January 11, 2011
Beyond "Scared Straight" – Moving to Programs that Actually Work
Laura Burney Nissen, M.S.W., Ph.D. is the national program director for Reclaiming Futures. She has led the initiative through conceptualization, demonstration and dissemination. As national program director, Laura has written extensively about the lessons of the initiative, and is a regular speaker at national meetings on juvenile justice reform. Laura has worked with state and federal agencies to encourage system-wide recognition and use of strength-based methods for youth. She is also an associate professor at Portland State University's School of Social Work, where her research focuses on qualitative research methods, system reform issues, and communication tools for social change.
Beyond "Scared Straight" – Moving to Programs that Actually Work
In the last couple of decades, we've seen an explosion of research that tells us what works in adolescent substance abuse treatment and in helping kids caught in the juvenile justice system turn their lives around. As a result, foundations and lawmakers have raised their expectations: quite rightly, they want to fund "what works."
Which is why it's maddening to see "Scared Straight" held up as a model for juvenile justice on national television in "Beyond 'Scared Straight,'" a multi-episode series on A&E that premieres on Thursday, January 13, 2011.
The original "Scared Straight" program, in which a group of adult prison inmates attempted to terrify a group of teen offenders into "going straight," was the focus of a television special in 1978. Since then, the authors of "'Scared Straight' and other juvenile awareness programs for preventing juvenile delinquency (Review)," a 2002 meta-analysis of relevant research on nine such programs, found that "not only does it fail to deter crime, but it actually leads to more offending behavior."
That's right: "Scared Straight" increases the chance that youth will reoffend, compared to doing nothing. This is retro-programming that went out with other ill-advised approaches years ago. We need to move forward on this issue – not backwards.
Thankfully, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) won't fund Scared Straight programs, or anything like them, because of the lack of research support. And several states, including Oregon, the state I live in, now require that all or a large portion of state monies funding juvenile justice programming must go to evidence-based programs.
But when an ineffective intervention program like "Scared Straight" is showcased on television, we can expect that there will be pressure to replicate it in communities across the country. That's a travesty, and not just because it would be a waste of taxpayer dollars. Investing in 'Scared Straight'" means investing in ruining the lives of teens across the country – and creating more crime victims.
Rather than focusing on shaming and terrorizing youth to deter them from future crime, we should invest instead in the variety of treatment, supportive services, and community-based recovery support services that teens in the juvenile justice system need to be successful.
One way to do that is to invest in Reclaiming Futures (which is backed by national evaluation results from The Urban Institute and Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago). Our approach helps communities do a better job of getting teens the treatment and community connections they need to be successful for the long term. And a core principle of our work has always been that communities that truly care about their kids should invest in what's been shown to work.
But what do you think? Should A&E air a show like "Beyond 'Scared Straight?'"
Update August 2011: in spite of overwhelming research evidence and opposition from juvenile judges, federal officials, and juvenile justice experts, A&E Television is airing a new series of episodes of Beyond 'Scared Straight.'
Updates September 2012:
1. Scared Straight continues to air on A&E.
2. Laura Burney Nissen is now a special advisor to Reclaiming Futures, while Susan Richardson is the National Executive Director.
Laura Burney Nissen, M.S.W., Ph.D. is the national program director for Reclaiming Futures. She has led the initiative through conceptualization, demonstration and dissemination. As national program director, Laura has written extensively about the lessons of the initiative, and is a regular speaker at national meetings on juvenile justice reform. Laura has worked with state and federal agencies to encourage system-wide recognition and use of strength-based methods for youth. She is also an associate professor at Portland State University's School of Social Work, where her research focuses on qualitative research methods, system reform issues, and communication tools for social change.
Photo at top: Adam Foster | Codefor.
Joe - thanks for taking the time to read the research, and for your thoughtful question.
As you know, the reason researchers assess interventions like "Scared Straight" in isolation (i.e., vs. "doing nothing" in this case) is that it makes it clearer whether the program is working or not. If, as in this situation, you have multiple studies of the intervention in multiple sites that all conclude that "Scared Straight" either has no effect or is harmful, there's no basis to suppose that combining it with interventions that have been shown to have a positive impact will make it successful. In fact, as far as I'm aware, there are no independent research studies that show even the slightest positive effect for "Scared Straight," so at this point, policymakers and practitioners have very strong evidence that suggests they'd be doing harm by using it at all.
