>> this is really scary. but i just stay in my bunk and mind my business. >> a new inmate fears the worst. >> being in a gang is not something that i choose to run behind. it's a choice that i made and something that i joined. >> a gang member must first convince a staff member with

plenty of his own experience on the inside. >> they say you don't understand what i'm going through. i said wait a minute. i was here. i was in the same colored shirt as you are, and now i know what it takes to live a better life. >> now -- >> he's very comfortable here. he's been here so much, it's like his second home. >> the pride of sacramento. got to be proud of something. >> nestled along the gleaming skyline of downtown sacramento, it exemplifies the term, no frills. this, the main branch of the

sacramento county jail system. housed inside are some 2,000 men and women. most of whom have only been accused of crimes. they're awaiting trial in resolution of the cases. the downtown branch contains the main booking department where new arrestees are processed, booked and, more times than not, sobered up. >> we have about 58,000 bookings a year. we track folks that come into custody intoxicated or under the influence of drugs. it's remained fairly steady that 75 or 80% are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. >> we have the same influence of characters. >> when they're under the influence, they're placed in a padded cell for their own safety. once they've sobered up enough, they're moved out of this cell to move on.

>> four hours later, the sober cell was occupied by a man who probably spent more time in it than anyone else over the past 20 years. chris la force was arrested for public intoxication. his latest probation violation on top of dozens of prior convictions related to drugs or alcohol. >> he's arrested well over a thousand times. he's very vocal, very loud, very intoxicated. he knows most of us by name. >> he is very comfortedble here. he's been here so much, it's like his second home. he's homeless out on the streets so he's almost better here than out. >> he's known for being drunk in public, lighting things on fire, meth use, drug use, alcohol use. he knows when he does that, he comes here and has a place to sleep, a place to eat. >> it's kind of a drag on how our system works.

knowing a person has been arrested on the same charges over a thousand times. other than that, it takes him off the street and out of the public. so that's the good thing. >> that was the 856 arrest. the sacramento issue mentioned my name five times and said yeah, you got it done. the pride of sacramento, heck ya. got to be pride of something. >> la force has been homeless for nearly as long as his arrest record is old. he's been arrested for petty theft, possession of ammunition, possession of a controlled substance, trespassing, illegal camping, loitering with intent to buy drugs and, most recently, articleson, a felony conviction for which he is still on probation.

>> i was trashed, piece of wood. the gasoline and rubbing alcohol, i couldn't drink the rubbing hol so it started catching on fire and it goes boom. >> generally, the judges can sentence them to county jail, can mandate that they take classes, put them into treatment facilities. >> one option for sacramento county judges is called the serial anebriate program. it's specifically aimed at inmates like la force, homeless men and women with an extraordinary number of arrests. la force has left that program several times. >> i was in a rehab and shaking real bad and said i'm going to get a beer now.

>> since leaving the force, he's been arrested, the court is dealing with him and he has no intentions of stopping. >> get'r done. >> welcome back. >> it's only been about five days, but rehab didn't work so i had to come on back. >> he still has the interview every single time, even though we know what he's going to say. want to try to kill yourself? >> heck no. >> any gang association? >> no, no, no. i've made it easy for you. >> okay. we have court tomorrow, 1:30. >> okay, ready to go. >> the judge is probably seeing you. >> the judge? which one? >> i don't know. all of them. >> okay. >> thanks for coming back. >> that was the interview? >> that's it. he'll enjoy what he does.

he'll tell you he likes it. he does his thing, leaves and says i'll see you next week. >> are you getting tired of coming to jail? >> no, i actually love it. >> are you serious? >> yeah, it's home. >> that's home? >> it's where i get my mail. it's been a long, winding road. >> it gets a little frustrating because the expense is all on the county for whatever he needs. his housing and clothing and feeding and transporting him to and from courts. it's expense all increwed by the county. >> it keeps me off the street when it's raining out there. they feed me three meals a day. they're all hots. and the food is not bad. >> we have a narcotics anonymous and alcoholics anonymous class. christopher la force does not want them. he's perfectly happy where he's at. they have half way houses, but

he goes to the same areas, the same street corners, bumming money, yelling at people and sometimes he's drunk within hours of being out. >> la force is assigned a cell where a problem soon arises. he repeatedly pulls the door handle as he waits for a control room officer to unlock it. as soon as la force steps in, officers on the floor see a problem and rush to the cell. >> he was kind of jiggling door handle. >> no punches thrown.

