Documentary backdrop image for A Debtors' Prison (2018)

Documentary backdrop image for A Debtors' Prison (2018)

201816 minPG-13doc-short

A Debtors' Prison

201816 minPG-13doc-short

Two plaintiffs, Samantha Jenkins and Meredith Walker, describe their experiences of being incarcerated due to their inability to pay debts in St. Louis County.

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Two plaintiffs, Samantha Jenkins and Meredith Walker, describe their experiences of being incarcerated due to their inability to pay debts in St. Louis County.

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Todd Chandlerdirector

Brett Story

Brett Storydirector

Synopsis

Samantha Jenkins and Meredith Walker recount their experiences with modern-day debtors’ prisons in St. Louis County. The documentary details their involvement in an ongoing court case that reveals how financial struggles can lead to incarceration. Set against the backdrop of a community grappling with systemic issues, the film illustrates the legal and social mechanisms that perpetuate this cycle of poverty and punishment. The narrative unfolds in a region marked by its troubled history, including the police shooting of Michael Brown.

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