msnbc takes you behind the walls of the most notorious prisons into a world of chaos and danger. now the scenes you have never scene. "lock up, raw." built 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. but san quentin had one program designed to discourage troubled teens from ever joining its ranks in the future.

>> okay, gentlemen, just wait. >> through the squires programs, selected inmates shared their experiences with teenagers who had already had run-ins with the law. >> what we need you to understand, you in san quentin this morning. you're in a place that no kid should ever want to be in. you should be out playing somewhere in the park but you're here because of something you did. >> what's your name? >> angel. >> angel. >> how old are you? >> 13. >> miguel. >> okay. i'm 16. >> jonathan. i'm 16 too. >> what you 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. i have been in prison since i was 15 years old for murder. >> david monroe, serving a 15 year to life sentence after having pled guilty to second degree murder.

>> i banged before. i been on the streets before. i'm from stockton. i did it before. all the things you say you did, everything you did that you did, we did it. >> really just about us not scolding the killeds, it's not a scared straight. but we try to give you the communication part. look, this is what i did. this is the trophy i was trying to earn. is this what you want to earn? most kids they don't. do you want to come to jame at 15 years old? do you want to come to prison and be on the guard -- yeah, stand up. let me see how tall you are. this was me. this was me when i came to prison. they're 15. and they look at me like, oh, my god. are you serious? that's usually what i get, serious, 15 years old, they locked you up? can they do that? >> at 15, monroe's involvement in gang violence changed his

life forever. >> they you carry a gun, eventually you'll use it and it did happen. we were with a girl, having fun, talking. we had a confrontation with somebody. i asked some questions about his gang affiliation, if he had problems with my gang or my street or the color red, and he said yes. and me trying to prove myself to my peers, like okay, i'll show you i'm down and i reacted and i shot him six times. i ended up murdering him basically for a color. i never planned to commit a robbery, he never planned for his life to be attempted murder. it all came about by the behavior and the lifestyle we chose. say you do a robbery, what do you think will happen? >> you get caught, and you go to juvy. >> what about your mom? what happens to her? >> be sad and would cry. >> and you shaking your head so you know that can happen to your mother too. >> yeah. >> okay, you know this.

why would you put yourself in that situation? >> maybe you better take a risk sometimes. >> take a risk sometimes. >> you don't think about it. that's the part of being a juvenile. you're not fully thinking of what you're doing. you're just trying to be cool, trying to fit in. i'm real offended by what you said, i'm putting myself in your mama's shoes right now. you're selling your mama out. >> it's worth it, so you're taking a risk to do it. >> i don't care what you say, ain't nothing worth my mama to me. you guys aren't paying at the tension to how you're letting your mom. >> monroe never realized how his crimes would hurt his own mother until the day he was sentenced. >> when the judge said that you're a cold blooded murderer and i'm charging you as an adult to be sentenced to 50 years to life in prison i heard my mom scream. it's -- it was a horrible feeling, like physically, emotionally, mentally, it was horrible. you know, i put my head in my lap and i cried.

>> the boys are also given a preview of the stark conditions they might face if they ever enter the california prison system. >> i want you to guys to get a good look at this restroom. this is where you'll use the restroom. look how they take care of this place. do you want to use this restroom? this the what you're putting yourself in because you have no privacy once you're in prison that's what you guys are coming to. >> what i got out of it, i don't wand to end up in jail. i have to watch what i'm doing, start making better choices. because one little messed up choice could ruin my whole life. >> the thing i learned, i don't want to be here. this ain't a good place to be. >> it has to come within you. you have to want to change. i always said this to 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 that, you know, what happened to him,

it's not in vain anymore. some people are being saved. you all take care. take care. hopefully we don't see you again. that's the hope. we don't see you again. >> san quentin is one of numerous prisons or jails across the nation. where inmates and staff provide cautionary tales for troubled youth. at the suffolk county jail in boston, massachusetts, we encountered another program called "jailbreak." >> when you're visiting here, you're going to experience what it's like in jail. they have you empty everything out of your pockets. take everything out of your pockets. you take your hat off, show some respect. take everything out of your pocket. >> when we film in a prison or a jail, we do do our best to be a fly on the wall. in the case of "jailbreak" you know these kids came in and yeah, they were definitely aware of the camera. >> you scared? are you scared? how about you? >> no.

