Puerto Rico inmates 'tweet' to help reduce crime

December 5, 2012 @ 6:45 am

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Puerto Rico has turned to Twitter in an experimental effort to help reduce the number of violent crimes.

The Department of Correction says it is allowing three male prison inmates to use a Twitter account and share their experiences of being in jail. The pilot program is dubbed "Follow me so you don't follow me."

The men are in a prison in the southern coastal town of Guayama. Two of them were convicted of murder.

Corrections Secretary Jesus Gonzalez Cruz said Tuesday that the men have daily, supervised access to the Twitter account named "follow2unfollow." It has more than 5,000 followers. The inmates are identified by the handles "inmate," "inmate2" and "inmate3."

The U.S. territory of 4 million people reported a record 1,117 homicides last year.


(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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