Friday, April 29, 2011
Prisonocracy
The American prisoner population is exploding, jumping over 1000% in the last forty years. In its proposed documentary, Prisonocracy, Project Noise will delve into the causes and possible solutions, focusing primarily on what goes on outside the prison walls. This brief trailer, narrated by Tom Morello, is the product of our initial research on the contributing factors to this rise in population, including the failed and poorly conceived War on Drugs, a lucrative prison industrial complex, a complicit voting and tax-paying public, and fear-mongering in political campaigns and the media.
Right now, newborn black males in this country have greater than a 1 in 4 chance of going to prison during their lifetimes, hispanic males have a 1 in 6 chance, and white males have a 1 in 23 chance of serving time. No matter which side of the fence you're on politically, that's an alarming reality.
Prisonocracy will trace the evolution of the American prison system from the 1820s prototypes in New York and Pennsylvania, to the modern phenomena of private prison contractors Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and GEO (formerly Wackenhut), to the lobbying power of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association.
As a documentary, there is no script. We expect the truth to take us to the story, we believe stories change people, and people change the world. To find out more, contact Maureen Herman at maureen@projectnoise.org
Right now, newborn black males in this country have greater than a 1 in 4 chance of going to prison during their lifetimes, hispanic males have a 1 in 6 chance, and white males have a 1 in 23 chance of serving time. No matter which side of the fence you're on politically, that's an alarming reality.
Prisonocracy will trace the evolution of the American prison system from the 1820s prototypes in New York and Pennsylvania, to the modern phenomena of private prison contractors Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and GEO (formerly Wackenhut), to the lobbying power of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association.
As a documentary, there is no script. We expect the truth to take us to the story, we believe stories change people, and people change the world. To find out more, contact Maureen Herman at maureen@projectnoise.org
