Introduction:

Currently, the United States has the highest rate of incarceration in the world, exacting an increasingly heavy toll, both human and financial. The number of prisons continues to grow and now hold more than 2 million inmates.

With the Federal government having adopted mandatory sentencing laws, more than half of the current incarcerations are for drug offenses, even though evidence has repeatedly shown that drug treatment programs are much more affective at preventing future, or repeated, drug offenses. As a result, the majority of growth in prison populations has been for non-violent crimes.

This documentary project is about a correctional facility that is devoted to change. Within the Davidson County Jail System, in Nashville, Tennessee, the focus is on rehabilitation instead of retribution. It is about returning inmates to society where they can become contributors instead of takers.

Over the next several months I will be bringing you updates and excerpts from this project as it unfolds and grows. Also, I am approaching this project differently than most. Instead of having it largely scripted, I am entering into it with an outline and a basic direction. I have decided not to put any restraints upon it. Instead, I will allow it to be created as is dictated by interactions and learning experiences – with each piece being built upon the previous.

Grab a seat and enjoy the journey…