12th Street: Life Beyond Bars (DVD)

Each year 25,000 inmates are released in one of the largest prison towns in America: Huntsville, Texas. They exit and shuffle along the sidewalk, some smiling, some pensive, and all carrying onion sacks full of belongings. If their families are there, they leave into open arms. For most, though, they aren't. The majority stream past the private homes and prison offices toward the Greyhound bus station three blocks away. This story is an honest look at a day on 12th Street in Huntsville.

Anchored by Elroy, a wise, seen-it-all style guru, we meet the ex-convicts restarting their lives. This documentary explores one of the most critical issues in the national debate over criminal justice reform: the flood of prisoners returning to American communities without the guidance and support needed for a successful transition back to society. What awaits them on the outside? How are they prepared to deal with the new world? Where do they go from here when they reach their first crossroad?