♪ >> THEY SAID I WAS GOING TO PRISON.
I THOUGHT I WAS NEVER GOING TO GET OUT.
IT’S LIKE A BLACK HOLE.
REPORTER: FOR MANY WOMEN WHO WIND UP IN PRISON, THEIR STORIES ARE SIMILAR.
>> I STOLE FROM WHERE I WORKED.
I STOLE FROM MY FAMILY, FROM FRIENDS.
>> I STARTED USING WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD WITH MY MOM.
>> ADDICTION TAKES YOU TO PLACES YOU NEVER THINK YOU ARE GOING TO GO.
REPORTER: FOR DECADES, WOMEN SERVED PRISON TIME HERE IN GOFFSTOWN.
THE STRUCTURE WOULD OUTGROW ITS CAPACITY AND FALL INTO DISREPAIR.
FORMER INMATES HAVE STORIES.
>> EVERY TIME IT RAINED, THEY WOULD HAVE TO PUT BUCKETS ALL OVER THE PRISON.
REPORTER: FACED WITH PUBLIC AND LEGAL PRESSURE, THE STATE MADE A BIG MOVE.
IN 2018, THE BRAND-NEW $50 MILLION NEW HAMPSHIRE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY FOR WOMEN OPENED IN CONCORD.
WARDEN JOANNE FORTY-YEAR ALLOWED CAMERAS INSIDE FOR A TOUR.
>> THIS FACILITY IS 100,000 SQUARE FEET, COMPARED TO THE 25,000 SQUARE FEET AT GOFFSTOWN.
EVERYTHING IS NEW, EVERYTHING WORKS.
IT IS A MUCH BETTER SPACE FOR THE WOMEN AND THE STAFF.
WE DON’T HAVE DORMITORIES WHERE WE HAD IN GOFFSTOWN 26 WOMEN LIVING IN THE SAME ROOM.
WE NOW HAVE TWO-PERSON ROOMS OR ONE-PERSON ROOMS.
REPORTER: WALKING THESE HALLS, IT’S EASY TO FORGET IT’S A PRISON.
BESIDES KEEPING THESE WOMEN INCARCERATED, THERE IS A HEAVY FOCUS ON REHABILITATION, COUNSELING, AND SCHOOL.
>> THIS IS THE EDUCATION WING.
CLASSROOMS ARE ON THE RIGHT.
REPORTER: MORE ROOM MEANS AND MORE LEARNING PROGRAMS RANGING FROM HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES, TOOK COMMERCIAL DRIVING, TO FOOD.
>> WE HAVE A CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM HERE THAT’S A LOT LARGER THAN IT WAS AT THE O FACILITY.
IN THIS FACILITY, THE WOMEN ARE ACTUALLY GOING INTO THE KITCHEN AND PREPARING MEALS.
REPORTER: EDUCATION ALLOWS THESE WOMEN A REGULA WORKDAY.
THEY NOT ONLY COOK ALL THE MEALS HERE, THE WOMEN HELP DISTRIBUTE ALL THE CANTEEN ITEMS INMATES CAN PURCHASE, LEARNING WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT.
>> WE FILL APPROXIMATELY 2000 ORDERS A WEEK OF ORDERS FROM INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS AROUND THE STATE.
REPORTER: ACCESS TO EACH PROGRAM, OF COURSE, DEPENDS ON GOOD BEHAVIOR, LIKE THE FAMILY CONNECTIONS CENTER.
>> FAMILY IS EVERYTHING.
A LOT OF THE DRIVING FACTOR FOR GETTING OUT OF HERE.
REPORTER: HERE IN MAXIMUM SECURITY, INMATE ACTIVITY IS RESTRICTED, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT.
BUT IF YOU EARN YOUR WAY INTO MINIMUM-SECURITY, INMATES HAVE OPEN ACCESS LIVING AREAS, KEYS TO THEIR OWN ROOMS, AND TYPICAL DORM STYLE BATHROOMS.
HOW IS WHAT WE SEE COMPARED TO THIS?
IS IT THE SAME THING?
>> IT’S NOT EVEN CLOSE.
REPORTER: RODRICK GREENWOOD WORKED IN THE PRISON SYSTEM FOR 26 YEARS.
HE CAME BACK TO HELP FILL ONE GAP THIS NEW FACILITY IS SHORT ON, STAFF.
>> WE HAVE CONSTANT PEOPLE RETIRING FROM THE DEPARTMENT, GETTING PROPOUNDED -- PROMOTED.
WE NEED OFFICERS.
REPORTER: THE WOMEN’S PRISON IS LOOKING TO HIRE DOZENS TO HELP RUN THIS FACILITY.
IT’S DESIGNED TO HOLD UP TO 224 WOMEN.
WHEN WE VISITED IN 2018, THERE WERE 190 INMATES HERE.
ONLY FIVE OF THEM HAVE LIFE SENTENCES, MEANING MOST OF THESE WOMEN ARE GETTING OUT.
MANY AND UP REOFFENDING AND RETURNING.
SOME WILL END UP HERE.
THIS IS IN MANCHESTER.
>> I WAS SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED.
REPORTER: ELIZABETH IS ON A COME BACK.
AFTER GETTING INTO A PATTERN OF DRUGS AND CRIME, SHE ENDED UP IN AND OUT OF PRISON, WHICH EVENTUALLY STARTED HER TO RECOVERY.
>> I DO HAVE TO SAY I THINK PRISON ALSO SAVED ME.
IF I HADN’T BEEN THERE, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD.
REPORTER: SHE’S ONE OF SIX FORMER INMATES ALLOWED TO LIVE HERE.
HERE, THEY GET THE SUPPORT OF OTHER WOMEN AND INTENSIVE COUNSELING THAT OFTEN FOCUSES ON BEFORE THEIR CRIMINAL PROBLEMS STARTED.
>> THEY NEEDED TO WORK ON THEIR PAST TRAUMAS IN ORDER TO CHANGE THEIR FUTURE.
REPORTER: THE LIVING IS SIMPLE, BUT THE WOMEN GET HELP FINDING WORK AND ONLY PAY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THEIR INCOME FOR RENT.
IN RETURN, THEY GET A STEPPING BACK INTO REGULAR LIFE IN A WAY OUT OF A LIFE OF CRIME.
>> I HAVE 18 MONTHS CLEAN.
I CAN HOLD MY HEAD UP STUFF -- HEAD UP HIGH AND SAY THAT.
REPORTER: FOR DESIREE, ONE OF HER FIRST GOALS IS A BIG ONE.
>> JUST TO BE ABLE TO RECONNECT WITH MY SON AGAIN.
REPORTER: HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT?
>> SLOWLY, BUT SURELY, YES.
REPORTER: LIFE AFTER PRISON IS A DAILY STRUGGLE, BUT THESE WOMEN NO CHANGE CAN HAPPEN.
ELIZABETH HAS NOW BEEN CLEAN EIGHT MONTHS.
>> THIS HOME DEFINITELY SAVED MY LIFE.
ALDI COUNSELING, ALL THE HARD WORK.
THAT I’VE PUT INTO MY STAY HERE HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED ME.
I’M NOT THE SAME PERSON I WAS EIGHT MONTHS AGO.
>> WE ARE VERY, VERY BLESSED TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO WHAT WE DO FOR THESE WOMEN.