大象传媒

Protests against shootings of young black men by the police have pushed the issue of race to the top of the public agenda in the United States. Now 大象传媒 Washington correspondent Rajini Vaidyanathan, who has covered many of the recent protests, sets out to examine some of the deep, underlying structural issues which America still has with race.

In this first episode, Rajini investigates the criminal justice system. She examines the statistics and hears stories of those involved in the system. She speaks to liberal activists opposed to what they call the system of 'mass incarceration', and in Nebraska visits the conservative politician promoting laws to reduce the number of people behind bars. "Will that help black Americans?" she asks him. His reply? "I hope so."

Elsewhere she hears from protesters arguing that the system can never be reformed, and that the police need to be disarmed. She visits the retired police chief advising President Obama on the way forward, who acknowledges the problem but argues that "all black lives matter", including those killed by criminals, and that protesters must accept that the police are part of the solution. He has now been hired to help Chicago's troubled force improve its record.

Rajini also spends time with the police force teaching all its officers how to be 'ethical protectors'.

Producer: Giles Edwards.