 90 minutes of bonus material)

The Sociology of Crime and Deviance

ClickView Pty Limited

Taking into account the dramatic shift in the focus of research in recent years, from theories about criminal activity to applications of crime prevention, this multi-section program compares and contrasts the concepts of social causation, social construction, and social control as they relate to the sociology of crime and deviance. Topics include the influence of wider social forces on theories about crime, the reevaluation of criminals as victims or rebels, and three examples of the movement toward a greater pragmatism concerning crime: socio-environmental control, situational crime prevention, and Braithwaite’s restorative justice. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. A part of the series Understanding Sociology. (40 minutes)

Eyewitness: What Actually Happened?

Open University

Ten people are asked to re-create, from memory, an abstract painting they viewed two months earlier. A fascinating psychological exercise, to be sure—but the experiment will soon become much more than a session with paints and brushes. This program documents the volunteers’ unwitting immersion in a staged crime, which they witness during a “break” in what they think is the real test. When a lunch-time pub patron is apparently murdered and the Greater Manchester police department invades the premises, each test subject must summon his or her recollections of the ordeal. Viewers discover how and why these memories prove disturbingly unreliable. Produced by the Open University. (59 minutes)

Bodies, Blood, and Ballistics: Forensics School, Part One

Indigo Film & Television

From the physics of bullet trajectories to the grim details of human decay, forensic science is a challenging discipline for any student to enter. This program ushers viewers into the prestigious Forensic Science department at the University of Central Lancashire in Great Britain. Tests and coursework involve ballistics experiments used to solve a shotgun shooting case; an introduction to blood splatter analysis at the school’s mock crime scene facility; and an ordeal that every first-year forensics school scholar, regardless of his or her personal goals and sensitivities, is required to undergo—the Death and Decomposition lecture. Viewer discretion is advised. (23 minutes)

The Released

Frontline

In 2009, hundreds of thousands of offenders with serious mental illnesses were to be released into communities across America—the largest exodus in the nation’s history. In this follow-up to the groundbreaking documentary The New Asylums, Frontline investigates what happens to the mentally ill when they leave prison and why they are reincarcerated at such alarming rates. The intimate stories of the released, along with interviews with parole officers, social workers, and psychiatrists, provide a rare look at the lives of mentally ill ex-cons as they struggle to reintegrate into society and remain free. Distributed by PBS Distribution. (60 minutes)

La Politica de la Adicción

Doctoroff Media Group

En este programa, Bill Moyers estudia como doctores, defensores de los programas de recuperación y los adictos rehabilitados ahora estan apoyando opinion pública de adicción como una enfermedad crónica. In Spanish. Also available in English (see item #7684). (57 minutes)

Life Behind Bars

University of Notre Dame

Are prisons supposed to rehabilitate convicts, punish them, or simply keep them off the streets? The answer depends on who is being asked. This program explores the current state of prisons in America and examines their conflicting mandates. The Directors of the National Prison Project of the ACLU and the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives, the Governor of South Dakota, an Arizona sheriff, adult and juvenile inmates, and others consider issues such as the societal impact of mandatory sentencing and the prison-building boom. (29 minutes)

Telltale Bodies

Institut National de L’Audiovisual

By refining and expanding on the work of the founders of criminology, today's forensic scientists link crime victims to perpetrators in ways that almost defy belief. In this program, Professor Matile of France's Museum of Natural History; Professor Evenot, expert in odontology; and noted anthropologist Professor Perrot discuss the ways in which microscopy, entomology, dental records, and facial reconstruction help police solve crimes. The classic contributions of Lacassagne to ballistics, Revenstorf to forensic biology, Megnien to forensic entomology, and Guerassimov, who is shown actually doing a facial reconstruction, round out the historical background on these remarkable procedures. (55 minutes)

School Crime: Sounding the Alarm

TRINITY WORKPLACE LEARNING INC

This program promotes a proactive approach to fighting school crime, while examining its myriad causes and possible solutions. The contributing roles of dysfunctional families, alcohol, drugs, and violence in the media are examined, along with the rise of gangs. Profiles of typical gang members help police and school officials to identify potential members before they become involved in crime. Enforcement techniques used to combat gang violence are provided in detail. (24 minutes)

Criminal Conversations

Ivanhoe Communications

This program interviews criminals to learn how and why they commit crimes. In a segment on burglary and auto theft, criminals describe how they break into homes and cars, what keeps them out, what they look for, and where they find it. In a segment on fraud, fast-talking flim-flam men and women describe the most popular schemes and how they gain the trust of their victims. In a segment on rape, rapists reveal what they look for in a victim, and how to spot and discourage sexual predators. Rape survivors also explain the benefits of fighting back. Finally, the program looks at kidnapping and how to teach children to be safe without instilling fear, how to spot dangerous situations, and effective self-defense techniques. (23 minutes)

Early Intervention

Doctoroff Media Group

Prof. James Wilson of UCLA is one of the country's leading authorities on crime. In this program, he examines early intervention and incarceration as solutions to crime and violence. Personal accountability should be the aim of education and rehabilitation, Wilson maintains, and it is critical to link penalties with small offenses committed early so that children learn to connect their conduct to its consequences. (27 minutes)

Racial Profiling and Law Enforcement: America in Black and White

Nightline

DWB: driving while black. For many African-Americans, simply having dark skin seems to be grounds for being pulled over on the highway and searched for drugs. Police call it "profiling," based on years of successful drug interdiction through traffic stops, but angry and humiliated victims call it "racial profiling"—a blatant form of discrimination—and want it stopped. In part one of this program, ABC News anchor Ted Koppel and correspondent Michel McQueen investigate the issue from the victims’ points of view. In part two, Koppel and McQueen look at profiling through the eyes of the police, with special commentary by law professor and former O. J. Simpson prosecutor Christopher Darden. Some language may be objectionable. (41 minutes)

