- Playing
- The Prison Cure
- From
- Helen Borten
An investigative report on the treatment of mentally ill children in juvenile jails and prisons. The stories of these five teens in a Colorado youth prison sheds light on the sources of adolescent rage and our society's response to it. Youths strapped to beds and kept in solitary confinement for months at a time, tell their stories. A harsh, imtimate look at a growing national problem.
This program won Honorable Mention at the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards.
It was included in the second season of A SENSE OF PLACE and distributed by PRI.
One :15 promo (click "listen" page, promo labeled "Segment 2")
One :30 promo (click "listen" page, promo labeled "Segment 3")
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Piece Description
An investigative report on the treatment of mentally ill children in juvenile jails and prisons. The stories of these five teens in a Colorado youth prison sheds light on the sources of adolescent rage and our society's response to it. Youths strapped to beds and kept in solitary confinement for months at a time, tell their stories. A harsh, imtimate look at a growing national problem. This program won Honorable Mention at the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards. It was included in the second season of A SENSE OF PLACE and distributed by PRI. One :15 promo (click "listen" page, promo labeled "Segment 2") One :30 promo (click "listen" page, promo labeled "Segment 3")
4 Comments
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Review of The Prison CureThis is a nicely done documentary about a system that treats troubled and mentally ill children and teenagers like criminals. Helen Borten's writing, narration and interviewing make this a revealing piece about a genuine problem in our society. While very alarming and disturbing, this presentation offers some glimpses of hope in the form of parents who are trying to change the system and organizing support groups and professionals who are willing to at least acknowledge the problem. The interviews with kids and experts are very revealing. The editing and packaging give us an easy-to-follow presentation of the issues and a glimpse into the lives of Hannah, Damian, Joel and other troubled young people. Contributing to this excellent presentation are the use of appropriate music and natural sound. This piece could easily be the starting-point for a local call-in or forum discussing issues of "broken" mental health care systems. |
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Review of The Prison CureWow. This piece is made me gasp at several points. It was disturbing to hear the details, but how else can this topic be illustrated? The public needs to know that some of the kids they throw in jail really belong in mental health facilities, and what happens to them when they get there. Excellent production values and good pacing. PLAY THIS! |
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Tom Niemisto
Posted on March 18, 2009 at 01:48 AM | Permalink
Engaging Radio
Chalk up another "Wow." There is so much powerful tape here, because I tended to 'read between the lines' as I heard the stories, especially the girl in prison.
The music is so engaging, an ingenious execution to set up tension and pacing. Is it a string quartet - original scoring? Wow #2
It is a troubling investigation, frustrating in so many ways. I kept feeling sorry for these young adults - who's the victim? but something/someone put them there. These are voices that need to be heard.