LIFE IN PRISON..
POLICE SAY A KEY
TO CUTTING CRIME, IS
CRACKING DOWN ON
GANGS.
GANGS ARE A HUGE
PROBLEM IN NEW MEXICO
... AND LAND A LOT OF
CRIMINALS IN PRISON.
KOAT ACTION 7
NEWS REPORTER ALANA
GRIMSTAD EXPLAINS
WHAT'S HAPPENING TO
GANG MEMBERS BEHIND
BARS, TO TRY AND MAKE
OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER.
BEING A GANG
MEMBER MAY BE PART OF
THE REASON THEY ENDED
UP IN PRISON.
People in their lives
influencing them in
the wrong way.
GETTING AWAY FROM
THAT GANG MAY BE PART
OF THE REASON THEY GET
OUT.
Then they're less
likely to make the
poor, selfish
decisions that got
them through those
prison gates to begin
with.
OFFICIALS AT THE
NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT
OF CORRECTIONS ARE
WORKING WITH VIOLENT
CRIMINALS ON A NEW
PROGRAM.
IF THEY DENOUNCE
THEIR GANG
AFFILIATIONS, THEY'VE
GOT A SHOT AT LEAVING
SEGREGATION...
You're basically
sitting there costing
taxpayers.
AND BECOMING PART
OF THE GENERAL INMATE
POPULATION.
DOZENS OF
CONVICTS ARE JUMPING
AT THE CHANCE.
Begins to open up a
greater amount of
opportunities for
inmates to be more
active and more
productive.
THIS IS VIDEO
TAKEN BY CORRECTIONS
OFFICIALS, SHOWING
SEVERAL INMATES MAKE
THE TRANSITION.
THESE OFFENDERS
HAVE BEEN IN
SEGREGATION FOR YEARS
AND AFTER RIGOROUS
THERAPY AND COACHING,
CAN NOW FOR THE FIRST
TIME INTERACT WITH
EACH OTHER, ATTEND
CLASSES, GET A JOB, GO
TO REHAB AND VISIT
WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
This program is about
the safety of our
neighborhoods.
The corrections
secretary says this
program means when
inmates are released,
our neighborhoods will
be safer and filled
with fewer gangs.
96 percent of the
people in our prisons
right now as we talk
are coming back to our
communities, whether
we like it or not.
IN SANTA FE,
ALANA GRIMSTAD KOAT
ACTION 7 NEWS.
THE SECRETARY
SAYS ABOUT 65 INMATES
ARE IN THE PROGRAM,
WITH ANOTHER DOZEN
GOING THROUGH THE
SCREENING PROCESS.
HE SAYS IT'S TOO
NEW TO KNOW JUST HOW
EFFECTIVE IT IS.
TODAY THE
PRESIDENT SIGNED INTO
LAW, A BILL THAT WILL
HELP VETERANS.
THE 16 BILLION
DOLLAR VETERANS
