Judges, parole officers, and members of the parole commission refer people to the tightly structured program. Participants live in a separate building from other inmates and eat meals at different times. Days include group therapy, team-building physical activities, classes that address addiction issues, and no television, unusual for a prison setting.

"One of the tenets of the program is that idle hands are where the criminal thought process is spawned," said Schweickart. As a reward, participants watch movies together once a week, but only if the group has earned the privilege.

Confrontation and stark honesty tempered by positive reinforcement are the hallmarks of the program's treatment philosophy. Participants thrive on blunt confrontations and discussions of each others' behavior. Those completing the program offer encouragement to new participants, who in turn find role models in those who complete the program successfully.

Once people are out of prison, they enter an after-care program called the Winners Circle. One man who was serving time for his 13th drunk driving conviction just left the Winners Circle; he has been sober for more than two years. He will continue to attend four Alcoholics Anonymous meetings each week and an occasional Winners Circle meeting to stay in touch with other program participants. "I've built a support group around me," he said.