Louis' Blog

27 Responses to “Miami Mega-Jail Part 2”

1. Hmm, on May 28th, 2011 at 10:15 pm Said:

   Somebody sketched the characters from Part1. I thought they were pretty neat: http://alexnicholson.blogspot.com/2011/05/teeth.html

   Can’t wait for the second episode and keep up the great work!

2. Andrew A. Sailer, on May 29th, 2011 at 6:50 pm Said:

   You have such a wonderful website. I will recommend it to my friends. Looking forward to see some more great posts. Thanks!

3. neil, on May 29th, 2011 at 9:19 pm Said:

   i found the robert shaw story very sad. seems he’s realised too late that he was surrounded by the wrong culture (or “snakes”). who knows whether he’d have changed but from the interview he seems to stand out as someone who could

4. Pavel, on May 29th, 2011 at 9:43 pm Said:

   An absolutely riveting conclusion to your documentary, Louis. I haven’t been so concerned about your personal welfare since you interviewed Jimmy Savile!

   The parallels between life in the main jail and the boot camp are intriguing. In both facilities, the prisoners have to dehumanise themselves to get through each day. Roll with the code and don’t reveal weakness. Do what you have to do to survive. Rules that apply as much to the street as they do prison. “Playing the game”: it’s all part of a vicious circle.

   There is hope in Part 2, especially from the prisoner who has abandoned the prison codes and sees the bigger picture. But it’s no small irony that he’s facing the death penalty.

   Keep up the great work, mate.

5. Christine, on May 29th, 2011 at 11:59 pm Said:

   watched the first Miami jail, just about to watch the second. Imagine being accused of a crime and, while still technically innocent, having to endure weeks, months, awaiting trial, in a cell where you live in fear, couldn’t imagine many worse situations to be in. Will watch the next one now and tomorrow, back to my law essay……
   Thanks. Love your style Louis.

6. Paz, on May 30th, 2011 at 12:32 am Said:

   @ Neil
   This was a feeling I got too, I made a post in the forum along similar lines. It seems he may of been the only one who actually got it. The boot camp was good too, it seems harsh to say but it may be an effective tool for at least some of the kids who end up their.

7. Nick, on May 30th, 2011 at 5:33 pm Said:

   Louis,

   Another really excellent film – compelling if depressing.

   Is there any update on the 14 year old lad who wasn’t receiving education: an appalling situation which cannot occur in this country as he would be in secure accommodation? I see it concerned you too.

   Did ‘the adminstration’ ever answer your question?

8. Dirk, on May 31st, 2011 at 11:38 am Said:

   brilliant show louis. Been a avid admirer of your shows since the TV Nation days, and just curious to know, now that the miami jail two part segment is done, when will we be seeing you next? i missed your return to the most hated family in the US documentary and hoping for a re-run soon. Your shows are one of the main reasons for my pursuit to be a documentary maker.

   regards

9. Maik Brown, on June 1st, 2011 at 11:23 am Said:

   Louis ,
   I was extremely saddened by the plight of Brenton Smith , the 14 year old who was in the prison without any hope and it deeply effected me to say the least .
   I could see you were disturbed with the situation and wondered if there is anything that can be done for Brenton to get him back into education or a transfer to another institution where he can be educated and re-abilitated . He seemed at a loss with his plight , growing up without a Father figure in an enviroment we cannot imagine , but he came across as a bright kid who just needs a second chance in life .
   Did the administration give you any answers on Brenton and his future prospects ?

   Congratulations on a superb show – kind regards Maik

10. AJ, on June 1st, 2011 at 11:59 am Said:

    Louis, thanks for this fascinating (and bleak) documentary. Like some of the other posters on here, I would really like to know the outcome for the 14-year-old who was facing 10 years in adult jail. His case really disturbed me and, I felt, reflected very badly on the pretty uncivilised American justice system.

