No country locks up more people than the United States. This doc explores how America got there.
My colleague Rob Kelly currently ranks this #2 on his list of The Best Prison Documentaries.
Trailer for “13th”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- The doc points to one important phrase in the 13th Amendment. It ended slavery, except when someone is convicted of a crime. DuVernay argues that this loophole helped create new ways to force people to work after the Civil War.
- After slavery ended, many Southern states arrested Black Americans for small offenses like not having a job. Some were then sent to work for private companies in systems that looked a lot like slavery.
- The number of people in U.S. prisons grew from about 350,000 in 1970 to more than 2 million by the 2010s. No other country locks up more people.
Watch “13th”
You can find current streaming options for “13th” at JustWatch. It has also been available on Netflix and YouTube.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 95/100
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 90/100 (Users); 97/100 (Critics)
Director’s Note: “13th” was directed by Ava DuVernay, whose other notable works include “Selma,” “When They See Us,” and “Origin.” The doc was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and won numerous critics’ awards.
Release Date: October 7, 2016
Other Unique Items
- The title refers to a single sentence in the 13th Amendment, but the documentary covers nearly 150 years of American history.
- The documentary became so influential that schools and criminal justice courses across the country began using it in their classrooms.
- The doc traces prison policies from Presidents Nixon, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton. It argues that leaders from both political parties helped create today’s system of mass incarceration.
Wrap Up:
“13th” is one of the clearest explanations I’ve seen of how America’s prison system evolved over time. Whether you agree with all of its conclusions or not, it’s a documentary that will make you think long after the credits roll.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc