Thank you for joining us for the Center for American Progress’ Reel Progress online screening of “The 50.” The screening has concluded. The opening remarks and panel discussion will be available to watch on this webpage after May 3rd, 2024.
This impactful documentary tells the story of a groundbreaking mental health program in a California prison that showed remarkable results in combating recidivism, told intimately through the lens of the program’s first 50 participants. A deeply moving exploration into trauma, healing, and redemption, “The 50” spotlights a group of unlikely heroes and their extraordinary transformations—illuminating timely issues of social justice, prison reform, mental health, and addiction. This award-winning film highlights some of the many efforts states are making to support directly impacted people as they strive toward a second chance at rebuilding their lives after time spent in the system.
Watch the trailer for the film here: “The 50” trailer
The film will be followed by a discussion moderated by Akua Amaning, director of Criminal Justice Reform at CAP, that features Brenton Gieser, director of “The 50”; Sol Irving, co-founder of the Offender Mentor Certification Program; and one of the subjects of the film, Al Roensch, a certified drug and alcohol counselor. They will discuss the film and the impact of the Offender Mentor Certification Program on criminal justice reform.