Four Corners

Monday's Four Corners story "Second Chance Kids" is produced by PBS Frontline and looks at US teen criminals sentenced to life in jail.

"How much punishment is enough?" Lawyer

Being tough on crime has become a popular mantra for political parties. Law and order debates are frequently fuelled by tabloid headlines calling for a crackdown on crime. The result is often harsher sentencing. In the United States it's led to thousands of prisoners facing mandatory life sentences for crimes they committed as teenagers.

"A super-predator is a young juvenile criminal who is so impulsive, so remorseless that he can kill, rape, maim without giving it a second thought." Forensic psychologist

Now there's debate over whether these prisoners should be given a second chance at life.

"To say to any child of 13 that you're only fit to die in prison is cruel." US Lawyer

In this compelling documentary, the film makers follow the cases of two of these now adult prisoners who expected to spend their entire lives behind bars."I was a bad kid. I was an angry kid. But I don't think I was so to the point where OK now you're going to be a kid that dies in prison." Prisoner

With exclusive access, the film closely documents their legal bid for freedom following a landmark court case.

"I've changed and I'm not the same individual. But I feel ashamed of what I did." Prisoner

We witness the confrontation between the perpetrators, guilty of murder, and the families of their victims in emotionally charged parole hearings.

"He was my only son and I'll never forgive him, ever!" Victim's mother

As juvenile offenders across the US await their potential re-sentencing, Second Chance Kids asks tough questions about crime and punishment.

"There are some people who should never be released…there are some crimes, in my opinion, that are so deleterious to our community that individuals deserve to go to jail for life." Prosecutor

For the two prisoners, their chance of a new life presents them with the challenge of how to live after decades behind bars.

This episode of Four Corners, reported by Linton Besser and presented by Michael Brissenden, investigates some of the worst biosecurity breaches in Australian history, uncovering sophisticated smuggling operations, inadequate enforcement and corruption.

"The department has a problem. There is a vast number of containers coming in…They're struggling to maintain the barrier." Investigator

Last year a devastating exotic disease wiped out much of Queensland's prawn industry, threatening a lucrative trade based on our "clean" reputation and undermining faith in Australia's supposedly fortress-like borders.

"It's the canary in the coal mine… there are some problems with our border security that obviously need to be addressed to make sure this doesn't happen again." Scientist

Official inquiries narrowed in on contaminated seafood illegally imported from Asia.

"These are low-grade prawns, you don't want them inspected by anybody. They probably glow in the dark." Biosecurity official

Now a Four Corners investigation will reveal how Australia's biosecurity measures were defeated by sophisticated smugglers.

"A substantial number…were deliberately and cold-bloodedly gaming the department. The profits to be made from getting a container past the department were huge." Investigator

The program pieces together the dramatic fight to contain the outbreak and uncover the cause.

"I'll never forget that day because I was out in my boat in the morning just working on reefs and I got this phone call saying, ‘Can you keep a secret?'" Marine scientist

Insiders talk about the cut-throat nature of the industry and the huge profits to be made by those breaking the law.

"We had to choose whether we were going to follow their lead, or we were going to say no and act properly." Importer

Investigators warn that Australia's biosecurity regime can be easily exploited.

"Would you put a burglar in charge of a bank? That's what self-regulation is about. There is no incentive for an importer to do the right thing." Investigator

The concern goes well beyond the seafood industry, with the program set to detail another significant breach that threatened a multi-billion-dollar industry.

"It was like a rotten onion. We were peeling away a layer to find a more rotten layer underneath. So, everywhere we turned, everywhere we looked things were getting worse." Executive

Michael Brissenden examines the secrets and scandals in Australia's horse racing industry.

On the surface, Australia's racing industry has never been better. With a prize pool that's grown to more than $600 million it's one of the biggest industries in the country, employing more than 50,000 people. But away from the glamour all is not well in the sport of kings.

"People are leaving this sport in droves." Horse Trainer

Die-hard racing identities are worried.

"We all love our horses. But we seem to get knocked from pillar to post, one scandal after another." Thoroughbred Owner

"A scandal like this certainly does rank right up there. This is a big one." Racing commentator

In 2017 an astonishingly audacious doping conspiracy was uncovered. Five trainers and three stable hands were found guilty of taking part in Victoria's Aquanita doping scandal, but questions remain.

"How anyone could look at this situation and say, well that's it, all done, we've got the guilty people, and move on, just has you shaking your head." Racing Industry analyst

In the wake of the scandal, described as one of the darkest and longest chapters in the history of the sport, high profile racing figures are questioning how the sport is being policed.

"How did this happen for so long, what processes were in place that failed the racing industry, failed punters, failed the horses?" Racing form analyst

The damage done by the Aquanita doping conspiracy isn't the only problem facing the industry. The loss of high profile sponsors, the difficulty in attracting racegoers and concerns about animal cruelty have the racing fraternity on edge.

"Once punters lose confidence in the sport the whole system breaks down because without punters racing doesn't exist, without owners who put on the show racing doesn't exist." Racing Commentator.