>> but not everyone believes jail is a choice. some feel they are victims to a probation system that's all too easy to violate and keeps sending them back. >> i was told by my first probation officer after reading the conditions of my probation, if you can do this without me violating you, you'll be lucky. this is the first time i've met this man, the first time i've been on probation. he was very right. >> eric john's original charge was for sexual battery. after serving four years in prison, he was released on probation. but when a urine test proved positive for marijuana, he was back in the miami-dade county jail. >> i am a three-time loser. this makes my third time. once you're in the system, you will be back. >> eric johns was definitely a loner in the jail system, but he had developed his own method of survival. in fact, he told us how in his first stay in jail, he sent a message to ward off any predatory inmates.