discovery+ & OWN Order Criminal Justice Docuseries

discovery+ and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network have given a straight-to-series order to Justice, USA, which will deliver a comprehensive view of the criminal justice system in the U.S.

The docuseries comes from Oscar-, Grammy- and Emmy Award-winning artist and activist Common, Humanitas Prize finalist Marshall Goldberg (Life Goes On) and Emmy Award-winning executive producer Mike Tollin (The Last Dance). Justice, USA is slated to premiere on discovery+ in 2022.

OWN will oversee production for discovery+ for Justice, USA, which is produced by MSM. Executive producers are Common, Think Common Entertainment’s Tamara Brown, Goldberg and Tollin. Randy Ferrell serves as showrunner on the series.

OWN’s president, Tina Perry, said: “We knew from the start that Justice, USA is a series that must be made and brought to viewers. What Mike, Common, Tamara and Marshall are creating is a compelling and shockingly honest documentary that lays bare the often-ugly and unfortunate truth about the treatment of those most vulnerable by a complex and overburdened system that fails more than it succeeds.”

Tollin said: “Everyone talks about criminal justice reform, but so few of us really know what goes on in the justice system. We never see the behind-the-scenes realities of a system where the average public defender handles 500 felonies a year, where district attorneys determine the fate of defendants far more than do judges or juries and where excessive bail often destroys lives and families.”

Common said: “I’m proud of this series because it takes an honest look at the criminal justice system and highlights its need for reform. One of the greatest problems with the justice system is its dehumanization of people. But we have the ability to change that. My hope is this documentary brings visibility and change to the criminal justice system in the most humane way.”

Goldberg said: “To do this series right, we needed unprecedented access to public defenders, district attorneys, jails and the courts. We found that in Nashville. Without any restrictions, the first season of Justice, USA will look at a system that historically has brutalized defendants, especially indigent defendants.”