JEFFERSON CITY • Top officials from Missouri's legislative, executive and judicial branches joined forces Wednesday in an effort to revamp Missouri's criminal sentencing practices with an eye toward diverting more nonviolent offenders to treatment programs instead of prison.

Missouri officials are working with the Pew Center on the States to analyze current sentencing laws, prison populations, probation programs and recidivism rates. Other states that have undertaken similar studies have enacted laws directing more nonviolent offenders to enhanced probation and drug treatment programs, generally reserving prison beds for the most serious and violent offenses.

At a news conference Wednesday, Missouri officials said their dual goal is to increase public safety by rehabilitating more offenders while saving the state money by locking up only those whose crimes most warrant such punishment.

"All too often legislators legislate to the press release of the day — the biggest crime that comes about in the media usually brings about a swifter, tougher penalty for whatever that conduct may be, and we have a piecemeal criminal code," said Sen. Jack Goodman, R-Mount Vernon, who is co-chairman of the group undertaking the study. "What we are doing today, and through the coming months, is working toward a holistic, data-driven, evidence-based approach."

The effort drew support at a Capitol news conference Wednesday from Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon, Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster, Supreme Court Judge William Ray Price Jr., state Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer, R-Dexter, and state House Speaker Steven Tilley, R-Perryville.