Criminal Justice Videos: Home

"In the days immediately following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that killed seventeen people, filmmakers Emily Taguchi and Jake Lefferman began filming with students and families whose lives were forever altered"--Container.

Basic human needs for food, shelter, and employment -- critical factors in the transition from prison to freedom -- are the focus of this video. Discusses where ex-offenders can find jobs and housing, and find emotional strength during the first few months.

In 2002, Mukhtaran Mai, a rural Pakistani woman from a remote part of the Punjab, was gang-raped by order of her tribal council as punishment for her younger brother's alleged relationship with a woman from another clan. Instead of committing suicide or living in shame, Mukhtaran spoke out, fighting for justice in the Pakistani courts - making world headlines. Further defying custom, she started two schools for girls in her village and a crisis center for abused women.

Al Capone established himself as America's most notorious gangster ... a wild, glamorous man with a passion for opera ... a ruthless, vindictive mobster who was generous and loyal to friends and family.

An island in windswept San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz was once the ultimate prison for America's most notorious criminals. Discover how some of the most clever and resourceful inmates attempted to break out of Alcatraz and other maximum security lock ups around the country, as guards, long-term criminals and prison experts reveal the secrets of successful escapes.

Dramatic documentary that allows viewers to return to Alcatraz and witness island residents, inmates and the Captain of the Guard talk about their life on "The Rock." Rare footage, shot entirely on location is shown.

A history of the federal penitentiary on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco bay. Primarily consists of interviews of former prisoners and employees.

American Greed uncovers three tragic tales of deception and reveals the illegal lengths people will go to steal money following a national tragedy.

See the police interrogation video of Brian Eftenoff, convicted of killing his wife.

Examines what happens when an innocent man is convicted of a crime he did not commit.

Chronicles the trial, sentencing, and murder of pedophile priest, John Geoghan, and the downfall of Bernard Cardinal Law of the Boston Archdiocese.

American justice explores the case of 20-year-old Colleen Stan, who was hitchhiking from Oregon to Los Angeles and was picked up by Cameron and Janice Hooker, who held her captive and tortured her until she finally escaped.

Sarah, a French college student runs a "pro-Ana" blog, part of a global online community of young women sharing tips on living with anorexia. Valerie Boyer is a passionate French National Assembly legislator proposing a groundbreaking bill to ban these online forums, issuing hefty fines and two-year prison sentences to their members. This documentary offers an unprecedented access into anorexia's hidden underground and considers how legal and free-speech issues are contested in a new media landscape.

Examines the spectrum of domestic violence, including both the physical and emotional assaults which may be used by the batterer to intimidate and control family members. Survivors of abuse discuss the feelings that result, and men who abuse talk about their own frustration, need for power, and in many cases the abuse they suffered themselves earlier in life.

This is a documentary on the story of three crime victims on an emotional journey toward healing and recovery. Beyond conviction follows participants in Pennsylvania's "Mediation program for crimes of severe violence." The film provides a rare glimpse into the lingering pain and trauma for both victims and offenders and examines this bold effort to bring humanity into the criminal justice.

Portrays capital punishment as an instrument that disproportionately targets racial minorities and the poor. Highlights statistics on the racial makeup of America's death row population, mistaken identification, the toll on those wrongfully convicted, and the effects of the Jim Crow era.

This documentary looks at the United Nations peacekeepers' predatory sexual behavior and the women who have been sexually abused or raped by them in Kosovo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Haiti.

Boyhood shadows is the gripping story of young boys who were molested... the dark secret they carry for the rest of their lives... and how they cope.

A documentary exploring the effects of early childhood deprivation and abuse and their impact on emotional and cognitive development. Analyzes the socially destructive impact of children and young adults who have been victimized by early life trauma.

This program explores the science and the public debate surrounding the world's favorite illegal drug. Tracing the birthplace of the humble plant to Kazakhstan in Central Asia, addiction specialist Dr. John Marsden guides viewers through several topics and issues--including links between THC and schizophrenia; experiments on mice suggesting cannabis-related cognitive impairment; the development of Sativex, a cannabis-derived medicine; and California dispensary system, which bears some resemblance to the legalization of marijuana.

David Pogue gives the third degree to scientists pushing the limits of technology, not only to solve horrific murders, but to try to prevent crimes. Peer inside the criminal mind and discover cutting-edge forensic techniques that help investigators stop criminals in their tracks.

Bill Kurtis examines the evidence in the case against Robert Blake, accused of murdering his wife, Bonny Lee, in 2001.

