The S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice is ailing from millions in state budget cuts and fears that it may have to cut programs and facilities established that aim to rehabilitate youthful offenders.

Juvenile Justice Director Bill Byars spoke to The Post and Courier about the need for the programs: "It's hard to build up programs and then have to take them down. But we can't give up. If we don't turn these kids around, we're going to keep locking them up for the rest of their lives."

It's a pretty compelling story and one more example of important programs faltering from the state's budget crisis.

Go read it.