You're right in saying that when someone has the kind of background that Mr. Sampson described, “choice” is a very difficult word to use. I really applaud you for the work you did as a volunteer. Volunteers are incredibly effective with people in the system.
As a volunteer organization, we're there to walk alongside, to deliver some programs as the institution might wish to have supplemented, both in the community and in the prison. I would describe accountability as taking responsibility and acknowledging that what the offender has done has impacted other people. Getting them to the point where they realize the damage they have done is not only damage to themselves but also damage to someone else. That can be a fairly big hurdle, surprisingly. People of this description feel powerless, even if they have caused damage to others. So recognition and accountability that there has been damage, and then wanting to do something about it for their lives and for the lives of the community or for others, is key to their making progress.
Paul Abbass runs an addictions facility, a rehab facility. I think one of the things you would say, Paul, is that you need people to confront and be willing to address their issues before you're going to make any substantive progress with them.