By Lisa Crane | WVTM | The Birmingham Times
A documentary that puts Alabama prisons in the spotlight is now in the running for one of the most well-known, prestigious awards in Hollywood — an Oscar. Nominees for the 98th Academy Awards were announced Thursday. “The Alabama Solution” is one of five films nominated in the documentary feature film category.
It’s a sobering look at life behind bars in Alabama prisons. Most of the video in the documentary, “The Alabama Solution,” is shot by inmates themselves, on contraband cellphones. It’s graphic and, at times, difficult to watch. Former corrections officer Stacy George is a part of the documentary. He called it an accurate depiction of what an Alabama prison inmate faces.
“These things are real. I mean, there’s a lot of abuse, and there’s a lot of neglect. I saw boxes that said ‘not for human consumption’ on the boxes; they feed them,” George said.
Some say part of the problem is the secrecy. Not many people from the outside ever get to see inside Alabama prisons. Even journalists aren’t allowed to get close. We’re kept about a mile away from St. Clair Correctional Facility. That’s as close as we’re allowed to be.
George claims the culture is the real problem. He said, sadly, many of the corrections officers are simply bullies.
“If they come down here to Birmingham and they want to be a police officer, the first thing they probably do will take a mental evaluation test. Well, if that officer wants to be an officer, if he fails that test, guess where the next place he goes to get a job. It’s with the Alabama Department of Corrections,” George said.
Gov. Kay Ivey’s press secretary released a statement saying, “We already knew the Oscars had a low bar, but as far as corrections goes, there has never been an Alabama governor more dedicated to solving the longstanding challenges facing the system than Governor Ivey. From recruiting a record number of corrections officers to doing sentencing reforms to constructing needed, new facilities, Governor Ivey is getting the job done and making it safer for inmates, officers and the public alike.”
Now that the documentary is a favorite to win an Academy Award, George hopes even more people will watch it and be inspired to push for change. The Oscars ceremony is set for 6 p.m. March 15.
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