Prohibition ‘A Nation of Scafflaws’

1. Briefly describe what the film is about by identifying the people, places, events, or aspects of society that are the focus of this film. Describe and clarify the significance of each.

Episode two of a nation of Scofflaws examines the problems of enforcement of the 18^th amendment to the constitution as millions of Americans that were law abiding became instant criminals (Lipscombe, 2017). While a substantial percentage of the people in the state were enthusiastic to acclimate to the new regulation, there were others that were stunned at how unreliable the Volstead Act was and were not willing to abide by it for instance George Remus. The film follows the events that followed after the prohibition act was put into place, citing the weaknesses in the law and its effects on the society (Lipscombe, 2017). The film looks at the life of Remus in the alcohol business after the enactment of the prohibition law and the way that the justice system handled the whole prohibition situation.

2. List at least four facts described in the film that impressed or surprised you and explain how each fact relates to the film’s premise or theme. Describe any aspect of the film that showed you something you hadn’t seen before, caused you to think in a new way, or helped you understand something more thoroughly than before.

• Not all the federations supported prohibition and this is what motivated the increased defiance against the law
• Drug stores were used to sell alcohol as ‘medication’ which great encouraged the use alcohol as people just needed to get a weekly prescription
• Churches sold alcohol and many people joined churches to get access to alcohol and it increased alcohol intake and affected the implementation of the law
• Many people died from drinking contaminated alcohol because most of the alcohol that was secretly produced was not up to standards further complicating the implementation of the law

The film brought out the corrupt administrative system that exists in United States, alcoholism was an issue that could have been dealt with effectively if the government was truly willing to back the prohibition law without any biasness (Lipscombe, 2017). This was however not the case, the same people that were effecting the law were the same people that were busy breaking it and so they did not take the issue seriously. This led the law to be weak which gave millions of people to find ways of exploiting it. A good instance is one insightful lawyer, George Remus who took the chance and purchased many of the local distillers and made a lot of money on weekly basis by reproducing the bonded liquor in his stores. In Seattle Roy Olmstead who was a former police officer with a reputation for vending top class alcohol became the major employer within the city. Gangs started engaging in open beer wars in the Chicago city streets and most of them relied on bribery in order to help them stay in business (Lipscombe, 2017). Everything was corrupted from the lowest rank that is the local police to the president’s cabinet.

3. What were some of the weaknesses in Prohibition laws and enforcement? What were some of the ways people got around Prohibition to produce, supply, and consume alcohol?

Prohibition was a federal law but there was no enough funding for its enforcement, the local governments did not bother to back the funding for this enforcement. The assistant general Mabel Walker that was in charge of prohibition cases declared the law puerile which made even the police force reluctant in using its manpower to enforce the law (Lipscombe, 2017). The exceptions and loopholes that were in the law made a mockery of it and many people went around the law to continue making and drinking alcohol. Clubs were allowed to keep any alcoholic drinks that they already had before the amendment and so the wealthy made sure to stock up their drinks such that most of them stocked up enough alcohol to last them more than ten years. It was allowed for a family to make wine at home for personal use so many people made their own wine at homes and secretly sold it to their friends and neighbours (Lipscombe, 2017). The makers of medicines that include alcohol were allowed to stay in business and this led many people to acquire alcohol through prescription. There was also an allowance of sacramental wine from a rabbi any person that claimed to be a rabbi could sell or buy ‘sacramental’ wine and so the church populations increased just so that they could get a chance to access alcohol.

4. How did Prohibition affect violent crime? Why did it have this effect?

The prohibition law that was supposed to keep the country safe led to its insecurity because the people that were supposed to ensure its implementation did not do their work well. Crime increased and many honest police men were killed while on their jobs, many drinkers died from the contaminated alcohol and many obsessive state agents desecrated civil rights just to make money from the illegal alcohol businesses (Lipscombe, 2017). Alcoholism increased as even women began drinking further increasing the demand for alcohol. With the increasing dissatisfaction with prohibition and its costs, not very many people were willing to speak against it for fear of its powerful protectors, the Anti-Saloon League.

5. What were some of the social divisions (religion, region, race and ethnicity) that were made evident in the fight over Prohibition? Which social groups supported and opposed Prohibition?