Manhood and Violence: Fatal Peril

American Public Television (APT)

The Resolve to Stop the Violence Program places male convicts in highly structured encounter groups, helping them recognize the warped concepts of masculinity behind their violent behavior. This documentary follows nine inmates through the rigorous self-discovery process, recording their growing sense of accountability and willingness to change. With commentary from law enforcement officers, violence-prevention experts, victims' relatives, and the inmates themselves, the video also follows up on RSVP participants after their release, highlighting the ultimate benefit of the program-a dramatic reduction in recidivism among its graduates. (58 minutes)

Peter Jennings Reporting-LAPD

PJ Productions

Southeast Los Angeles: it could be the most violent 10 square miles in America. In LAPD, Peter Jennings reports from inside that notorious police department, riding with anti-gang officers, interviewing top brass, and listening to community members. Focusing on Chief William Bratton's efforts to repeat the crime-reduction success of New York City-and to go one better by building trust in poor, predominantly minority neighborhoods-the program explores how a military-style police force with a brutal reputation struggles not just to stem violence, but to dig up its roots. A challenging and intimate look at cops trying to reinvent themselves, and their city. (43 minutes)

Reducing Violent Crime

Ivanhoe Broadcast News

Every year, 20 million violent crimes are committed in America. This program looks at some of the ways in which people are trying to stop the cycle of crime and violence: working with inmates and ex-offenders; citizens and police working together to get prostitutes, drug dealers, and gang activities off the streets. Citizens on Patrol works in tandem with the Fort Worth, TX, police department; Gainesville, FL, has an innovative program to help retrain prisoners and reduce recidivism; and New Orleans has a community building program for inmates. In addition to examples of how communities are intervening to reduce crime, the program also shows some ways in which crime can be prevented and people can avoid becoming victims. (23 minutes)

Glen Mills Gang: Arrested Without Locks and Bars

True Stories International

Filmed over the course of a year, this documentary goes inside Glen Mills Schools in Pennsylvania, a "boarding school" alternative to prison for about 1,000 young members of street gangs convicted of crimes. Sam Ferrainola, the school's director, has pioneered a system of rewards and privileges where the young men keep themselves under strict surveillance, reporting infractions of the rules to upperclassmen, or "Big Brothers." Ferrainola stresses that Glen Mills is not a boot camp but an educational institution in which the goal is to bring about fundamental changes in behavior without incarceration. The system seems to work: of all institutions for juvenile offenders, Glen Mills' 32 percent recidivism rate is the lowest in the country. (50 minutes)

Social Theory and Crime

ShortCuts TV

For many criminologists, you can't explain crime just by looking at the characteristics offenders, you also have to consider the role social, cultural & environmental influences. This film brilliantly captures the essence of three of the major social theories of crime and looks at their continuing relevance to the study and control of crime in contemporary societies. Strain Theory and the American Dream looks at application of Merton's theory to consumer societies. Labelling Theory Today documents the switch from crime to social control and looks at the theory's continuing influence on criminology and criminal justice. Place, Space and Broken Windows begins with the question of why most recorded crime is concentrated in very specific areas and looks at research suggesting that it's possible to reduce crime by changing these spaces?

On The Job: Inside Veterans Court

Calamari Productions

Two veterans struggling with drug, alcohol, and anger issues testify before a judge on their progress in treatment.

True Justice: Bryan Stevenson's Fight for Equality

HBO

This feature documentary follows Bryan Stevenson – lawyer and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative – through his experiences as a capital defense attorney and advocate for community-based reform. Interweaving watershed moments from Stevenson’s cases with insights from his clients, colleagues and members of his family, the film focuses on Stevenson’s life and career – particularly his indictment of the U.S. criminal-justice system for its role in codifying modern systemic racism – and tracks the intertwined histories of slavery, lynching, segregation and mass incarceration. Offering intimate access to Stevenson as he reflects on the transformative moments in his career, the film chronicles his work in Alabama, the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement and home to the Equal Justice Initiative, as well as the early influences that drove him to become an advocate for the poor and the incarcerated. Illuminating the power of memory in cultural change, True Justice instills hope of a brighter American future through the insights of this remarkable pioneer.

Flyin' Cut Sleeves

MVD Entertainment Group

Flyin' Cut Sleeves, completed in 1993, portrays street gang presidents in the Bronx. The project grew out of the experiences of Rita Fecher, the film's co-producer. Fecher, who taught in a South Bronx school in the late 1960s and early 1970s, became intimately involved with the gangs, their leaders, and the leaders' families and began to document their lives. Their world was the streets, set against a backdrop of uprooted families, cultural alienation, drugs and violence. Neighborhood teenagers responded by organizing into street groups known to the members as "families," but labeled in the most alarming terms as violent gangs by the press. In fact, the "families" had a stabilizing effect, enabling the youths to cope with their troubled environment. The political climate at the time, movements of national liberation and such organizations as the Black Panthers and Young Lords Party influenced the young gang leaders to aspire to be more than warriors and to become, to some degree, a positive force in their communities. When Rita Fecher returned after 20 years to see what had become of her old friends, she found that they had stayed in the community of their youth, that they were deeply committed to improving conditions there and that they were engaged in helping their own children survive in the hazardous street environment. The documentation of these lives over a 20-year period offers a remarkable perspective on life in the ghetto (spanning four generations) and the means that people devise to cope from the time that they are children to when they serve as parents and role models for a new generation.

In El Salvador, a Program Lays Out a Path to Escape Gang Violence (2/25/18)

NewsHour Productions

Since 2014, more than 250,000 unaccompanied minors have made a dangerous journey to the U.S. from Central America, with 40 percent coming from El Salvador, where jobs are scarce and gangs are rampant. One program, funded by U.S. government aid and private philanthropy, is supporting young people in San Salvador with leadership and job training. Special Correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports.

