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13th Documentary Analysis
Every person that has watched this film could confirm that the director Ava DuVernay conducts a concrete research into the American system and comes up with shocking statistics The director relies on a number of liberals and conservatives whom she interviews in an attempt to dig in about the African-American society has been affected by the prison complex in the country. The film kicks off with s shocking statistics that one out of four Black men is likely to go to prison in his lifetime. Notably, each of the interviewees is located in a location resembling an industrial setting and one that matches the themes of prison as a factory f free labor where the people of color act as slaves..
The film is quick to highlight the integration between Blacks being imprisoned and the economy of the nation. Notably, although the convicted parties are questionable, most of them are imprisoned unlawfully which can be related to the increased need for labor. In the film, a number of sensitive events could be noted. The director is noted to present Reagan’s War on Drugs, Bill Clinton’s Three Strikes among others as the turning points for the continued cash-for-prisoners structure that s resulted into the generation of millions of bails and incarceration firms. These events have and are continued to evolve into the modern prison system.
Since the 1940’s, the curve of African-American prisoners has been rising steadily but steeply. The numbers which started rising during the Civil Rights Movements have continued to increase until the modern day. It is of paramount importance to note that the high prisoner’s numbers have translated into decimation of the Black families. The high number of protest for rights, the harder it is becoming to break the system.
