Fewer inmates

For a number of years, Missouri experienced the same prison-building boom that was sweeping the nation. Tougher sentencing laws were passed. Drug enforcement was more strenuous. And states like Missouri were faced with the need to build a new prison every two years to keep up with the increased inmate population. Until just a couple of years ago, two additional prisoners were being added to the penitentiary population every day.

Not only is building new prisons an expensive proposition, but each inmate costs taxpayers about $14,400 a year.

When Gov. Matt Blunt took office in 2005, an effort began to address this situation. Supervision centers were established to deal with probation and parole violations instead of sending convicts back to prison. A re-entry program was established, and a computer program was developed to help judges figure out what sentences would be most effective.

As a result, Missouri had a 3 percent decline in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2006, the largest drop of any state.

With almost 30,000 inmates in its prison system, Missouri stands to reduce costs and return more convicted felons to productive lives through these new programs.