Parents' Guide to

Southern Justice

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Rural Cops with bloody victims, drunk folks, drugs.

TV National Geographic Channel Reality TV 2014
Southern Justice Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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What's the Story?

SOUTHERN JUSTICE is an unscripted series featuring law enforcement agencies in America's Appalachia region. Cameras follow Sheriff Wayne Anderson in Sullivan County, Tennessee, and Sheriff James Williams of Ashe County, North Carolina, as they work with their fellow officers to protect the rural area. From looking for alleged batterers to raiding drug labs, these police officers must balance enforcing the law while working within the close-knit culture of these communities.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Southern Justice offers a voyeuristic look into the world of law enforcement in an area where the crime culture mainly revolves around alcohol and drugs. It also highlights some of the larger implications these crimes have on the overall communities, including the rise in production, sales, and use of designer drugs in the area, and how this correlates to the increase of reported violent crimes.

It's not always the most action packed show, but Southern Justice offers some insight into the unique social problems that these rural areas are facing today. Watching some of the officers being polite and sympathetic while doing their jobs is also a refreshing change when comparing them to other police-themed reality TV shows. Overall, if you like this sort of reality fare, you will probably find it worth watching.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about criminal cultures. Why do the types and frequency of specific crimes vary according to geographic region? How do things like poverty, education, and even boredom factor into the kinds of crimes that are common to specific areas? How can these factors be discussed without creating stereotypes about people or places?

  • Are all the events that are featured on police-themed reality shows real? Or are they staged or over dramatized in front of cameras to make it more entertaining? How do you think people who have been chased or arrested on these shows feel when they see themselves on TV?

  • What is the appeal of a show like this? How do you feel watching people in difficult circumstances? Does it make you feel better about yourself?

TV Details

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