Explores the history of cocaine, the effects of cocaine and crack on the body and the short- and long-term health impacts; and teenage attitudes toward cocaine and crack. Also delves into the illicit cocaine trade and the South American cartels that control it, as well as addiction to cocaine - both physical and psychological.

A report on the New Orleans Police Department, the most corrupt police department in the country.

Penn State University students learn how to unmask a killer in the classroom and in the field through violent crime scenarios that would challenge the most experienced investigators. From studying blood spatter patterns to using electrostatic printing to locate footprints, students work in two teams to recreate the most brutal and intriguing crimes you can imagine.

Neighborhoods in South Los Angeles are home to two of the most infamous African-American gangs, the Crips and the Bloods. On these mean streets over the past 30 years, more than 15,000 people have been murdered in an ongoing cycle of gang violence that continues unabated. Here is where America's most bloody and costly outbreaks in civil unrest erupted - not once, but twice, 27 years and just three miles apart.

Documents a year in the lives of three families who have been devastated by addiction to crystal meth, or methamphetamine, which, being addictive, cheap, and easily obtained, has become the drug of choice for teenagers in small towns across North America.

A critical examination of how media portrayal of date rape has evolved within a span of five years from portraying date rape as an epidemic to a view of date rape as feminist victim oriented propaganda.

Examines the landmark case of Timothy White, the first capital murder conviction obtained solely on the basis of DNA evidence.

A close look at every facet of forensics. Pt. 1 shows how evidence left on a victim can point to the perpetrator. Pt. 2 follows the work of NecroSearch, a group of forensics experts of varying specialties, including bloodhound handlers, who locate and excavate clandestine graves. Pt. 3 uses case studies to show how evidence from the victim's body can lead to an arrest, and pt. 4 similarly shows how sophisticated fingerprinting, bullet trajectory analysis, and blood spatter analysis helped solve two murder cases.

Documents the daily activities of the Los Angeles County coroner's office, one of the busiest in the country with an average of 50 cases a day.

Death Row Kids tell the stories of confused and frightened young people awaiting the ultimate penalty. The program also alludes to medical findings that a 17-year-old's brain lacks fully developed decision-making capabilities. The result is a provocative inquiry into complex issues of personal responsibility and the likelihood of criminal rehabilitation.

This video chronicles the criminal activity of serial killer, Aileen Wuornos.

Profiles of three women convicted of capital offenses and sentenced to death. Discusses the circumstances surrounding their crimes. Poses the question as to whether gender bias is at work in these situations inasmuch as far fewer women than men are actually put to death.

Inmates serving long sentences at Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer, Alabama, participate in a Vipassana meditation program.

Under the pseudonym Donnie Brasco, FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone infiltrated the infamous Bonanno crime family. For nearly five years, he collected information for the FBI that eventually led to over 100 Mafia convictions.

Alphonso Bailey had many things going for him in life, but he made some wrong choices and ended up in prison. This video tells his story and how he turned his life around.

"The story of Dr. William Hurwitz, a preeminent pain specialist sentenced to 25 years in prison for drug trafficking, provides a window into the ethical dilemma of opioid prescriptions. Painkillers give doctors tremendous power to relieve pain, a primary goal of any physician. But this power begets trouble when the same drugs can lead to addiction, abuse and death. In 2004 Dr. William Hurwitz was convicted of over 50 counts of narcotics distribution and handed a 25-year prison sentence. Dr. Feelgood traces Dr. Hurwitz's trial and eventual appeal, detailing the events that led to his arrest. Testimonies from the witnesses in Dr. Hurwitz's case contradict one another--some revere him, while others condemn him. Taken together, their accounts reveal a profile of a compassionate yet flawed doctor. The film, in telling his story, underscores the tension between every patient's right to pain relief and the lawful need for drug control. There could not be a more critical time to spark discussion on the topic, and call for careful thought and action."

Documentary of the trial of the music group Judas Priest on the charge of having induced two young men to attempt suicide by the effects of music and lyrics in recordings made by the group.

This video discusses the legal consequences of drug and alcohol use.

This 8-part series explores how The U.S. Constitution came to be.

Helps caregivers identify possible abuse, neglect, exploitation, and abandonment indicators of the elderly through the use of the Elder Assessment Instrument (EAI).

Using hidden cameras, simulated crimes, and ten unsuspecting volunteers, this three-part series reveals the science behind the role of memory in criminal investigation.

On January 22, 1992, a real estate agent named Stephanie Slater was subdued, gagged at knifepoint, and held captive for eight days. This program explores her ordeal as a case study in memory-aided investigation; it also juxtaposes Slater's case with an extended psychology experiment in which ten volunteers have taken part to assess the value of eyewitness testimony.

