On Monday, May 22, 2017, PBS aired “They Call Us Monsters”,
directed by Ben Lear, a documentary about the growing trend to try juveniles
with violent offenses as adults.
The film starts with a depiction of a juvenile case in 1976,
and moves to the 1990s when Newt Gingrich says that if you commit an adult
crime, you’re an adult.
Then it moves to a high security facility in a desert area
in California where an English and screenwriting teacher, Gabe, himself about
30, comes to the jail and shows them how to write a 10-minute screenplay which
he will fund and shoot for a festival.
These are all kids facing life sentences for murder.
Gabe starts by creating hooks, by asking the kids to write
down five fears.
Gradually, scenes from the developing screenplay mix with real
videotape of the teens being arrested.
The cases for some of the kids, especially
Jarad, progress in court. Curiously, the subject of tattoos, in conjunction with gangs, comes up.
Then the documentary moves to state legislatures where the
debate gets into the area of the teen brain, as immature and not able to see
around corners, as Dr. Phil has explained. But “evil” is possible, and it’s clear that
parenting (and many other factors) cause some teen boys to develop “moral”
maturity much earlier in life than others. There is a tremendous variation in
the rate of brain maturity achievement. Some specialists say that too much
screen time or lack of social interaction in the real world will delay brain
growth.
One of the legislators weighs recognizing the victims against the biological immaturity of the teen perpetrators.
In the final scene, Jarad (a teen father) is sentenced to 160 years to life.
In the final scene, Jarad (a teen father) is sentenced to 160 years to life.
The official site is here.
PBS followed with a short film "Facing Life" by Dan Birman, depicting a convict named Cyntoia, a model prisoner, now 28, with 39 years more to serve. The film says there is "no endgame". I thought the feature could have mentioned chess in prison.
PBS followed with a short film "Facing Life" by Dan Birman, depicting a convict named Cyntoia, a model prisoner, now 28, with 39 years more to serve. The film says there is "no endgame". I thought the feature could have mentioned chess in prison.
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