13th (2016)

13th is a documentary film which premiered in 2016. It is about the history of the criminal justice system in the US, more specifically it is about the history of the prison system in the US. Nowadays this is often described as the prison-industrial complex in order to point out the close connection between politicians and private corporations.

The title of the film refers to the 13th amendment to the US constitution which abolishes slavery in the US, “except as a punishment for crime.”

This means slavery is abolished, but at the same time it is introduced again. In other words: the US is the land of freedom, unless you are a convicted criminal. In that case you may well be treated as a slave, and it will be completely legal.

Here is some basic information about this film:

** Director: Ava DuVernay
** Language: English
** Run time: ca. 100 minutes

Several persons are interviewed in the film. They include academic experts, politicians, and activists who have worked on this topic. I will not mention all names, because the complete list is too long. Here are some of the names (listed in alphabetical order):

** Michelle Alexander – author of The New Jim Crow (first published 2010, new edition 2020)

** Cory Booker – US Senator, Democrat, New Jersey

** Gina Clayton – attorney at law, founder of the Essie Justice Group

** William Jelani Cobb – Professor of Journalism, Columbia University

** Angela Davis – Professor Emerita, UC Santa Cruz

** David Dinkins – former mayor of New York, Democrat

** Henry Louis Gates, Jr. – Professor of History, Harvard University

** John Hagan – Professor of Sociology and Law, Northwestern University

** Van Jones - author

** James Kilgore – author of Understanding Mass Incarceration (2015)

** Khalil G. Muhammed – Professor of History and Public Policy, Harvard University

** Charles B. Rangel – Congressman, Democrat, New York 13th district

** Kyung-Ji Kate Rhee – activist

** Bryan Stevenson – attorney at law, co-founder of the Equal Justice Initiative (1989) and author of Just Mercy (2014) – the historical drama Just Mercy which premiered in 2019 is based on this book

Between the talking heads there are old photos and old clips to illustrate the topic at hand.

The film opens with some vital statistical information:

** The US has ca. five per cent of the world’s population

** The US has ca. 25 per cent of the world’s prisoners

This means the US has the largest prison population in the world and it has the highest rate of incarceration in the world.

The growing number of prisoners in the US during the last fifty years is listed on the screen from time to time:

1970 = 357,292

1980 = 513,900

1985 = 759,100

1990 = 1,179,200

2000 = 2,015,300

2014 = 2,306,200

Several important aspects of the prison-industrial complex are discussed in the film. Here are some examples:

** The rule which says: three strikes and you’re out!

** The rule which demands Minimum Mandatory Sentences

** The law which is called: Stand Your Ground

** Prisons built and run for profit by private corporations

** The powerful network ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) where politicians and private corporations work together to promote their interests via the prison-industrial complex

** The tradition which says: No trial, just a plea bargain

What do reviewers say about this film? Here are the results of three review aggregators:

82 per cent = IMDb
83 per cent = Meta

91 per cent = Rotten Tomatoes (the general audience)

97 per cent = Rotten Tomatoes (the professional critics)

As you can see, the ratings are quite good. They range from good to excellent. I understand the numerous positive reviews. I think they are fully justified. Why?

13th is an important documentary about an important topic. I want to go all the way to the top with this product. I think it deserves a rating of five stars.

If you are interested in the history of the US – in particular the history of human rights in the US – this film is definitely something for you. Watch it! I think it will make a big impression on you.

PS. If you want more information about the criminal justice system in the US, I can recommend The Innocence Files – a documentary series in nine parts which premiered on Netflix in 2020.

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Ava DuVerney (born 1972)

(A photo from 2015)

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