Relieved that a recent stabbing was, in fact, an event staged to test their memories, ten volunteers agree to undergo a second nightmare--an armed robbery during which one of them is abducted. This program records the assault and its scientific ramifications.

History of four critical crime-fighting techniques: ballistics, trace evidence, polygraph tests and criminal profiling. Told through the use of still photographs and dramatic reenactments.

Historical overview of crime science and how forensic science is used in criminal investigations in preparing for court testimony.

This shocking investigative series offers a rare look inside some of the most notorious, deadly gangs in history. In each episode, the stories behind America's most important gangs are told through rare footage and exclusive interviews of gang members. Discover how they operate, their increasingly destructive methods, and the alarming rate at which they're spreading to suburban and rural areas.

Get even closer to the truth about America's gangs in Season Two. Rarely seen footage and unique access to the lives of both former and current gang members provide a solid insight into why gangs exist.

They're fierce, brutal and ruthless, and bent on leaving their deadly mark on the streets of America. From the inner cities to the suburbs, from the West Coast to the East. With names like La Gran Familia, Tiny Rascals, Satan Disciples, the Crips, and Bandidos, these gangs can be found from Atlanta to Fresno, Chicago, Minneapolis, New Orleans, and even Salt Lake City. They rob, kill and terrorize, shaping their times and their turf.

Featuring exclusive interviews and rarely seen footage, gain insight into some of the most dangerous street gangs in America, including Hispanic gangs in LA : the Avenues and the Mexican Mafia; the Pagans ; Chicago's Latin Kings ; Best Friends in Detroit ; Hidden Valley Kings in Charlotte, N.C. ; Hoover Criminals in Portland, OR ; Soon Dead Men, inc. ; Hell's Angels ; the Mongols Motorcycle Club ; the LMG (Love Murdering gangsters) in Memphis TN ; the Boys of Destruction and the Horseshoe Posse (St. Louis, M0) ; the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas ; and the Sons of Silence, begun in Colorado.

The fifth season of this ground-breaking series, with a cumulative audience of over 60 million viewers, delves deep into the real story behind eleven of America's most dangerous gangs, a world rarely seen by the uninitiated.

This groundbreaking series gives viewers unprecedented access to the inner workings of American gang life. Looks into the past of some of America's most notorious street gangs to learn how they've shaped their times and affected the neighborhoods they've controlled. With exclusive interviews and rarely seen footage, this series is a raw look at life inside these gangs, from those who live it and the agencies that are working to stop them.

Gives viewers unprecedented access to the inner workings of American gang life. HISTORY looks into the past of some of America's most notorious street gangs to learn how they've shaped their times and affected the neighborhoods they've controlled. With exclusive interviews and rarely-seen footage, this series is a raw look at life inside these gangs, from those who live it and the agencies that are working to stop them.

Examines the investigation of Paco Larrañaga, a young man sentenced to death for the rape and murder of two sisters on the island of Cebu in the Philippines. Reveals information suggesting that Larrañaga had been framed as the result of a conspiracy involving police and public officials.

Program investigates human trafficking by recording the experiences of the victims and evaluates the work of the EU government against 21st century slavery. Highlights corruption, prostitution, victim protection, and repatriation and the creation FRONTEX--the agency responsible for European border patrol.

Explores the mystery of Jack the Ripper, the serial killer who terrorized the prostitutes of London's Whitechapel district for nine months in 1888.

Incarcerating US is a feature-length documentary that exposes America's prison problem and explores ways to unshackle the Land of the Free through vital criminal justice reforms. With 2.3 million people behind bars, the U.S. has the largest prison population in the history of the world. Through dramatic first-hand accounts, expert testimony, and shocking statistics, Incarcerating US asks fundamental questions about the prison system in America: What is the purpose of prison? Why did our prison population explode in the 1970s? What can make our justice system more just?

One of a six part MSNBC series "Lockup : inside America's prisons," which looks at the world of the incarcerated.

This video emphasizes that time spent in prison can be used to prepare for the future and talks about the wealth of training and education programs available to help inmates develop job search skills and better their lives.

In the post-9/11 world, where the stakes have dramatically escalated, the Secret Service agent is the first and last defense for the President of the United States. Agents operate in an arena where there is no margin for error. Go inside and meet the dedicated men and women who are sworn to protect the President at any cost. Get an agent's-eye view of the daily challenges faced through the decades by Secret Service veterans, from keeping tabs on the president's children to dealing with the privacy of the First Family.

Discusses Internal Affairs investigations of corruption in police departments in New York City, Atlanta, Chicago, and San Diego.

