You won't find an air conditioner in any inmate wings at Fuchu Prison, no matter how hot it is outside. And on this sweltering, cloudless day in August, it is certainly hot. Two members from Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Center (DARC) are preparing to hold a session with a group of repeat drug offenders in a room that is kept cool with only a fan. Vibrant sunlight streams through the lace curtains, giving the scene a somewhat surreal backdrop. Every once and a while, a gust of wind wafts through the room, making the temperature just bearable despite the suffocating heat.
The theme of the day is "hitting rock bottom."
"There have been plenty of times in my life when I thought I was at rock bottom — when I dropped out of high school, for example, or when I first got hooked on drugs," an inmate in his 30s says, requesting anonymity. "Today, however, I look outside and see this beautiful sunny day and I can't help thinking that this time I've really hit rock bottom."
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