Five families live in the building, all sent there by the district attorney's office for felony offenses. Some involve drugs, others weapons, and still others violent crime.
The women attend parenting classes and therapy. Their children go to school and receive medical care and tutoring. If the mothers complete their requirements, the charges are dropped. If they break the law or don't show for a session, they get the maximum sentence.
The program has been lauded as a successful, more supportive and cheaper alternative to prison. But space is running out, and it needs funding in order to grow.