Juvenile Sex Offender Interview: Anthony B.

Calamari Productions

A teen describes his early childhood and what led to him committing sex offenses.

In Your Hands: Life after Prison

Pittsure Company

For ex-convicts, the road back into society is paved with good intentions. But a freed prisoner's plans for the future can quickly go awry, and the local support system, if one exists, may be just as ineffectual. Do public services provide what a former inmate needs? Is the "system" a safety net or a trap, every bit as confining as prison? This film documents two case studies in which the end of incarceration means not only a fresh start but also a new phase of hardship, hard luck, and hard-won dignity. Jailed since her mid-20s and emerging with nothing but the clothes on her back, Kim is soon spending her nights on a park bench. Will she fare better or worse than Xavier, who has served 13 years for murder? Where does a young man with that kind of record find a decent job? By the end of the program viewers will be able to reach their own conclusions about the hidden and human costs of maintaining a "safe" society. Issues of race, poverty, and substance abuse are discussed. Contains profanity and mature subject matter. (59 minutes)

The War on Kids

Cinetic Rights Management LLC.

The stories are nearly unbelievable: a middle schooler suspended for bringing a Tweety Bird keychain to class (because all chains are classified as weapons); another, for pretending a fast-food chicken strip was a gun; a third, for carrying ibuprofen in violation of the school’s strict policy against drugs—except, of course, for Ritalin. This documentary argues that measures intended to keep children safe have turned schools into prisons and that regimentation in the public educational system produces adults who are unable to think for themselves. Taking aim at “zero tolerance” rules, authoritarian teachers, the D.A.R.E. program and its devolution into a joke among kids, and more, the video posits that the mainstays of public education are worse than ineffectual—they may be downright harmful. With Henry Giroux (Stealing Innocence: Corporate Culture’s War on Children), John Holt (Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Agenda of Compulsory Schooling), and Laurie Couture (Instead of Medicating and Punishing). (96 minutes)

Hospital Security: In the Line of Duty, Volume 9

In the Line of Duty

When a criminal is hurt, injured, or wounded, he/she must receive proper treatment. However, the security challenges for law enforcement can be innumerable. Contains graphic crime-related violence. Some language may be offensive. Part of the series In the Line of Duty, Volume 9. (35 minutes)

On the Trail of Evil: A Journey to the Center of the Brain

Albatross World Sales

They're charming, they lie effortlessly, and they can commit acts of extreme violence without the slightest twinge of remorse. Are such people born with no conscience? What are their thoughts as they rape, torture, and kill? Is there a way to recognize them before they do harm? In this fascinating documentary, experts trace the roots of psychopathy as they take on the “nature vs. nurture” debate, using medical technology and interviews with criminal offenders to support their theories. Chilling testimony from Congolese child soldiers and former Nazis reveals that even decent people from loving homes can become ruthless murderers...and are capable of justifying their actions. Some content may be objectionable. (53 minutes)

Profiles of Delinquency: Joshua

Calamari Productions

Joshua Cordell, a seemingly soft-spoken and mild-mannered 13-year-old, finds himself in juvenile court on charges that he battered his own mother. This character profile illuminates how juvenile crime is not only a social issue but, all too often, a family one as well. Viewer discretion advised. (40 minutes)

Juvenile Prison Release Hearing: Morales

Calamari Productions

Juvenile offender Anthony M. goes in front of the release board after struggling with issues related to anger. Topics include runaway, car theft, counseling, substance abuse, and learning disabilities.

Investigating Sexual Assault in Prison

Calamari Productions

Interviews with investigators and staff inside prison. They discuss signs to look for, interview techniques, and how they combat sexual assault behind bars.

Delinquency Court: Jacklyn's Court Hearing

Calamari Productions

Juvenile Delinquency Court hearing of 15-year-old Jacklyn for possession of cocaine and resisting arrest. Jacklyn's father accuses police of planting evidence, while Judge Mary Beth Bonaventura recites the police report from the night of the arrest.

Mr. Brett, Juvenile Detention Teacher: Interview

Calamari Productions

Juvenile detention teacher Mr. Brett, a former NBA player, discusses mentoring kids in detention, his observations of kids who are repeat offenders, peer pressure, and the rewards of the job.

Case Study 8: Expert Evidence Series—Interview Videos

Seven Dimensions

In the first example, the expert, Dr Jodie Witkowski, makes a statement that suggests uncertainty about her material. She makes no eye contact with the judge. In the second example, the expert articulates her information clearly and carefully in an assertive way, looking at both the barrister and the judge.

Home Is Where the Heart Lies: Mapping Murder

Abacus Media Rights Limited

"The fact is that most offenders do not travel very far to commit their crimes," says Professor David Canter. "Like you and me, their home is where their heart lies." In this program, Canter makes his point through the case of British TV personality Jill Dando, who was murdered on her doorstep by a man who lived just a few streets away; the Railway Rapists, a pair of men who raped and, in two cases, murdered their way up and down a rail line that passed by perpetrator John Duffy's dwelling; and Jack the Ripper, who terrorized London's East End and probably resided there. A look at the Soho cholera epidemic of 1854, which was brought under control through the geographical mapping of Dr. John Snow, is also included. A part of the series Mapping Murder: Investigative Psychology Meets Geographical Profiling. (23 minutes)