>> we went up there and squashed it all. >> he can be overwhelming, you know, especially for somebody who is having a hard time here. nobody is happy about being here. but being la force, he likes to live it. he likes to enjoy it. there's people who like being here and they're sad and depressed about it and can cause an issue. >> coming up -- >> 1,100 and how many? >> 1,187. >> that's a lot of wrong choices. >> cis la force runs into an old friend with a unique distinction of his own. >> when i was locked up here, i was tired. they didn't have no program for me to go to. >> a former revolving-door inmate now helps others to stay out of jail.

sacramento county's main jail sits in the heart of town. 20 miles to the south is where green valley lies, the real correctional center. real consumas roughly houses 2,000 men and women. but, here, the majority known as the public safety realignment act or ab 109. >> the catalyst for ab 109 was the state's mandate and need to reduce the prison population with haste. they called it realignment. the idea being to realign lower-level offenders who are more appropriate custodial setting. what they did was take the responsibility for thousands of

inmate that is would have been going to the state system and now they're the county jail's problem. >> the law created new challenges for the county by requiring them to house convicted felons, who, in the past, would have gone to prison. with many sentenced to at least a decade, they could be more likely to cause problems. but the law also came with significant funding for a broad range of job training and rehabilitation programs to help inmates stay out of jail and prison. they're administered for the jail's reentry services department. >> the goal of reentry is to reduce the residism rate. >> ten years ago, ron was a revolving-door inmate here. >> i know that sounds like wow, how are you here now? well, when i was locked up here,

i was tired. they didn't have no program, they didn't have no classes for me to go to. i used to play the blame game when i was here. there's still the blame game, but there's something to lock into that's tangible and that can make a difference. >> smith was in and out of real consumas on possession of a controlled substance and possession of a stolen vehicle. he says it was all fuelled by addiction, but he finally found help while out on probation. >> i had an epiphany. i found a drug program and they had introduced me to a new way of living. since then, it's just amazing to be able to walk around here where i used to be locked up at with the key. they said you don't understand, you don't understand what i'm going through.

i say wait a minute. i was here. i was in the same colored shirt as you was. and now i know what it takes to live a better life. when i was locked up here, there was no counselor for me to communicate with. there was no program in place at that time. ab 109, transrehabilitation. >> yeah, this is for re-entry. i'm looking to get mr. gregs sent up to gate 8. i'd appreciate it. >> sure. >> rodriguez gregs was convicted a week earlier. he was sentenced to one year and will serve his time here. >> this is my first time being here so it's kind of scary being here with people who got all of

these type of charges. this doesn't even seem like a jail. it seems like a prison. i can't live like that here. i don't feel like this is my home. >> it's just really scary to me. i just mind my business. it's like a fish in a tank full of sharks t i've been here a week and i haven't ate all week. nothing tastes good. when i try to eat it, it comes right back up. i don't want to be in the chow hall and it comes up. that will start a problem, also. just a lot of politics in here. there's just certain stuff that you can't do. >> so today's session, we're going to talk about the arranging plan and what that looks like. so what that means is we're going to take a look at some of the things you want to accomplish while you're here and some of the things that you want to accomplish after you leave. is that fair?

