Skip to main content

Ken Burns Presents: College Behind Bars: A Film by Lynn Novick DVD

$29.99 $19.99
Item #: WB6442
College Behind Bars is the inspiring, emotional, deeply human story of men and women struggling to earn college degrees while in prison for serious crimes. In four years of study they become scholars, shatter stereotypes, reckon with their pasts, and prepare to return to society. A groundbreaking exploration of incarceration, injustice, race in America, and ... ... More
In Stock & Ready to Ship
Select Format:

Quantity:

College Behind Bars is the inspiring, emotional, deeply human story of men and women struggling to earn college degrees while in prison for serious crimes. In four years of study they become scholars, shatter stereotypes, reckon with their pasts, and prepare to return to society. A groundbreaking exploration of incarceration, injustice, race in America, and the transformative power of education.


COLLEGE BEHIND BARS, a four-part documentary film series, tells the story of a small group of incarcerated men and women struggling to earn college degrees and turn their lives around in one of the most rigorous and effective prison education programs in the United States - the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI).

Shot over four years in maximum and medium security prisons in New York State, the four-hour film takes viewers on a stark and intimate journey into one of the most pressing issues of our time - our failure to provide meaningful rehabilitation for the over two million Americans living behind bars. Through the personal stories of the students and their families, the film reveals the transformative power of higher education and puts a human face on America's criminal justice crisis. It raises questions we urgently need to address: What is prison for? Who has access to educational opportunity? Who among us is capable of academic excellence? How can we have justice without redemption?

Bonus Content:

"He's very tough on me." Some BPI students, such as Rodney, train to become writing tutors and work with others to hone their skills.

"We end up having each other's backs." BPI students in every prison cultivate a supportive community.

"The Do-Everything pan." Tamika, Shiloh and Shawnta explain how they are able to cook and what they eat, while incarcerated.

"Comma, semicolon, em dash." Giovannie and Chris reflect on how theyexpress themselves in their letters home.

"What does tragedy mean?" Chris and Shiloh, taking a class on the history of tragedy, talk about how texts by Sophocles and Shakespeare resonate for them.

"The Declaration of Freedom from Judgment." Inspired by Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence and other historic American manifestos, Giovannie reads his own declaration.


Extended Scenes

Orientation Every summer, a new cohort of students is admitted to BPI and welcomed at Orientation, where they begin to appreciate what is expected of them.

Senior Project Practice In a seminar setting, the BA students present their Senior Project research and offer critiques to each other.

Mandarin Students introduce themselves in Mandarin and sing the anthem of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Community Engagement & Discussion Guide PDF.

Producer: Lynn Novick, Sarah Botstein, Salimah El-Amin, Mariah Doran
Executive Producer: Ken Burns
Production Company: Florentine Films; Skiff Mountain Films, Inc.
Copyright Year: 2019
Rating: TV-14
Number of Discs: 2
Length: 240 minutes
Subtitled: Y
Subtitle Languages: Spanish;English (SDH)
Language Track: Spanish
Audio Format: 5.1 Surround
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 Widescreen


Highlighted Customer Reviews


Im buying this After seeing it already.
Review by Sister M. review stating Im buying this After seeing it already.
This is one of the most inspiring films Ive ever seen. As a college student many years ago I used to do part-time stenography for the US Parole Board at a federal prison near Ypsilanti, MI. Quickly I became aware of the extreme rate of recidivism within the prison population. This film shows what can happen when we transform the inmates into students, and it is not only an unparalleled experience for the prisoners, but for the society from which they came. I cant recommend this highly enough.
Econonmic Mistakes- Society maakes mistakes too.
Review by Christine review stating Econonmic Mistakes- Society maakes mistakes too.
I recommend a copy in every school and a showing 2x a year. Chicago It is clear children must be taught consequences at a early age to prevent violence.
College Behind Bars.
Review by SONJA review stating College Behind Bars.
I bought this for the Loretto Community, a peace and justice group, working on racism. We found it to be very worthwhile and wanted to share. I hope that It might lead to another idea of systemic justice.

Virtual Catalog