Many U.S. prisons are trade schools for crime. High recidivism rates underscore the failure of the current criminal justice system. Released and rearrested inmates pass through an expensive revolving door.  The Texas prison used to be called the Texas Department of Corrections (TDC), but there was little evidence that it corrected bad behavior.  In Texas, nearly one-fourth of the prisoners released return within three years. Nationally, half of the prisoners released return within three years. However, the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP), an independent nonprofit organization in Texas, puts inmates within one to three years of parole eligibility on the path to jobs and even running a business.  Less than 7% of its graduates return to prison within three years. 500 participants are chosen yearly out of more than 10,000 eligible inmates. The screening process, which is more selective than prestigious universities, includes a 20-page application, three exams, and an interview with P