    Many thanks, AJ

11. Yo, on June 2nd, 2011 at 11:10 pm Said:

    Hey Louis,

    Brilliant documentary overall. However, i was quite disappointed in the way you went about questioning these men. At times you resembled a child asking its parent to explain why it couldn’t have the toy it desired, going back and forth over the blatantly obvious, asking why at every avenue that appeared. I quickly began to assume you didn’t do any pre research of the environment you were entering, i also felt you didn’t understand prison life from the real world. You seemed perturbed by prisoners not behaving in a way acceptable to society, even though it is a very basic concept to understand. For obvious reasons. Instead of trying to explain to a murderer that’s been behind bars for several years extortion is wrong, you could of instead delved into more personal or relevant issues Some of the questions you asked may even have put some of your interviewees in danger although not immediate. Unfortunately, this naivety was like an angry wasp buzzing in my ear and was quite hard to overcome. The underhand sarcasm didn’t really match the atmosphere of the documentary, at least i believe so.

    Great Documentary but it could of been much more.
    Less Louis niggling and more interviewing.
    Less asking why a triple murder couldn’t remember two of his five daily words and more what was running through his mind to the build up of the event, What were his dreams as a teen for example.

    P.S. Can we get any info on Robert Shaw? I was generally saddened to see him sitting in that cell awaiting death. He seemed like such a warm character, i can’t help but think that if it wasn’t for the absence of his parents and the urban jungle he was raised, he’d be a genuinely nice person to be around.

12. Matt, on June 3rd, 2011 at 8:15 pm Said:

    When he was first introduced Robert Shaw seemed like a very unsympatheitc character. However, in the second interview we understood more about his life. Louis, did you feel sympathy for him when he talked about his life? Was it genuine?

13. Ruskin, on June 5th, 2011 at 5:07 pm Said:

    I was also very concerned about the 14 year old boy. My son is the same age and despite any front a boy of this age might or might not manage, I know from experience that 14 is still very much just a child. I did not however think that the main thing he lacked was ‘schooling’. Another institution was not what he lacked or had lacked. He lacked the safe environment and loving care that every child deserves. Books or discipline will not work unless he feels safe from harm. He needs to be free from the gang culture that surrounds him. It isn’t within his mother’s power to protect him from this, especially since she has to work all hours to provide for him. His school will have dragged him closer to the gang-culture of his community as it has all of these intelligent and sensitive young men.
    His only hope is a completely new type of life for himself and his mother in a completely different environment. He is as powerless to do something about his life as a piece of flotsam in an ocean.
    I just hope the authorities in America and indeed here in the UK see this and realise how evil locking children up is.

14. Ness, on June 5th, 2011 at 6:50 pm Said:

    I’m another parent who was horrified by the 14 year old boy being treated so callously by the American prison system. A child being put into an adult prison just isn’t right. So what can we do about it, Mr ‘I’m just an innocent abroad’?

    It’s great that you highlight these issues we would otherwise know nothing about but where can we take it from here. How about some links on this website?

15. Suzanne, on June 5th, 2011 at 8:15 pm Said:

    I was enthralled by the Miami Mega Jail series and wanted to say congratulations Louis and team on producing such a powerful, insightful and moving documentary. I have watched all of the Theroux documentaries to date, but this one has been most poignant for me personally as I am very interested in the Americal Penal system and have been researching the subject for some time – thank you for giving us the chance to share so intimately the stories of the people featured on your programme, I think the way the subject matter was handled was completely right and I find your work extremely inspiring. Please bring us more soon!

16. BT, on June 6th, 2011 at 6:20 am Said:

    Louis, (or anyone else who can answer this), I remain unclear on what becomes of the inmates who sucessfully complete the boot camp program. Are they allowed to go free? Are they enlisted in military service? Are they transferred to a “nicer” jail?

    Fabulous work, Louis; to an American viewer such as myself, seeing the official institutionalization of that barbaric and inhumane jail culture is deeply disturbing.

17. neon messiah, on June 7th, 2011 at 9:52 am Said:

    As usual your documentaries are a must see. Its not such as big jump from arsing about with Jimmy Saville to hanging out with murderers is it?

    I would love to see you do a doc on Favela culture in Rio, think you could bring something really interesting to the table especially with backdrop of the Word Cup in the next few years and the Brazilian governements hard line apporach crime.

    Anyways I reviewed both of the programmes. Fabulous stuff.

    http://neonmessiah.blogspot.com/2011/05/tv-review-louis-theroux-miami-mega-jail.html

    http://neonmessiah.blogspot.com/2011/05/tv-review-louis-theroux-miami-mega-jail_30.html

18. Niki, on June 8th, 2011 at 12:58 am Said:

    Dear Louis,

    You did a fantastic job with your ‘Miami Mega-Jail’ documentary. I do think it would have been interesting if you did a third installment exploring the workings of a female prison though.