>> yes, sir. >> so we got you started going to classes. we got you going to substance abuse on monday, wednesday, personal development. are there some things you're looking to get out of some of these classes? >> a better -- a better -- a better understanding on my thinking and to become a better man and a better role model for my kids. because a good parent wouldn't be in here right now. >> we'll put you in parenting every tuesday and thursday. >> overall, his risk to generally come back is high. based on him being caught with drugs and a firearm. so, based on that, it tells us he needs some type of assistance managing his life. >> since gregs has already completed high school, he will start in the second tier class eventually taking courses such as welding or computer graphics design.

he will transfer with other program par tis pants. on the other side of the jail is a much more restrictive housing unit for inmates who don't qualify for programming either because they've yet to be convicted or have had disciplinary issues. >> broken up with 26 tanks that house from eight to ten or 12 inmates in each tank. there's one sink, one bathroom for 10 or 12 inmates. they make due. >> life in here sucks. you've got a lot more freedom in prison. you get to walk the yard a lot. >> we hardly get yard, probably one time out of the week, two times if we're lucky. >> this is lockdown. there's nothing doing but read a book. and then you don't get anything educational books.

>> jason served one year for credit card fraud. six months after his release, he was arrested for possession of credit card making materials and must now serve an additional two years because it was a probation violation. he says he's anxious to participate in the program again. >> on the other side of the facility, when you go to ab 109, the classes, it's really good insight on what you want to do with the rest of your life. not this level. most definitely not this level. hopefully, before my time is up, i'll be able to get back to the programs. >> despite class work, he says he wasn't ready to apply that once he was released. he went back to manufacturing

fraudulent credit cards until an unlucky traffic stop had him right back to jail. >> i was driving a buddy to his house. instead of slowing down for a speed bump, i went around it. that's exactly how i got busted. i liked like a real [expletive] when i got pulled over. >> as an ab 109 inmate, watley can still get back into the programs. but other factors, including this on going affiliation with the kript street gang could get him this way. >> being that this isn't part of my past, it's better for my future. i'm hanging out right now, actually. >> are you saying you're done? >> i'm saying i'm done. >> coming up -- >> i didn't leave the program lags time with any intentions of stopping. >> jason watley pleads his case for a second chance. and later --

>> they all call me spider man, spider, whatever. >> one man's love of spiders translates into a profitable jailhouse art form.

inside the two facilities that make up the sacramento county jail cell, 4,000 women sleep on steel bunks with thin mattresses. for many of them, that's an improvement compared to the living conditions on the outside. they were, at one time or the other, among the approximate 2500 sacramento homeless. >> i pretty much surrender myself here. i wasn't really arrested. i was saved. i was homeless when i got arrested. >> i started living in an abandoned building flt i fell asleep sitting up in a chair one time. my feet were always killing me. >> i was homeless out there.

i didn't really have a spot to be. i was getting high. now, this is what i call better-than-homemade, too. >> i feel like i'm a bum. but a lot of people like helping me out, the homeless guy out, and seeing people looking passed me and shaking their head and say no, not today. you're just going to go drink it out with it. >> chris la force says he has been chronically homeless for the past 20 years. >> and there's a lot of people that drive by and say jesus loves you, chris. it's kind of cool. i just love that part. it makes me feel good. just talking to them or having a pretty girl smile at you, it's better than getting any money, you know. >> la force is back now for probation violation under his conviction, arson. >> he has a daughter he hasn't seen in 16 years. >> if i knew, i would get on the bus, go see my mom right away,

no stops anywhere. i'll drink a beer. i'm going to be on the streets for few days before i see my mom. i'm a alcoholic. i'm a full blown, full blooded alcoholic. >> he nearly got into a fight with his assigned cell mate. now he's housed with an old friend from the street who knows all about la force and his many arrests. >> 1,187. >> that's a lot of wrong choices, but he's still not a bad dude. >> he only goes by his last name, clayton because his first name is a non-pronounceable string of capital letters. >> it's the first name of all of

my brothers and sisters. my father wanted a junior, so my mother named me after everyone. and a lot of times, people try to make it a name. they try and say it. well, how do you pronounce it. you can't pronounce it. it's not a name. >> clayton is serving a 90 day sentence for violating his parole on an earlier conviction for possession of methamphetamine. he recalls the time he returned ef before leaving the prep sis. >> the quickest is when you sat in front of that door. he said he didn't want to leave. and he needed help. and he didn't know where to go get the help from. >> so i went and i sat in front of the jail. i had nowhere to go. it was raining.

