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Tonya Papanikolas ReportingThe majority of criminals coming into prisons have drug addictions. At the Utah State prison in Draper, eligible inmates who show they want to change their behavior are getting treatment through a program called Con-Quest.
In the area where the Con-quest inmates live, there's heavy barbed wire outside, but the environment inside is pretty different than the rest of the prison. For example, normally if you snitch on someone in prison, you could get stabbed for it. Here, it's part of the therapy.
"Mr. Johnson, this behavior is totally unacceptable."
These men aren't correctional officers or staff at the Utah State Prison. They're inmates, calling other offenders out on their behavior.
"I want you to commit to taking the steps to controlling your anger."
432 Draper inmates are currently in a substance abuse program called Con-Quest. It seems the name is fitting, they are cons on a quest.
Johnny Martinez, Con-Quest Prison Inmate: "I want to be here because I want to find a better way to fight my addiction."
Nationwide, 80 to 85-percent of prisoners have drug problems. In Utah, corrections officials say 82-percent of inmates are addicted to drugs.
Lance Weeks, Con-Quest Prison Inmate: "Most of us that all do crime, it centers around drugs in one way or another. It all usually focuses on us getting our next fix."
So the Con-Quest program tries to treat the whole person. Prison officials call the environment a "therapeutic community." Offenders live in a dorm-style setting where officers call them "residents" instead of "inmates." The men learn to encourage and keep each other accountable.
Lance Weeks: "It makes you take an honest, hard look at yourself. You can't just blame it on someone else or run from it."
Gary Blair, Prison Substance Abuse Administrator: "What it is, is it's positive peer pressure. We're helping the residents to be able to take charge of their life."
The residents put on skits that teach character building and take classes in behavior management.
Johnny Martinez: "Helps you think of where you're having errors, helps you work on those areas."
Prison officials say more than 80-percent of residents who complete the program don't return to prison.
