Most people's idea of what prison must be like comes from the movies. Now, a group of juvenile prisoners in Germany are going public with the non-Hollywood version of their everyday lives.

While their own mobility is rather limited, the Internet gives them direct access to an unlimited audience. The young prisoners create videos and audios behind bars and upload them to their Web site Podknast.de. The program, which is sponsored by the state broadcasting authority of the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, has caught on quickly and many view it as an opportunity to educate young people about the realities of life in prison.

"This project helps young men come to terms with their crimes and to acquire media skills," explained Inga Roy, program coordinator and educator at the Siegburg Correctional Facility.

"More importantly, though, our goal is to make a project that will act as a deterrent for other young people," she said.

Looking ahead to freedom

Currently four correctional facilities in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia are taking part in the program. The young men, whose crimes range from driving without a license to assault and even murder, volunteer to participate in the program.

On the one hand, the Podknast project is designed to retrain prisoners and ease them back into the job market once they have served their time. The new skills they have acquired while working in this program can all be used on the outside.

The podcasts, which are regularly updated on the site, have been produced by the prisoners with the technical help of students from the Aachen University of Applied Sciences.

"You learn how to be a team player," Dennis, a young prisoner who is currently serving a two-year sentence, said of the project. "But when you are always confined to a cell, you can't be as creative. You need more variety."

The truth about life in prison

The online postings have addressed issues like prison violence and the banality of life behind bars. The young prisoners wanted their podcasts and videos to reflect the fact that prison life is not as glamorous as some believe it to be.

"Every morning I wake up, work, eat, shower, have some free time, and that's it. Not even a dog is as confined as I am," Dennis added. Through the Podknast project, Dennis has had the opportunity to get out of his cell and leave the grey prison compound for short periods of time.

The project has proven very popular among young people, parents, and social workers. To add to its success, more and more schools and police stations have picked up on the production series as a tool to dissuade young people from committing crimes.

True identities

Despite the accolades the site has received, some say the project has allowed criminals a luxury they do not deserve - all at the expense of the taxpayer. Those involved in the project, though, have said they feel more prepared for life after prison and have a greater ability to concentrate.

In many of the videos, the prisoners decided against having their faces pixeled in order to make the scenes more realistic. By being open about their identity, they risk being recognized in the future by potential employers.

"I would like to be able to tell my future employer or school students that I took part in this project," said Marcel, a 21-year old serving a sentence for breaking and entering.

"If they don't hire me because of that, that's just something I will have to learn to accept. I really screwed up and now I have to make the best out of the situation," he said.

Author: Katrin Schilling (gmb)

Editor: Kate Bowen