msnbc takes you behind the walls of the most notorious prisons into a world of danger, now the scenes you have never seen. lock up raw. >> back in a minute in 1852, and home to california's death row, san quentin state prison was bursting at the seams due to overcrowding. when we shot our extended stay series there, san quentin had one program designed to discourage troubled teens from

ever joining its ranks in the future. through the squires program, selected inmates shared their experiences with teenagers who had already had run-ins with the law. >> what we need you to understand, you are if san quentin this morning. are you if a place that no kid should ever want to be in. you should be out playing somewhere in the park. you are here because of something you did is there what's your name? >> angel. >> how old are you? >> 13. >> i'm 16. >> jonathan, i'm 16, too. >> what i want to know, this is your life, man. you have an opportunity to leave out of this place and never come back. >> let me introduce myself to you guys. my name's david. i'm about to be 25 years old in a few more months, but i have been in prison since i was 15-years-old for murder. >> david monroe is serving a 15 year to life sentence after

having pled guilty to second degree murder. >> i banged before. i have been on the streets before. i'm from stockton. i did it before, all of it. everything you guys say you did, everything you guys think that you didn't did that which ain't did with edid it. >> it's really just about us not scolding the kids. it's not a scared straight. but we try to give you the communication part like look, man, this is what i did, this is what it got me. this is the trophy they was trying to earn. is this what you want to earn? most kids they don't. do you want to come to jamie at 15-years-old? do you want to come to prison be on the yard, aye, stands up, let me see how tall you are? this was me. this was me when i came to prison. >> they're 15, they look at me like oh my god, are you serious? nather usually what i get, are you serious? 15-years-old, they lock you up, can they do that? >> at 15, his involvement in gang violence changed his life

forever. >> they say you carry a gun, vent wally you will use it. it did happen. we were with a girl. i seen somebody walking by, we had a confront of theation. i askled him about his going affiliation, if he had a period with my street or the color red. he said, yes. me trying to prove myself to my peers, i'll show you, i'm down. i reacted. i shot him six times. i ended up murdering him basically for a color. i never planned to commit a robbery, he never planned before his future to be took murder. he never planned for his life to be commiting attempted murder. it all came about by the behavior and the lifestyle we chose to. say you do a robbery, what do you think is going to happen? >> if you get caught. you go to juvenile. >> what about your mom? who do you think will happen to her? 12k34r she will be sad and cry? >> and hurt. >> and you shaking your head, so you know that can happen to your mother, too? >> yeah. >> okay.

that you all know this. why would you put yourself in that situation? >> maybe you got to take a risk sometimes. >> take a risk sometimes? >> yeah. >> you don't think about it. that's part about being a juvenile, you are not fully thinking of what you are doing. you are just trying to be cool to fit in. >> i'm real offended by what you said. i'm putting myself 'in your mama's shoes right now. you tell me you are willing to sell your mama out? >> it's worth it. unless you want it. you are taking a risk. >> i don't care what you say it ain't worth it. ain't nothing worth my mama to me. you guys aren't paying attention to how you hurt your mom. >> monroe never realized how his crimes would hurt his own mother until the day he was sentenced. >> when the judge actually said are you a cold blooded murder, i try to use an adult to be sentenced 15 years to life in prison, i heard my mom skreechl scream, it was a horrible feeling, physically, mentally it was horrible. i put my head in my lap and i

cried. >> the boys are given a preview of the stark conditions they might face if they ever enter the california prison system. >> i want you guys to get a good look at this restroom. this is where you are going to use the restroom. look how they take care of this place. do you want to use this restroom? you come to prison, this is what you are putting yourself in. because you have for the privacy once you are in prison. that's what you guys are coming to. >> yeah. i believe what i got out of it is i don't want to end up if in jail. so i got to watch what i'm doing start making better choices, one messed up choice i can be here in life is there it. >> it ain't a good place to be. >> it has to come when you. you have to want to change. i always said this for my victim, i can't give him his life back, but i can save somebody else's life because of what i did. i hope his family knows you know

what happened to him is not in vain anymore, some people are actually being saved. >> you all take care, man. take care. hopefully we don't see you again, that's the hope. >> san quentin is just one of numerous prisons or jails across the nation where inmates and staff provide cautionary tales for troubled youth. at the sufficient folks county jail if boston, massachusettes. we encountered another program called jail break. >> just remember when you are have visiting here. you will get an experience, make sure you take everything out of your pockets. all right. hat, you take the hat off. show some respect. take everything out of your pockets. change, quarter, nick else, anything, bus passes. >> when we film in a prison or a jail we do our best. in the case of jail break, you know, these kids came in and, yeah, they were definitely aware of the camera.