Black Holes and Spider Webs: Mapping Murder

Abacus Media Rights Limited

Not all serial killers travel to commit their crimes; some lure their victims to their lair, where they are silenced forever. In this program, Professor David Canter uses the case of Fred and Rosemary West-a British husband/wife duo who cleverly concealed the bodies of no fewer than 13 girls and young women they tortured, sexually abused, and murdered-to explain how a black hole-like absence of victim bodies can itself provide insights into the whereabouts of a predator. The case of the Belgian serial killer and child pornographer Marc Dutroux is also exhibited, showing how a wide cluster of black holes can indicate the presence of a multi-person, web-like crime network. A part of the series Mapping Murder: Investigative Psychology Meets Geographical Profiling. (23 minutes)

Marauders and Commuters: Mapping Murder

Abacus Media Rights Limited

In the world of criminal investigation, a marauder is a serial predator who works from a centrally placed home base. A commuter, on the other hand, is one who travels to a locale in search of victims. What happens when commuting and marauding are combined? In this program, Professor David Canter compares and contrasts two commuter-marauders who perpetrated homicidal assaults on women: Frenchman Jacques Plumain (the Phantom), who marauded in Strasbourg, crossed the border into the German town of Kehl, and marauded some more, and Birmingham resident Adrian Babb, who crossed a highway into a different Birmingham neighborhood to commit his crimes. A part of the series Mapping Murder: Investigative Psychology Meets Geographical Profiling. (23 minutes)

Of Dolls and Murder

MVD Entertainment Group

Of Dolls and Murder explores a haunting collection of dollhouse crime scenes and our universal fascination with murder. The documentary film explores the dioramas, the woman who created them, and their relationship to modern day forensics. From the iconic CSI television show to the Body Farm and criminally minded college students and a crime fighting granny, legendary filmmaker and true crime aficionado, John Waters narrates the tiny world of big time murder. (82 minutes)

Visions of Abolition: From Critical Resistance to a New Way of Life

MVD Entertainment Group

This two-part documentary presents a critical view of the current prison system from an abolitionist perspective. Breaking Down the Prison Industrial Complex, the first part, examines the racial and gendered violence of the prison system through the voices of two groups: women caught in the criminal justice system and leading scholars of prison abolition. Abolition: Past, Present, and Future, the second part, documents the recent history of the prison abolition movement through the organizing efforts of Critical Resistance and explores the meaning of abolitionist politics. Interviews with Melissa Burch, Susan Burton, Angela Davis, Ruth Wilson Gilmore, and Dylan Rodriguez are featured throughout. (93 minutes total)

Invisible War Shines Light on Rape in the Military

ABC News

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, up to 30 percent of women in the military have been raped or sexually assaulted while serving. This ABC News report highlights the Oscar-nominated documentary The Invisible War, and discusses the response of the military. Victims talk about how they were punished but the predators went free, and how the military sees rape as an occupational hazard. Broadcast date: February 22, 2013. (5 minutes)

Beyond Punishment

Java Films

"Freedom is what you do with what has been done to you." Three different countries. Three men who have killed and three families who have lost a loved one. The common idea of guilt and punishment is that the killers are punished, which helps the families to move on. But the people involved in these life-changing acts of violence have still not found peace. Years after judgements are made and sentences served, both sides are still searching… Beyond Punishment challenges our ideas of guilt and punishment by examining the need for forgiveness and the inner conflict this wish brings about. What does it mean to forgive? Would that be a betrayal of the victim of the crime? Is there an alternate concept of forgiveness?

Rape on the Night Shift

PBS

An investigation into the sexual abuse of undocumented women in the service industry. The film examines allegations of abuse across the janitorial industry, and how the government, law enforcement and companies fall short in dealing with the problem. Distributed by PBS Distribution.

Psychology, Criminality, and Incarceration in America

Promedion/American MultiMedia

This program explores current trends in criminal justice policy. It covers such topics as the U.S. incarceration rate and psychological explanations for criminality. It outlines the four classic functions of incarceration (incapacitation, deterrence, retribution, and rehabilitation).

The History of American Criminal Justice

Promedion/American MultiMedia

This program offers a brief history of U.S. criminal justice. It covers such topics as criminal justice in colonial America, the Quakers’ penitentiary, and the development of criminology. The program explains the organization of the U.S. criminal justice system.

Juvenile Justice

Frontline

FRONTLINE explores whether children who commit serious crimes should be tried as juveniles or adults. The program shows what can happen to young offenders who reach the "end of the line" in the juvenile court system and how these children can be rehabilitated to prevent future criminal behavior. Distributed by PBS Distribution. (90 minutes)

A Question of Identity: Catching History's Criminals—The Forensics Story

BBC Worldwide Learning

Where there’s a murder, there’s a body, and it’s often the most significant piece of evidence, preserving important clues. This episode features the first investigation in which DNA fingerprinting was used to convict a serial killer, unearths a historic case involving a college janitor turned detective, and explains how you go about putting a name to a body when it’s been dissolved in acid. A BBC Production.

The Mystery of Murder: A Horizon Guide

BBC Worldwide Learning

What drives people to kill? Science has spent more than 50 years trying to get inside the mind of murderers to find in what ways they are different to the rest of us—and also the ways in which they are disturbingly similar. Michael Mosley opens up the Horizon casebook to discover how scientists have used extraordinary techniques and experiments to see what goes on inside the brain of a murderer. He shows how they have created a surprisingly comprehensive picture of the different factors that can drive someone to kill. And he asks the ultimate question—will we one day be able to intervene to prevent someone becoming a killer? A BBC Production.

Durkheim and the Functions of Crime

ShortCuts TV

It seems obvious to most people that crime and social order are opposites. But more than a century ago French sociologist, Emile Durkheim, suggested that it wasn’t that simple. This film looks at the introduction of Zero Tolerance Policing in New York, the imprisonment of Dr Jack Kevorkian for assisting terminally-ill patients to die and the tragic murder in the UK of Jamie Bulger, to illustrate Durkheim’s three key functions of crime. It concludes by looking at how the legacy of these ideas has been so influential in the development of criminology.

