>> part of al jazeera america's >> special month long evironmental focus fragile planet this is al jazeera america. i'm michael eaves in new york. here are today's top stories. >> i'm running for president. >> hillary clinton makes it official, and joins the race for the white house saudi-led air strikes in yemen intensifies in an effort to stop the conflict spilling over the border in saudi arabia. pope francis called the kill of armenians in tuckey genocide and sets up a diplomatic dispute. >> and water - dying rivers

parched crops and dying cities. a report on this fragile planet. >> i'm getting ready to do something too. i'm running for president. americans have fought their way back from tough economic times, but the degck is still stacked in favour of those at the top. every day americans need a champion i want to be that champion. >> in an online video hillary clinton announcing she is making another run for the white house. the former secretary of state, senator and first lady was the front runner for the 2016 democratic nomination. it's more than a year away and after taking time to jump in hillary clinton not only announced her campaign she started it. libby casey joins us from washington d.c. there has been so much build up to the announcement.

did it live up to expectations? >> today's launch was not about showing a candidate power or supporters chanting her name. the clinton campaign went with an understated approach and they hope the campaign will be about the hopes and needs of american people not the hopes and needs of hillary clinton a presidential campaign roll out online. hillary clinton jumped into the race for a second time after a bruising defeat in the 2008 democratic primary to president obama. the video's tone one of optimism and focus on americans, rather than the candidate herself. >> every day we are trying to get more and more ready and prepared. >> reporter: tapping into the popularism that won her husband bill clinton the presidency two

times. >> i'm hitting the road to earn your vote because it's your time. and i hope you'll join me on this journey. >> reporter: the announcement was months in the making. as hillary clinton kept mum about her plans, a fundraising machine grew up around her, the back raising more than $15 million, laying the grouped work in key states like iowa where the 2008 primary bid rode off the rails and she came in a disappointing third place. it plans to combine old-fashioned event with grass roots campaigns, and modern media, as hillary clinton did today, spreading the word in english and spanish. the announcement drew fire from republican contenders eager to capitalize on the attention and doing fundraising of their own. >> clinton represents the worst

of the washington machine. >> after months of speculation and waiting, there's no doubt the race for 2016 is on. >> michael, the campaign hopes that today's lunch is a distinct departure from the 2008 race where hillary clinton was criticized for taking her status and voters for granted. instead they want to avoid an idea of an anointed nominee. she has no challengers to speak of yet in the democratic primary, but supporters know it will be a different matter if she makes it to the general election. it will be competitive, and they need to get ready for it. >> social media was abuzz with the anticipation of the announcement and afterwards. we have not seen mrs. clinton publicly today. where is she tonight. >> that's right, a low approach. no flashy event for this evening either. she's in new york. she is working the phones. calling major supporters giving them a sense of their inside

their part of the process. they plan a conference call with supporters and donors and they see her hit iowa and she'll visit poor towns. she'll go to south carolina new hampshire, but it will not be until next month that they have a big event and they are hoping by then she'll have set the tone. >> libby casey reporting from washington d.c. michael shure, al jazeera's political correspondent joins us from los angeles. let's talk about her announcement. it was different from republican candidate ted cruz a public forum, where the former senator client does it on social media. what do you think about the new tactic for announcing a nomination. >> it's very different. i think this is you know talking about setting the tone this is a tone that hillary clinton is going to set.

she'll go after a younger voter, a tech savvy voter. it fits in line to people that i spoke to. that he wants to concentrate on the joininger voters. she was going to be the favourite for the democratic nomination as libby casey reported no one from the democratic side is yet to announce a run, other than mrs. clinton, how does it affect the campaign if at all? >> here is the thing. there's many ways of looking at this. a lot thought al gore in 2000 was the presumptive nominee, and bill bradley, a former senator and from the new york knicks he wan against al gore and did arguably more damage to al gore in the primary than governor bush of texas, who won the election. a lot of people are saying it's

