Voices From Inside: Incarcerated Teens Speak Out

Due to tougher laws, such as three strikes or mandatory sentencing, more American teens than ever before are in lockup: currently, over 90,000 juvenile offenders. This program from the award-winning PBS-aired youth series In the Mix features a handful of teens who talk about the harsh realities of prison. Far from supporting romanticized ideas that serving time confers some tough badge of honor or street credibility, the bleak message here is that teens lose some of the best years of their youth while being treated like an animal (“caged in—you go to bed when they tell you to go to bed, you wake up when they tell you to wake up, you eat when they tell you it's time to eat”). The interviewees here are multiracial from both genders, serving sentences for a wide variety of crimes, but whether it's 20 years for homicide or three years for grand theft auto, viewers will come away with an understanding that any time spent behind bars is a heavy price to pay. No excuses are made for bad neighborhoods or family situations; rather, the current and former young inmates here discuss the need to think about the consequences of one's actions and to make smart choices that may run counter to popular street wisdom. Although there is no profanity, the program does feature a lot of slang, and some photos of victims of prison violence may disturb viewers (as they should). Recommended. Aud: J, H, P. (E. Gieschen)