Page 22 - State Prisons News Today

Time. this is -- definitely the last time. >> how do you know this is different? >> i just feel totally different. i have never done a program and out of 16 years being in jail, i feel so much better after this 14 months that im doing right here. its an awakening for me personally. >> we have all made a choice to participate in trying to change our life. >> just a few years ago therapy-based programming here didnt exist. inmates were here for too short a time. the average stay was just 54 days. ...

In. >> do you think youve become institutionalized? >> definitely. >> definitely. >> i choose to keep coming back to jail. but this is the last time. definitely the last time. >> how do you know that this is different? >> i just feel totally different. ive never done a program. and out of 16 years of being in jail, i feel so much better after that 14 months that im doing right here. its an awakening for me, personally. >> weve all made a choice to participate in trying to change our life. >> jus...

This mission today. its good to see everybody coming together, working toward a common goal, several institutions, okaloosa, walton, century, the igs canine. what were doing this morning, mass search. our goal is to identify, locate and remove items of contraband, making santa rosa a safer place for the inmates and the staff. >> todays search will cover two housing units and involve officers from santa rosa, three other state prisons, and the states inspector generals canine unit. the dogs are t...

>> two. >> left. >> two. >> all right, yall, hold it down. hey, if you stop talking and get up here, well go to chow. we structure everything like the military. and we like to have everybody do the same thing all together and they stay in compliance when they do that. if youve got your hands in your pockets, youre wrong. if youve got your hands in your jacket, youre wrong. >> we make them walk on the line so we do have consistency. and if everybodys walking in a straight line, it makes our job a...

>> as the capital of california, sacramento is the worlds eighth largest economy. while decisions made here could have global impact, nestled among its downtown skyscrapers and government buildings is a reminder of local concerns. the main branch houses about 2,000 men and women. like traditional jails, most of them are only charged with crimes and awaiting resolution for trials and cases. sacramentos main jail is also affected by ab-109. a law that diverts convicts from state prisons to county ...

Unlike most jails where the majority of inmates are only accused of crimes and awaiting trial, about 65% of the inmates are convicted and serving sentences. thats due, in part, to a 2011 law known as ab-109. it was created to help relieve the californias state prison systems once dangerously over-crowded conditions. now, thousands of inmates who normally would have gone to prison are diverted to county jails. the law has drastically changed the make-up of the inmate population with more convicts...

-- from overcrowded state prisons. ♪ money make the world go round ♪ ♪ my ego got the girl going down ♪ >> all these inmates will someday be released to the streets of sacramento. so the new law brings significant funding for job training and re-entry programs in hopes of providing them the help they need to not return. >> when i was locked up, i had no motivation. now i see inmates with motivation, that something it out there to help them and do something different. >> ten years ago, ro...

Serious or violent felony, the third strike, locked up 25 to life. increased the population of state prisons to be sure but filling the state prisons with folks that had a demonstrated track record of victimizing others. >> it would appear that this get tough on crime initiative was voted in because of offenders like gregory gavin. >> a lot of this charges, theft and violence. seems to be his claim to fame. >> his first two were for burglary and robbery. though hes racked up others over the p...

The mission turned fort still stands at the heart of downtown as a symbol of honor and bravery. today, however, a very different war rages in san antonio, as two rival gangs shed blood in a power struggle to control a wide range of criminal activity, including drugs, prostitution, and human trafficking. and this turf war has expanded from the streets to inside the walls of san antonios bear county jail. >> traditionally the mexican mafia, an outgrowth of a prison gang, had been a controlling gan...

-- from overcrowded state prisons. ♪ money make the world go round ♪ ♪ my ego got the girl going down ♪ >> all these inmates will someday be released to the streets of sacramento. so the new law brings significant funding for job training and re-entry programs in hopes of providing them the help they need to not return. >> when i was locked up, i had no motivation. now i see inmates with motivation, that something it out there to help them and do something different. >> ten years ago, ro...