okay. what hillary clinton has to do is she'll be running against the media. i think she'll run against old hillary. she needs to come out of that box, do what she did on twitter and appeal to a younger voter. >> the money is poring in. when you go back to 2008 where president obama upset her. what surprised the campaign is the amount of money that president obama, senator president obama was able to raise, is there anyone on the democratic side that can sneak in and try to raise as much money to keep up with clinton? >> no that's it. a lot of people have been waiting on the sideline for hillary to announce. the pact has been raising money for a while, ready for hillary, that's the point. once hillary announce it will

be hard for a lot of main stream candidates the joe byedens and the -- joe bidens and the senators out of new york. it will be impossible for them to raisele money that -- raise the money that it will take to beat hillary. some say get into the race now. it's not the right move. if something happens to the clinton candidacy, if she stumbles or falls, others not in the race now will get into the rice. if martin omallee or joe biden, doesn't mean they'll take the mantle over from a hillary clinton that with would drop out. >> we had a couple of days notice about this announcement. no surprise that those on the republican side had an answer to her announcement. including former florida governor jed bush. let's take a listen. >> we must do better than the

obama-clinton foreign policy that damaged relationships with our allies. big government policies that grow debt and stand in the way of economic growth and prosperity. i believe it's conservative ideas that will renew america, grow the economy, put our fiscal house in order and make our great country stronger. >> what does it say about jed bush and the republican side of this campaign that they are going after hillary clinton the day that she announces her candidacy. >> it's not a surprise. there's 576 days it's election day. you'll hear a lot of this. they'll go after hillary clinton. you saw what jed bush did, they said obama clinton. it didn't work as well for them with obama care. to the point where president obama took that name and used obama care. he called it the affordable care act for a long time.

whether or not they coopt that name putting distance twop the voters and clinton because of a dislike for president obama is to be seen. we just have ted cruz rand paul bush and marco rubio tomorrow. i think there's going to be - they'll fight among themselves and they'll go after obama-clinton. that'll be the access they'll fight. >> an easy target aimed at president obama since he's been in the white house. michael shure joining us our al jazeera political correspondent. thank you. >> thank you in yemen the battle is intensifying. iran called for saudi arabia to end air strikes. the saudis say they have no intentions of backing down. the humanitarian situation is tire. we have a report near the saudi-yemen border. >> the said saudi-led air

strikes continued. the saudis blame the houthis for seven civilian casualties saying the houthis are hiding in residential areas and using civilians as sheeds. -- as shields. in aden fighting conditions between fighters and loyalists, and the local committees trying to defend the residential areas. in the middle of the country tribal formations tribes of yemen have announced a mobilize mobilization. >> now escalation across the border. three saudi soldiers were killed. this sauce fear and apprehension of more escalation as there is talk about possible ground invasion. there's no official decision in that report by the saudi

government turkey recalled its ambassador to the vatican after the pope called the death of armenias after world war i, the first genocide of the 20th century. courtney kealy has the torie. >> 100 years ago this month ottoman turks rounded up armenian christians over two years, it's believed 1.5 million men women and children were killed. on sunday in a memory of the mass killings pope francis said this:. >> in the past century our human family lived through three massive tragedies, the first, a first genocide of the 20th century struck your own people. >> reporter: turkey objected in advance after learning that the pope would use the term genocide. the president of armenia

welcomed the comments. >> translation: we are getting messages from over the world, armenians over the world are touched by the message. they consider this 100 years long fight for recognition is going on there's significant results. >> reporter: more than 20 countries acknowledge the armenian genocide. turkey maintained the death was a result of civil war and unrest. allies, u.s. and italy refused to recognise the genocide. and turks will not recognise the pope's statement. >> to be honest i don't believe the word genocide should be used bay relagious figure with many followers. >> you can't say it did or didn't happen, yes t did. there was a massacre on both sides. >> reporter: the vatican acknowledged the armenian genocide since a declaration was

signed in 2001 by pope john paul ii a professor of social political history and director of the isenberg institute of political studies joins us from los angeles. what is the significance of pope francis's comments? >> when a world leader of the stature of the pope makes this kind of comment, it has a rippling effect throughout the world. this pope has made his mark as someone who is extending the role of the church into areas which traditionally had been marginalized and now took a moral, political stand to recognise three great tragedies of the 20th century. the armenian genocide the nazi-jew dayo side. and by talking about them he made it possible for those that suffered and are still suffering

