Latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Midlands

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Officials hope a new program will help cut down on recidivism among young inmates in South Carolina.

Ginny Barr oversees what's known as the Intensive Supervision program at the Department of Corrections. The program started last year. It assigns an officer to help the system's 955 youthful offenders develop their talents and attend classes while in prison.

After the inmate is released, that same officer helps the inmate get reacclimated to life outside of prison by creating a support system of faith leaders, teachers and law enforcement.

The department says about 50 percent of those youthful offenders end up back in South Carolina's prison. Overall, more than 30 percent of South Carolina's adult inmates return to prison within three years.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)