Alternative To Prison Could Keep Some Missourians Free

Sometimes it’s better to treat the problem that puts people in prison than it is to keep them there. A special program in Missouri programs gives a judge a chance to decide if a person’s crime is linked to a drug or alcohol addiction. If so, the judge can order the person to finish a four-month addiction treatment program in the prison. If the inmate completes the program, probation is possible instead of years behind bars. And, the Missouri Department of Corrections says four out of five people sentenced to the 120 day program finish it. If they don’t they have to complete their entire sentence.