because of the unhealed wounds of those 1950 events. he's making it possible for them to come to terms with their own grieving. >> he's not the first pope to acknowledge the genocide of the armenian people during world war i, but is the first to say it publicly. despite that turkey seems adamant about suggesting what happened at that time was genocide or apologising for it. what will the comments do between relationships with turks and armenians. >> turkey itself is on the defensive. we had a conference here at the university of california and los angeles on the genocide there. many things about to happen. april 24th the day we commemorate worldwide that genocide is coming up. turkey is trying to figure out how to deal officially with the

tragedy. they are not ready to acknowledge it as a genocide. as your own report showed young people in civil society, outside of the state, in turkey are already admitting that this was a genocide. they are watching programs learning about these things. social media is active and a progressive intelligence discussed the issues as well. it might be for a short time there'll be tensions between the vatican and turkey there'll be problems between armenia and turkey but the denial of the genocide is in retreat i'm running out of time but i want to ask you for the sake of argument let's say turkey recognises this as a genocide what does it mean for the armenian people and the international community is this. >> it would mean we could put to rest a terrible tragedy.

as many don't recognise some of the things they have done to their own people. the japanese have trouble acknowledging what happened to koreans and chinese. and the americans as well. if we don't go beyond the burial of these memories if we don't go towards a recognition, the wounds will fester and that's what the pope said in his message. >> professor, university of michigan joins us from los angeles, thank you for joining us coming up a special report - fragile planet continues. a report is raising the red flag on several rivers in the u.s. and the iraqi prime minister heads to the u.s. asking for help to fight i.s.i.l. and we talk to iraq's ambassador to the

u.s.

the help of u.s. rivers

begins with special coverage. 10 rivers are at risk from pollution, piping and dam. allen schauffler looks at a river that may be in trouble. >> the columbia river drains water from seven states and canadian province. it brings drinking water to millions and irrigates an estimated 600,000 acres of crop land. 19 dams in organ, washington and british columbia -- oregon washington and british columbia many generating electricity, powering the economy. >> it has been a benefit to this region. a wide river. it's been a long time. a group, american river has the columbian river as number two. the way it operates changes the nos of river, destroying salmon

runs and wiping out a way of life. >> villages have been flooded. inundated by the dams and the salmon runs have been affected. they have damage. paul lumley heads the fish commission made up of four north-west tribes. lobbying for a treaty to govern how the river is managed. the treaty signed by the u.s. and canada deals with hydroelectric power and flood control. lumley's group wants a third element written into the treaty which is under review in washington d.c. and ottawa. for the tribes it's about the fish. >> no matter what the decision is the tribes are not going away. we'll focus on fish restoration to get fish into canada. the hands of tribes that lost the salmon.

>> reporter: as of last september either country can ask for a renegotiation of the treaty. >> this is a multiple year effort. we'll have to work through the state department on thou approach canada on the issues. >> uncertainty about how river management could change or whether it will change at all is a reason american rivers ranked the columbia so high. >> with modern laws that protect the environment and fish and wildlife and the tribes writing to the fish and the wildlife they have to come forward and pay for mitigation. there's no question about it. >> the army corp of engineers spends an estimated 80 to $100 million a year on improving the chances for survival on endangered fish stocks. >> on the whole we are doing good. can we do better. we can do better. >> while millions benefitted from a concrete and steel

reality, the modern columbia needs managing. the drought in california's forcing farmers to make tough decisions, keeping water for the crops or sell it to cities for profit. melissa chan continues the coverage and the business of buying and selling water. >> chances are you have eaten produce grown with water from the san luis reservoir. >> the last 18 months have been difficult. the situation now is desperate. truly desperate. >> another dry season means farmers have tough choices, let the land lie fallow or buy from elsewhere in the states. >> our agencies making bids. others making bids. we are competing for a limited resource we are sowing prices unprecedented and it's

reflective of how bad the situation is. >> reporter: rural california's purchasing power may lose out to los angeles. the metropolitan water distribute is the largest provider of drinking water, serving 19 million people. >> ford authorised me to by $70 million from rice farmers in north california. we are hopeful that will turn out. it's unclear. if the weather stays this dry, they may not have water to sell. >> this is a rice farmer who might have water to sell. planting starts in a few weeks. the sale depends on his water allocation which he's waiting to hear from. >> if we don't get full allocation, we will not sell anything. if we do get full allocation - which doesn't look like it will happen at all. then we would create the opportunity as a district to sell up to 20%.