Then, too, it's important to remember that "Scared Straight's" premise is that the shock of being exposed to hardened inmates in a prison setting will cause young people to modify their behavior over the long term. The research as it stands -- which has been performed more than once by different researchers in different places -- shows that doing nothing with the kids either has the same effect as "Scared Straight" (in which case, there's no point in doing it) or (as this meta-analysis concludes) it makes kids *more* likely to commit crimes. Either way, the premise that kids can be scared straight doesn't hold water.
Mr. Chambers,
I can see by the string of comments and other research that "scared straight" programs appear to have an adverse affect on teenagers. I certainly know the importance of studies and statistics, as an operations analyst, but what I need to know is what type of programs are available that work for our children? My daughter has started down a slippery slope and as a result has come to live with me for the past month. I'm a retired naval officer and hope to instill some daily regimen in her life but this past weekend, while visiting her mother, she ended up getting in trouble once again. My concern is things may spiral out of control and I want to get her whatever type of help that may be out there. My immediate thought was the "scared straight" type programs we heard about when we grew up. So, I guess what I'm not seeing on this site is recommended solutions, I'm only seeing pointers to links about how the program doesn't work. I guess my military nature would ask me to give me a solution please not the problems restated several different ways.
Thanks,
Chuck
Mr. Gillum, I appreciate your openness to hearing what the research says and your focus on solutions for your daughter.
There are a whole set of research-backed prevention and intervention programs available -- you can see model programs at the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, but the site is designed more for policymakers and juvenile justice professionals than for parents in your situation.
Of course, there's no magic recipe. And furthermore, what's actually available in any given community -- never mind what you can afford -- varies a great deal. And finally, what I say here may not apply to your situation, and shouldn't be taken as professional advice. (I certainly don't know what sort of behavior your daughter's actually exhibiting.) In fact, I'd probably ask the opinion of your physician, school teacher/counselor, and/or talk with a therapist to see what they recommend.
Nevertheless, if intervention is needed here's a few things that might help:
* If therapy is warranted, see if you can find a provider who has a lot of experience (and certification) using "Motivational Interviewing" (MI). It's a technique that therapists and health professionals use to increase client motivation to change. A key difference between it and other approaches is that it's based on research on how people make behavior changes (like quitting smoking) to draw on their own motivation for a better life to help them stop doing negative, self-destructive behavior. It's not a complete treatment in itself, but it can be extremely effective way to start work with a defiant teen.
* Cognitive-behavioral therapy (which is often used with MI) is one of the most effective approaches for changing behavior - it's relatively widespread, too, in terms of finding therapists who "do" it.
* Many people find family therapy -- vs. individual therapy for their child -- very helpful, especially in helping them regain control of youth who are acting out.
* Taking a holistic, environmental approach -- finding positive activities, positive peers, and additional caring adults to wrap around your child will increase the "protective factors" that will make her more successful in the long run
* If she needs alcohol or drug treatment, ask questions about the evidence base behind the treatment approach. In fact, I recently posted some links to questions parents can ask about substance abuse treatment programs and residential treatment.
I hope this is somewhat helpful, and I wish you the best of luck with your daughter.
I disagree with the article printed in the Baltimore Sun. I disagree with what the researchers said. Teens without this program will most likely offend in the future as well. If the program helps scare some teens it's doing well. My opinion is will help a lot of teens and help some parents too. The program should move forward. All states should fund this program. I talk and write to as many troubled teens that I can reach out to with help using my scare factor stories. I also show them letters from my son who is an inmate here in TX. My stories and opinions go way back starting with my younger brother being in a juvenile corrections center back in the 70's. He's still in trouble today at the age of 46. My son was in TYC and TDC. If I can help one troubled teen turn thier life around and avoid prison with my stories then I fill I'm doing good. My goal is to help more.
Hi Lindee - I'm glad you're so committed to turning the lives of teens around - I wish more people cared as much about them, especially those in the justice system.
However, when it comes to setting policy about how we're going to help the thousands of teens who have brushes with the law each year, it makes sense to develop interventions that are consistent with what the research tells us works. This main study Laura refers to above is actually a review of 9 separate tests of this intervention -- since the overall conclusion was that "Scared Straight" actually made youth more likely to reoffend, it's really not something we want to support.
