>>> THE UNITED STATES HAS MORE
THAN 2.2 MILLION ADULTS LOCKED
UP IN PRISON.
AMERICA'S FOURTH LARGEST CITY,
HOUSTON.
MANY INMATES ARE REPEAT
OFFENDERS, WHICH RAISES THE
QUESTION OF WHAT WE WANT OUT OF
INCARCERATION?
O
LOOKING AT CRIMINAL JUSTICE
REFORM, KELLY COBIELLA IS
TRAVELING --
>> Reporter: NEW INMATES ARE
GREETED THE WAY I WAS WITH A
HANDSHAKE.
>> NICE TO MEET YOU.
>> Reporter: DRUG SMUGGLERS AND
RAPISTS ALL DOING TIME IN A
MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON THAT
FEELS LIKE A COLLEGE CAMPUS.
>> THIS IS HOME?
>> Reporter: CARSON WAS
CONVICTED OF KILLING A MAN IN
BRAZIL.
THIS IS HIS CELL BLOCK WITH A
FULL KITCHEN, BIG SCREEN TV AND
LAUNDRY ROOM.
>> DO YOU HAVE A KEY TO YOUR OWN
CELL?
>> YEAH, EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN
KEY.
>> Reporter: HE AND THE REST OF
THE PRISONERS ARE LOCKED IN.
THE REST OF THE TIME, THEY
CHOOSE WHEN TO LOCK THEIR DOOR
TO THEIR COZY CELL WITH A TV AND
A PRIVATE BATHROOM.
>> THERE WAS A CELL JUST A
LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN THIS AND
IT USED TO BE 50 PEOPLE IN THE
SAME ROOM.
>> Reporter: THE POINT HERE TO
TURN CRIMINALS INTO GOOD
NEIGHBORS.
>> ALWAYS HAVE COFFEE ON THE GO.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Reporter: REHABILITATION SAYS
THE PRISON GOVERNOR STARTS OEN
DAY ONE.
>> WE TAKE THE FREEDOM FROM
THEM.
HERE WE TRY TO HELP THEM TO BE A
BETTER CITIZEN.
>> Reporter: INMATES HAVE A
NORMAL WORKWEEK GIVING THEM
ROUTINE AND SPEEDRESPONSIBILITID
TRAINING THEM TO BE CAR
MECHANICS AND GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
IN THE STUDIO.
LEARNING SKILLS LIKE RESTAURANT
CRAFTS WHERE THEY ARE TRUSTED TO
HANDLE KNIVES CAN HELP THEM GET
JOBS ON THE OUTSIDE.
THEY HAVE WEEKENDS OFF.
A HOUSE AVAILABLE FOR OVER NIGHT
VISITS WITH THEIR FAMILY.
>> WELCOME TO THE CRIMINAL
RECORD.
>> Reporter: RICHARD IS STUDYING
MUSIC.
HE'S DOING TIME FOR MURDER AND
SERVED HIS FIRST FOUR YEARS IN
SWEDISH.
>> I WAS HATEFUL MYSELF.
I HATED THE GUARDS AND THE
GUARDS HATED US.
DO I FEEL LIKE A DIFFERENT
PERSON NOW?
YEAH, I DO.
>> Reporter: GUARDS AND TUTORS
WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH INMATES,
PLAYING CHESS OR SIMPLY GOING
FOR A WALK.
IT IS ALL ABOUT BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST EVEN
WITH A PRISON BOND.
THERE ARE CAMERAS AND LOCKS BUT
NO WEAPONS AND NEARLY HALF OF
THE GUARDS ARE WOMEN.
>> DO YOU FEEL SAFE?
>> YES, I DO.
>> Reporter: WHY?
>> WELL, WE GET TO KNOW THE
PRISONERS WELL AND WE ARE WITH
THEM ALL THE TIME.
>> Reporter: $93,000 PER INMATE
PER YEARS, THREE TIMES MORE THAN
THE U.S.
ONLY 20% OF INMATES REOFFEND
AFTER TWO YEARS.
IN THE U.S., IT IS 60%.
THERE IS NO DEATH PENALTY AND
LIFE SENTENCES WERE BANNED IN
1981.
EVEN MASS MURDER WHO KILLED 77
PEOPLE IN THE 2011 ATTACK WAS
GIVEN A MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF 21
YEARS.
THAT'S EXTENDIBLE.
CONSERVATIVE CRITICS SAY NORWAY
HAS GONE TOO FAR.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE VICTIMS?
THE VICTIMS HAVE TO FEEL
INJUSTICE.
>> Reporter: IT LOOKS LIKE A
PRETTY LUXURIOUS LIFESTYLE.
>> MOST DON'T GET TO SEE OUTSIDE
THE WORLD FOR A LONG TIME.
>> Reporter: THESE MEN ADMIT
THEY HAVE BEEN HELPED HER.
>> BEFORE I THINK MORE LIKE A
CRIMINAL BUT NOW I START TO
THINK MORE LIKE NORMAL GUY, YOU
KNOW?
>> IT IS THE TRUTH.
IF WE TREAT THEM LIKE AN ANIMAL,
HE'LL TREAT YOU LIKE AN ANIMAL.
IF YOU TREAT HIM WITH RESPECT,
HE'LL TREAT YOU WITH RESPECT.
>> Reporter: LESSONS THAT WE
COULD NOT UNDERSTAND HERE BEYOND
THESE WALLS.
FROM SUNDAY TODAY, KELLY
COBIELLA, NORWAY.
>> KELLY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU CAN SEE MORE IN-DEPTH
REPORTING ACROSS OUR NBC
PLATFORM INCLUDING A SPECI