A new effort in St. Louis seeks to help young jail inmates choose a productive life over a life of crime.
The city announced today they will start a pilot program called "From Prison to Prosperity," which will provide state and private funds to help connect 130 inmates to either jobs or classes at Ranken Technical College.
The program is for mostly first-time inmates ages 17 to 24 at the Medium Security Institution. The program will teach them automotive and construction skills, train them in financial literacy, and connect them with social service agencies to help with drug or alcohol addiction.
Mayor Francis Slay said this program is different from other existing convict-rehab programs because it tries to reach out to help people before they take on a life of crime.