My 2 teenage daughters, ages 14 and 16, watched several episodes of the show and it has had a positive affect on them. Typical of this country, research often becomes tainted toward the result people want. I find it very, very hard to believe that Scared Straight programs fail at their objective. I believe it is hogwash and the conclusion of those studies has someone's agenda behind it. Research in the United States and by government organizations is extremely agenda tainted. Not buying it. Great show. I applaud those making Beyond Scared Straight.
Hi Eric - I'm glad the show had a positive effect on your daughters, and I hope the improvement is lasting.
As for the research, I could understand your skepticism if we were talking about just one study. But one of the "studies" that showed that "Scared Straight" was ineffective was actually a high-level look at *nine* different studies. The point of approaching it that way is to eliminate exactly the kind of "agenda" bias you're talking about, and the organization that conducted is an international, independent non-profit known for providing high-quality, extremely rigorous evaluations of research.
I encourage you to look at the actual study for more information about what the researchers looked at, and the results they found.
Regardless, I genuinely wish you the best of luck with your daughters!
Hello,
Hey I just don't agree with you. Not one bit. I think that the program is real helpful. Hey I have a question. Are you exposed to these delinquent kids?
I lived in a bad part of town for almost 10 years and I have seen delinquent kids
everyday of that 10 years until I could get section 8 to move to a better area.
These kids have no morals, their parents,parent,grandparents don't instill any disciplines leaving these kids to raise themselves & make their own decisions which as we see out in the world are really poor.
These kids take drugs,violate others by robbing,threats of violence,anti social. These kids are out of control!! I've seen it first hand.
I don't think that you see the big picture. These kids think that getting into trouble is cool,smoking weed or other drugs & drinking alcohol is cool.
This Scared Straight program or the other names that Scared Straight falls under is a DETERRENT to landing in PRISON!!
You know I feel that you want to coddle these kids. No! they need this the bad kids really do need this.
What this program does is save lives. Scared straight saves those youngsters lives & lives of future victims.
When I see a juvenile delinquent I worry that I might fall victim somewhere down the road due the juveniles displaced rage or desparation.
It's the juveniles I fear most because they are getting VERY DANGEROUS. It's not the adults I fear but the juvenile delinquents.
Take the blinders off! Get your head out of West Side Story!
We're not dealing with the Jets or the Sharks.
And this isn't a scene out of Sidney Poiter's movie in "To Sir With Love"
WAKE UP!
To those of you that say "have you seen these kids" or "I've seen it work." Your argument is 100% invalid. You are presenting what's known as anecdotal evidence. It is opinionated, and unsubstantiated. And we're talking here about what we want the government to put money into. You're saying "if the program works right" but we've seen from the numbers that the program doesn't work. If what you mean my "works right" means doing it differently, then you're not actually arguing for the program, but against it.
Hi Anonymous - I understand your concerns. Our initiative has worked in 29 communities across the United States, and I personally worked in the juvenile justice system for seven years, so I know how frustrating it can be sometimes to work with youth who are caught up in a criminal lifestyle. In my own work, I also heard from victims about the pain and trauma they suffered at the hands of youth; but I also saw -- almost every day -- the potential, the strengths, and the desire for change in these teens. And I also saw many youth make those changes.
There's no question that these teens need intervention -- we don't want them continuing to commit crimes that victimize others. But the research says that "Scared Straight" makes them *more* likely to commit crimes, so we think it's a bad investment in terms of money and lives wasted.
My name is Samantha, I am 15 and I have a friend who NEEDS to be Scared Straight I have many friends who smoke weed and get in trouble a lot. I have been ridiculed for telling them they are wrong and I am so tired of them picking on me because I am the good kid. They need change, and they need it before they get into more trouble.
Hi Samantha - that's a very difficult position you're in -- good for you for resisting their teasing and for how much you care for them. I can understand why you'd want your friend "scared straight -- but the research is very clear that scaring young people does not work, and can even make them more likely to reoffend. Even the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges has expressed its opposition to the approach.
i have a 11year old son hes not in the street hes really not a bad child hes lazy and scared to go to jail im a single parent rasining three young boys and i just want him to respect me and help me i want him to no what happen if he go to jail and i want him to no thats not a place to be. just because the area we in is not the best but its what i can afford. he see the corner boys saling drugs the crack heads. i want him too know thats not a life for him how do i find a program in newark nj to scare him up
Hi Yvonne - Thanks for reaching out now. I know you want the best for your three boys, which is why I'd recommend that you avoid getting him into any program that seeks to "scare" them into staying straight. The research (linked to in the post above) is very clear that "Scared Straight" programs either have no effect or are likely to make participants commit new crimes. You're right to reach out now, while your boys are still young. The more you can connect them to activities at school, in the community, and to caring adults -- formal mentors are great -- the more likely they are to be successful. One thing you might consider, if you haven't already: is there a college or university nearby that has a mentoring program? That can be a great way to connect them with young people who have taken a different path and who want to reach back and help younger kids.
