Montana Department of Labor & Industry

Nearly forty years ago, Warren Raitt, Roger Johnson, Jimmy Kaaro and Jack Songer protected the streets of Lewistown. Today their images grace the cover of the fall edition of the Main Street Montana highlighting Fergus County and the economic and social impacts of Corrections.

“We’ve heard from employers feeling the workforce pinch of Montana’s record low unemployment rate,” said Labor Commissioner Keith Kelly. “In this edition, we expose the public to the multitude of job skills and training opportunities inmates have available to reenter Montana’s workforce, upon release, as contributing and productive citizens.”

Lewistown and Fergus County are playing a key role in the state’s efforts to manage offenders outside of prison walls. Montana’s newest correctional facility is the Nexus treatment center for meth addiction, located in Lewistown. This 80-bed program is a crucial tool in the state’s effort to combat the effects of methamphetamine.

“Nexus represents one of this nation’s most innovative approaches to meth and breaking the grip that the drug has on its victims,” said Mike Ferriter, Corrections Department director. “We believe this program, and the one for women in Boulder, can serve as a national model for states struggling to find a new and effective solution to this dangerous and growing problem of meth addiction.”