>> you're not scared right now? >> no. >> there's no 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 they had an attitude or a certain bravado. i think it was more relating to the age. >> everybody stand up. come right over there. right now, all you have to do is empty your pockets. take your jackets off. nothing should be around your wrists, in your ears or in your pockets. everybody over there. 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 did that. >> tuck your shirts inside. tuck your shirt inside. once they have the uniform on, and i start yelling 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. you're 12 years old, dude! 12 years old, you want to cut somebody, assault somebody. okay, keep your mouth shut. >> i wasn't smiling. >> 16-year-old damon pope, however, who had recently been caught with marijuana, appeared determined to not break down. >> you're in jail right now. 16. you'll be 17 in a month. and you have this attitude like you're too good to be in this place. you're going to run this place. are you kidding me? are you kidding me? you think you're that good? >> tell me about your goals. >> my goals, trying to -- i'm an entrepreneur. own a business. possibly take over this jail, you know? be at home like donald trump collecting money, writing checks. possibly writing you a check, you know? >> uh-huh. that sounds great. >> i'll tellio what your goals are. you'll be in one of the units if you continue do to do the things you're doing.

i'll give you a month, less than that. 17 years old, you'll walk in the back door and you will not leave. you understand that? that's where you're going. everybody, put your arms out, put your thumbs down. all the way out. i don't have anything big enough for me. tie his arms together. he's not even strong enough to break that. >> these are max tight. >> oh, they're not made for comfort, all right? get used to them. get used to them. keep your mouth shut. >> why you so rude, what did i do to you? >> i don't like punk kids coming in my jail and disrespecting. you think you're tough. keep your mouth shut. that's what i want you to do right now. that's what i want you to do right now. pick up your feet and move. this is the life you want to have? >> the boys are escorted into the jail. and placed in separate cells. >> face that corner right there. you're making your mother proud? no? are you going to change your ways? >> yeah. >> you know you have a friend coming, right?

you have a roommate. are you ready for him? oh, you are, you know're ready for him, huh? >> coming up. >> take your sneakers off right now! take them off, tough guy! >> the kids meet the inmates. >> smoking weed is going to end you in jail.

during our extended stay shoot in boston, three inmates preselected by jail staff were about to introduce themselves to four young men, participating in the jailbreak program. >> the 12-year-old in cell 1, he's here for cutting his teacher. >> what's up, man? what's up?

>> we have two fireworks in school. marijuana in three. >> this is funny, huh? >> marijuana in four. >> this is a game, you think this is a game? [ bleep ]. >> the one in four is 16. birthday is next month, so he's a heart beat away from being in here. >> smoking weed is going to end you up in jail. either or. >> take your sneakers off right now, take your sneakers off! get them off, tough guy. >> they always take their shoes away. that's something that we know happens in jail. you come to jail, you'll lose your shoes. >> take your sneakers off. put your hands up. are you gang banging? >> smoking weed, huh? >> why you crying if you -- >> what are you crying for? >> take that smile off your face. why you crying now? >> huh? >> [ bleep ]. >> how did it feel like to you? >> i don't know.