>> are you scared? >> are you scared? how about you? >> no. >> are you not scared right now? >> no. >> there is for the reason to be scared, to tell you the truth. >> at the same time i don't think it was necessarily the camera that affected them in the way that they had an attitude or they had the certain bravado. i think it was more relating to age. >> everybody stands up. come over there. >> right now, all you got to do is empty your pockets, take your jackets off. if you can should be around your wrist, if you're ears or in your pockets. everybody over here. put these uniforms on over your clothes. hurry up. >> these kids are from the boston public schools. they were suspended from school because of something that they did. >> tuck your shirts inside, guys, tuck your shirts inside. >> once they have the uniform on and i start yelping at them and start talking to them in a way that, you know, they know that i'm in control, then they don't know what to do.

so they just break down. >> are you 12-years-old, dude, you want to cut somebody. assault somebody. okay. keep on smiling like this, there is nothing funny here 12k34r i'm not smiling. >> keep your mouth shut. >> 16-year-old damon pope, already, recently caught with marijuana, appeared to not break down. >> are you if jail, 16, you will be 17 in a month. have you this attitude like you are too good to be in the place. you are going to run this place, are you kidding me? you think eare that cool? >> i got goals. >> you got goals? >>py goal is trying to entrepreneur, you know, a business, possibly take over this jail, you know, to be at home like donald trump collecting money, writing checks, possibly write you a check you know. >> uh-huh, that sounds great. >> i tell awe your goals, are you will be in one of these units if you continue to do these things you are doing in a month. i'll give you less than that, you are 17-years-old, you will

not leave. you understand me? you will not leave. that's what's going to happen to you, everybody put your arms out, put your thumbs down, all the way up. i don't have anything. a piece of string, tie his arms together, he's not even strong enough to break that. >> these are tight. >> they're not made for comfort. you hear that get used to that. >> why are you so cruel. >> what did i do to you? >> i don't like punk little kids coming into my jail and thinking they're cool. >> i didn't disrespect you. >> i don't like you thinking you are tough. keep your pout shut. that's what i want you to do right now. pick up your feet and move. >> the boys are escorted into the jail and placed in separate cells. >> face that corner right there. are you making your mother proud? >> no. >> no? are you going to change your

ways? >> yeah. >> you know you got a friend coming, a roommate. are you ready for him? >> yee. >> you are, you are ready for him? >> him dock up, take these things off right now, get going, tough guy. >> the kids meet the inmates. >> anybody smoking weed is going to ends up in jail. . uhhh. no, that can't happen. that's the thing, you don't know how long it has to last. everyone has retirement questions. so ameriprise created the exclusive.. confident retirement approach. now you and your ameripise advisor can get the real answers you need. well, knowing gives you confidence. start building your confident retirement today. intercourse that's painfulit... due to menopausal changes. the problem isn't likely to go away... ...on its own. so it's time we do something about it. and there's help. premarin vaginal cream.

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. >> during our extended stay shoot at the suffolk county jail in boston, three inmates preselectled by jail staff were about to introduce themselves to four young men, participating in the jail break program. >> the 12-year-old in cell one is here for cutting his teacher. >> water up, man? what's up? how old are you?

>> we have two fireworks in school. >> what are you here for? >> marijuana in three. >> and marijuana in four. >> this is a game? you think this is a game, huh? >> one if four is 16. birthday next month. he is a year away from being if here. >> stealing money and spokeing weed is going to ends you in jail. either or. >> take your sneakers off right now, mother, get going tough guy. >> they take their shoes away. you come to jail, you will lose your shoes. >> get these sneakers off. >> put your hands up, are you gang bank? >> spending your mother's money on weed? what are you trooi crying for? whiep i woo they smile after your face. >> why are you crying now? boggys drinking down your face.