>> here is what is holding up multi million deals. it's where these farmers draw their water. >> we are at lake oroville a major reserve viewer. look at the brown ban. that's a water mark. the top of that band is where the water level used to be. take a look at the house works. lake oroville is half empty because of the draught. with levels low, bidders may beg for water. the worst drought means farmers that have that water may not have more to spare. >> i don't think there's a case where we sold very much. we have an infrastructure that survives if we keep farming, that's what we do we farm. >> reporter: with farmers across the state changing their callualous on how much water to by or sell or how much or little to plant, the draught may show the impact from beyond the farm

to the table. earlier we spoke about the columbia river in oregon. there's another issue, thousands of see loins are taking up -- lions are taking up residents. allen schauffler has more on that story. >> reporter: the battle for dock start for migrating male californian sea lions, they are almost everywhere along the city of astoria's water front. >> all the years i've done this work i have never seen anything like it. >> marine mammal researcher studied the animals since the 1970s. the survey showing twice as many as last year 10 times the number dropping by for dinner five years ago. the big draw tasty bake fish and now spring chinook salmon

beginning a journey up river. they'll fatten up and rest and head for breathing grounds off southern california but the local diet is a concern for wildlife managers and commercial and sport fishermen. i don't see what is so special. the faces are cute. if they hook like monsters we would have done something else about them. he fishes upstream 20 miles from the hungry crowd. up river the concern for survival is greater and tactic aggressive. we are 145 miles from the ocean with a tribal boat crew on sea lion hazing duty. scaring california and the bigger see loins away from the sal man and steel head. the salmon here are easy targets.

55 californian see lions have been trapped and youthanized. >> none of us wants to kill see loips, no one enjoys it. >> there could be more government sanctioned killing if they push up river. >> it breaks my heart. >> veronica volunteers with the sea lion defense brigade. critics say the hyde re electric dam system farming and development deserve more blame that see lions, the dams are a fact of north-west like. >> whether we like them or not, they are here and here to stay. >> they statement 5-10% of sal mornings 20,000 chinook end up foot for sea lions between astoria and bonville meaning the hazing and killing could continue this year still ahead on al jazeera america hillary clinton announced she's running for

president again. and the conversation in iowa about the former president's shot at winning the nomination has begun. we take you to iowa next. next.

welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm michael eaves, here is a look at the top stories. hillary clinton ended speculation, announcing she's running for president in 2016. the state senator from new york and first lady made the announcement by way of an online video. in yemen saudi arabia hits four cities. the assault continuing despite calls from iran to stop. houthi fighters fired across the border into saudi arabia. 30 tops of medical aid arrived in sanaa. turkey recalled its ambassador to the vatican following comments to pope francis. he called the death of a million armenians after world war i genocide. turkey claims it was a result of civil war and unrest.

>> hillary clinton has thrown her hat into the ring for the race in 2016. she started the campaign where the last one ended, in iowa. ashar quraishi heads there now. >> reporter: we are crossing the river into iowa home to the first presidential caucus. we are a year away but candidates and hopefuls have begun to criss-cross the state. politics presidential politics - who is run, who should be - is taken seriously in iowa. >> if the election were today and hillary clinton was the democrat party... >> reporter: in a coffee shop a grow of democratics activists gathered to talk - what else - fol ticks. -- politics. they want hillary clinton as a front runner and her nomination is inevitable. >> a good primary is good for the party.

