A University student-produced documentary was featured on PBS affiliate WVIA-TV on April 17. The film was featured in a segment profiling the making of the film.

“Coming Home: The CARE Program” is a 16-minute film profiling The Court Appointed Re-entry (CARE) Program which helps former inmates adjust to life after prison. The short film was a product of Eric Faden, associate professor of English and Film/Media Studies, and his spring 2013 Film/Media Production Clinic students.

The PBS program featured interviews with Faden and graduate student Brianna Derr, who acted as video production specialist during the making of the documentary. Additionally, Eric Noll, Deputy Chief U.S. Probation Officer for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, was interviewed about his involvement with the CARE Program.

The hour-long segment aired the documentary in full. The impact of the CARE Program is far-reaching and working on this project gave students a unique perspective on the life of prisoners and the aftermath of serving time in prison. The CARE Program involves many individuals, including federal judges, probation officers, prison wardens, and community volunteers.

This wide range of participants helps individuals released from prison to become acclimated to the outside world. By successfully completing the CARE Program, probation time can be reduced.

Student contribution was key to the making of “Coming Home: The CARE Program.” Hours of video were obtained through many student-conducted interviews on location at the Federal Correctional Institution Schuylkill in Minersville, Pa. and federal courthouses in Harrisburg, Williamsport, and Scranton.

Overall, Faden’s class gained a valuable experience while sharing the stories of the CARE Program with the community.

“It was a pleasure to work on,” Zander Massey ’14, a member of the “Coming Home: The CARE Program” team, said.