American Crimes

Behind every murder is a motive; Behind every murder is a story and behind some murders, there is a person someone thought they could trust.

Our Lockup crews have found out many times that you never know when things will detonate.

Three unforgettable inmates, each one about to cross the threshold to freedom; witness their joys, their fears, their triumphs and discover that sometimes the only thing tougher than being in prison, is staying out.

Nine people are killed and thousands sickened when a CEO knowingly ships peanut products tainted with salmonella.

Lobsang Dargey, a Tibetan Buddhist Monk, escapes Chinese oppression and claws his way to freedom in the U.S.; uneducated and broke, but rich with ambition, Dargey catapults from odd jobs to real estate development.

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his associates extort city contractors, abuse public funds, and turn the mayor's office into their own cash machine, costing the city millions.

Burnout is a constant problem and unexcused absences create staff shortages at Alabama's Holman Correctional Facility; that means that designated jobs, like cell searches, which each shift has a requirement to perform, don't always get done.

As the oldest prison in California, San Quentin is steeped in a violent history, so it has a set of regulations and procedures to maintain order; inmates often operate under a different code of conduct; gangs control "prison politics.".

One man prepares for life behind bars after running someone down with his car; another man must be placed in isolation for his own protection, after being accused of knowingly giving women HIV.

As the oldest prison in California, San Quentin is steeped in a violent history, so it has a set of regulations and procedures to maintain order; inmates often operate under a different code of conduct; gangs control "prison politics.".

San Quentin's warden says that other than an inmate's release date, visits are the most important things in their lives; for some, visits are rare moments of intimacy; for others, they are business transaction opportunities.

Pendleton Juvenile is the last stop in Indiana for young offenders who have committed serious crimes; the staff there must always be prepared for the unexpected, and is determined to rehabilitate impulsive teens who are often angry and violent.

San Quentin has one of the longest histories of violence; whether it's an inmate fresh off the street, a gang dropout in protective custody, or an officer trying to maintain order, they've all fallen victim to violent attacks.

In prison, as on the outside, a single decision can change a person's life forever; inmates make all kinds of fateful choices, but behind bars, there is no escaping the consequences of one's actions.

For some, prison might be hell, and it can be even worse for the sex offenders.

Burnout is a constant problem and unexcused absences create staff shortages at Alabama's Holman Correctional Facility; that means that designated jobs, like cell searches, which each shift has a requirement to perform, don't always get done.

As the oldest prison in California, San Quentin is steeped in a violent history, so it has a set of regulations and procedures to maintain order; inmates often operate under a different code of conduct; gangs control "prison politics.".

One man prepares for life behind bars after running someone down with his car; another man must be placed in isolation for his own protection, after being accused of knowingly giving women HIV.

As the oldest prison in California, San Quentin is steeped in a violent history, so it has a set of regulations and procedures to maintain order; inmates often operate under a different code of conduct; gangs control "prison politics.".

San Quentin's warden says that other than an inmate's release date, visits are the most important things in their lives; for some, visits are rare moments of intimacy; for others, they are business transaction opportunities.

Pendleton Juvenile is the last stop in Indiana for young offenders who have committed serious crimes; the staff there must always be prepared for the unexpected, and is determined to rehabilitate impulsive teens who are often angry and violent.

San Quentin has one of the longest histories of violence; whether it's an inmate fresh off the street, a gang dropout in protective custody, or an officer trying to maintain order, they've all fallen victim to violent attacks.

In prison, as on the outside, a single decision can change a person's life forever; inmates make all kinds of fateful choices, but behind bars, there is no escaping the consequences of one's actions.

For some, prison might be hell, and it can be even worse for the sex offenders.

Burnout is a constant problem and unexcused absences create staff shortages at Alabama's Holman Correctional Facility; that means that designated jobs, like cell searches, which each shift has a requirement to perform, don't always get done.

As the oldest prison in California, San Quentin is steeped in a violent history, so it has a set of regulations and procedures to maintain order; inmates often operate under a different code of conduct; gangs control "prison politics.".

One man prepares for life behind bars after running someone down with his car; another man must be placed in isolation for his own protection, after being accused of knowingly giving women HIV.

As the oldest prison in California, San Quentin is steeped in a violent history, so it has a set of regulations and procedures to maintain order; inmates often operate under a different code of conduct; gangs control "prison politics.".

San Quentin's warden says that other than an inmate's release date, visits are the most important things in their lives; for some, visits are rare moments of intimacy; for others, they are business transaction opportunities.

Pendleton Juvenile is the last stop in Indiana for young offenders who have committed serious crimes; the staff there must always be prepared for the unexpected, and is determined to rehabilitate impulsive teens who are often angry and violent.