If those entries are really dates, you could just use:
format|Cells|number tab|Custom category
and type in
mmddyyyy
If those entries are just plain old numbers, you can select the column
data|text to columns
fixed width (and remove any lines that excel guessed)
choose date and ymd
Now you'll end up with real dates in those cells and you can give them a custom
format of mmddyyyy.
I think you'll find that if you keep your data as real dates and use formats to
show what you'll need you'll be much better off.
You'll be able to do date arithmetic (age when they committed their first crime
<g>) much easier.
