Crime + Punishment Movie Review

The movie “Crime + Punishment” was directed by Stephen T. Maing and produced by Stephen Maing, Eric Daniel Metzgar, and Ross Tuttle. The film features Manuel “ Manny Bio coming soon... >> Read More... ” Gomez, Sandy Gonzales, Rukia Lumumba, and Edwin Raymond. Brendon Anderegg and Andrew Lafkas composed the music used in the film. The film’s cinematographer was Stephen T. Maing, and the film’s editor was Eric Daniel Metzgar and Stephen T. Maing. 

Plot

“Crime + Punishment” is a powerful documentary that brings the racism and corruption in New York Police Department to light. The film follows two cases, the lawsuit filed by NYPD12 and the case of Jessica Perez’s son Pedro Hernandez, who is imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. NYPD12 are 12 police officers who bought a lawsuit against the NYPD for the deep-rooted racism and corruption in the police department. The officers tell their stories of how there are unofficial quotas of tickets and stop-and-frisks they have to conduct and how these officers were punished and harassed for not meeting their arrest and ticket quotas. The film also shows that the majority of the people that were stopped for stop-and-frisks or given tickets belong to the African-American or Latin community. The film shows different interviews and recordings to prove the extent of corruption in the New York Police Department.

Star Performance

The documentary largely consists of recordings and interviews. Since what the film displays are real footage and interviews, they carry more weight and emotions than a re-enactment would have had.

Analysis

“Crime+Punishment” is a powerful documentary exposing the deep-rooted corruption in the New York Police Department, where officers are evaluated not on their performances but on their quotas of tickets and stop-and-frisks. Director Maing, who is also the producer, cinematographer, and editor, has done a stellar job of presenting different footage and interviews as a smooth chronicle.

What’s There?

• A documentary exposing corruption and racism
• Interviews from victims and policemen who were punished because of these racist quotas
• The film also contains secretly recorded footage that exposes such corruption and racism

What’s Not There?

• The film does not have any major flaws.

Verdict

“Crime + Punishment” is a praiseworthy documentary highlighting the social evils of corruption and racism. What’s worse is that these elements are present in the police department that is supposed to protect the citizens. Director Maing made the film after four years of collecting evidence, recordings, and interviews. Still, instead of portraying the entire department as villains, Maing shows that the police are the hero and the villain because the police department consists of two kinds of officers; there are those who indulge in such outrageous quotas and those who joined the force to make a difference. The film is a must-watch for those who want to see how deep-rooted social evils are in a social institution as prestigious as the police force.