i said take me back to jail! he sat out in front of the door where the officers take you for booking and he was back within three hours. he said i'm back. >> yeah, you are, your bunk is still open. i've known him 15, 20 years. i've run into him on the street a lot. >> gives me shoes when i ain't got shoe, always gives me something to eat. >> yeah, i went shopping for me and my nephew, bought some brand new shoes. he jumped on the road, no shoes, no coat. he's not a bad guy. he needs a little help just like all of us. >> like la force, clayton has also experienced many years of homelessness in sacramento. >> for many years, i was downtown.

it was a choice i made. i didn't have no overhead. i didn't have to pay no insurance. i had a tent. i had food. i had friends. and if society looks at me and says it's not right, i apologize to you, society. sacramento, you know i don't mean no harm. but so what. i'm still going to be me. that's like what i mean. chris going to do him. >> thank you, clayton. >> of course. society, you know, is wrong. you're just out there, you know. taking up space. he's not taking up space, he is out there -- he chose to be out there. our community is just like any other community. it's just the homeless. >> any community you go to there's homeless. that's part of the community. >> i got stabbed in the lung, in the throat and in the jaw. >> the night claytondpdsed he had a enough of this. >> i think in here, they pay

more attention to you and get to know you as a person instead of just a convict.

>> announcer: due to mature subject matter, viewer discretion is advised. morning in the sacramento county correctional facility. >> a hodgepodge of buildings, fences and razor wire. the compound looks and feels more like a state prison than a county jail. now it functions as such, thanks to a recent law that diverts

thousands of convicts here all of these inmates will some day be released to the streets of sacramento. so the new law brings significant funding for reentry programs in hopes to providing them the help they need to not return. >> i had no real motivation. i see now that help is out there and to do something different. >> ten years ago, ron sees the problem he hopes to fix. since then, he's gotten off drugs. >> everyone deserves a second chance. i received a second chance. i received a third, fourth and

fifth chance. >> he's three weeks into a series of classes. smith has selected for him. greg's facility on home detention has decided to stay. >> after i started participating in classes, it made me gain a lot of knowledge. they've got the classes out there and just need to pay

>> your mind is like the map. gld when i first came in here, i thought the food was nasty. now, i eat everything in here every day. breakfast, lunch and dinner. >> taste better? >> yeah, it tastes better now. >> i'm optimistic. he went to four classes here and he went to parenting classes and got his certificate and everything like that. and, based on that, he's going to be success. i wish it were that easy. jason watley is proof that it doesn't work for everyone. >> watley did a one-year stay here for credit card fraud.

he violated his parole when he was found with credit card making materials and is now back for two more years. >> at that time, i wasn't prepared to come home and change. i never said leaving that program i was going to change and do something better. >> watley has been assigned an inmate job passing out meals. it doesn't pay anything, but it has other benefits. >> i like to do a little work here and there.

it makes things easier. tonight, i have to clean showers after everybody is done. other than that, it's pretty chill. >> based on their responses, based on my experience and the environment they're in, all kind of tells a story. and that story we can interpret to try to help them. >> let's talk about why you were away from the program the last time you were here. >> i got a lot of knowledge from the program. i just didn't aply it. taking my own steps and not the steps that were provided for me, i chose the shortcut and i used the steps that were provided. >> right when i finished, i was

told that i was going to receive my certificate. i know i didn't have enough time before i left, it was supposed to be mailed to me. >> that's focusing on certificates in jail. that's why we're trying to eliminate. >> so that brought him here. it goes back to criminal mind set and making poor choices. >> according to mr. watley, he is a crypt. we're going to go and talk to him and see if he's a good fit, a good candidate for the program. >> we're going to go back and talk your case over.

>> of course; when they get this environment, they all want to change. but when the rubber hitss the road, you want to get out. >> coming up, jason watley's future comes into focus. >> you come in, on your bed.

sacramento county inmate serving 9 0e days for domestic violence. doesn't qualify for reentry programs due to a short sentence, though he has used his time here to develop a new interest.

>> he's best known for a different insignia. >> i use thread,toilet paper and hair net.