House of Suh

MVD Entertainment Group

One of Chicago's most famous murder cases surrounded sister and brother Catherine and Andrew Suh, first-generation Korean-Americans, who conspired against, shot, and killed Catherine's former boyfriend.

Broadmoor: A History of the Criminally Insane

MVD Entertainment Group

Criminology professor David Wilson uses interviews and archives to highlight Britain's most notorious criminals and the place they called home.

Juvies

Collective Eye Films

Twenty years ago, juveniles committed 30% of all felony arrests. Today, juveniles commit only 15% of all felonies. This is not because they are committing fewer crimes. Narrator Mark Wahlberg points out that over 200,000 children are sent through the adult court system each year. The film follows 12 juveniles, who were all prosecuted as adults. The filmmakers taught a video production class to kids in Eastlake Central Juvenile Hall, Los Angeles to encourage them to open up about their lives and the choices they made that brought them to juvenile hall.

TurnSignl App: Safer Police Stops

NewsHour Productions

The murder of George Floyd thrust Minnesota into the center of the debate over police misconduct and profiling. As Fred de Sam Lazaro reports in this NewsHour production from the series Agents for Change, one effort coming out of that painful period hopes to use technology, such as the TurnSignl app to make traffic stops safer.

Toxic Workplaces: What Every Cop, Supervisor and Leader Needs to Know - Part 1

In the Line of Duty

In this program, veteran police officers examine the prevalence and problems of toxic workplaces and supervisors in policing. It features Sgt.(ret.) Mark DiBona (responsible for saving many officers’ lives with his uplifting addresses nationwide), Sgt.(ret.) Byron Watson (a law enforcement chaplain), P.D. Sgt. (ret.) Betsy Brantner Smith (longtime member of one of Chicago’s largest suburban agencies and creator of course The Winning Mind for Women). These offices share vital information, tips, ideas, and approaches and strategies for dealing with toxic work environments for street officers, supervisors, and leaders.

Toxic Workplaces: What Every Cop, Supervisor and Leader Needs to Know - Part 2

In the Line of Duty

This program examines workplace issues that can become the primary reason police officers leave a department or even leave the law enforcement profession entirely and presents tips on how to deal with them to create a better work environment and improved officer retention. Featuring such veteran police officers as Lt. Randy Sutton (ret.) (one of the most decorated officers in the history of the Las Vegas Metropolitan P.D) and Sgt. (ret.) Byron Watson, the program considers how to realistically deal with workplace problems, whether on the supervisor or line office side of the desk.

In the Face of Terror: Episode 3

BBC Worldwide Learning

On 15 March 2019, an anonymous user posts a message on the internet stating that they intend to carry out an attack 'against the invaders' and will live-stream the attack via Facebook. The post is written by Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian living in New Zealand. After uploading the message, he turns on his body-worn camera and drives to the Al-Noor mosque in Christchurch, where he opens fire on worshippers. The live-streaming of an attack heralds a new era of terrorism and confirms the far right as the world's fastest-growing terror threat. A week later, Christchurch's small Muslim community is still in shock. Giving the final blessing to one of the victims is former Imam Farid Ahmed, who survived the shooting. He had separated from his wife Husna as they went to different parts of the mosque to pray. When the shooting started, he escaped. When it was over, he went searching for his wife, only to learn that she had rescued many people, but was killed as she returned to the mosque to look for him. At Linwood, the city's second mosque, survivor Abdul Aziz describes how he was praying when a fellow worshipper was shot through a window, and he ran outside to confront the attacker. He found a weapon and chased Tarrant back to his car, throwing the gun at him as he fled. The police gave chase and rammed Tarrant's car, arresting him by the side of the road. In London, Jacob Davey is a far-right analyst working at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. He recalls hearing of the shooting and rushing to monitor the digital footprint of the attack. He could see millions were watching the video in dark corners of the web. Facebook themselves blocked or took down 1.5 million uploads of the video.

The Mass Execution: Part 1 (Life and Death Row, Series 3)

BBC Worldwide Learning

One death row inmate maintains his innocence as his family fights for his life. Stacey Johnson is scheduled to be executed for a crime that he claims he didn’t commit. With just weeks to go, his wife and stepdaughter are doing all they can to stop the execution. Elsewhere Susan, whose mother was murdered by Don Davis in 1990, has been waiting for his execution for decades. She wants justice to finally be carried out so she and her family can find peace.

The Mass Execution: Part 4 (Life and Death Row, Series 3)

BBC Worldwide Learning

In this episode, the family of murdered teenager John Melbourne Jr are fighting for the execution of death row inmate Jason McGehee to go ahead. McGehee's lawyers argue that his sentence is unjust, as he is only one out of a group of teenagers responsible for the murder. In fact, the person who actually took John's life is eligible for parole in 2025. We also meet Kayla Greenwood, whose father Michael was murdered by death row inmate Kenneth Williams in a road traffic collision after he escaped from prison. In an extraordinary act of forgiveness, Kayla is desperate to reconnect the killer with the daughter, Jasmine, he hasn't seen for 17 years.

Cops and Ethics

In the Line of Duty

The I.A.C.P. says that the issue of law enforcement ethics and leadership is one of the biggest issues facing law enforcement today. This video goes over the do’s and don’ts of proper ethical procedures through more than a dozen real-world scenarios in which officers have done the right thing and the wrong thing. The video features five singular scenarios for evaluation, analysis, and discussion.

Are Welfare Checks Cop's Most Dangerous Calls?

