Northeast Neighbors for Peace & Justice presents this week's Friday Night Video/potluck at Flor y Canto: July 23rd Juvies (2004, 66 minutes) with special presentation by Kathleen O'Nan Four years ago, high school student Duc Ta was arrested for driving a car from which a gun was shot. Although no one was injured, and Duc was not a member of a gang, had no priors, and was 16 years old, he received a sentence of 35 years to life. Juvies is a riveting look at a world most of us will never see: the world of juvenile offenders who are serving incomprehensibly long prison sentences for crimes they either did not commit or were only marginally involved in. For two years, filmmaker Leslie Neale taught a video production class at Los Angeles Central Juvenile Hall to 12 juveniles who were being tried as adults. Juvies is the product of that class. The film builds a powerful argument, questioning what in our American culture has caused us to demonize our youth and allow the collapse of the juvenile justice system, which has turned its back on its initial mission to protect young people and now sends over 200,000 kids through the adult system each year. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Northeast Neighbors for Peace and Justice Video/Potlucks almost every Friday, Gather about 8:00, movie starts about 8:30, bring food or drink to share if you can.
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