Saving young men from murder: The Homeboy story

British Psychiatrist Dr Gwen Adshead, who has spent a lifetime working with violence perpetrators, visits Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, the largest gang rehabilitation in the world. It offers, training, education, therapy and other services, was set up by a Jesuit Priest, Father Gregory Boyle. It was his response to the so-called “decade of death,” in the late 1980’s, as his neighbourhood was terrorised by gang violence.

Today, 40 years on, it has been called one of the most successful gang rehabilitation organisations in the world. Talking to Father Boyle and several former gang members, Dr Adshead explores the Home Boy model of rehabilitation and asks if something similar could work in other parts of the world.

(Photo: Father Gregory Boyle, known there as “Father G”, stands in a room with walls covered in paintings. He has a short white beard, a bald head and is wearing glasses and a black and white check shirt. Credit: Jim Frank)

Presenter: Dr Gwen Adshead
Producer: Jim Frank
Production co-ordination: Katie Morrison.
Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar
Editor: Clare Fordham