History repeats itself.In the 1940's and 50's, the United States Penitentiary in Odessa was the home of a revolutionary inmate rehabilitation program: a fast, simple miracle surgery that could reform even the most hopeless case in minutes. Recipients were rendered quiet, docile, and manageable.The surgery was called "transorbital lobotomy."Now, more than sixty years later, Odessa is getting a new program. It's just as promising as lobotomy, with none of the mess. And the Long-term Inmate Research and Rehabilitation group says it's completely reversible.They say it's been a huge success everywhere they've tried it.

And that the details are classified.Marcia Trembley, a correctional unit supervisor for USP Odessa, has worked with inmates for long enough to know that there's no such thing as a magic bullet for rehabilitation. She can see history repeating itself. If only someone, anyone, would believe her.The Primer book 1: BreakThe Primer book 2: BeatenThe Primer book 4: The VolunteerThe Primer book 5: Kill Switch (coming 2018).