I am a Behavioral Specialist Consultant in the Philadelphia, Pa region working with behavioral challenged and at risk youth. I am seeking information regarding the number of youth who participated in the scared straight program and what their recidivist rates where. Meaning if the program had 100 participants how many of them reoffended and went to jail? Thank you so very much for your assistance.
Earl James, Jr.
Mr. James - you can find a meta-analysis of nine "Scared Straight" studies here. And here's another summary of the research on "Scared Straight" put together by Florida's Department of Juvenile Justice. Hope that helps.
[The following comment was edited to remove profanity and abusive language. --Ed.]
For you information, I know alot of people who are watching this show, and it opened their eyes to the reality of prison, and they now wanna keep their life straight...I dont know where ya get ya stats or whatever, but it definitely opened my eyes...Shout out to the dude that made the Beyond Scared Straight show, good look on trying to change the world now days.
Blaze, I'm glad to hear the show appears to be having a positive impact on people. However, because the research is very clear that teens are more likely to commit new crimes if they go through "Scared Straight" programs, we at Reclaiming Futures believe it's not a good use of resources, and the federal government won't fund it because it's wasteful and ineffective.
it's kinda fishy you are bad mouthing beyond scared staight and at the same time you want people to invest in the porgram that will put money in your pocket. You are a crimminal and should go through the program you THIEF
Hi Anonymous - I can understand where you're coming from. However, bear in mind that Reclaiming Futures doesn't compete with "Scared Straight" -- we just support communities in investing evidence-based practices of their choice that *do* work to help youth turn their lives around.
The research we cite that demonstrates that "Scared Straight" is ineffective and very costly in the long-term was done independently, and many juvenile justice experts who are not affiliated with Reclaiming Futures have also gone on record saying that it's harmful and should not be funded.
For more info on the research, see this post: http://blog.reclaimingfutures.org/juvenile-justice-reform-Scared-Straight-Facts-vs-Hype.
For information on other juvenile justice experts opposing "Scared Straight," see this post: http://blog.reclaimingfutures.org/juvenile-justice-reform-Scared-Straight-CJJ-position-statement.
My son was a high achiever, A honor roll, 17 out of 18 possible awards when he graduated elementary school, 5 scholarships in a prominent ballet school studying under a world renowned Ballet Company. Great middle class lifestyle with a an awesome SUPPORT SYSTEM such as mother, father, stepfather, stepmother, auntie, uncle, educators, school staff etc...
Then before you know it, his first year in middle school EVERYTHING CHANGED. Attitude, the way he spoke, the way he treated people (specifically adults) right down to the clothing he sported. Rap music ruled and his famous saying was, "As long as I own a gun, I'll never be broke."
Being fortunate enough to have excellent private insurance coverage, we collaborated a support system and went full force. First the medical exams to rule out any medical cause for the dramatic change in behavior. Next a battery of psychological and behaviorists professionals such as; Psychiatrists, psychologists, art therapists, counselors doing daily home visits etc...
Eventually he crossed the line and the law stepped in. The juvie legal system set a plan of action ON TOP of the plan that was already being implemented by family. The panel of multiple professionals even billed the state 848.00 a day for a period of 6 months which did not include his probation officer or public defender.
As parents my husband and I spent and average of 5 days a week taking my son from one professional to another and we also attended group and individual parenting meetings as well as sitting in on some of my son's sessions despite the fact we both took psych in college. Note: Stepfather has a dbl Masters, one in education, one in psych and a PhD. Mother was a business woman who put family before career to be a stay at home mom once son began his negative transition.
Nothing helped, professionals were completely useless in his case and even educated loving parents were useless just the same.
MY SON NEEED TO BE EXPOSED TO A PROGRAM SUCH AS SCARED STRAIGHT...forget about PROFESSIONALS CREATING JOB SECURITY for themselves. Do not buy into it. If programs like my son went through worked...so many kids would not be retiring to juvie and or end up in prison as they enter adulthood. It stands to reason...when court ordered programs fail time and time again, the courts create job security for themselves as well. More crime, more need for judges, court reporters, court room law enforcement, admin, public defenders, prosecutors, probation officers, jailers, their staff. The list is endless and very costly to the tax payer both financially and victim wise.