>> these do look real. you wake up, somebody come in. >> i'll show you right here the process. we start out on the legs. i rip a piece of hair net off. i've got you all set up and ready to go. i'll wrap it with the thread to get it as tight as i can. you can see there's four instead of eight. they're all just bent, which gives it that real look. >> i'm going to add all of the details right now. now i'm going to tie the body on to the leg. i just try to do a little bit of everything. >> and there's your sac county spider. >> chris la force has been caught in the web of his own making. it's comprised of alcohol and homelessness.

he also has abused meth which have all but destroyed his teeth. the little rocks just kind of erodes it away. i really want to stop this highway to hell bf i end up in hell. if you looked at all of my mug shots, you will see how i progressed from being a kid to a bad drunk. >> he's been here so many times. he's just unable to be here and we're just kind of holing him in hope that is one day he'll learn.

but in the 1,0897 times he's said he's been here, he's never learned. >> a teen right there selling drugs. first i started selling marijuana. then i started selling crack cocaine. and then i started doing the drug. they had a saying, first, the man takes the drug and then the drug takes the man. don't be your best customer. i was that.

i was my best customer. >> did you ever sell to chris? >> no, he has too many issues for me to give him another issue. he's a partner. he's a friend. >> while addiction is still a part of clayton's life, he says homelessness is now in his past. >> i get help and i pay my rent. i have a big brother who looks out for me. about three years ago, i had an incident that made me get off the street. i got stabbed three times, in the lung, the throat and the jaw. >> clayton says he was walking through the heart of town where the homeless congress congregate and a stranger approached him. i felt the pinch and then i felt the pull. a lot of people were sitting there like oh, oh, gee. we seen that. you looked like you were fighting for your life. i was, stupid.

why didn't you help me. >> we deal with so many different people that a lot of times, this person might be coming to help you and they're not. it happens. prey on the homeless. >> la force will soon be back at those same streets. >> as he has on prior releases, la force will go home visiting his mother. >> he says he's only spoken to her a few times in the past 16 years and that she lives about a hundred miles away in nevada. it's going to be really emotional to see my mom.

i hope she'll take me back in, and she will. i'm going to get me a lawn mower so i can start mowing lawns again and feel good about myself, not feeling like a bum or nothing like that. >> i feel like they knew me. i want to get out and try to be a good person. >> next, chris la force returns to the streets. at the sacramento county

at the sacramento county jail's correctional center, jason watley has been given another chance to turn his life around.

>> he'll back down from everything that's wrong. keep myself from coming here. at one point in time, you know, coming to jail was nothing. i'd laugh at it. do my time and come back home. >> watley has decided it's time to end his affiliation with the crypts. >> they are busy all day with class that directly acresses how their lives have been affected by gang violence. >> it's just like i used to be. or i am, if i don't change. >> this is watley's second time to the reentry program after he was arrested six months later.

>> i was just cocky and arrogant. >> he says he's sincere about real change. even so, he can't completely forget his past. >> being in a gang is not something that i choose to run behind. once you join the military, you're going to be a vet for the regs of your life. although you're not going to be in the service anymore. crnting is going to be a part of my life, but i can't push behind the movement anymore. i understand what my responsibleties are as a man.

>> 20 miles to the north in downtown sacramento, chris la force is about to make a transition, as well. one he has made a thousand times before. >> the day has arrived for his release. surveillance cameras capture la force hoe says his goal is to reconnect with his mother. but 36 hours later, he was back in jail. 36 whole hours. >> what happened? >> i got drunk. >> and you were using, too? >> yeah. >> christopher la force got brought back into custody for

being drunk in public. >> heck yeah i'm proud of it. nobody else has ever done it. i just want to stay in jail forever. >> la force. >> yeah? >> come to control. >> la force's latest violation will result in another 180 days in jail. a new chance to sober up and perhaps some day, to see his mother.

i didn't really know a lot about saudi arabia. it looked fantastic. palm trees, sun. what more can you ask for? >> cheers. >> the biggest shock is when i read a line, homosexuality is a crime. i wondered would it be safe for me to go there. >> i'm gay. >> i just couldn't believe there was drugs. there was alcohol, gay men. they were doing it. so why not me?