Story perspectives

Documentary Uncovers Alabama Prison Abuses and Inmate Struggles

10/13/2025

Summary

Story summary

The Alabama Solution, co-directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman, exposes abuses in Alabama's Department of Corrections (ADOC).
Over six years, the film shows forced labor, violence, and neglect, with inmates documenting conditions on contraband phones.
The documentary follows Sandy Ray seeking justice for her son Steven Davis, who died after being beaten.
State officials resist federal reform mandates and plan to build new prisons, signaling a broader national pattern.

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Story summary

The Alabama Solution, co-directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman, exposes abuses in Alabama's Department of Corrections (ADOC).
Over six years, the film shows forced labor, violence, and neglect, with inmates documenting conditions on contraband phones.
The documentary follows Sandy Ray seeking justice for her son Steven Davis, who died after being beaten.
State officials resist federal reform mandates and plan to build new prisons, signaling a broader national pattern.