Are bad parents toblame? You tell me. My daughter is an adult now, A/B student and the complete opposite of her brother yet raised in the same home and exposed to the very same people. I would think if anyone would have failed, it would have been her because we all had no choice but to live our lives around the son. If he had a bad day, we all had a bad day, if he had appointments, that came first, if he was in trouble with the law, we stopped everything to go pick him up from jail and be in juvie court to deal with the cases he caught.
Well where is my son now? Is he in tip top physical shape dancing around the world earning 80KK a year and being admired those who fancy the arts? NO! Is he principal character on prime time television show in a long running series that he was cast for? NO!
Does this come a a shocker to you? My son is IN PRISON trying to knock off a TEN YEAR SENTENCE for a crime he does not even know if he committed or not thanks intoxication of liquor and bars (a stick of Xanax-benzodiazepines). That 10 years was a "Plea Bargain" --you get one court appointed and that's it. So if he/she does not represent you like a well paid attorney should, a plea bargain is as good as it gets. Now he'll be lucky to get to meet his own child before entering high school, his sister graduates college, she lands that 125K job, she gets married or gives birth to his nieces and nephews, and me before cancer takes my life.
The one thing he admits to.......if he would have known how BAD it was inside PRISON walls...realized how good he had it at home.....even how wonderful it is to have the freedom of choice....he never would have made such stupid choices.
Reality check....the only visitors he has had are mom and dad. The only letters he receives are from mom and dad. The money put on his books, from mom and dad. So all those hommies and bit*hes he thought he once had, have moved and do not give him a second thought or they are in prison themselves.
I say, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. That goes for law breakers as well as programs the state paying kazillons at the tax payers expense when kids keep rotating in and out of Juvie Court. Dollar for dollar should be considered for the Scared Straight Program...if the funding does not exist....get rid of those other so called programs that in reality never work and spend money where it will, such as on scared straight programs. Juvenals can play the professionals but not the cons that are in the joint. The rule of thumb...you can't bullsh*t the inventor.
This story sounds so much like ours. This is why today I reach out to parents that need any help that I can offer. I also reach out to troubled teens if they allow me to do so. My heart goes out to you.
Dear Anonymous - Your story is heartbreaking. You obviously did everything you could and more for your son. And I can understand why you'd be frustrated with more traditional methods; it's true that they don't work for everyone, and kids slip through the cracks every day. But juvenile crime rates are falling (national arrest rates in 2009 were the lowest they've been since the mid-1980s), and many juvenile justice systems are getting better at keeping kids out of the system by paying attention to the research on what works.
Multiple studies have shown that "Scared Straight" is ineffective and *more* likely to make kids who participate in it commit crimes (and that doing nothing would be more effective). Many other programs are much more effective at cutting crime and saving money. Given that, there's really no choice at all in what to fund.
Anonymous- I think you are raising my son. My son started acting up in high school. He was arrested twice for petty things. I had him stay overnight in jail when I could have taken him home with me. I am afraid his behavior will continue and now that he is 18 he is no longer a juvie. I don't understand why people think this type of program increases the chance of increased criminal behavior. I love to put my son in a Scared Straight Program and I work in the criminal justice system. These kids are one bad choice away from ruining their lives.
Who cares that stats are down. We are not talking about stats! We are talking about our children!
Keep being a great parent! Your not alone!
Dear Jordan's Mom - I'm sorry your son has given you such cause for anxiety. And I hear you: numbers and studies can feel awfully irrelevant when it's your child who's acting out. What you want most in a situation like that is an intervention that works.
That's why the research and the statistics matter. They're the best guide we have. Many times, the programs we think should work don't -- research tells us that more reliably than anecdotes and success stories do, because it tries to look at large numbers of people and to remove variables that might skew the results.
If you're interested in learning more about the research, there's a very readable summary of the "Scared Straight" research put out by Florida's Department of Juvenile Justice.
You can also check out this review of 9 separate studies of "Scared Straight" programs here.
How do i find out about putting my 10 yr old daughter through this program? she has not been threw the court system yet but with her behavior problems she soon will be. she lies to her mom and dad and she steals things, she also hides things in her room she is not supposed to have. I found her with a steak knife under her pillow just the night before last.
