Joy Helms, a teacher in the impact of crime class at McCormick Correctional Institute, reads inmates a poem about the negative effects of cocaine. The voluntary classes are taught at South Carolina prisons. RON COCKERILLE/STAFF

The class taught in the prisons explores, with the help of movies, discussions and the victims themselves, the impact of crimes that range from petty theft to murder. The class is taught at 20 of the state's 30 correctional facilities.

Correction officials and victim advocates say the class is one of the best ways to prevent inmates from returning to prison after release.

It provides an experience like none other, they say.

On Tuesday, inmates at the McCormick institution, a facility that houses some of the state's most violent offenders with long sentences, continued their six-week course into crime's impact.

A group of 25 inmates works its way through each course, and on this day, the inmates - many of whom are drug dealers - hear about Lisa.

To participate If you would like to be a victim speaker at an impact of crime class, call the South Carolina Department of Corrections Division of Victim Services at (803) 896-8598 or (800) 835-0304.

Lisa is a 16-year-old single mother. She is addicted to cocaine and sells sex to buy drugs. The dealer who sold Lisa drugs is the center of attention.

While Lisa's story is fictional, it is reality for a heavyset inmate sitting at the front of the class. He is a 39-year-old former drug dealer who, throughout the hourlong class, tells his story.

''When I first came here, I said, 'Man I'm not violent. I didn't kill anybody.' All I was doing was selling drugs,'' he says. ''But after thinking about it over time, I hurt a lot of people.''

Instructor Bill Dreyer is convinced he is getting through to this inmate.

''You can become an ambassador of this class,'' he tells the man. ''When you get out into the yard, you can tell them about this class.''

''I do, I do. I tell the younger ones,'' the inmate replies.

Only inmates who are two years or less from either parole or serving out their sentence can attend the class. They don't receive grades, but successful completion of the course is considered by parole officials.

Beyond the inward education they receive, inmates do not receive any special treatment for taking the class.

An inmate looks at a handout that describes the effects of marijuana. The impact classes, which originated in California, are offered to those who are set to be paroled or freed within two years. RON COCKERILLE/STAFF

Impact classes were first created in 1986 by officials at the California Youth Authority. That agency has taught officials in many states, including the Palmetto State.

The cost for the classes is minimal because the few materials the state needs - books, videos and worksheets - are supplied by California authorities.

The class is part of a growing movement in corrections called restorative justice.

''It can be very healing for both lives,'' said Laura Hudson, a public policy coordinator for the South Carolina Victims Advocate Network. Volunteers from her group, victims of crime, help with the classes.

With more violent crimes, the sessions go further. The inmates not only learn the victim's perspective, but also look more deeply into their lives to see how their crime affects themselves, in addition to society, friends and family.

''It makes inmates look at themselves,'' Mr. Dreyer said. ''The course is geared toward that - putting a mirror in front of them.''

But one victim researcher said providers of the class are assuming too much of hardened criminals.

''Look at what the assumption is - show how they impacted society, to stop the behavior. That's assuming they care. I don't think that's so,'' said Ron Acierno, the director of the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, part of the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

He and others point out that there is no extensive scientific data on success rates, although limited studies conducted by the California authorities do indicate improvements.

Mr. Dreyer said he is not sure whether the class makes inmates study harder in their other educational courses or whether inmates behave better after the course.

There is a waiting list for the course in South Carolina, and even if inmates are there to better their parole status, the class has an impact on them, Mr. Dreyer said.

He said it boils down to what each inmate puts into it.

''The older guys look at it differently. The youngsters want to play too much,'' Mr. Dreyer said. ''They don't want to accept responsibility for their actions, and that is what the course is about. Some of these guys will probably never be rehabilitated. But to the guys you can get to, it is helpful to them.''

Matthew Boedy at (803) 648-1395 or mboedy@augusta.com.