In July, Barack Obamabecame the first sitting president to visit a federal prison, expressing grave concern for prison reform through a passionate call to action. "When [these prisoners] describe their youth and their childhood," Obama told the Associated Press surrounding his visit to a prison in Oklahoma, "these are young people who made mistakes that aren't that different than the mistakes I made."
Thankfully, Obama's historic visit was filmed as part of an upcoming HBO documentary from VICE entitled "Fixing the System." The special TV event, hosted by VICE founder Shane Smith, explores the very real cost of America's broken criminal justice system by speaking directly with prisoners and others within the increasingly fractured framework.
In the first teaser released by HBO (see above), Obama describes the ease at which outmoded drug patrol policies achieved their unfortunate political stronghold. "There was a strong political incentive, I think, to continually be tough on drugs," Obama tells Smith. "The thing just kept on getting ratcheted up."
The special debuts on HBO and related apps on September 27.
