Busted: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters

In the opening scene of Busted, three friends driving down a country road munching pork rinds are pulled over by a police officer. When the driver unwittingly assents to searches of both the car and his knapsack, he ends up being busted for possession of marijuana. “If you found yourself in the same police encounter, would you have handled the pressure and confusion any better?” asks Ira Glasser, former executive director of the ACLU. At first glance, this program might seem like Everything a Stoner Should Know About the Bill of Rights, but Glasser goes on to explain that most people, whether engaging in an illegal activity or not, unnecessarily give up their rights during routine police interactions. Busted guides citizens through the most common police searches—automobile, body, and home—presenting right and wrong way dramatizations built around Glasser's concise explanations of relevant laws and protections provided by the Bill of Rights, as well as suggestions for how to exercise those rights. Some tips come across as simple common sense (“never lie to police,” “don't run”), but other bits of advice (such as telling officers “I don't consent to any searches”) may not be as obvious to many viewers. Targeted at a young adult audience—all of the actors appear to be in their 20s—Busted serves up useful (and often entertaining) examples of the role of the Bill of Rights in citizens' lives. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Wadland)