Inside the tough US prison which housed Charles Manson and saw America’s hardest criminals take part in a radical rehab program with a 100 per cent success rate
The notorious jail’s inmates have included Hells Angels founder Sonny Barger and drug exponent Timothy Leary
A THRONGING mass of hulking criminals grab an inmate as he thrashes and screams with rage inside one of the world’s most infamous prisons.
His piercing cries ring out as they jump on top of him in a bid to prevent an escape.
But this isn’t a riot - in fact it is a radical rehabilitation program where the convicts are encouraged to release their rage.
Twice a year for four days some of America’s toughest men break down in tears as they discuss their troubled pasts.
Sitting in a circle former sworn enemies - a white supremacist and a member of LA’s Bloods - hug and chat.
And it works, because of all the prisoners who have been released after taking part in this group therapy, none have re-offended.
Although, many taking part are serving sentences so long they will never leave Folsom prison’s reinforced walls.
The notorious jail’s inmates have included murderer Charles Manson, Hells Angels founder Sonny Barger and drug exponent Timothy Leary.
It’s the uncompromising institution which country legend Johnny Cash wrote about, singing “Far from Folsom Prison that’s where I long to stay”.
Now a documentary movie called The Work has been made about the sessions which take place in California’s maximum security facility.
It goes into the “circle” where inmates and brave volunteers from outside the prison walls are all encouraged to express their darkest emotions.
And when we say brave, we mean brave because at one point inmate Dark Cloud, who has killed two men inside, lunges at a teaching assistant called Brian.
No prison guards are allowed into the sessions, so the volunteers rely upon trained “facilitators” and other members of the circle to protect them.
After 20 years in prison native American Cloud, real name Andrew Molino, is on parole and working as a fork-lift driver in Los Angeles.
He admits to The Sun that he did want to attack Brian, but says thanks to the prison program he has his anger under control.
Andrew, 39, explains: “Before I joined the group I was very self-destructive. I was a very angry and bitter individual.
“It taught me the tools I need to be aware of myself emotionally and to process any adverse emotions that come up to the surface.”
He had been given the tribal name Dark Cloud because trouble always followed him and by the age of 18 he was given a seven years to life sentence for carjacking and robbery.
Andrew got involved with the Native American Brotherhood prison gang and was charged with two murders and three attempted murders.
He admits: “I stabbed other prisoners, it was gang related.”
Folsom gangs opposed people joining in the circle, because within these sessions members of rival clans are expected to help each other.
In 2010 Andrew was stabbed nine times because he refused to carry a gang’s order to assault members of his support group.
He reveals: “I was given an ultimatum - bring harm to others in the circle or have harm come unto myself.
“I chose to stand up for the circle and ended up in hospital.
“I feel anyone else in the group would also have put their life on the line for the group. It has become part of what I am.”
The Inside Circle Foundation, which runs the Folsom sessions, was founded 20 years ago by former inmate Patrick Nolan, accountant Donald Morrison, prison Chaplain Dennis Merino and an ex-convict biker turned poet Robert Allbee.
Former skinhead Nolan, who passed away in 2001, spent seven months in the hole following a riot and during that time read a book by a Jewish psychiatrist who had survived Auschwitz.
James McLeary, who is the organisation’s CEO, said: “When he came out of the hole, he said, ‘This stuff has got to stop.’
“He was so moved by this man and this story, that he started the domino that set this entire program in motion. Yes, people can change.”
In the groups volunteers and prisoners discuss their problems, fears and betrayals.
Often they bring up issues from their childhood and other group members have to pose as the person who wronged them.
This can involve the inmates raging at volunteers or vice versa as they “let it all out.”
The Inside Circle Foundation started in Folsom and the not for profit organisation now helps over 100 inmates in groups inside several California prisons.
Of the 40 prisoners who have left the program and prison none have re-offended.
Prisoners can’t choose to enter the circle - they have to be asked to join. They can’t be in the group simply to impress the parole board.
Eldra Jackson III was asked to join the circle when the former member of Los Angeles’ Bloods insisted he was turning his back on gang associations.
He had originally been jailed in 1991 aged 19 for kidnap for the purposes of robbery and attempted murder, having taken part in the shooting of a taxi driver during a carjacking.
Eldra was given the nickname Vegas because he “liked to take chances.”
He says: “When I went to Folsom I was just coming out of the hole for stabbing someone in another prison. While I was in the hole I decided the way I was living my life wasn’t working.
“By the time I arrived in Folsom yard I told all my gang associates I was done with all that."
In the movie Eldra, 45, who was given a 24 year prison sentence, is one of the calmer members of the therapy group.
Although, he does shout “bull****” in the face of inmate Dante, who is serving double life plus 55 years, for contemplating killing himself.
Eldra says he felt a more forceful approach was needed because no one in the circle was saying anything about Dante’s suicidal feelings.
He believes the program helped to reduce violence in Folsom because it broke down gang rivalries.
Eldra says: “We had people who were sitting in that circle who were bitter enemies, I mean like lions and hyenas. They would leave things at the door and would cry with each other and fight for each other.
“That changed the yard. There were no major incidents, no riots for over a decade because of that program.“
Sitting alongside African American Eldra in the support group in the documentary is former white supremacist and Aryan Brotherhood member Rick Misener.
The heavily tattooed inmate, once known as Crazy Snake and The Painted King, was approached by Nolan to join one of the first circles.
Nolan told Rick, who was in for murder, he knew how he was feeling and if needed to hit anyone he was a willing punch bag.
Rick, 49, who is still in prison, said: “Over the years I hear all the distinctions about guys from the streets and guys from prison. I say we are all guys and struggling the best we know how.”
He talks about his Navy dad beating him when he was aged three and encourages the volunteers to “feel” their emotions as well.
Rick, Eldra and Andrew have become friends through the group which is the only brotherhood they now need.
Having been released on parole in 2014 Eldra is employed as a foreman in a traffic control company and volunteers in a group that helps at risk children in Sacramento.
‘The work’ he did in the program helps Eldra to empathise with others and to “process himself” any time his emotions rise up.
Eldra explains: “I got into a place when I was younger that I didn’t care about anything, to not show any emotions, so it was very easy to objectify people and do anything emotionlessly. I was a machine.
“I am processing myself even to this day. I don’t try to make the emotion less, but I recognise it is there and don’t allow it to run the show.”
Both Eldra and Andrew think this program should be used in prisons all over the world.
Andrew concludes: “I believe wholeheartedly if this program was in all of the prisons the crime rate would be lower.”
The Work is in cinemas and on demand from September 8