Judge John Phillips was disheartened by the lack of resources to support kids from troubled backgrounds who ended up in his Monterey County, California courtroom, and decided to come up with an alternative to help. Phillips transformed a dilapidated juvenile incarceration center that closed in 1982 into Rancho Cielo— a therapy and rehabilitation community for students facing prison time. Rancho Cielo houses 220 students aged 16-24 on its property, which includes bright living facilities, workshops, horse stables, bike paths, and more. Students have access to high school and college level education, therapy, vocational training, and anything else they need to thrive. Since the ranch opened in 2003, the results have been staggering. Housing a juvenile inmate in the traditional justice system costs $110,000 per year, and 60% end up becoming reoffenders. At Rancho Cielo, housing costs are $25,000 per year, and only 15% of graduates become reoffenders. The numbers speak for themselves, and now court systems around the country are looking at Rancho Cielo as a model to follow.
Image via USA Today
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