Returning Citizens

Returning Citizens is an insightful 2017 documentary focusing on the challenges and experiences of various individuals as they reintegrate into society after having served their prison sentences. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Tyrone Parker and Lashonia Thompson-El lend their voices to the narrative, giving the portrayal authenticity and reality.

Returning Citizens revolves around the community in Washington D.C. – a city that once earned the title of the "murder capital" of the United States. The district, faced with a high number of convicts re-entering society after serving their time, aims to drop its notorious reputation and transform into a district distinguished for reintegration and reform.

In this city-wide endeavor to reform, Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Congresswoman representing the district with a deep understanding of its problems, plays a central role. Norton, an unfiltered source of inspiration, has a relentless spirit and indefatigable energy in championing for criminal justice reforms and enterprises that support returning citizens.

Tyrone Parker, another figure in this narrative, stands as a significant advocate for change in the community. As an individual formerly involved in crime, Parker's participation in the plot is deeply personal, acting as a beacon of hope to those with a similar past. Now an activist and founder of the Alliance of Concerned Men, Parker plays a significant role in mentoring these returning citizens, providing them with skills and knowledge to reintegrate successfully into society.

Lastly, we meet Lashonia Thompson-El, a former inmate who shares her powerful story with the audience. After serving 18 years in prison, Lashonia reinvents herself and takes on a leadership role in a non-profit organization, offering a fresh start and much-needed support to women returning from prison.

The documentary, directed by Saffron Cassaday, highlights the efforts made and strategies employed by Washington D.C.'s community in aiding these returning citizens. The process may be challenging, but the city's commitment to reducing the rate of recidivism offers hope for thousands of individuals. It is not just about finding a job or a place to stay; it is about rebuilding broken relationships and reintegrating into society.

The depiction of these real-life ordeals in Returning Citizens is unexaggerated, every nuance of pain, hope, struggle and triumph is relayed to the viewer with utmost honesty. The narrative juggles raw, emotional individual journeys with the broader consequences of these experiences, delivering a humanistic tale that brings awareness to the persistence of these individuals to reform their lives, irrespective of the hurdles they face.

This film doesn't simply teach about the criminal justice system; instead, it brings forward narratives from former convicts who have navigated their paths towards reform. By giving platforms to figures like Parker and Thompson-El, the documentary captures personal histories, experiences, and perspectives, therefore adding depth to the discussions around criminal justice reform.

Returning Citizens also establishes the need for comprehensive policy changes and presents alternative methods and programs that can yield better results. The documentary places every viewer in a position to understand that the issue of rehabilitation is not isolated; rather, it affects families, relationships, and communities. Viewers witness the evident struggles the returning citizens undergo, gradually igniting empathy and comprehension.

The documentary shares the similarities and differences between people reintegrating into society, encapsulating a profound narrative within a socially relevant and universally applicable concept. It does not shy away from the harsh realities of recidivism, and the enormous impact societal acceptance and engagement can have upon prevention.

Returning Citizens is a thought-provoking film, putting issues around criminal justice reform under the spotlight. It points out the failures and the successes, while keeping the perspectives of the returning citizens at its core. It is an intimate and eye-opening documentary that urges society to rip away the stigmatization and to work collaboratively in embracing and facilitating real reform for returning citizens. With its profound storytelling and its fight for freedom and acceptance, Returning Citizens is a crucial watch.