Danielle - that must be scary - I'm sorry your daughter is acting out the way she is. However, the research on "Scared Straight" shows that it's the last thing you'd want to expose your daughter to. In fact, there's a lot of other research on the justice system (both adult and juvenile) that shows that the further youth and adults penetrate it, the more likely they are to return.
I would like to know exactly why some think these types of programs are ineffective. If those who are against them think that counseling is the answer, they are wrong. My son has been to multiple counselors, with no change. Counseling only helps those who want help. I cannot imagine how this cannot be effective.
I'm sorry your son's experience hasn't been positive. To learn more about the research on Scared Straight, follow the links in the original post. And you can learn even more from this post - http://blog.reclaimingfutures.org/juvenile-justice-reform-Scared-Straight-Facts-vs-Hype.
No approach works for everyone - but the research has made it clear that "Scared Straight" does much more harm than good.
I have a friend that did something similar many years ago. He was getting in a lot of trouble and even spent sometime in juvenile hall. Not even the time there helped getting him on the right track. His parents, with no other options left, signed him up for a tour of the prison. Five other kids went in this tour with him. He didn't know them and he is really not aware of what ever happened to them, but one thing was for sure, he never got in trouble again. That experiences is something he will never forget. That very afternoon after getting home, he took a sheet of paper and wrote down a list of goals and committed to achieve them. With the help of the school counselor, his parents and a few other teachers, he finished high school and and enrolled in the local community college. Today, he is a high school math teacher, married and a father of two brilliant girls. No telling where he would be today if it hadn't been for that prison tour. And i think that is key when you get kids to attend this types of programs. You must have some kind of support program as well as an action plan with specific goals and time lines. A good mentoring program would be of great help as well. You wouldn't send a kid that doesn't know how to drive to a class for a day and then give him or her the keys to the car and send him or her on their way. It is the same with this kids. There MUST be some kind of follow up to the program. Unfortunately, no program is perfect and you will never achieve 100% success rate, but if you can help one kid out of a group of six or seven, it is got to be better that what we are doing now...
Oscar - I'm really glad to hear that it worked for your friend. As with any intervention, there's a wide variety of how specific individuals will react -- and you're right - additional support services, such as mentoring, can make a huge difference, no matter what the service provided actually is.
But the problem is, we don't want to build programs based on anecdotal evidence. If it only works for a small number of kids -- and has been shown to make the rest of the youth in the program *more* likely to commit crimes, and to cost communities *more* money down the road -- then that's not a program we want to invest in or trust our kids to.
There's actually a lot of evidence that other types of interventions with youth in the juvenile justice system are much more effective in terms of changing behavior and in terms of saving money - and that "Scared Straight" is the *least* effective. (And by the way, you may know this already, but the perception that juvenile crime is rising is incorrect - in fact, national arrest rates in 2009 were the lowest they've been since the mid-1980s.)
Thanks for writing in.
As an educated man you sure have a closed mind. This program has helped many youngsters. Ask them.
It's not close minded. A few kids may be helped, but the NET effect is that the scared straight program ends up with MORE kids in prison. The idea is to get kids into a program which RESEARCH shows is effective. If you're a teacher you should understand that. It is very basic common sense.
My question to each and everyone if you leaving a comment is...
Have you ever been faced with the anything close to what's being shown on A&E? Have you lived it? Or maybe you have read a book made a few suggestions to someone coping with a bad situation in there life and maybe that person decided to try your advice and was successful and maybe they feel short of reaching success and that was because of bla bla bla... My point.... And most of all my personal feelings is that any program willing to make a attempt to show or depict reality in the real world is beat or bashed to death by someone or a individual with a Ph.D saying it's the wrong way or it's this or that. I again believe in my non- Ph.d heart that all forms of awareness is the best choice for educating the public , not every thing in life is wrapped in a pretty pink bow and guaranteed a 100% success rate or approval by it's peers. Life is many things to many people, people who lead and those who follow, people who have lived this life style of un fruitful events and those who read about it in a book. (bla bla bla). Do yourself all a favor and reach out to anyone in trouble and just try to help in any way you can. Don't over analyze , allow healing to come if it does come within the person your reaching out too. We don't always need a board or a approval from people who have never lived a day in the shoes of those who are coping with lifes adversities. Thanks for reading and applaud any program that might even heal 1 person out of 10. Thanks - Shawn from Boise Idaho ( level treatment foster parent)
Shawn - I appreciate your passion and commitment to helping people. And I understand why you're skeptical of what researchers might say about an intervention like this.