            Various social groups were created during the prohibition including; the group that supported prohibition that is the ‘Dry groups included women and protestants’; The Anti-Saloon League and the American Temperance Society (Lipscombe, 2017). The ones against that is the ‘wet groups’; include the Al Capone gang, men and the Catholics (Lipscombe, 2017).

6. What is the most important thing this documentary teaches us about criminology in general and criminal justice in the United States specifically?

This film is a mirror of the criminal justice within United States where matters of corruption and biasness are prevalent. The same legislatures that are expected to amend and implement laws are the same people that break them for their own personal gain. These leaders take advantage of their positions as lawmakers and amenders to go against these same laws to make more profits at the expense of the common public.

 

1. Outcasts: Surviving the Culture of Rejection
2. Briefly describe what the film is about by identifying the people, places, events, or aspects of society that are the focus of this film. Describe and clarify the significance of each.

The video examines the history and causes for the high rate of recidivism in Tennessee. It is estimated that more than 50% of prisoners that are released end up going back to jails in the course of three years (Just me, 2016). The film cites example stories of several convicts that have had first-hand experience with issue as victims. The film also cites the advice given by specialists who deal with convicts to illustrate the seriousness of this issue, illustrating the way that incarceration facilities have become a source for cheap labour for most businesses today (Just me, 2016). Once an individual has been convicted of a felony crime, the chances of them living a normal life after serving their terms are very slim. The only way that these people are able to survive is only if they have family support, the felony record basically condemns these people to live their lives as outcasts with no one to turn to.

2. List at least four facts described in the film that impressed or surprised you and explain how each fact relates to the film’s premise or theme. Describe any aspect of the film that showed you something you hadn’t seen before, caused you to think in a new way, or helped you understand something more thoroughly than before.

• The convicts are people willing to change their behaviours once they are released
• These felons make an effort to change by looking for jobs and trying to follow the parole rules
• The society shuns them out without giving them a chance to prove that they learnt something that changed their lives during their incarceration.
• The justice system is not fair and it exploits the felons.

This film has brought out an understanding of how the justice system works and how it affects the lives of the felons once they are released. Most of the crimes that lead people to prison are petty matters that do not necessarily need one to be imprisoned but rather to get one medical help for instance matters of drug and substance use (Just me, 2016). When such people are convicted, they get worse because they get more access to these substances in prison and the pressure and stress in there makes them use the substances more. This film has brought out the need for the justice system to be restructured in order to accommodate the needs of the felons while they are in prison and when they are released in order to help reduce the issue of re-offense.

3. What are some the ways prisoners are exploited for profit by private industries? What are some of the problems with for-profit imprisonment?

Private trades have taken over the prisons and exploit them for profit benefits (Just me, 2016). These businesses increase their revenues by acquiring cheap labour from the prisoners and the businesses work hand in hand with the justice system to have extended sentences and more convictions so that there is increased cheap labour and hence increased revenues.

4. What are some of the ways former prisoners are excluded from participating in conventional society after re-entry?

After they have completed their sentences, felons are denied jobs even though they were involved in various jobs while in prison (Just me, 2016). These people have no friends and they do not have any one to relate with because the society is so biased and only relates them with criminal activities. Even though some of them are educated, their education becomes useless because of their records and they are not recognized in any institution as fit members of the society. When an individual gets branded as a felon, they get denied public housing and food stamps which is very unfair.

5. What are some of the benefits and drawbacks of faith-based re-entry programs?

Faith based re-entry programs are important and they greatly help the felons to recover and regain their faith in society. These programs help give them hope of a better tomorrow, it encourages them to go back to school and engage in activities that help them improve their lives (Just me, 2016). The faith based programs help the felons to work on their internal issues that play a great role in their criminal activities.

6. What are the most important thing this documentary teaches us about criminology in general and criminal justice in the United States specifically?

This film is a lesson of how the justice system works, it is unfair and corrupt. The incarceration system is meant to help people change their criminal ways, but it has now become a business opportunity where the felons are exploited for cheap labour. Petty crimes are used to convict people even though the system is already over populated leading to inappropriate living conditions within the prisons. The same people and systems that are supposed to practice justice are the same ones that are unfair and exploitive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Just me (2016). ‘Outcasts: Surviving the Culture of Rejection’. Retrieved from:

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwNsm7u6DX0

Lipscombe, D. (2017). ‘PBS Prohibition 2 of 3 A Nation of Scofflaws 2011’

            Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2pCQ9uVim8