Page 6 - Drill Instructors News Today

Pressure is about getting your head straight, getting to school if you want to go to school, getting a job if you want to get a job and preparing yourself for the outside world. >> james august was found guilty of burglary and grand theft, but because of boot camp, his sentence is only six years of probation. >> a lot of these people, they come here and they dont know that they can work. and they think, well, the only way im going to get money is if i sell drugs, if i rob, if i steal. you know, ...

And they have to complete our program or they will be sentenced to whatever it is for the crime. whether it be five ten, 15 years, or sometimes even life. >> i would be facing 15 to 30 years on armed robbery and kidnapping. so i decided to come to boot camp instead of facing 15 to 30 years. >> there is a criteria to come here and not all of them may meet that criteria. theres the physical aspect of it and psychological aspect and they must pass these tests in order to qualify to come here. >> ag...

They are going to pay for your mistake right now. >> drill instructor monsaurat ponse sees his job as a task master. hes been here for ten years. most of the jails drill instructors have been through a special three-week boot camp with the u.s. marine corps. >> what little i can provide them here, a little structure, give them an opportunity, just that one thought at that one time before they make that fatal mistake of either getting high, picking up a gun, or violating their parole, or better y...

Of them before they get too deep. >> officer alvin formally of the u.s. army is one of the drill instructors. >> my primary goal is to turn these youthful offenders hopefully into productive citizens so they can re-enter society. >> left, left. left, right. >> while in the program, participants are no longer considered inmates, they are cadets. >> the biggest shock to the cadets when they arrive is having to do something that somebody else tells them to do. drop your tray. ready, ready, ready. s...

Good job. >> we have drill instructors that are called case managers. and we go out to their home. we go to their job. we go to their school. wherever it is that they might be. to make sure theyre not back on the block. you know, that theyre not being re-introduced to drugs or gang activity like that. that they stay focused. that is really what separates our program from other programs. thats why we are successful. because we do take an active role in the individual once they leave this particul...

Committed nonviolent crimes. ultimately, a judge decides if an inmate is eligible for the program. >> they have boot camp in lieu of sentencing. and they have to complete our program or they will be sentenced to whatever it is for the crime, whether it be 5, 10, 15 years, or sometimes even life. >> i would be facing 15 to 30 years on armed robbery and kidnapping. so i decided to come to boot camp instead of facing 15 to 30 years. >> there is a criteria to come here and not all of them may meet t...

>> you made the mistake. your family is paying for your mistake. so you know what? they are going to pay for your mistake right now. >> drill instructor monsaurat ponse sees his job as a task master. hes been here for ten years. most of the jails drill instructors have been through a special three-week boot camp with the u.s. marine corps. >> what little i can provide them here, a little structure, give them an opportunity, just that one thought at that one time before they make that fatal mista...

Possibilities, expand alternatives, and then you act. >> you made the mistake. your family is paying for your mistake. so you know what? they are going to pay for your mistake right now. >> drill instructor monsaurat ponse sees his job as a task master. hes been here for ten years. most of the jails drill instructors have been through a special three-week boot camp with the u.s. marine corps. >> what little i can provide them here, a little structure, give them an opportunity, just that one thou...

So i decided to come to boot camp instead of facing 15 to 30 years. >> there is a criteria to come here and not all of them may meet that criteria. theres the physical aspect of it and psychological aspect and they must pass these tests in order to qualify to come here. >> age is also a criteria for acceptance into the program. all inmates must be between 14 and 28 years old. >> when you get somebody thats new to the system, somebody that is not familiar with prison life, you can still grab a ho...

Probation. >> a lot of these people, they come here and they dont know that they can work. and they think, well, the only way im going to get money is if i sell drugs, if i rob, if i steal. you know, theyve never really had a sense of pride in anything that they do. so when they begin to do something and they get proud of it, then it brings about a change in them. >> during the final phase of the program, the cadets are allowed to go home where they are monitored daily for several months. >> are...