Kids for Cash (2014)
Plot: Kids For Cash is a riveting look behind the notorious judicial scandal that rocked the nation. Beyond the millions paid and high stakes corruption, Kids For Cash exposes a shocking American secret. In the wake of the shootings at Columbine, a small town celebrates a charismatic judge who is hell-bent on keeping kids in line...until one parent dares to question the motives behind his brand of justice. This real life thriller reveals the untold stories of the masterminds at the center of the scandal and the chilling aftermath of lives destroyed in the process.
My Review and Thoughts:
This is truly a shocking and eye-opening and unbelievable documentary that showcases a criminal act that is disturbing and truly is a stain on the justice system.
I was emotionally devastated, emotionally drawn, emotionally dumbfounded and utterly in Horror shock at this case. I had never really knew all the details or even heard anything really about it other then knowing it happened. Now after watching this I am just disgusted at the horrors done.
This is one documentary that should be required viewing. It's an ace in my book. A must see film. This should be looked at on how certain guilty parties, of the high and mighty leaders of law used their ability to destroy young peoples lives.
This is directed by a truly talented visionary man that has produced many films and documentaries Robert May. This is his first directing job. He produced one of my favorite underrated films The Station Agent. He did a phenomenal flawless job at his first directing of a documentary. This film stands out and showcases a thought-provoking story that leaves you emotionally charged and leaves you awestruck
Now what the story is about is two judges, Judge Mark Ciavarella and Judge Michael Conahan, were taking money from Robert Mericle, a builder of two private, juvenile facilities. The judges would make harsh punishments upon teenagers sending them directly to those two juvenile facilities. The judges where being paid to send them new cases. The teenagers convicted was given harsh punishments for crimes that didn't warrant it. To showcase the horrid examples is the Judges would send kids to hard juvenile labor for mocking a principal on Myspace, or simply trespassing in a vacant building.
After this horrible travesty came out the judges were ultimately found guilty of crimes and hundreds upon hundreds of cases were investigated and teenagers were being sent to juvenile for petty reasons, locked away in strict situations, bound and caged. These horrible false imprisonments and cases where dropped and records cleared upon these trumped up charges after all the horror came out.
These judges made millions of dollars, they falsified taxes, took money away from state facilities. From racketeering, fraud, money laundering, extortion, bribery, and federal tax violations, these justice keepers, these loyal men of the cloth where nothing more then horrible brutal criminals using there authority to destroy people.
I am truly disgusted by this case, it really made me upset to my stomach and my mind raced knowing that children were stuck in cages for no apparent reasons, one even committed suicide because he couldn't handle life after it. These judges and these men that created these places and worked with the judges are all true cold blooded masters of evil.
This is a brilliant documentary one of the greatest documentaries I have ever seen. I highly recommend it. I give it all the praise. It showcases a part of criminal culture and tainted justice system and how people in power can control and destroy individuals. It shows you the corruption and the devastating actions of people that is supposed to do good.
This is a documentary I will own as soon as it comes out on DVD. This is one that shines in the investigative department that explores and gives everything to you, to truly understand what took place.
What these two judges did was asinine. I don't know much about the law system or being a judge. but me being a layperson knows what they did was wrong. I love to listen to them talk how what they did was not wrong, to truly understand how evil they are. They caused children, destruction and horrors. They caused these families, these children the ultimate destruction. They ruined the idea of the beautiful American justice system. They tainted everything the nation is about. They tainted the quality of truth, the quality of the judge system. It's sad that they can live with themselves knowing what they did. They altered children's lives. You put a child in a cage that doesn't belong in a cage, that child is going to turn out worse. Their life is going to be altered and tortured. I for one have a conscience. I could not live with myself knowing I just ruined a child's life.
These two judges I hope learn their lesson. I'm sorry if I sound so angry but to me what they did is unforgivable. They tainted my America, they tainted my faith in the justice system. They tainted the life of beautiful children that should have never had to go through what they did.
To show you the magnitude of their horrors, 2,480 juvenile cases were reversed or expunged.
This documentary brings out the emotions of people and brings out the reality of people. The documentary explores every part of the situation and creates the very foundation of investigative reporting and creating a documentary that is a thought-provoking example of what can be done to create what I feel is an award worthy documentary.
An informative investigative thought-provoking extraordinary documentary of horrible crimes of the justice system toward children.