Overview Of The Missouri Approach

The Missouri Approach was formed by the Missouri Division of Youth Services in the Department of Social Services in Missouri. This department oversees the treatment of delinquent youths. 86% of the delinquents are male while 14% of them are female. Most of them are minorities and from urban areas. More than half of these crimes committed by the delinquents are felonies. The goal of this program is to prevent teenagers from reoffending or getting into the system (The missouri approach - about the Missouri approach). Missouri has created a juvenile system that was successful. This is because it is made of several smaller facilities to keep these kids closer to their homes. Each facility houses 10-30 youths. Few of these facilities contain isolation

Compared to other states, Missouri has the lowest percentage of recidivism among juvenile offenders. The juveniles also get a second chance at education and to further pursue it. The youths begin to make progress within a year. Then there is money being saved for taxpayers because billions of dollars are spent on correctional systems annually. The Missouri model has saved their state millions of dollars due to the reduced recidivism. The kids in the juvenile facilities often suffer from physical or sexual abuse and the staff provide them with a safe environment. They will form meaningful relationships with these juveniles and then they become willing to change their behaviors. In addition, these systems are built like homes and close to families. They will never be far away from their families. This system implements a group treatment model instead of isolating them and leaving them defenseless to other delinquents. They teach and practice safety through relationships and supervision. They emphasize the importance of safety from abuse and humiliation. The staff aid youths in building their academic and communication skills, so they are prepared when they are released. They even reach out to their families to aid in their rehabilitation, seeing family members can give them the desire to change

I think building new local facilities would reunite families and bring them closer to their homes. That way staff can connect with their families to assist in the juvenile’s rehabilitation. The staff could learn more about the inmate through their families to better their techniques and strengthen their bond. Because they practice safety and trust within these facilities. The only issues with these new facilities would be property taxes but this project is worth it due to the high success rate in Missouri. Although not all locations are the same, I believe the results can be universal if they utilize the same techniques as Missouri. Every state has urban and rural towns, the difference is just the