that in the end will energy more voters. >> i don't want to be told by the national media that our candidate is going to be hillary clinton. >> hello iowa. clinton visited iowa once in 2008. >> i'm back. >> where she finished a disappointing third to president obama. she came to the hawkeye state to bid farewell to outgoing senator tom harkin. >> i know that in your state you'll nist on meeting the canned -- insist on meeting the candidates. >> a number of rivals are trying to fill the voi. former governor of maryland has been attending two dozen events around the state since the start of 2014. >> i get the sense people are tired of seeing so many candidates in the republican

party without hearing a cough on our side. people -- conversation on our side. people have been encouraging of me and my potential canned das yip. >> i love hillary clinton. >> jennifer jacobs works for the demoyne register and has been covering the campaigns. >> if hillary clinton doesn't come and create the rivalry and if others don't jump in there'll be a lot of democrats dissatisfied and you'll see voter tonne out depressed. >> reporter: support may be flipping. her favour ability is 45%, down four since february. that may not matter. political signs professor tim hagel says name recognise is what counts at this early stage. >> the advantage for hillary clinton is regardless of the other candidates - none have jumped in fought hard against

her and don't seem to have a chaps. >> a main issue... >> some democratic activists are pragmatic enough to move away from backing an ideal candidate in order to support clinton. >> if she is your best shot you will supporter. >> i will support the democratic candidate whoever it may be. >> because in the end it's all about victory. >> i.s.i.l. released a video purportedly showing fighters demolishing the city in iraq. in the video they are shown destroying artefacts including pictures of and deities. i.s.i.l. wants to eliminate figures worshipped in the past to further a cal fate cause. iraqi prime minister is planning to ask for more support

on tuesday. they'll request drones and other weapons to combat the armed group and is expected to ask for postponement of the purposes because iran is expecting a budget deficit of $21 million. joining us to discuss the upcoming visit between president obama and the iraqi president is the ricky ambassador -- iraqi ambassador. can you confirm a request to use drones in the fight. >> thank you. the prime minister will be here on tuesday. he'll discuss is number of issues including how could the united states support iraq in the fight against islamabad, and some of our own economical challenges. >> is it about equipment in the fight against i.s.i.l. than perm itself? >> we already have our own

people on the ground. we require technology and training. we require ammunition and other support. the united states has been our key partner. we need either including the united states to help us with liberation of anbar. >> we mentioned the budget deficit expected to be north of $20 billion, how is that affecting the government as a whole and the fight against i.s.i.l.? >> as you may know the challenges ahead are numerous and layers of them including economical in relation to oil prices. we have a high dependency on the oil prices. we hope that any recovery in increasing oil prices helps us in a positive way, and we know that we are out reaching to i.m.f. and others.

we are selling bonds and so on to make up to some of that deficit. war, by its own nature is not - is a process that requires a substantial amount of funds, and we'll seek support from our partners in the united states and others to make up for that and accelerate the liberation of our lands from i.s.i.s. d.a.e.s.h. >> beyond the fight of i.s.i.l. the new government pledged to include all spent of society in the government in the region. how does that process may out when you have deep factions in iraq. >> the prime minister was in erbil trying to do an outreach and making sure that they respond to forces and the political entities of iraq supporters in the liberation of our land from i.s.i.s.

last week we met with the political leaders and security leaders from various tribes. he'll continue to do that. he was in naj ab talking about that with political leaders of iraq. we have a coalition government. all parties are involved. the minister of defence, the finance minister will be included in the trip and they reflect the diversity of iraq. we have the united government and a common objective. we need to work together. the united states is our partner, and we look forward to support from others. >> going into the meeting with president obama on tuesday, is prime minister haider al-abadi optimistic that the iraqis on the ground will get the support they need. >> we had a number of positive signs including the speech by

the vice president. other signs we have seen from the traffic flow of administration to baghdad and vice versa. we have a positive relationship now, including by the way with congress where last week we had talks by the speaker and majority leader in baghdad. more to follow it's part of the partnership. dialogue and conversation in the fight againsties. >> luke -- against i.s.i.s. >> hopefully we can speak to you later in the week after the meeting between president obama and prime minister haider al-abadi. >> secretary of state john kerry is asking for patients. he's asking for everywhere to hold their fire until they have seen the agreement. >> i think we've earned the right through what we have

achieved in the interim agreement and laid out in the parameter set forth, we earnt the right to complete this without interference and partisan politics. >> it remains to be seen if republican lawmakers will grant at request for patience. an outspoken critic binyamin netanyahu is not holding back. >> instead of making dangerous concessions to iran now is the time for the international community to reassert and fortify demands for a better deal. we must not allow iran the formal sponsor of global terrorism to have an easy path to nuclear weapons, which will threaten the world. >> binyamin netanyahu says iran need this deal more than any other nation and, therefore, should be the one making concessions to get it done. >> cubans in havana are expressing views on the historic

