Criminal Characters is a research project exploring the life histories and offending patterns of the tens of thousands of individuals who entered Victoria's prison system between the 1850s and 1940s. This big data is generated by public volunteers using an online system to transcribe detailed, handwritten prison registers. In the last few months, 1,155 people from around the world have taken part in this transcription process, producing 18,042 record classifications.

To maintain volunteer enthusiasm and recruit new volunteers to the task, I am seeking funds to produce a short documentary film about the project, and specifically one of the stories uncovered in the prison registers, that of William King.

King, repeatedly imprisoned for different offences from 1888, is one of a handful of African-Americans to appear in the prison records. He underwent unprecedented levels of solitary confinement and corporal punishment while in prison, treatment that King and others attributed to racial prejudice, eventually leading to questions in Parliament and intervention by Victoria's Premier. King, one of the first criminals to be sentenced to indefinite detention under newly-introduced 'habitual criminals' legislation in 1908, was finally deported back to the US in 1916. He died on the return voyage, allegedly from a stomach complaint. However, the writings of a police officer who worked on King's case suggests that his demise may in fact have been planned by the vessel's captain in connivance with the authorities.

Communicating this story - which touches on many important criminal justice issues still relevant today - would offer a means of effectively engaging a broader public audience in this research. It will be used as a teaching tool, as well as a promotional film for recruiting and retaining volunteers interested in transcribing the prison records of individuals like King.

Film-maker employed at HEW 6, step 1064 ($59.89) for 65 hours = $3893

But please don't stop at the target amount - any additional funding will be used to increase the film's production values and length.