The Marshall Project and Frontline Present ‘Two Strikes’ and ‘Tutwiler’
The Marshall Project, September 10, 2023: The Marshall Project and Frontline Present ‘Two Strikes’ and ‘Tutwiler’
“‘Two Strikes’ tells the story of Mark Jones, a 37-year-old former West Point cadet suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and alcoholism. He is sentenced to life in prison in Florida after an unsuccessful carjacking — because of a statute that increases prison time for repeat offenders. Jones’ earlier arrests had been for minor crimes, and he spent a year in prison for stealing a $400 tool set from a Home Depot. But the ‘two-strikes’ law allows the maximum punishment for people who commit a felony within three years of leaving prison, even for a failed carjacking attempt in which no one was physically injured.
“‘Tutwiler’ tells the story of expectant mothers behind bars at Alabama’s Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women. Working with a group of doulas from the Alabama Prison Birth Project, the women attend parenting classes, dream up names for their babies, and plan for life after prison.”
Additional reading:
Frontline, September 5, 2023: The Making of ‘Two Strikes’: A Conversation With the Filmmaker and Reporter
Frontline, September 5, 2023: Florida’s ‘Two-Strikes’ Law Put Him in Prison for Life. Even His Victim Said It Was Too Harsh.
The Marshall Project: Sentenced For Life Series
The Marshall Project, May 6, 2020: The Separation