Focuses on the Hutu and Tutsi as they struggle through Rwanda's unique reconciliation process: Gacaca, a network of grassroots community courts.

An inside look at the tumultuous relationships of a clique of popular 10-year-old girls. Playground bullying captured on camera shows a picture of how these girls use their closest friendships to hurt each other - with shunning, whispering and mean looks - to win social power in the group. Also looks at the tragic story of a 14-year-old girl who killed herself after enduring months of rumors and verbal threats.

What was the most disturbing aspect of Jeffrey Dahmer's personality? Was it his fascination with death? his cannibalism? His necrophilia? Or was it his guise of normality? Explore the twisted conscience of one of history's most psychotic killers.

Frontline explores whether children who commit serious crimes should be tried as juveniles or adults. The program shows what can happen to young offenders who reach the "end of the line" in the juvenile court system and how these children can be rehabilitated to prevent future criminal behavior.

Examines the "kids for cash" scandal, in which two Luzerne County, Pennsylvania judges had set up a system by which they would end up receiving $2.6 million from privately-owned juvenile detention centers for convicting more than 3,000 youths for mostly minor offenses.

Frontline takes a measure of the new national dilemma of kids killing other kids in school through a detailed, intimate journey into the life of one high school shooter, Kip Kinkel, who killed his parents, and then opened fire killing two fellow students and wounding 25 others at Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon.

About every two minutes a police officer uses a Taser. Sold as an effective way to subdue violent suspects without injuring them, Tasers have revolutionized the way officers do their jobs. One company is responsible for this revolution: Taser International.

DVD release of a 1995 documentary which appeared on the A & E television show "American Justice."

Interviews of people with developmental disabilities who resided in state institutions in the 1960s and 1970s.

Highlights the failing of the justice system by following four exonerated death row inmates who experienced humiliation, tremendous toll on body and mind, disconnection from the society, and received little help.

Documentary about the terrible personal reality of rape and sexual violence, and the more complicated and ambivalent ways sexual assault often gets framed and understood in the wider culture.

Fueled by the rhetoric of hate, the lone gunman views murder as a deadly mission. Using archival footage, reenactments, and interviews with FBI and ATF experts as well as those personally involved, this program isolates these elusive criminals, examining the link between fringe groups and lone gunmen.

Documentary looking at the worst school shooting in American history, when a lone gunman killed at least 32 people on the campus of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute at Blacksburg, Va., before taking his own life. Using extensive access to key witnesses, we delve into the mystery of how Cho, a young man with no criminal history, became a mass murderer.

This documentary from A&E covers the famous saga of Lyle and Erik Menendez, accused in 1989 of plotting to kill their father.

This program chronicles the three-year investigation into the Ewell murders by the Fresno Police Dept. and the Fresno County Sheriff's Dept. and the subsequent trial of Dana Ewell and the gunman, Joel Radovcich. Police detectives, attorneys, and others provide commentary.

What drives someone to kill? Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Michael Stone explores the answer to this mystery and much more with his groundbreaking 'index of depravity' that decodes the killer's mind, method, and motive.

The Killer's Trail: Did Dr. Sam Sheppard kill his wife? With the help of advanced technology, Nova re-examines the 1954 murder of Marilyn Sheppard -- Hunt for the Serial Arsonist: Trail fire sleuths as they pinpoint the mysterious source of a series of fires and capture a surprising suspect on film -- Mind of a Serial Killer: Nova profiles the profilers - the FBI agents who track serial killers.

The murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till, a black boy who whistled at a white woman in a Mississippi grocery store in 1955, was a powerful catalyst for the civil rights movement. Although Till's killers were apprehended, they were quickly acquitted by an all-white, all-male jury and proceeded to sell their story to a journalist, providing grisly details of the murder. Three months after Till's body was recovered, the Montgomery Bus Boycott began.

DEA operatives give an up-close look at the tactics they employ and the dangers they face. Also tells about agents who have turned into the kind of criminals they swore to fight.

No! provides a comprehensive lens through which to examine the impact of sexual violence on Black women and girls -- calling to task in particular the behaviors and attitudes of Black men in reinforcing a cultural assault ... No! includes messages from violence prevention advocates as well as testimonials from survivors who defy victimization...

"Peace officer" is a feature documentary about the increasingly militarized state of American police as told through the story of William "Dub" Lawrence, a former sheriff who established and trained his rural state's first SWAT team only to see that same unit kill his son-in-law in a controversial standoff 30 years later.

The emotional challenge of prison release can be hard to handle. This video shares the experiences of inmates and experts, giving insights and useful tips on how to make this difficult and often emotional transition as easy as possible.