In the Line of Duty

In this training program, we talk with one of the Las Vegas Metropolitan P.D.’s most decorated officers, Randy Sutton, about checking the welfare calls. Sutton breaks down an incident in Fort Worth (TX) that garnered national and international media attention. He offers his analysis on this incident and many other issues that today’s law enforcement officers have to deal with on a daily basis regarding welfare checks.

Post-Traumatic Stress/You Can Overcome

In the Line of Duty

In this training program, we talk with Jaime Bridges, a licensed clinical social worker and nationally-renowned police counselor. Bridges discusses post-traumatic stress and how officers can overcome its effects.

Surviving Terrible Gunshot Wounds & the Power of the Mind

In the Line of Duty

In this training program, we talk with Dr. Andrew Dennis about surviving wounds; whether it is a gunshot, knife wound, etc. He states that what people see on television cop shows isn’t very accurate when it comes to being shot and the ability to survive that wound. One shot to the chest doesn’t mean that you are dead or are going to die. Street cops need to know that even if they do get shot, in many instances they can stay in the fight and survive.

Randy Sutton/Great Cops Share their Greatest Lessons Learned

In the Line of Duty

In this training program, we talk with Retired Lieutenant Randy Sutton of the Las Vegas (NV) Police Department. He is also a Technical Advisor for In the Line of Duty. This program features great life-saving and career-saving lessons from one of America’s most-decorated officers. The program has been structured into short, classroom-ready segments.

This is Earie (Mind Games and the Powers of Observation)

In the Line of Duty

Designed for training police officers to recall data and facts, this program presents pictures for study and review. Many years ago, a great veteran detective claimed you could readily identify a subject by his or her ears. What do you think? Well, ear and now, let’s put that to the test.

Lip Service (Mind Games and the Powers of Observation)

In the Line of Duty

Lip readers know of things the rest of us don't because they know how to read lips, and with that skill comes the ability to hear by seeing a lot of what you and I may miss. Maybe just a little lip reading would be a good thing for police officers, especially when it comes to these words: gun, knife, kill, shoot, drugs, dope, attack, run, hit, pig, and doughnut. We're going to give you three sets of lips, all uttering the same word. Give it your best shot, and we'll red pencil you at the end.

Interviews Inside Juvenile Prison Segregation Unit: Teenager Stedman's Story and Officer Tour of Seg

Calamari Productions

In this video, we look back at a teenager named Stedman as he served time in the segregation unit in a juvenile prison for attacking another teen inside the prison. Stedman talked to us from the segregation unit's outdoor "rec cage", a razor wire area where teens in segregation get to spend one hour a day. The rest of the time they are locked in their cells: 23 hours a day, seven days a week. This video also includes an interview with correctional officers as they take a camera crew on a tour of the prison's segregation unit, describe how kids land there, and discuss the prison's security measures during daily life on the unit. Originally filmed in 2009, the program features a 2023 update on Stedman at the end of the video.

Inside the Uvalde Response

Frontline

The real-time accounts of the response, missteps and trauma in the Uvalde school shooting. Using official body cam and audio, with ProPublica and The Texas Tribune, a reconstruction of the chaotic response at Robb Elementary and the lessons learned.

The University

Juliana Roth

Narratives thread together in The University a film following the aftermath of a sexual assault on a college campus. Told through the stories recounted to a Title IX tribunal, The University asks what justice might look like for survivors.

Part 2: The Punishment (Undercurrent: The Disappearance of Kim Wall)

HBO

As Madsen's trial gets underway, disturbing details about the inventor and Kim's final hours begin to surface.

Unresolved: American Policing: A Debate

Open to Debate

Following the killings of Breonna Taylor in Kentucky and George Floyd in Minnesota by police in 2020, historic protests calling for law enforcement reform erupted across the United States. But just what might such reforms entail? And how should we assess the nation's criminal justice system today? In this debate, five experts tackle three pressing questions on the history and future of policing in the United States: Should we defund the police? Do police unions do more harm than good? And has policing become too militarized?

Simple Spanish Commands

In the Line of Duty

With almost absolute certainty all peace officers at some point in their careers will deal with subjects who speak only Spanish. The Hispanic/Latino minorities in many of our urban and, indeed, rural communities are growing at a fast rate. It’s crucial, therefore, for officer safety and departmental liability that officers who deal with Spanish speakers have some knowledge of basic Spanish commands a cop would use. This program guides officers through the most commonly used law enforcement Spanish commands and teaches them via a very easy verbal refresher.

Signs of the Deaf

In the Line of Duty

This video takes officers through the most commonly used signs of the deaf one might encounter on the street. It’s perfect for officers who need to learn simple commands.

Alabama Officer Stabbed to Death

In the Line of Duty

An Alabama officer, whose dream from childhood was to become a cop, has the dream shattered when he is knifed to in a death in a jail sally port after a missed patdown. The tragic events of that day all began at a Dollar General store and a bizarre attempt at robbery by arson. Veteran officers said they had never seen anything like it. The incidents of that day ended as a tragic lesson on why you can never be too careful.

Rapid Response: Saving Lives in the Golden Hour

In the Line of Duty

How critical is the need for an integrated approach to rapid response and one that includes every member of the public safety community? Find out how Hillsboro, OR Police, Fire, and EMS made this approach a reality, and see the effect it has had on their emergency response times and level and effectiveness. It’s called the Rapid Response Treatment Model and it’s working, not only for a potential rapid response to an active shooter, but also for much, much more. The training, though designed specifically for an active shooter scenario, can be used for any critical incident or calamity where Police, Fire, and EMS are all on the scene, such as a plane crash or natural disaster. Simply put, the key to this training model is using teamwork to speed up response times and consequently, save lives.

