13th a documentary

Movie: 13th
Year: 2016
Directed by: Ava DuVernay
Produced by : Howard Barish, Ava DuVernay, and Spencer Averick
Trailer: 13TH Trailer (2016) Netflix Documentary
Netflix: 13th
Running time: 100 minutes

Synopsis

13th is a documentary about how the Thirteenth Amendment led to mass incarceration in the United States. The film shows how American politics, racism, capitalism, and policies have influenced the modern American prison industrial complex.

What is the Thirteenth Amendment: 

The 13th amendment was initially to abolish slavery and involuntary servitude when it was ratified in 1865. It created this loophole to for everyone except for those who are deemed as criminal. Thus this amendment paved the way to the modern incarceration system according to Ms. Alexander, who gave her perspective in the documentary.

Topics focused on in the documentary: 

The economic and sociological history of slavery was examined closely looking at The rise of Jim Crow law to enforce racial segregation in the Southern United States was also used as a way to keep the labor in the south cheap. The idea of abolishing slavery created an economic threat to those who owned plantations in the south. The American civil rights movement was also examined in the film before moving on to  Richard Nixon's southern strategy in which the Republican Party devised a plan to increase the parties political support among white voters in the South by appealing to racism against African Americans.  The film later talks about how the war on drugs that was introduced during the Nixon administration which increased the American prison population with the majority of the people being incarcerated are black males. The film also looks at  "over-incarceration" which has destroyed generations of black and minority families and their kids as well as ruined their chances of a good job and an opportunity to participate in civic duties such as voting. DuVernay also decided to end the documentary with graphic videos of fatal shootings of African Americans by police.

Quotes from the film: 

“The United States is home to 5% of the world’s population, but 25% of the world’s prisoners. Think about that.”-Barack Obama

“Justice too long delayed is justice denied”- Martin Luther King

“There are thousands of people in jails right this moment that are sitting there for no other reason than because they’re too poor to get out.” – Michelle Alexander

Facts about the American prison system

The National Research Council explained that half of the 222% growth in the state prison population between 1980 and 2010 was due to the increase of time served in prison for all offenses. 

 African Americans are more likely than white Americans to be arrested; once arrested, they are more likely to be convicted; and once convicted, they are more likely to face rigorous sentences

Why I think you should see it:

The film gives a good overview of historical and current America in regards to the american politics and incarceration.