A dramatic and timely exploration of domestic abuse, which examines the persistence of violence against women in the US, through the story of Kim, a mother of three in Duluth, MN.

Tells the story of Susanville, California, one "small town that tries to resuscitate its economy by building a prison - with unanticipated consequences."

This documentary focuses on the controversy surrounding the execution of Robert Alton Harris on 21 April 1992.

Former FBI agents detail the techniques they use to identify and apprehend killers.

Discusses a prison simulation experiment conducted in 1971 with students at Stanford University and considers the causes and effects that make prisons such an emotional issue. Documentary includes new film, flashback editing, follow-ups 20-years later, and an original music score; reveals the chronology of the transition of good into evil, of normal into the abnormal

What constitutes physical child abuse, and why does it happen? What are the effects, and how can it be prevented? Answers critical questions, and also discusses coping strategies and support tools available to help parents and caregivers stop physically abusive behavior.

This program spells out the Four Rs of child abuse--the harsh Reality of its presence in our society, the Results it leads to, the many ways to Recognize it, and the proper channels for Reporting it. Each of these concepts is explained through dramatizations and supported by interviews with education and child welfare experts.

This documentary follows five young addicts through Camp Recovery, in Santa Cruz, California, through a 30-day rehab program and tracks their progress, or lack thereof, in the months that follow.

This documentary-style program explores how abusers engage in violence with the intent to exert power over their victims, isolating them from friends and family in order to gain complete control. Real teens talk about what they think constitutes abuse and why they may be vulnerable in romantic relationships.

Profiles a unique juvenile crime-prevention program at New Jersey's Rahway maximum-security prison, recounting the day seventeen teenage lawbreakers spent inside the prison with the some of New Jersey's most dangerous criminals.

This project tells the stories of women who were incarcerated during pregnancy and facing the reality of giving their babies away at birth. The documentary focuses on three women who served sentences at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville, Oregon.

Examines how societal attitudes influence legal cases involving sexual assault. Drawing on her experience prosecuting sex crimes, Prosecutor Anne Munch demonstrates how rape cases frequently turn on the involvement of what she calls an "unnamed conspirator" -- the complex of myths and stories we tell ourselves as a culture about sex, gender, power, and responsibility.

Tells the story of Convicted Women Against Abuse, an inmate-led group in a California prison, & its quest to raise awareness about domestic abuse.

Re-creates actual confrontations involving officers and armed offenders in order to create an understanding of the high degree of danger that edged weapons create. Also reviews the personality type that uses such weapons, and tells what officers need to know to deal with this threat.

From the home grown American "patriots" to Al-Qaeda, from the IRA to Aum Shinrikyo, people willing to kill and be killed for religious, social and political aims have grown exponentially as they take on the powerful interests that they see as oppressing them. How did we get here? In this excellent program we take a look at terrorism all over the world in the light of the Obama administration. Targeting Terror is a comprehensive and accessible examination of this powerful political force.

Tea & Justice chronicles the experiences of three women who joined the New York Police Department during the 1980s--the first Asian women to become members of a force that was largely white and predominantly male.

This program examines domestic groups that inculcate members into hatred, often training them to carry out deadly crimes. Of primary focus are the Ku Klux Klan; Aryan Nations; Posse Comitatus; and the Covenant, the Sword and the Arm of the Lord, or CSA. Key incidents examined include Gordon Kahl's standoff with law enforcement and the standoff at CSA's fortified compound. Includes newsreel footage and photos.

This film focuses on what to expect while serving on a jury, the process of a trial, and explains the jury system.

An in-depth look at the United States prison industry and the social impact of moving hundreds of thousands of inner-city minority offenders to distant rural outposts"--container. Focuses on Wallens Ridge State Prison, a maximum security prison in rural Virginia, to which numerous prisoners from Connecticut were formerly transferred.

Neglect occurs when a child's physical, emotional, educational, and medical needs are not met. See what behaviors may lead to neglect, and learn what happens when parents and caregivers fail to provide for their children. Find out where to turn for help, and how to foster a healthy parent/child relationship--container.

Learn the six most common types of emotional abuse: rejecting, terrorizing, isolating, ignoring, corrupting, and exploiting, and their lasting impact on children. See what steps to take if a child is suspected of suffering from emotional abuse, as well as ways to get help if the abuse is happening within the family.

Forensic experts examine DNA evidence to determine the identity of one of the most infamous killers in history.

Gang activity captured by the PVN-TV cameras to show police officers what to expect out on the street and to acquaint them with street gangs.