Shawshank Redemption Essay

A Corrections Analysis of “The Shawshank Redemption” (1994) by Frank Darabont

This corrections study will analyze the problem of internal corruption in mid-20th century prisons through the film, “The Shawshank Redemption” (1994). The main characters of this novel define the problem of exploitation of prison labor through the experiences of inmate Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) over a period of 20 years at the Shawshank Prison Penitentiary. Andy’s experiences define the continual exploitation of his financial sector services (money laundering, accounting, etc.)that he provides to the corrupt warden, Samuel Norton (Bob Gunton). These interactions in the prison facility define the corruption of prison officials, which deny Andy his freedom through

Ultimately, Andy is an innocent man that was wrongfully convicted of crime, which led to his exposure to violent criminals and the exploitative labor policies of the prison warden. These factors define the complex issues related to the meaning of punishment in American prisons that are unethical and immorally connected to profiteering off of low-cost inmate labor. In many cases, the promise of “rehabilitation” of prison is deemed a fortune aspect of prison labor, yet the massive profits of this labor often go to private corporations and corrupt prison officials: “Such claims only serve to divert our attention from the extent to which enormous profits are being made on the backs of exploited prisoners” (Fleury-Steiner & Longazel 133). In this manner, the problem of capitalism in the American prison system can be directly witnessed in the methods that Andy utilizes to stay in live in an extremely oppressive labor environment. This film correlates to the underlying issue of the exploitation of prison labor, which does not actually rehabilitate the prisoner. This form of corruption defines the horrific and immoral aspects of the American prison, which is defined in Andy’s primary role in “The Shawshank