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Radio 4,18 Aug 2026,37 mins

Saving Young Men from Murder: The Homeboy Story

File on 4 Investigates

Available for over a year

Psychiatrist Dr Gwen Adshead has spent more than 30 years working with violence perpetrators. In this programme, she visits Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, the largest gang rehabilitation in the world. The charity, which offers training, education, therapy and other services, was set up by a Jesuit Priest, Father Gregory Boyle. He was responding to the so-called 鈥渄ecade of death,鈥� in the late 1980s, as his neighbourhood was terrorised by gang violence. "There were shootings all the time. I buried eight teenagers in a three-week period", he said. But this is a good news story. Today, 40 years on, it鈥檚 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 here? Presenter: Dr Gwen Adshead Producer: Jim Frank Editor: Clare Fordham Production co-ordination: Katie Morrison.

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