Actor and director David Arquette hopes to raise awareness about the U.S. criminal justice system in his latest documentary, “Survivors Guide to Prison.” “We have more prisons than we do colleges and universities. It’s just completely backwards,” he told Cheddar. “It’s a plea system: 98 percent of the cases are settled in a plea, so we don’t really have a court system, and that’s what we’re trying to address.” The star-studded production is narrated by the likes of Danny Trejo, Donald Glover, Jesse Williams, and Susan Sarandon. It tells the story of Bruce Lisker and Reggie Cole, two men wrongly convicted of murders, and offers advice on how to navigate -- and survive -- the current prison system. Arquette told Cheddar that the documentary is more than a film and that it’s has sparked activism amongst the cast. “[Director] Matthew Cooke doesn’t think of it as a movie, he thinks of it as a movement,” he said. “So we’re getting behind groups like “Cut50, that’s Van Jones’ company, and we’re working with them on the ‘Dignity Campaign,’ and that’s to get women in prison some basic human rights.” “Survivors Guide to Prison” premieres in theaters and on-demand on February 23. For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/david-arquette-on-prison-documentary-that-has-hopes-will-become-a-movement).

Share:
More In Culture
Remembering those lost in the Uvalde school shooting
The pain and grief from this week’s shooting in a 4th grade classroom at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas is still with us. Cheddar's Shannon Lanier ends the week by pausing to remember some of the faces of the 19 children killed and their teachers.
Stocks Close Near Session Highs After Robust Retail Earnings
U.S. stocks ended near session highs to close Thursday's session after retailers released positive earnings results. Investors also continued to weigh the federal reserve's recent indication that the central will raise rates in an effort to curb inflation. Adam Johnson, Portfolio Manager for Adviser Investments, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Ten Years After Sandy Hook Gun Activists Urge Congress for Change
After the horrific mass shooting at a Texas elementary school, activists are once again urging Congress to take action. Trevon Bosley, a gun violence prevention activist, joined Cheddar News to talk about how to push legislators on the issue of new gun restrictions. “Even 10 years later the same sense of hopelessness from before," Bosley said, referring to the lack of change since the Sandy Hook massacre.
Load More