The Milwaukee community defined by the ZIP code 53206 has the sorry distinction of having the highest rate of incarceration among adult men: 62 percent of this demographic, which is overwhelmingly African American, have spent some time behind bars. Filmmaker Keith McQuirter's documentary focuses on three overlapping stories. Beverly Walker tries to maintain a relationship—through long telephone calls and family visits to prison—with her husband, who is serving two consecutive prison sentences for bank robberies. Chad Wilson is a recently released prisoner who is attempting to reintegrate himself into society and strengthen his parental relationship with his two young sons. And Dennis Walton is a community activist who holds seminars in prison designed to instill some degree of paternal responsibility among inmates, many of whom are second-generation incarcerated. The film walks gingerly around racial issues except for one scene in which Walton speaks with a state senator's aide (a young white man) who received a significantly lighter prison term for the same crime that resulted in a much longer sentence for a black man. Milwaukee 53206 does not and could not provide quick-fix answers, but it is a sincere film that is willing to ask tough questions about an endemic social problem that many would prefer to ignore. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
Milwaukee 53206
(2016) 55 min. DVD: $375. Grasshopper Film. PPR. Volume 33, Issue 2
Milwaukee 53206
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