CBS 11 News has obtained an eye opening report about youth violence in Alaska. It shows most of the kids doing hard time at the McLaughlin Youth Center are behaving themselves after time served.

McLaughlin officials just finished a report on the subject Thursday. They say if we all want to play a community role in solving our youth and gang violence problem we can start by learning from their example.

"I can think of many of them. We have one youth ready to be released this summer," said McLaughlin superintendent, Barbara Henjum.

The many McLaughlin success stories Superintendent Henjum recalls start with what youth center officials thought four years ago was a forward thinking approach. Today, McLaughlin's Transitional

Services Unit is a nationally recognized, promising practice.

"We work really comprehensively with each youth. We work closely with their family. With the youth. With supports they have in the community as well as a bunch of community partners that are here at McLaughlin," said Henjum.

The McLaughlin community partners are perhaps the biggest reason this program is successful. From Boys and Girls Club and Big Brothers, Big Sisters mentors, to Alaska Native Justice Center officials working to transition Alaska Native youth from the facility back to the Bush--it's a team approach to holistically figure out what each child needs, so once they get out they will not re-offend.

"We work in collaboration with other folks that I

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think really wraps around the kids in a way that supports them and helps out with their success," said Henjum.

The numbers McLaughlin officials released Thursday, obtained by CBS 11 News, looked at the 72 residents released between July 1, 2004, and June 13, 2005. Out of the 72 released, only 14 re-offended. And out of those, only five went back into the system. That means 58 residents, or 81 percent, are success stories.

"They say if you get 50 percent of those kids not to

re-offend within the year after release, then you're doing great. We have 19 percent, which means we are doing really, really well," said Henjum.

"So if you combine all those things: building a relationship, providing structure, holding kids accountable--kids start opening up. And start to become amenable to things were talking about," said McLaughlin coordinator, Russ Blocker.

"They're held accountable for what decisions they make on daily basis. They're held accountable for what got them in here. And you remind them of that. You work with them on that. You don't just tell an angry kid to stop being angry. You teach them skills to deal with their anger," said Henjum.

To contact Matthew, call 907-273-3186.