Introduction
“Call Us Monsters” is a film in which the filmmakers are given access to the Barry Nidorf Juvenile Detention Facility. Barry Needorff in Sylmar, California. It is a maximum-security prison where we are introduced to four juvenile inmates: Jarad Nava, arrested at age 16 and sentenced to 200 years in jail for four attempts at murder; Juan Games, arrested at age 16 and sentenced to 90 years in prison for first-degree murder; and Antonio Hernandez, arrested at age 14 and sentenced to 90 years in jail for two attempts at murder. All four enrolled in a proposed screenwriting class. Darrell Edwards would be the fourth, but without knowing it, he would be sentenced to 15 years in adult prison the day after the first day of class (Shelden & Troshynski, 2020). At that moment, one can shudder at the realization of what might await him. A life lost to the failed rehabilitation attempts of our prison system.
Discussion
The film also focuses on the California legislature’s attempt to change laws that offer juvenile offenders a chance outside of prison. While watching the film, it was immediately noticed that when the juveniles collaborated on writing the script, Juan and Jarad were showing stories about their encounters, not about how they became their real friends. What was interesting is that they were extremely open about their emotions in front of the camera but were unwilling to reveal themselves as identities with the people these people were talking about in their stories.
The essay writing workshop allowed the minors to benefit from being allowed to express their thoughts and implement them into the work. In addition, it was obvious that Juan and Jarad felt very satisfied and accomplished with the work they used to produce and direct this screenplay. After his release, Antonia not only remained the person he was before but managed to develop his skills and perceptions. It is not only about the mental state but also the physical one, which is hard to believe. At the same time, the assumption that Juan or Jarad would have benefited more from your opportunity did not materialize or would have resulted in equal disappointment.
Antonio was released into dysfunctional circumstances, his family received an eviction confession, and he returned to his old habits of using weed and other drugs, according to a close friend, which eventually led to his reoffending. Jarad had a traumatic connection to seeing his stepfather try to commit suicide, while Juan grew up with the feeling that he was not accepted by his father and constantly felt that he competed with his brother, with the need to prove to himself that he was the outstanding of the two of them and this question is crucial for him.
Moreover, in this part of the film, there is a perfect example of how the rehabilitation method can begin long before a crime of almost any kind is committed. In California, juveniles aged 14-17 can be tried as adults and given sentences longer than their entire natural lifespan (Shelden & Troshynski, 2020). Antonio, Juan, and Jarad face more than 90 years in prison for attempted murder or first-degree murder (Amazon, 2020). The film points out that children are different from adults in more ways than one. According to Richard Bloom, children lack vigorous control, reasoning, and the ability to assess risk and consequences.
Of course, it’s not hard to understand why anyone capable of committing or attempting murder is called a monster. Many questions may be asked while revising. These are topics that, unfortunately, the film does not delve too deeply into, but perhaps that’s the beautiful logic of its approach; to spend more time getting to know these minors for the sake of acknowledging and seeing what lies beneath them: children capable of rehabilitation (Kristin Ann Bates & Swan, 2018). Without knowing anything else, it is impossible to imagine that these kids are capable of what they are accused of after seeing their youthful playfulness on screen.
It is important to say that violent crime of any kind should be treated trivially, but the fact remains that violent crime exists. To ignore this problem as one that will resolve itself would be reckless, and we, as a society, have a responsibility to address this challenge. Adult prisons are responsible for punishing offenders, while the juvenile system is responsible for rehabilitating juveniles, but it certainly does not function because of this type of punishment. By suggesting possible penalties of life imprisonment, the product seems to focus more on punishment, as opposed to rehabilitation and the additional impact on society, juvenile offenders, and their families, it lacks desire. In addition, the film highlights the fact that most state still sentence juveniles without any chance of parole, which is another prime example of the focus and purpose of the system.
Creating the necessary opportunities for juvenile offenders to get a second chance gives young people a chance to step back from their criminal ways, overcome their past and become a better version of themselves, able to enter society and create their powerful life path. Arguments can be made that juveniles really should be tried because their criminal actions are usually comparable to those of adults. Adulthood does not prevent juveniles from committing crimes, so it should not be the determining factor for them to go through the full level of abuse (Kristin Ann Bates & Swan, 2018). Regardless of age, a crime is a crime regardless of who committed it. Juveniles must have the mental capacity to distinguish between what society considers right and wrong. Violent offenders convicted of crimes such as murder, trespassing, or rape must be seriously punished to bring justice to the victim and her family. This can have a significant impact on the cost of recidivism, as juveniles will feel less attracted to committing repeat crimes because of fear of the consequences that might happen to them.
Conclusion
This approach may benefit the juvenile. He or she will face a jury trial because he or she will be confronted by one judge. There are many ways to prevent juvenile delinquency, and all of them should be considered. This film is one of the most striking examples of the use of the language of cinema to show a strong man. It raises many important issues relevant to society, one of which is the rationality of fairness and its outcome. In this way, one can trace how one becomes a better person, but society’s influence cannot fully evolve. We need to look for a rational approach to using the justice system and refine it because it does not provide the opportunity possible when dealing with troubled people.
References
Amazon. (2020). Watch They Call Us Monsters | Prime Video. Amazon.com. Web.
Kristin Ann Bates, & Swan, R. S. (2018). Juvenile delinquency in a diverse society. Sage Publications, Inc.
Shelden, R. G., & Troshynski, E. I. (2020). Delinquency and juvenile justice in American society. Waveland Press, Inc.