Parents' Guide to

Time: The Kalief Browder Story

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Powerful docu about tragic impact of wrongful imprisonment.

TV Spike Reality TV 2017
Time: The Kalief Browder Story Poster Image

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

Community Reviews

age 16+

Based on 1 parent review

age 16+

Heavy material, but brings about meaningful discussion if your ready for it.

This is not a show for the feint of heart. It is a brutal watch, but one I look forward to taking my daughter through when she is old enough. (As stated, somewhere around 16 maybe. Definitely needs to be mature and capable of processing some of the deep injustices that occur in this world.) It is not an easy conversation, discussing those injustices. But they are all very well framed and laid bare in this documentary if you're ready to have that conversation with your child. I'd recommend watching it first yourself and deciding from there. I cannot call this a "favorite" documentary because it breaks my heart to watch it. But it's definitely well done and effective. And Kalief Browder is a literal hero of mine. I don't think too many people on this earth would have the courage to fight the fight he did, given all he was up against.

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Is It Any Good?

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This powerful series offers a disturbing look at how race and poverty impacts the way people are forced to navigate New York's broken criminal justice system. Time: The Kalief Browder Story details some of its fatal flaws, including how the overall system works against the poor, and the endless waits for hearings and trial dates, making it almost impossible for people to get out of prison unless they plead guilty to a crime regardless of their innocence. Meanwhile, it also discusses the impact of putting juveniles in solitary confinement, the details of which contributed to President Obama's decision to ban the practice in federal prisons.

Time offers most of this within the context of Kalief Browder's experience, which only makes his story more tragic. The conversations with his family are often very difficult to watch, too. But the experts featured here, including defense and civil rights attorneys, and activists Van Jones, successfully outline how seemingly minor glitches in the system have far reaching and devastating consequences for those in it. Some may find these detailed discussions a little slow, while others may find the more emotional moments a little sensational. But the overall docu-series is an important, and often painful, reminder of the need for prison reform throughout the nation.

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