19. Scarlett, on June 8th, 2011 at 9:59 am Said:

    This show was incredibly interesting. I watched it a few days ago and I still keep thinking about it. Especially the story about Robert Shaw – I think it touched me a little more as i’m a writer.

    I’d love to know what happened to some of these guys, whether they ever got out of their limbo.

20. Alex C., on June 8th, 2011 at 11:15 pm Said:

    Dear Louis/Emma Cooper/whoever can help

    I was really moved by the robert shaw segment of part 2 of miami mega jail, and i think that his interest in bettering himself through writing and learning more about english is admirable. If there is any way for me to gain access to one of his novels, I would love to be able to read them – if absolutely anyone can help with this, I would greatly appreciate it – even putting me in touch with his friend outside of prison trying to publish his writing would be amazing. Of course he may have commited horrendous crimes and I am in no place to judge as to his character, but something about him was deeply interesting to me, and I would love the chance to see what he has written, even if it is not the best written novel in the world.

    Alex C.
    alexanderdcohen@googlemail.com

21. bad boy, on June 10th, 2011 at 1:25 pm Said:

    Always enjoy watching these shows and will have to try and find the second episode on bbc i player. When will the next installment be?

22. Justin, on June 10th, 2011 at 4:25 pm Said:

    Fantastic look into a sordid world that frightens the beejeezas out of me.

    Great work Louis, once again…top notch doco.

    Cheers

23. Kate, on June 16th, 2011 at 10:23 am Said:

    Hi Louis,

    You cycled past me on Cavendish Sq on Tuesday and I gave you a shout (apologies for that, I realise on reflection it wasn’t the best idea as you could have been run over) but I wish so very much I had the chance to speak with you!

    I have watched every single one of your documentaries and have loved them all, find them so interesting.
    I am doing some work experience at the BBC in a few weeks and I know this is a long shot but didn’t know if I could perhaps spend a day or even a few hours with you!

    I have lots of previous work experience so please email me if you want my CV or anything I would love to hear back from you!
    Posted comment here as it is officially impossible to find your email address anywhere…

    Thanks!

24. Declan, on June 17th, 2011 at 11:14 pm Said:

    Theroux’s ethnographic style is something to be reckoned with. The rapport he builds — but more precisely, the way he builds it — is something to learn from.

    I love how he starts out with the most basic obvious question that anyone would have when entering a subculture. Then, when he thinks he may have something figured out about his subject, HE DOESN’T FLAT OUT PASS JUDGEMENT! Instead, he takes a step back and asks the question “why do you think that” more often than “do you think that because….?”. Or rather, he waits till the right time to say “do you think that because”, much deeper into the ethnographic process.

    These two parts were a great companion to my reading of Foucault’s “Discipline and Punish”, which I finished earlier this year.

    Cannot wait for more!

25. Alex, on June 19th, 2011 at 7:20 pm Said:

    Hi Louis,

    I am a huge fan of yours and, as an aspiring writer (currently working as an editor on a bizarre project) and a fairly opinionated person, have learned the value of just ‘listening’ from watching your documentaries – so thank you for the master-class.

    I would love the opportunity to interview you at some point, either in person or via email; I hope that you will consider this request and, even if you don’t, I’ll still rave about your shows.

    Thanks,

    Alex

26. Mon D, on June 23rd, 2011 at 5:41 pm Said:

    Just wanted to let you know some good news, Robert Shaw has had the death penalty lifted by the State Affiliation. Yes Robert is intelligent, smart and is genuinely a nice guy, just, like so many guys where he’s from, he got involved in a lifestyle that he saw as normal. He understands that lifestyle has put him where he is but also realises its not a lifestyle he wishes to return to. To the person who would like to get a copy of one of his books, I will tell him your wishes and if he agrees will contact you with furthur details. I guess the positive energy I see from the people here, is helping him. So don’t stop!

27. SS, on June 26th, 2011 at 10:12 pm Said:

    Fascinating documentary, I too was upset and concerned for the 14 year old boy in that wholly inappropriate environment. Please do give any updates or further info…

    With many thanks