>> what does it feel like? >> i don't know. >> it didn't scare you? >> kind of of. >> kind of what? >> kind of like scared and all that. just kind of. >> i saw you crying right now. >> no i wasn't. >> was he crying? >> he did. >> why are you crying now. you weren't crying when you cut your teacher. >> you cut your teacher? >> you got him now. this is what you want to come to jamie for these, a pair of these? i'm going to take them from you. these are yours? i'm keeping them. you can have those. take those. you can have those. these are yours, these are mine. you want them, come take them. let me see you take them. yeah. that's what happens in here. every day. i'm take this i'll take yours, you won't do nothing about it.

you understand? you understand me? >> yes. >> i can't hear you. do you understand me? >> yes. >> hurry up, let's go! >> it's not often you see all the inmates working together towards a common cause. once those kids were brought up into that unit, you could tell that everyone was there to put the fear inside them. >> get them sneakers. >> they're gone already. >> you in there. >> bring them if here. bring them if here. >> bring them in here. >> you and me going to play, right? >> while the three younger boys seem shaken at times. 16-year-old damon pope maintained his nonchalant attitude. >> can you give me the time? >> you have somewhere to go? >> i'm going somewhere. >> give your muck shut. are you if jail.

okay. welcome to jail. back to the wall. >> we followed the kids up to the one of the housing uvents so they could see where one of their next bedrooms could be if they continue on the path. i think it was a the scariest part for the kids the idea of being locked up inside a cell. >> get if there. welcome home. oh, there is only two beds. you got to share beds, have a seat. make yourself comfortable. that's where you will be. >> you want to live like this? >> you want to cut people. you want to cut people. >> they can't let you out the door when you want to go home now! >> i want to see. >> don't you go if there with him? >> yeah, he's going if. you want to go if there? huh? >> let's go. >> you got a bed for him? >> oh, for the, he ain't

sleeping on the bed with me. that's my bed. >> when one person is using the bathroom? what is the other one going to do? this is it. you be right here. it's steel. it's not -- that's your home. that's your bed. >> you got to stay in one room the whole time for every day of the year for how long you are here for? that's crazy. >> everybody is out, let's go, down here. everybody else go that way. >> they're his now. ask him if you are have your sneakers back? you den want to ask him? >> grab your shoe, many erie christmas. get out of here. >> are you scared you will end up here? >> if i keep doing the things i'm dock, yeah. >> you will go in the bathroom. you will take those uniforms off, fold them nice and neat and

bring them out to me. everybody understand, right? keep on making those noises. >> i'm not doing nothing. >> just because you are walking out the front door doesn't mean you won't see me again and won't be back if this place. >> i won't be back. >> remember that. google me. you can check me up in the computer when you get here. >> he will ended up in this place if he doesn't change. he's so close to being 17 and at 17, you will end up in this place. he doesn't understand that. he thinks everything is a joke. he thinks he could do this. >> you are a good dude, for the lie. you do your job well. >> hopefully, i don't have to do my job with you. >> the other three, i think they 11ed their lesson. >> pope might have as well. nearly a year after our shoot, he had not returned to the suffolk county jail.

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. depending on the inmate, doing time can result if endless boredom or inspire new heights of createtivety. >> this is a twin motor. >> this inmate who asked to only be identified by his nickname lucky used his time at san quentin state prison to create intricate models from soap, oil and paper. >> i carve it out. it's the tread of the tire prid out of soap. it makes a long time. i have been doing it for like six years. it keeps me from being depressed and angry and everything else.

>> what do these bikes mean to you? what do they represent? >> i don't know. i guess freedom. you got to be free to actually ride them. >> lucky's models were more than just a hobby. he made one special bike as a gift to his daughter whom he had never met. >> she's nine-years-old. she's never had her dad and i don't know how to be a father. so i really den foe what to give her. i want to different her something she don't have. >> in some cases, a prison sentence allows an inmate to discover a talent he might never have known he had. for clay lopez, the california state prison, doing time led him to the harmonica. >> i'm almost 50-years-old. i will be over 50 when i get out. so i don't have a career or anything, so i thought, well, you know, if i learn to play the harmonica, i can at least pay my own rent when i get out as a street musician or if i'm sober, i think i'll do okay.

>> you can play what you feel without reading music and i have tried to play guitar, piano. all kind of stuff and i never would anywhere. not that i'm going anywhere with this. but i know a few songs, mostly hymn also in hymnals and gospel songs. >> lopez was serving a 20 year sentence on 27 counts of burglary but it was his exposure to inmates serving life terms that inspired him to pay tribute through his songs. >> i wanted to do 134g for the lifers to kind of express them. what i can sing in the last verse and speak for itself goes,

♪ ain't done for the wrong since the days of old ♪ out in california ain't not are iloan shots when i'm carried away ♪ in the calling call, someone tell the warden ♪ to please ship me to the dixie high ♪ that's the only way they're going to get out is when, well, when the angels come down and pick them up and take them home. that's why it's got that train sound. see. [ music playing ]

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