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Every year, over 100,000 people are arrested in miami-dade. a large majority are repeat offenders. >> that's where you're going now. you understand that? >> yes, sir, yes, sir! >> march. ahead. ahead. ahead. >> in an effort to help reform inmates and reduce the recidivism rate, miami-dade has implemented an intensive and rigorous military-type program called boot camp. >> why don't you leave me alone? >> why don't you leave me alone? >> why don't you let me go home? >> why don't you let me go home? >> started in 1995, boot camp only accepts 38 inmates every two months, many of whom have commit...

>> absolutely. >> this is the opportunity for you to build up some discipline knowing that you're going to do certain things every day. so you're building a foundation that's going to allow you to make the right decisions when you get out of here. >> me personally, i think the program's helped. every time i've come here, the program has helped me. i have seen brothers graduate and get geds here. i've seen brothers go to task programs and work release programs and stay out of trouble. it works. it works. it may not work for everybody, but it does work and my belief is that if it helps 1 or 2 ou...

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 don't know that they can work. and they think, well, the only way i'm going to get money is if i sell drugs, if i rob, if i steal. you know, they've never really had a sense of pride in anything that they do. so when they begin to do somet...

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. there's 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 o...

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. sit. >> on the street, you free to do anything you want to do. in boot camp, you got to ask for permi...