Lyman, Will

The average American family today carries 10 credit cards. Credit card debt and personal bankruptcies are now at an all time high. With no legal limit on the amount of interest or fees that can be charged, credit cards have become the most profitable sector of the American banking industry: more than $30 billion in profits last year alone. Frontline and the New York times join forces to investigate how an industry few Americans understand how became so pervasive, so lucrative, and so powerful.

Examines the period of Chinese history between 1911 and 1997, discussing the leadership of such figures as Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, as well as the impact of political change on the country throughout the twentieth century.

Examines the prevalence of plea bargaining in the American justice system, and the failures of justice that result when the practice is misused. Reveals that nearly 95 percent of all cases resulting in felony convictions never reach a jury, but instead are settled through plea bargains, in which a defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for a reduced sentence. Critics contend that the push to resolve cases through plea bargains jeopardizes the constitutional rights of defendants, who may be pressured to admit their guilt whether they are guilty or not.

Examines the period of Chinese history between 1911 and 1997, discussing the leadership of such figures as Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, as well as the impact of political change on the country throughout the twentieth century.