Given the recent mass shootings, it may feel like crime rate is on the rise. But in fact, the crime rate is declining. That means there are fewer inmates, and prisons are closing. A total of four prisons have recently closed in Colorado. It's happening in other states, too. Now, a new challenge: What to do with the empty buildings? CPR's Andrea Dukakis speaks with Emily Badger who's written an article about the issue in this month’s Atlantic Magazine. Then what one community in southeastern Colorado wants to do with its empty prison. We’ll hear from Bent County Commissioner Bill Long about his proposal to turn the former prison into a place for homeless veterans.
[Photo: CPR News]
