States that are looking for ways to reduce the costs of keeping young offenders in prison are taking a fresh look at the Missouri Model.
Missouri abandoned the traditional approach to prison in the 1980s. The state adopted a system of small, regional treatment centers that provide education, job training and 24-hour counseling, aimed at helping kids turn their lives around. As a result, Missouri has cut its recidivism rate for parolees down to 10%.
A report from WBEZ radio in Chicago gives us a peak inside a youth prison that has adopted the Missouri Model.
--Photo courtesy WBEZ radio and Rob Wildeboer