Use of Force: The Death of Eric Garner

In the Line of Duty

In a day and age when cameras and video are becoming omnipresent in law enforcement’s responses 24/7, it is critical to learn and benefit from officer’s experiences on the street. We present this program of the incident with Eric Garner with one question in mind — are there lessons that could have been learned? This program is meant to offer the feedback, thoughts, and knowledge of one veteran trainer in the hopes that it will elicit much food for thought, interactive discussion, and even opportunity to always keep that eternal question at the forefront of officer’s minds: What Would You Do?

What Would You Do? Cop Confronts Murderer on T.S./DUI Checkpoint Scammer

In the Line of Duty

This training program presents two incidents, asking the viewers to consider what they would do in the situation. In the first incident, an Ohio officer shows tremendous restraint when charged by a screaming subject, who may or may not be armed. In the second incident, new tactics are being used to get around DUI checkpoints. Our Recruit Class discusses how they would deal with subjects trying to use these loopholes to avoid the checkpoint.

Ferguson/The Lessons Learned Program 1

In the Line of Duty

In this program, Ron Barber sits down with Chief Jon Belmar, of the St. Louis County(MO) Police Department, for an exclusive one-on-one interview. They discuss Ferguson and the lessons learned. Chief Belmar was at the epicenter of this incident that garnered international attention. In this extensive interview, Belmar discusses tactics, community relations, safety, and many of the other things that took place during that tumultuous time in Ferguson, MO.

Lessons Learned/Sgt. Adam Plantinga Program: Part 2

In the Line of Duty

In this training program, we continue our talk with Sgt. Adam Plantinga of the San Francisco Police Department. He discusses helping victims of domestic violence, performing a thorough walk-through at death scenes, how child killers affect an entire city, and many other potentially life-saving tips and tactics.

I Can't Breathe/Critical Do's and Don'ts for all Officers

In the Line of Duty

In this training program, Line of Duty technical advisers break down, analyze, and discuss a topic that has become a world-wide law enforcement issue, media topic, and the center of national protests; “I can’t breathe.” What should a law enforcement officer do when attempting to take control of a subject or putting restraints on a subject, and he/she claims to be having medical issues such as not being able to breathe? How do you know if he/she is telling the truth or just trying to get out of custody? These questions and much more are covered in this program.

Compassionate Policing/The Ultimate in De-Escalation: Part 1

In the Line of Duty

In this training program, we talk with Line of Duty Technical Adviser Randy Sutton. As a retired law enforcement officer, Randy reflects upon his career and talks about how his philosophy of policing changed early on because of the advice from his training sergeant. Once Sutton started treating everyone with compassion, he felt he was truly out on the streets to protect and serve. We will dive deeper into the concept of compassionate policing in this program.

Updated/New What Dogs Try to Tell Cops

In the Line of Duty

Any law enforcement agency that has been involved in shooting a dog, especially should the animal die, knows that the public and media can get very angry in the aftermath. This updated program is designed to give all patrol officers vital information which may, one day or night, conceivably help them avoid such an incident. Of course, no matter the outcome, officer safety is and always will be first and foremost.

Lifesaving, Street Smart Tips for Cops: Part 2

In the Line of Duty

Using a video magazine format, officers and students are given a wide variety of “golden nuggets”; i.e. survival, safety, and tactical tips from a wide variety of sources and law enforcement experts. Each segment will be no longer than 2:00 (mins) or so for convenient use in roll call training in addition, of course, to in-service, academy, and classroom use. Each segment includes interactive questions for class discussion, feedback and analysis.

Train the Trainer

In the Line of Duty

This program focuses on the training officer and classroom education. Sgt. Richard Simpher, now retired, was at St. Louis Police Academy for 14 years. He was an instructor for eight years, spent 3 years as Asst. Director and then the next three as Director. He shares his thoughts on what has worked well in the classroom setting and, also, what can derail an instructor. From guest instructors to having the right equipment, he covers it all in this program.

De-escalation/Some Ideas for Cops

In the Line of Duty

This training program presents tips for de-escalating situations.

Situational Awareness

In the Line of Duty

This police training program considers issues of situational awareness.

Myth Busting (In the Line of Duty, Volume 15)

In the Line of Duty

In this program we outline some myths that are repeated so often officers believe they are gospel truth — until, as we see, nothing but stark reality or the loss of lives convinces them they’re untrue.

Tareena: Return from Isis

BBC Worldwide Learning

The exclusive story of Britain’s most high profile ISIS returnee, Tareena Shakil. A victim of domestic abuse and looking for a way out for herself and her son, Tareena was groomed and recruited by ISIS. She eventually travelled to Syria, but soon realised she’d made a terrible mistake. When Tareena returned to England, she was arrested and condemned by the press. Now free from prison, Tareena wants to join the fight against ISIS. With exclusive access to Tareena, her family, and de-radicalisation expert Mike Jervis, this is a story of radicalisation, return – and the search for redemption.

Unlikely Reunion

NewsHour Productions

America’s epidemic of gun violence gets plenty of coverage, but we don’t focus nearly enough on the victims living with the life-long impacts of that violence. We have the story of what happens when one of those survivors meets the person who pulled the trigger. In this NewsHour program, William Brangham tells how an unlikely reunion recently came about in Florida.

49 Pulses

Filmhub

Utilizing survivor interviews, re-enactments, and police body cameras, this documentary examines the Orlando nightclub tragedy, one of the worst mass shootings in US history.

Kids in Prison Then and Now: Prison Release Hearings - Hunter and Keandre's Story

Calamari Productions

In this program, 18-year old juvenile prison inmates Hunter and Keandre discuss what life is like serving time inside a maximum-security juvenile prison as both boys await their release hearings to learn if they'll finally be released from prison. Hunter discusses his severe drug addiction while Keandre talks about his life in the child welfare system and how he ended up in trouble with the law. Originally filmed in 2012, the program features a 2023 update on each boy at the end of the video.

