Anyone who's seen the first-hand effects of our juvenile system can see that it's broken. Many kids who get caught up into the system witness violence, are separated from their families, and their futures can be jeopardized.

In 2000, more than 100,000 kids were being held in detention centers or incarcerated.

Just a decade later, we saw a drop of almost 40% in the number of detained or incarcerated youth.

The Comeback States,a new report we at the Texas Public Policy Foundation co-authored with our partners at the National Juvenile Justice Network examines how this turnaround happened. Taking a closer look at nine states leading the nation, the report examines policy reforms these states have adopted that reflect a new approach to addressing youth incarceration.