meeting between their president. president obama and raul castro had the first foreign meeting. many in cuba are looking for an easing of u.s. restrictions. >> cubans are expecting that the u.s. government softens an embargo against cuba because we have the right to breath freely. >> not everyone in cuba is open to the deal. anti-government group known as the ladies in white held a protest in havana saying little will change after the warming of relations. with cubans living in the united states hope the government back home will change its policies. >> i hope raul castro uses the meeting with obama for the people of cuba to live better. not only economically. but freely as in the united states. so we can do and say what we want. >> president obama and president castro met pop the sidelines of

the seventh summit of americas in panama city. asylum seekers flooded germany with the most applications causing a lot of hostility amongst citizens.

more than 600,000 people applied for asylum seekers in the european union. by far the most applications were in germany. in some areas hostility to the policy lead to violence. dominik kane reports from germany. >> this man sits in a room in an asylum center. he's 29 years old. his journey lasted many months taking him through many countries, often at great risk.

germany was his ultimate goal. >> it was like after the conflict it was a dream for me to arrive in germany. everything was like i imagined. people are welcoming us. >> this father comes from the center from time to time. >> father comes to help the people. he tells me why the initiative it is important. >> most are afraid because they have a fear of the unknown. it's true that there's a large number of people that want to help the refugees. to combine both take away the fears and help is a main task that we want to achieve here. >> just a few minutes down the rod it's a different story -- down the road it's a different

story. >> in a town intended for asylum seekers, it was set on fire. last year more than 160,000 people applied for asylum seekers in germany. up more than 60% on the previous year. this man received 3% of the total. the state authorities say that acts like this will not stop their plans to continue housing asylum seekers, but here public opinion is divided. >> we would welcome anyone that chooses to come here. we are constantly losing residents in the city especially young people are disappearing. if young people or families come here that would be very beneficial. >> how should i say it? i say it like this. if there was someone brave enough i don't want to sound like i'm right wing or racist. a lot don't want them here. >> back others disagree.

he says the welcome germany has given him has made him want to build a new life and then to give something back the australian government is planning to cut financial benefits for parents that refuse to vaccinate their children. andrew thomas has more on that story from sydney. >> australia government has called the policy no jab, no pay. by that families will miss out on tax credit and child care if they refuse to have their children vaccinated. australia had a high level of vaccinations vaccinations, but there are pockets where it's lower. and diseases like whooping cough are making a come back. conscientious objectors have risen to 40,000, parents saying they had a religious or a medical or conscientious reason

not to have their child vaccinated. they could have had a short talk with their doctors, got a form signed and have been given permission to they continue to get benefits. the australian government things it's too high. they want to bring it down. in future, the only way to receive the benefits and not have the child vaccinated is if you have a strong religious or medical reason not to. being a conscientious objector is not enough. the senate will face a bill doctors could have fills cut by 21%. join us for more on the med yi care bill during "the week ahead" 8:30 eastern, 5:30 pacific here on al jazeera america most of the country

enjoyed fine weather. kevin corriveau is here with an update. >> oh my god. we know how great it was, we had temperatures of 63. towards corey washington it's the end of the cherry blossom festival but they'll go on we'll reach the peak in washington. it's not over with. today's temperature was 70 degrees. tomorrow's temperature in washington. how about 78 degrees. rain on tuesday. the cherry blossoms are nice. this afternoon or evening, we had been watching the development over the western part of texas, we have thunderstorm watches and warnings in effect for western and central texas going up to oklahoma and the southern part of kansas. that means we could see gusty damaging winds in that area so you want to be careful as we go into the next several hours, we had a big outbreak this week.

this is not big, but is something to watch. >> look out for the people there. coming up helping boys that have made big mistakes. >> might have done something and wouldn't have been given a second chance. >> a programme aimed at keeping young minorities out of prison is showing success.

pass one in three black males in the united states will spend time in prison once during their lifetime. as heidi zhou-castro reports a dallas judge is leading a programme to reverse that trend. >> steps from the barbed wire from the dallas juvenile detention center are boys learning to become men. >> i was given a second chance.

