I have worked in the correctional field for many years and one of the things that always got me was how many people in prison were abused or neglected as children. They committed some horrible crimes, usually before the age of 21, but by the age of 30 to 35 were totally different people. One of the things that got me the most was how almost all of them wanted to get out and go into working with at risk kids so they could not have to follow the path they did. Everything in your statement is so very true and it is one of the reasons I am working so hard to try and make legislators understand that we need to focus on rehabilitation not incarceration especially for those sentenced under the age of 25. In Washington State we spend $46,000 a year housing someone in prison, that money could so be better spent on prevention, family assistance and education.