TheOtherView
Opinions from around the country

A new documentary series hit the television airways Oct. 18. VH1’s “Music Behind Bars” profiles prison bands and the music program at state penitentiaries across the country. VH1, a subsidy of Viacom, “explores the redemptive power of music” and the impact it will have if these inmates are paroled.

VH1 has every right to air the show. It’s the station’s right. Their freedom of speech and expression is protected by the First Amendment. But should they go ahead with the show just because it is its right? No. The reoccurring damage resulting from a victim or their family seeing the murderer or rapist on television having a good time could start the recovery process over from scratch.

The music network neglected to inform Mary Orlando, whose daughter was murdered by Christopher Bissie, member of the band Dark Mischief, who had the renewed memories of her murdered daughter and the disgust of seeing the murderer jamming in a band. “I don’t think any of them should be on TV,” Orlando told Fox News.

“Music Behind Bars” producer Arnold Shapiro even doubted he would watch the show if he had some connection to the victims. “I have spent a good part of my life doing anti-crime projects. If one of these men killed a relative of mine, I would not watch,” Shapiro said in a letter sent to “The O’Reilly Factor.”

VH1 promotes the show on its Web site saying, “Making music is the only taste of freedom they get.” They are prisoners for the crimes they decided to commit. They don’t deserve the freedom to have their story aired on national television. No victims of crimes want to see the convicted murderer who killed someone they love having a great time.

They are there to “pay” for the heinous crime that can never be redeemed.

If VH1 is airing the program to show the “redemptive qualities” of music, they should reconsider. For one, inmates do not deserve to be highlighted by a television medium. They have no rights as prisoners and should not be given the luxury of the national exposure of their talents.

The effects of the station’s decision to run the show has not only hurt victims and families but also the prisoners. In Pennsylvania, Gov. Mark Schweiker has promised to make “sure that in all of our prisons, no more music programs or opportunities of this kind again will be afforded to murderers,” he said in an interview on “The O’Reilly Factor.”

Many people see this show as insensitive and wrong. They have also eliminated any chance of prisoners in Pennsylvania from benefiting from these “redemptive qualities.” If music is really so healing for the prisoners that are able to participate, keep it behind closed doors. That way, prisoners can benefit and the victims can go on with their everyday lives without reliving painful memories.

This is a staff editorial from The Lantern at Ohio State University. This editorial was distributed by U-Wire.