COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- People found guilty of abusing women are sometimes sentenced to get help from anger management.

VIDEO: Offenders Call Court-Ordered Class 'Big Joke'

But what if it turned out that some of those abusers weren't getting help and some were basically allowed to pay a fee and buy their way out of their sentence?

The Channel 4 I-team found that some convicted abusers and those charged with domestic violence were not attending a court-ordered program for the fulltime that was orderd by a judge.

The I-team started investigating the Skills To Avoid Violence (SAV) class in August after men sentenced to the class said what was really going on.

The men who attend the class come from six local counties and held at the Putnam County Sheriff's Department.

Here's what's supposed to happen:

Men sentenced to the SAV program are ordered to attend one-hour sessions for 26 weeks. They have to pay $15 a session to learn how to change their behaviors, respect women and accept responsibly.

The problem is not those who don't show up for the class but the class itself.

Channel 4 interviewed a few of the men who were sentenced to the class.

"It was just a joke. You pay your money. You talk for five minutes and you leave," said "Duane," who was charged with domestic violence.

Some of the men said the class was not held and they were allowed to leave after paying their fee.

"You go to class and you pay your money and you leave. It's like going to college, paying your tuition and you're not learning anything," said "Duane."

Channel 4 started asking questions to the facilitator of the class, Lori Taylor.

"I wonder what it is you teach about anger management in eight minutes," asked reporter Jeremy Finley.

"I think...I'm confused," said Taylor.

"Do you think this is what the judge designed when he sentenced them to hour long classes, and they're in for such a short amount of time?" asked Finely.

"Sir, I don't know where you're getting your information from," said Taylor.

Channel 4 got the information by sending a producer to the class for five weeks. Our producer waited outside and timed how long the men were attending the classes.

The judge ordered that the class last one hour, but the first session that Channel 4 attended lasted 30 minutes.

Next week's class lasted 20 minutes and the week after that lasted eight minutes.

In the last two weeks in September, the men paid their money and immediately left without having to stay for a class at all.

"They were told there was no lesson plan, so just to go on home?" asked Finley.

"I'm not aware of that situation. I don't now what you're talking about," said Taylor.

"How can you not be aware if you're the facilitator?" said Finley.

"I've not been doing this for that long, and I'm not aware of the situation," said Taylor.

"No comments. No comments," said Chuck Ledbetter, a co-facilitator of the class.

When Channel 4 News sent in an undercover camera to the Sept. 13 class, Ledbetter had this to say:

"They didn't leave any lesson plans. I'm just letting everybody pay, sign in and you go home tonight,” said Ledbetter via a Channel 4 undercover camera.

"Do you think you've been doing a good job teaching these gentlemen about anger management?" asked reporter Jeremy Finley.

"I believe I've been doing the job I've been hired to do, yes sir. That's all I've got to say," said Taylor.

Channel 4 took our findings to a judge who sentenced the men to this program, as well as the director of the program herself. The court then decided to take action to resolve the issue.

But what about all the abusers who didn’t really get help? Do they get away without having to attend another class?

The judge said yes, they are free to go. If they showed up, they served their sentences.

Watch Tuesday at 6 p.m. for part two of this I-Team investigation.