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AMERICA UNDERCOVER: LIFE OF CRIME 2 (TV)

Summary

One in this series of documentaries presented by HBO. This program is the sequel to the 1989 documentary "One Year in a Life of Crime," which examined the lives of three individuals involved in criminal activities in Newark, New Jersey. This documentary continues to chronicle the lives of Rob, Freddie, and Deliris over a period of five years, beginning with a review of information about the three individuals: Rob and Freddie are two friends who have been serving time in two different jails for theft and other crimes, and RobÕs ex-girlfriend Deliris is now the mother of three children and has developed a drug habit during RobÕs time in jail. In jail, Rob and Freddie each comment on their life in jail and talk with friends and prison officials about plans for life in the outside world. Meanwhile, Deliris works the streets as a prostitute to support her addiction. At home, she introduces her parents, as well as her daughter Kiki and her young son Chimo. She speaks openly with her mother about her addiction, and they both compare her decline due to drug use with the tragic death of her brother in a car accident. Next, Rob is released from jail on parole. A member of his extended family takes him in, and he remarks on the strange transition from the penitentiary to freedom. Although Rob is determined to live a straight life, he expresses frustration to his parole officer because he has difficulty finding legitimate work. Eventually, he scrapes up the money for a car and finds a job in a used-car lot. Later, Freddie is also released on parole. He is welcomed home by his mother, stepfather, and brother, and he also receives support from his new parole officer. As Rob and Freddie return to their old neighborhoods and reunite with friends and family members, they struggle to maintain straight lives. Highlights of the program include the following: Deliris and Rob resume their romance, and he encourages her to attend a detox program; Rob and Deliris break up when he suspects her of cheating and using drugs; Freddie goes on the hunt for a woman and takes up with Deliris; Freddie and Deliris begin using heroin regularly, and Chimo and Kiki suffer neglect; FreddieÕs parole officer finds him a job, but he quits immediately because of the low pay; FreddieÕs brother worries about the future of Kiki and Chimo because of the environment in which they live; Freddie discovers that he is HIV positive and suspects that he will die of AIDS like most of his friends; soon after Rob completes his parole he has a run-in with the law concerning $11,500 in what the police suspect is drug money; Deliris is hospitalized for a blood infection and loses custody of her children; she is then inspired to clean up and proudly celebrates KikiÕs christening with the entire family; Deliris falls prey to her addiction again, and her children beg her to stop using drugs so that they can live with her; Freddie is jailed after committing a series of armed robberies while disguised as a police officer; and Rob finds himself homeless as his heroin consumption increases.

(This program contains adult-oriented subject matter and language.)

Details

  • NETWORK: HBO
  • DATE: December 15, 1998 10:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 1:59:35
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: T:59723
  • GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Crime and criminals; Criminal justice - Administration of; Drug abuse
  • SERIES RUN: HBO - TV series, 1983-2006
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Sheila Nevins … Executive Producer
  • Jacqueline Glover … Supervising Producer
  • Alpert, Jonny (See also: Alpert, Jon) … Producer, Director
  • Alpert, Jonny (See also: Alpert, Jon) … Reporter