Ken Burns Presents: College Behind Bars: A Film by Lynn Novick and Produced by Sarah Botstein

Season 1

College Behind Bars, a 4-part docuseries, follows a small group of men and women in prison for serious crimes try to earn college degrees. This is a groundbreaking story of incarceration, injustice, race in America and the transformative power of education.

20194 episodes

TV-14

Documentary

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S1 E1 - Part One: "Nobody ever taught me any of that"
November 25, 2019
56min
TV-14
Incarcerated men and women at Eastern and Taconic Correctional facilities are admitted to the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI). When classes begin, they discover they must meet the same high standards as students on Bard College main campus.
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S1 E2 - Part Two: "I'm trying to get home to my family, too"
November 25, 2019
55min
TV-14
Students address the difficult circumstances of their past. The debate team prepares to face the University of Vermont. Some make strides academically, as others are sent to the Special Housing Unit, SHU, jeopardizing their education.
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S1 E3 - Part Three: "Every single word matters"
November 26, 2019
56min
TV-14
The debate team faces West Point. Seniors embark on their thesis projects. Rodney and Dyjuan's families visit, while Tamara receives terrible news from home. Shawta reckons with her path to prison and Jule struggles to find work in NYC.
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S1 E4 - Part Four: "Home is a work in progress"
November 26, 2019
56min
TV-14
The debate team faces Harvard. Seniors complete their 100-paged thesis projects. Giovannie is sent to the Special Housing Unit (SHU) and might not finish his project. Students at Taconic and Eatern receive their degrees at graduation.
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