Facing problems, Missouri revamped juvenile justice
In Missouri, large institutions were replaced with small facilities, closer to offenders' homes. Teens live in pods of 10 with two counselors. They wear their own clothes, sleep in dorm-style rooms and address the staff by first names.
Mark Steward, retired Director of the Missouri Division of Youth Services and founder Missouri Youth Services Institute. (Photo: Missouri Youth Services Institute)
The doors are locked for the high-risk offenders, but no matter the setting, the focus is on therapy instead of controlling the youth, said Mark Steward, one of the architects of the Missouri system. They are reporting a much higher success rate than Wisconsin
