America's Toughest Sheriff (2005)

This award-winning documentary follows the controversial sheriff of Arizona's Maricopa County, Joe Arpaio. Maricopa is America's largest county, and the Sheriff has been elected four times running, yet his law enforcement tactics have drawn attention for their hard-line extremity. Instituting a prison built of tents and razor wire and located in the desert, Arpaio dresses his inmates in black and white stripes and pink undergarments. He has resurrected chain gangs, and includes women and young, first-time offenders in these work groups. While "America's toughest sheriff" claims he is working to build a safe, effective jail system, reducing recidivism by making absolutely no aspect of their stay enjoyable--coffee, TV, and nudie magazines are also prohibited--Amnesty International finds his methods to be inhumane. This documentary explores both sides of the debate, and ventures into the Sheriff's infamous "Tent City."