Summary : This effort, which originated as a result of a holdup to a CA Ron Santa Teresa (CARST) security guard, has quickly become the lead community investment project of the company. The most dangerous gangs of the municipality are recruited and for a trial period of three months, the youths work at intensive cropping. At the same time, they are taught values and an occupation, while practicing rugby and community service. At the end of each period, the class graduates and the alumna receive as reward a formal job with monthly salary or technical instruction at the "El taller del Constructor Popular or "Popular Builder workshop", which is one of the six projects of community investment. The project borrows its name from the famous Alcatraz prison in California , but with a twist. It refers to the fact that the worst prison is oneself and the greatest challenge is to escape. The gang members's future lies in their own hands and Santa Teresa offers them their last opportunity.

Origin : Three gang members held at gun point a CARST security guard. Wanting to generate an exemplary case, the Department of Integral Protection detained two of the three attackers and handed them over to the municipal police. To spare them the fate the police had in store for them, the company decide to "negotiate them" and then give them two options: a) Return to police custody; b) For three months, work in cropping and fire control without remuneration to pay for their crime. After a brief negotiation, both chose option b). Days later they requested to include the other members of the gang. This first Alcatraz group was formed with 22 neighborhood threats; the second group consisted of 34 members of the rival gang. To date there is a long waiting list of four bands embracing 120 additional youths that would "qualify".

Vision
To transform violent leadership in virtuous leadership.

Mission
To eradicate delinquency without violence.

Values
Transparency: Confidence is the base for peace.
Confidentiality: A new opportunity.
Loyalty: "We all are Pata".
Discipline: My future relies on me.
Commitment: Towards my family and community.


Motivation : The unemployment index in the municipality is estimated at 65% and last year the criminality index rose 40% with respect to the previous year. With the support of Balanced Scorecard as tool, CARST is promoting the idea of transforming the José Rafael Revenga Municipality into a tourist attraction. This idea could materialize only if all inhabitants of the municipality align themselves with the vision and the strategic plan. Thanks to Proyecto Alcatraz, CARST has discovered that these young men are the passport to accessing the "barrios" (low income neighborhoods), their families and the minds of the community. Through this project, CARST seeks to neutralize delinquents and transform them into "leaders of change" through their work. It strives to change them into multipliers of the municipality's vision and transform the worst problem existing in the community into a source of well-being for all.

Leadership: The project leader is the company's executive president, Alberto C. Vollmer. The "operations manager" of the project is the Integral Protection Manager; many others have joined the guiding team.

Strategy: The groups are recruited in the target "barrios" with support of a power point presentation, which shows the Municipality's Balance Scorecard and all projects that arise from the strategic plan. The date set for the beginning of the next Proyecto Alcatraz group is announced and the capacity of the participants is limited to 30. Jokingly, it is clarified that "main requirement is a criminal record instead of a curriculum".

Implementation : The day prior to the start, a meeting is held with all young persons, where each one presents four points: a) Purpose of participating in Proyecto Alcatraz, b) Compromise with all other team members for the following three months, c) Five-year term personal vision, d) The crimes they have committed. For three months, the youths move to a remote location in the Hacienda Santa Teresa. They are provided with whatever is necessary to build their base of operations or "guarida" (hideout). They are shown the task they have to do, the boundary they have to fence, etc. They work from 6h00 until 14h00. They are assigned different jobs ranging from planting fences to community work. Three times a week they come from work to rugby practices with a trainer financed by the CAF. (Andean Development Corporation). During the program they receive psychological support.

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Return: The return on investment has become apparent in the following manner

•  The planting of a vegetal fence in 60% of the properties. Land invasions have forced owners to fence properties, but otherwise the cost would have been prohibitive. Planting and cropping of coffee, etc

•  Access to a larger information matrix of the community (mafias, firearms and drug trafficking, etc.), otherwise impossible to enter.

•  Moral authority to influence a deep change, great influence in the municipality's planning strategy, good intentions from the community "foundation", from the member's mothers to the other inhabitants.

•  An almost immediate drop in the criminal rate.

•  Recruiting of the true leaders of the community. They will be the executors of the new vision of the municipality.

•  The company has experienced a transformation in Human Resources; most of the workers want to be volunteers for the CARST community projects.


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