Incarcerating US

Filmmaker Regan Hines's documentary focuses on the extraordinary scope of the U.S. prison population, which now totals some 2.3 million people. The film notes that between 1920 and 1970, the prison population was mostly stable, despite significant social and economic upheavals during those years. In 1970, however, a federal initiative aimed at combating the rising level of drug trafficking and usage inspired a new wave of arrests and incarceration. This was exacerbated in the 1980s, with the Reagan administration's so-called War on Drugs—which disproportionately focused on non-white communities. As a result, the number of people behind bars grew to record-shattering levels, and prison facilities found themselves dealing not only with inmate overpopulation but also new challenges to provide mental health treatment and educational opportunities to those in custody. Numerous stakeholders in this situation offer comments here, including eloquent testimony from current and former inmates who talk about the impact of incarceration on their lives and those of their families. While Incarcerating US presents familiar facts and analysis, it also offers a forceful and intelligent reminder that this percolating problem is long overdue for a solution. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)