Edged Weapons: Don’t Let One Kill You

In the Line of Duty

Presenting crucial teaching points about the most common mistakes officers make when confronted by someone with an edged weapon, this program presents counters and remedies for officers to practice and use for honing their edged-weapons responses and skills. The course features instruction and training from Sgt. (Ret.) Erwin Ballarta of the Texas D.P.S. who for many years was one of the nation’s premiere teachers regarding edged-weapon response by law enforcement.

Iron Will to Survive - Burned Alive: The Incredible Journey of Officer Jason Schechterle

In the Line of Duty

This program details the horrific crash that left Phoenix officer Jason Schechterle with fourth-degree burns and life-changing disfiguring injuries and also features an interview with Jason more than two decades later, discussing his incredible emotional and spiritual journey. Since leaving law enforcement, Jason has concentrated his efforts on motivational speaking and is in demand not only by law enforcement but also a wide variety of groups and organizations worldwide. The program provides viewers with hope and inspiration to overcome challenges.

12th Street: Life Beyond Bars

Filmhub

Each year 25,000 inmates are released in one of the largest prison towns in America: Huntsville, Texas. They exit and shuffle along the sidewalk, some smiling, some pensive, and all carrying onion sacks full of belongings. If their families are there, they leave into open arms. For most, though, they aren't. The majority stream past the private homes and prison offices toward the Greyhound bus station three blocks away. This story is an honest look at a day on 12th Street in Huntsville. Anchored by Elroy, a wise, seen-it-all style guru, we meet the ex-convicts restarting their lives. This documentary explores one of the most critical issues in the national debate over criminal justice reform: the flood of prisoners returning to American communities without the guidance and support needed for a successful transition back to society. What awaits them on the outside? How are they prepared to deal with the new world? Where do they go from here when they reach their first crossroad?

Exit

Filmhub

A journey out of the heart of human trafficking. Three women who were looking for a way out of their extreme poverty found themselves at the heart of human trafficking networks. "Exit" is not a straight road and many don't make it to the end.

Is Legalizing Marijuana a Mistake?: A Debate (Audio Only)

Open to Debate

In 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first states in the nation to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes. By 2023, 23 states had followed their lead, and another 14 had legalized cannabis for medical use. In 2022 and 2023, however, voters in four states rejected legalization, which remains prohibited under federal law. Supporters of legalization argue that cannabis is a relatively harmless drug, that law enforcement wastes time and resources arresting and prosecuting users, and that revenue raised from taxing legal sales helps fund vital government services. Opponents of legalization argue that cannabis is a dangerous and addictive drug that can cause serious mental health problems, especially among youth. Is legalizing marijuana a mistake? This is an audio-only podcast episode.

Navajo Police: Class 57 - Part 2

HBO

As the number of recruits starts to dwindle, officers discuss the ongoing challenges facing the Navajo Nation.

Navajo Police: Class 57 - Part 3

HBO

Graduates of the police academy enter the field as rookie officers while wrestling with conflicts in their personal and professional lives.

Teen Violence

Hedrick Smith Productions

In part one of this program, Hedrick Smith reports on how the Alliance of Concerned Men stopped a youth gang war in Benning Terrace, a public housing project in the nation's capital that had become a war zone. Alliance members Tyrone Parker and Rico Rush, former felons with new lives and a new mission, negotiate a truce with the rival gangs that ends the killing and brings hope and new mainstream jobs to former gang members and peace to other residents. In part two, viewers see how the Los Hermanos youth crime prevention program of the Oregon State Penitentiary keeps troubled teenagers in the Pacific Northwest from sliding into a life of crime. Inmates mentor young men in face-to-face sessions inside the prison walls over several months. Begun by Latinos but open to youth of all races, Los Hermanos has touched the lives of 150 teens in a remarkably successful effort to deter them from doing crimes-and doing time. Public dialogues draw out lessons for other communities. (58 minutes)

The Poet and the Con

Eric Trules

In this riveting and painfully honest documentary, poet and performance artist Eric Trules explores his multifaceted relationship with his uncle Harvey, an alcoholic mobster and confessed murderer. The program examines surprising parallels between the two men, revealing how artist and outlaw share a deep-rooted resistance to social and moral conventions—a notion of particular relevance when Trules is arrested for a felony himself. Featuring poignant scenes in which Eric and Harvey share their regrets, fears, and affection for each other, this is a provocative study of the criminal mind, family ties, and the psychology of personal recovery and redemption. (59 minutes)

Missouri's Different Approach to Juvenile Justice

ABC News

In Missouri, a different method of juvenile detention has seen surprisingly successful results, trading in orange jumpsuits and cell blocks for therapists and dorm rooms. This edition of Primetime spends a year with the hard-core offenders at Waverly Regional Youth Center and Rosa Parks Center to see how a combination of nurturing and discipline are transforming inmates into potentially productive members of society-and for half the average national cost of juvenile incarceration. Provided with a strict and stable environment for perhaps the first time in their lives, these damaged young convicts are coming to terms with their past so they can pursue a better future. (41 minutes)

Forensic Field Techniques for Human Remains

Lighthouse Media

This program provides a comprehensive introduction to the application of forensic science to crime scenes where human remains have been found. Promoting a team approach to crime scene analysis, Scott Fairgrieve, Tracy Oost, and Gerard Courtin, faculty members of the Department of Forensic Science at Laurentian University, cover the following topics: the decomposition timeline, identifying human remains, identifying burial sites, locating remains via grid-based searching, establishing the crime scene, forensic botany, forensic entomology, forensic anthropology, and special considerations for dealing with remains that have been exposed to water or fire. An excellent tool for training police officers, coroners, medical examiners, firefighters, forensic scientists, and students. Viewer discretion is advised. (94 minutes)