Movies
Prison
- Capote starring Philip Seymour Hoffman (2005)
- Shawshank Redemption starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman (1994)
- The Hurricane starring Denzel Washington (1999)
- Last Dance starring Sharon Stone (1996)
- The Last Castle starring Robert Redford (2001)
- Green Mile starring Tom Hanks (1999)
- Prison Song starring QTip (2002)
- Papillon starring Steve McQueen & Dustin Hoffman (1973)
Courtroom
- And Justice for All starring Al Pacino (1979)
- A Time to Kill starring Matthew McConaughey (1996)
- Chicago starring Renee Zellweger (2002)
- Dead Man Walking starring Susan Sarandon (1995)
- In Cold Blood starring Anthony Edwards (1996)
- My Cousin Vinny starring Joe Pesci (1992)
- Paths of Glory starring Kirk Douglas (1957)
- To Kill a Mockingbird starring Gregory Peck (1962)
- True Believer staring James Woods and Robert Downey Jr. (1989)
- Twelve Angry Men starring Martin Balsam (1957)
Gang
- American Me starring Edward Olmos (1992)
- Menace II Society
- Boyz N the Hood starring Laurence Fishburne (1991)
- Colors starring Sean Penn (1988)
- Friday starring Ice Cube (1995)
- 187 starring Samuel Jackson (1997)
- American History X
Drugs
- A Requiem for a Dream starring Ellen Burstyn (2000)
- Salton Sea starring Val Kilmer (2000)
- Blow starring Johnny Depp (2001)
- Trainspotting
Foreign Penal System
- The Lives of Others starring Ulrich Muehe (2007)
- Midnight Express starring Brad Davis (1978)
- Return to Paradise starring Vince Vahn (1998)
Race, History, and General Interest
- Malcolm X starring Denzel Washington (1992)
- Mississippi Burning starring Gene Hackman (1988)
- Mi Familia starring Jimmy Smits (1995)
- The Thin Blue Line starring Randall Adams (1988)
- Call Northside 777 starring James Steward (1948)
Books
Prison
- Discipline & Punish: The Birth of the Prison by Michel Foucault
Race, History, and Other
- People's History of the United States, by Howard Zinn
- Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown
- The Color of Fear by Lee Mun Wah
- Indefensable by David Feige
The above mentioned movies and books were recommended by DIA members as being relevant, informative, or inspiring in relation to defense investigations.
* The DIA does not benefit financially or otherwise from the sale or advertising of these items.
Public Defender
- Defending the Damned; Inside Chicago's Cook County Public Defender's Office, by Kevin Davis.