a norwegian program being tested at selena valley state prison works to do just that. >> we do have a lot of violence on this yard. fights, violence, murder just a month and a half ago. they did cpr on a guy out here on the yard and he was pronounced dead. >> reporter: there isn't much ed borla has not seen in his 25 years in california's criminal justice system, first as a corrections officer and now as the deputy chief warden at selena valley state prison. as second in command, he is in charge of about 6,000 inmates, a level 4 maximum security prison, housing some of the most violent offenders including rapists and murders. but these days, it is leading the way for prison reform. >> they come back in, revolving door. we have to end that. >> reporter: for decades, the american prison system has been focused on punishment and determent but now it is going through a change. >> i feel like it is in the '80s when we did lock them all up and throw away the key. over time, we learned that wasn't working. >> reporter: the u.s. has 5% of the world's population, it has 25% of its prisoners, a

first as a corrections officer and now as deputy chief warden at selenas valley state prison. he is in charge of about 3,000 inmates, a level iv maximum security prison, it houses some of the most violent offenders including rapists and murderers. these days, it is leading the way when it comes to prison reform. >> inmates come back in multiple times, a revolving door. we gotta end that. >> reporter: for decades, american prison system has been focused on punishment and deterrence. now borla says it is going through a change. >> i forget when it was, the 80s when we did lock them up and throw away the key. then over time we learned that wasn't working. >> reporter: the cost to taxpayers, $80 billion a year, which is why borla and his team are testing an approach used in norway where reciv i relapse rate. >> it is basically humanity in the prison system. >> reporter: the idea is simple. the punishment should be loss of freedom, not loss of dignity. one of the changes, addressing prisoners by their names rather than their number. guards also make a point to get to know them bett