The problem is, we *know* from testing this out in the real world that it doesn't work. There's a lot of interventions where the research isn't as clear, and there's room for disagreement about how to interpret the results, but this isn't one of them.
And I know you wouldn't want to do anything that would hurt kids or your community. Unfortunately, that's what this program does.
CJJ has heard the concerns of the field and has responded quickly with a major press announcement
http://www.juvjustice.org/announcement_164.html
Thanks, Ms. Brown - Appreciate your comments, and the link. I just posted CJJ's position paper and fact sheet this morning as well. (FYI - comments take a while to show up because we've been having trouble with spammers.)
This programming preys on parents and communities sometimes desperate to find a way to make an impact on a troubled youth.
Many of this youth have been victims of terrible trauma in their short lives, why would any sane individual think that by exposing them to even more trauma will "scare them straight'????
This is irresponsible, sensationalistic television which sends the wrong message to these youth and the general public who may think this is a good idea.
The story may be entertaining, and A&E certainly has the right to show it. More importantly, consider that boot camps and D.A.R.E. are still around. Maybe it's harder to get rid of harmful programs than we think. We could use some research on how systems successfully ignore widely-acknowledged, evidence-based news that an intervention is harmful.
Laura, thank you for your thoughtful comments. I feel the same way about this and have taken it upon myself to write a letter to the producers of this show and would encourage those to do the same. Address is:
A&E Television Networks
A&E Channel Producers
Beyond Scared Straight
235 East 45th Street
New York, New York 10017
For me this is more than just the irresponsible support of techniques that are not evidenced based and the problems that will follow this as you mentioned in this post, I am outraged that they are exploiting children for ratings and money. Shame on A&E for producing this kind of programming for entertainment!!!
It startles me when I see a group push skewed research that was dedigned to produce a specific outcome. For 30 years you folks have tried to say that scared straight makes kids more likely to reoffend.
At each comment above you tell them the program may have had nothing to do with the outcome. How can someone who claims to be educated be so closed minded? These people are pouring out their hearts, and you dismiss them with a certain arrogance.
I am very sure not one of you has ever lived in a community ravaged by drugs and gangs. I have. And, I ave been educating disadvantaged youth in these ravaged communities for 15 years. Many of our youths have a glorified view of prison. A program like this gives them a much better image of what prison is really like.
Have you ever attended one of these programs? If not, I suggest you do, and do so with an open mind. These programs do not make our
youths any more likely to commit crimes. In fact, these programs have
helped countless youngsters change their lives. Ask them, they will tell you. You and the CJJ like to reference The young man from the original scared straight program who went to prison for murder. That murder was from 28 years ago. After the show he did not immediately change. His change took years, and was still ongoing. Had he not gone through the program how many would he have killed? The truth is we will never know, but the program did NOT make him commit that murder.
I have seen the results, and they are amazing. Your actions to stop these programs are not helping kids. They are damaging. We need ALL of our resources, even the resources that make you uncomfortable. We need counseling. We need mentoring. We need Scared Straight programs.
If you have attend a scared straight type program you will see inmates counseling our young people. Our young people are much more likely to listen to them than you or I. They have been there, and are there. Who better to communicate a message of change?
Finally, look at the impact this program has on the prisoners! As they go through this process they begin to reflect on their own lives. For many this provides a turning point. They begin to heal mentally and emotionally.
My goal is to educate our young people and to help them reach their
dreams. You are driven by your ego and money. You care nothing about the lives of these kids.
Bronx Teacher - thanks for your comments, and for your passionate devotion to turning the lives of teens around. We can agree that we need a range of responses to youth in trouble with the law -- for example, treatment alone can't help some youth, but a combination of court sanctions and treatment is more effective than either alone.
But there's a reason that we advocate that public policy be based on research, not on personal accounts -- while not perfect, research does a better job than personal testimony does of showing what actually works. A great example is the case you mention in your comment of Angelo Speziale, who stared in the first "Scared Straight" documentary in 1978 at age 16, and who was convicted in 2010 of the 1982 murder of a teen-aged girl.
You're absolutely right to say that it's hard to know how the "Scared Straight" program impacted Speziale's behavior, which is one reason why we haven't written about it on our blog (though I will today, to make the point I'm going to argue here).