>> the mother of 14-year-old jock asks us not to use his full name. it's been a year since mother and son call jock's big mistake. why do you think your son did it? stupid. >> stupid. peer pressure that's it. >> reporter: it started as a normal morning in the 7th grade. kids were in the hallway before the bell. jock 13 at the time decided he and a friend would pull a joke. >> we had a duffle bag full of fire works and took one out and lit it set it on the ground and took off the other way. >> reporter: what were you thinking at the time? >> i was thinking it wouldn't go off as big as it did, but scare a deproud. >> it went off in the building. >> three students temporarily lost their hearing, one was trampled and hospitalized. the school was evacuated.

jock a kid with no criminal history, he was arrested. >> when they said what they were charging him with i was "are you serious?" inciting a riot and terroristic bombing. things were looking bad for jocks, and then the district attorney referred jock's case to a programme aimed at reducing minority males in the juvenile justice system. most of the kids in the system are kids making one maek. rather than make them pay with a permanent record ranging from aggravated assault to robbery the diversion male court let's the boys work their way to a clean record. george ashford is the court appointed judge and sees each man once a week. >> i don't want you to have the mentality of passing, i want you

to have the mentality of doing well. >> reporter: the boys take turns seeing the judging. the first rule hold the door for your mother and hold out the chair. >> i sit up and say this is the secret. women love this. >> reporter: the boys write essays about character traits they are working on - respect, trustworthiness and caring. they check in with probation officers weekly at home and school. drug counsellors, family therapists and truancy officers are on standby. of the 143 kids who have been through the specialty courts only four have reoffended before the programme's end. jock is a graduate. he's at a new middle school. >> i think it has changed the perspective i see for myself. if i wouldn't have had that. i would have done something more serious and wouldn't have been

given a second chance. >> the diversion court is two years old. and long-term success remains to be seen there are 60,000 young people under the age of 21 behind bars in the united states. they are young blacks and hispanics. new mexico developed a programme to reform the gainas. -- agendas. we look at kids behind bars. >> this is the oldest teenager in the unit. a 19-year-old. it's a long way from his days as a gang member. he's been in gaol three times. once he and his brother beat a drug client. this time she's serving two years or orson and assault. >> what brought you here? >> i was on a one year. >> you put gas on his car and set it on fire. >> yes. >> and it blew-up.

>> more or less. >> reporter: that god you how much time? >> a year. >> reporter: and that was in albuquerque. >> yes. and we jumped a kid with a weapon. >> reporter: what weapon? >> a sock with a bar of soap. when the staff tried to intervene my friend assaulted him, and i followed suit. >> reporter: that's what brought you here. >> yes i was committed to the age of 21. >> reporter: the first year nothing change. >> i was a [ beeping ] . >> reporter: i guess that is what it sounded like a bad kid. >> trying to get instigated in fights trying to get restrained. >> reporter: what happened in the 2.5 years that you've been here. >> i can honestly say i woke up one day "i don't want to do this no more." i don't have a reason to do

actions or control anger. i learnt a lot of education. >> what made you realise it was fun to learn? >> i was always there, but i never took time to sit, never had the wheel or had someone to push me. some staff would help me out with that. has having mentors helped you? >> they helped me out a lot. their life experiences. some relate to me some are in bad situations some push me. i got love for once. faction. affection. they showed me kindness. >> reporter: you had to come behind bars really to get some attention and affection. >> i know it sounds odd. something like that we take you inside that juvenile center "kids behind bars", airing at 10 eastern, 7 pacific. finally, golf's major

tournament crowns a champ yogion jordan spieth wins in record fashion, 18-under par, the same as tiger woods in his historic win. jordan spieth is the second youngest winner behind woods and sets a record with 28 birdies over 72 holes, the first player to leadery round of the tournament since 1976. the first title for the young texan, i have a feeling he win more. that's all but the news continues now with erica pitzi thank you. this is al jazeera america. i'm erica pitzi in for thomas drayton. here is a look at the top stories. >> i'm running for president hillary clinton makes it official and joins the race for the white house. saudi-led air strikes in