National Geographic
America's Hardest Prisons: Gang Central

This documentary is a brilliant trip into four of America's prisons that shows us how the gangs work within the prison system. It's a brutal look, but one well worth the taking. This is certainly not anything new but it is the first time that I've seen it covered to such an extent and with such intimacy.

Gang Central introduces us to the figures that control the gangs within the featured prisons. The documentary gives the viewer insight as to the politics within these violent environments and covers the way that even in the prisons how particular inmates can rort the system to make it work for them - to a point.

Watching this series is akin to watching a war. There is such a strong fight for power amongst the inmates, both within and without the factions. Seeing the different sort of weapons that the inmates can make from almost anything, I either am starting to think that the guards are either incredibly committed or crazy! Every day in those prisons brings its challenges and dangers.

I thoroughly enjoyed this series and found it extremely informative. I do wish that it had gone a bit more into the nitty gritty of life in the gangs in prison. A lot of the information appeared slightly glossed over and whilst it was a compelling watch, I do think it could have been a bit more in depth.

I got the feel that this is part of a larger series. Maybe within the context  of the series as a whole these episodes would feel a lot more fleshed out. Whether or not this is the case, I do think that most people will be left seeking out the information that this series doesn't divulge.

Long story short, this is worth getting on your way to gaining more information.

Tory Favro