But we do know from long-term research done on larger groups of youth who've been through "Scared Straight" programs -- by looking at their offense records post-intervention, and comparing them to similar youth who didn't go through the program and controlling for other factors -- that participants are considerably more likely to offend than those who don't go through the program.
Individual results may vary, but since the majority are likely to re-offend, "Scared Straight" is a program we shouldn't support. Instead, let's support programs for our teens that research and personal testimony agree are effective, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, family therapy, and -- where needed -- substance abuse and mental health treatment.
This is from someone that has lived this type of lifestyle and manages to work his way onto the other side of the desk. I was never in tuned to more of the same type of treatment that had gotten me in the shape I was as adolescent. I knew I wanted a different life but had very few role models to turn to at that time. I continued to rumble through life until life became unbearable. It is at that time that I was approached by the most unlikely individual I would have thought to turn to in any time of need. A flat footed Retired Staff Sergeant from Rome, Georgia. Dan was able to talk to me in a language few people had ever talked to me before; compassion, motivating and above all understanding. Here I was, a young adult from El Paso, listening to this guy with the most significant Sothern Drawl helping me understand my situation. To this day I remember and cherish his willingness to reach out a helping hand. With every encounter I have with young, adolescent people, I always remember what it took for me to become companionate, motivated and understanding, another human being willing to do the same to me. I thank God for Dan and I thank God for the opportunity to return the favor every time I have an opportunity to do so.
What many people don’t seem to realize is that we are using CRIME to deter CRIME. What’s the most effective arguments these programs use to “deter” kids from crime? Is it the ordered routines and constricted freedoms of a well maintained and governed prison system? Or is it the the ILLEGAL violence and intimidation perpetrated on weak offenders by stronger offenders and sometimes even correctional officers themselves? These programs not only highlight the failure of the system, but they CELEBRATE the failure. We’ve done more than just throw our hands up and give up on ever trying to rehabilitate inmates. We’ve decided to use the FAILURE of the system as a “deterrent”. The concept is flawed. You can’t use crime to fight crime. Simply making someone fear consequences is a cheap fix. Helping them understand why they should do the right things in life, for the sake of being a better person is a more difficult but better long term solution. When life puts pressure on people without the right moral foundations, then they will in some way shape or form break. Maybe out of fear many won’t become “criminals” but maybe they become drug and alcohol addicts, become addicted to gambling, or even suicidal. Live doesn't get easier just because you make a choice to walk the straight and narrow. While some will benefit from the "shock" of these programs, it may only be because they already have a strong psychological and emotional core to begin with. Those without one will only gain the added fear and pressure not to go to jail. They will still lack the tools to deal with life. It’s time to think past quick and easy fixes, because as human beings there’s nothing simple about us whatsoever.
i would like to know if you would be able to help with any information on how to get my child in to the scared straight program. There has been a recent change in behavior turning into the worst ever. I don't want him to go down the wrong path and would like for him to see what happens if he continues down this road. thank you
Ms. Becera - I'm sorry to hear your son's behavior has taken such a turn for the worse. However, as you'll have gathered from the post above, and our replies to comments, "Scared Straight" programs are not only ineffective, they're likely to make your son worse.
I don't know what sort of resources are available in your community, but see sometimes it's possible to find family support programs through schools or other agencies. That's likely to be your best bet for long-term success.
Hang in there!
Thanks, Joe - that's very perceptive.
How can a person such as myself create a organization such as a "Scared Straight" program to my town to help troubled youth in my area. Any suggestions will be helpful.
Thanks,
Hi Anonymous. I'm glad you're interested in helping teens, but I'm afraid we can't help you. As Laura pointed out in her post, the research is very clear that "Scared Straight" is ineffective and, in fact, makes kids more likely to reoffend.
I have taken the time to look at the article and all the posts on here. The common throw-back when someone talks positively about "Beyond Scared Straight" is said that "the research is very clear that "Scared Straight" is ineffective and, in fact, makes kids more likely to reoffend." My question is why hasn't anyone provided the stats of the alleged research saying it's ineffective? I could tell you all day long that drinking sodas are bad for you, but until I provide accurate percentage to prove my statement, then it's merely my opinion. I understand that you say "researchers" studied and found this and that, but what are the exact percentages? Example: We studied 100 teenagers in the "Beyond Scared Straight" program. Out of the 100 studied, X amount of teenagers went on to commit crimes...... I have yet to see the information from the study give hard facts, or percentages, from their research....