An opportunity 'to be human' / MercuryNews, 22 Oct 2004

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/9985246.htm?1c
Karen de Sá
"In Missouri's lock-ups for its toughest juvenile offenders, stuffed animals, smiley-face bedspreads and fresh sunflowers take the place of the handcuffs, Mace and isolation cells common in California's youth prisons.
Treatment prevails over punishment. ``Students'' and ``clients'' -- not wards or inmates -- move freely around homey cottages. They choose their own clothing, attend classes, and rarely fight or threaten suicide. The program's success is evident in their lengths of stay: After an average of eight months, Missouri youths are considered safe for release. In California, young offenders spend an average of about three years -- and as many as seven -- in custody."