>> it didn't scare you? >> kind of. >> kind of what? >> kind of like scared and all that. just kind of. >> i saw you crying in there. >> yeah. >> did he cry? >> he did. >> huh? why you crying now? you weren't crying when you cut your teacher? >> you cut your teacher? >> back up. >> no. you ain't -- >> back up. >> this is what you came to jail for, a pair of these? i'm taking them from you. >> whose sneakers are these? >> these are yours? i'm keeping them. >> take those. you brought those, right? you can have those. >> you want them, come take them. i want to see you take them. yeah, that's what happens in here. every [ bleep ] day. >> sneakers -- >> i'll take your sneakers. i'll take yours. 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. >> all right, guys. >> hurry up, let's go. >> it's not often that you see all the inmates, you know, 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. >> new meat! >> get new sneakers. >> gone already. >> are -- >> get in here. >> you and me got a plan, right? >> while the three younger boys seem shaken at times, 16-year-old damon pope maintained his nonchalant attitude. >> can you tell me the time? >> why? you got somewhere to go? >> yeah, i'm late. >> keep your mouth shut. >> sneakers -- >> i don't care. you're in jail. you're in jail.

okay? welcome to jail. keep your back to the wall. >> we followed the kids up to one of the housing units so they could see where one of their next bedrooms could be if they continued on this path. i think that was one of the scariest parts for the kid, the idea of being locked up inside of a cell. >> get in there. welcome home. oh, there's only two beds. you have to share beds. have a seat. make yourself comfortable. that's where you'll be. >> this is how you want to live? >> and you want to cut people? you want to cut people. go in there. go. i'm going to put you in there with them. >> sneakers off -- >> put you in there with them. >> take your sneakers off! >> yeah, he's going in. you want to go in there? huh? let's go. let's go. you have a bed for him?

>> no, he's sleeping in the bed with me. that's mine. get in there. >> this will be you. this is it. this is your view. right here. steel. it's not a curtain. it's not blinds. it's just glass. that's your home, that's your bed. >> you have to stay in one room the whole time for every day of the year, for how long you're here for? that's crazy. >> everybody, y'all, let's go. stay over here. everybody else, go that way. whose sneakers are those? they were yours, right? they're his now. ask him if you can have your sneakers back. you don't want to ask him? have your shoes, merry chris marx get out of here. >> are you scared you'll end up here? >> if i keep doing what i'm doing, yeah. >> you'll go into the bathroom. take the uniforms off, fold them

nice and neat and then bring them out to me. everybody understand? keep on making those noises. keep on making noises. >> i'm not doing -- >> because you're walking out the front door doesn't mean you won't see me again. you'll be back in this place. >> i won't be back. >> three weeks, remember that. remember that. >> google me. >> i won't have to. i'll check you up in the computer when you get here. he will end up in here if he doesn't change. he's so close to being 17. at 17, you will end up in this place. he doesn't understand that. he thinks everything is a joke and he thinks he could do this. >> you're a good dude. you do your job well. >> hopefully, i don't have to do my job with you. >> the other three, i think they learned their lesson. >> pope might have as well. nearly a year after our shoot, he had not returned to the suffolk county jail. ♪ coming up --

♪ ain't done no wrong >> inmates who use their time to hone their talents. 

depending on the inmate, doing time can result in endless boredom. or inspired new heights of creativity. >> it's a v-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. that's the tread of the tire. made out of soap. it takes a long time. i have been doing it for like six years and what 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. because, you know, you have 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 9 years old. she's never had her dad. i don't know how to be a father. i don't know what to give her. i want to give her something she don't have. ♪ >> in some cases, the prison sentence allows an inmate to discover a talent he might never had known he had. for clay lopez, at california state prison, doing time allowed him to learn the harmonica. >> i'm almost 50 years old. i'll 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 who are -- harmonica, and i can pay my open way as a street musician.

i think i'll do okay. ♪ you can play what you feel without reading music and i have tried to play guitar, piano. all kinds of stuff and i never went anywhere. not that i'm going anywhere with this, but i know a few songs. mostly hymnals. gospel songs and a few of my own. it just expresses me. >> 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 them tribute through his songs. >> i just want them to -- i want to do something for the lifers to express to them. i can sing you the last verse and it speaks for itself. ♪ ain't done no wrong

since the days of old ♪ ♪ out in california ain't no other road ♪ ♪ when i'm carried away and the vendors call ♪ ♪ someone tell the warden to please ship me to the dixie line ♪ >> because 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? ♪ don't just visit san francisco.

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