Juvenile justice experts see promise in Gov. Scott Walker's reorganization plan that would convert the Lincoln Hills youth prison into an adult facility.

But they also caution that the success of smaller, regional juvenile prisons depends on how well the changes are implemented.

Walker on Thursday announced he wants to spend $80 million on five new regional juvenile prisons and a larger mental health facility for girls in Madison. The plan calls for legislative approval in 2019, but Walker says he's open to moving faster.

Jeffrey Butts is the director of the Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He says nothing in Walker's plan ensures Wisconsin will have an effective approach.

Butts says "poor implementation and ineffective management can ruin the best of plans."