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VICE Special Report: Fixing the System

Name: VICE Special Report: Fixing the System
Director: Shane Smith
Released: 2015
Duration: 67 min

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Representation Score

8.1/10

Excellent

2015

TV-MA

Director

Shane Smith

Runtime

67 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Shane Smith’s documentary investigates the American carceral state, focusing on institutional power rather than individual stories. It highlights the intersection of race and socioeconomic status with legal policies. The film excels in critiquing the prison-industrial complex and the profit motives of private incarceration, while centering the voices of those most affected by the justice system. However, it lacks depth in specific identity-based narratives, such as LGBTQ+ identities or disabilities, treating these topics as secondary to the broader systemic issues.

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Category Breakdown

Does VICE Special Report: Fixing the System have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The documentary does not include specific stories or narratives about LGBTQ+ individuals or non-traditional gender roles. There are no depictions of same-sex relationships or identities.

How does VICE Special Report: Fixing the System portray gender?

Fair

The film focuses on the societal pressures faced by women within the criminal justice system, but it does not delve into traditional gender roles or hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is VICE Special Report: Fixing the System?

Excellent

The documentary highlights the disproportionate impact of mass incarceration on Black and Latino communities. It emphasizes the lived experiences and ability to act of people of color.

How does VICE Special Report: Fixing the System represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film critiques the intersection of capitalism and the prison-industrial complex, challenging the stability of American legal and social institutions.

Does VICE Special Report: Fixing the System include disability representation?

Fair

There is no specific focus on neurodivergence or physical disabilities. The representation of disability is incidental to the broader discussion of systemic inequality.

Present on Screen

Highlights the disproportionate impact of policing on Black and Latino communities.
Critiques the prison-industrial complex and the profit motives of private incarceration effectively.
Centers the lived experiences and ability to act of people of color within the legal system.

Limited or Absent

Lacks specific representation or narratives centered on LGBTQ+ identities.
Provides minimal focus on neurodivergence or physical disabilities.
Gender representation is primarily structural rather than focused on individual interpersonal experiences.

Official Synopsis

Along with the trip to an Oklahoma federal prison with Obama, Fixing the System takes an in-depth look at all the interlocking pieces of the complicated criminal justice system, from prisoners and their families to the judiciary and community reformers.

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