Crime Paid

This short documentary tells the story of Sean McMillan, a marijuana dealer, who spent three years in federal prison and is reentering society as a felon. It incorporates still photography, video and audio to tell the story of McMillan and his family. There are about 2.4 million incarcerated Americans in prisons today. Despite a decline of crime in the last two decades, the rate of incarceration has continued to increase. One of the main factors contributing to the high rate of the prison population is the criminalization of certain drugs. Fifty percent of those imprisoned on the Federal level are there for drug charges. This short documentary explores the effects the United States' drug laws have had on one family, and hopes to humanize those we define as criminals.

Author

• Harnish, Jennifer S.

Language

• en

Keyword

• prison
• crime
• reintegretion
• felon
• recidivism
• marijuana

Date created

• 2014

Type of Work

• Master's Thesis

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• New Media Photojournalism

Degree

• M.A.

Advisor

• Sterner, Susan

Committee Member(s)

• Frankfurter, Michelle
• Bulisova, Gabriella
• Sterner, Susan
• Paperny, Tanya

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/c247ds25k