NCJ Number
90948
Date Published
Unknown
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This television documentary focuses on five men serving life sentences in the Texas Department of Corrections and the victims of their crimes. The program includes commentary from politicians, philosophers, penologists, and prison reformers on the issues of crime, punishment, and the life sentence sanction.
Abstract
The inevitable question to the viewer is when is a criminal considered to be sufficiently punished, to have paid for the crime, and when, if ever, certain criminals should be returned to society. The program focuses on three murderers, a bank robber, and a 'habitual criminal' who has spent 26 years in prison for a career in crime that earned him less than $300. Their stories are intercut with comments of family members of the murder victims and those victims who actually faced weapons of the armed robbers. Some of the revelations are merely pathetic, some are infuriating, others are chilling. The documentary is based on research and interviews conducted for 10 weeks inside various Texas prison units. (Author abstract modified)