I definitely remember some newer version of the original Scared Straight being broadcast on broadcast TV uncensored because you know this is like super important and a PSA or something, just like the original.
To sum it up, male children straighten up and fly right because you don’t want to end up in prison with dangerous, crazy, rape crazed, maniacs who like screaming in the face of male kids.
Little Dougie won’t stop pocketing candy bars? Well have a convict scream in his face about how maniacs are going to forcibly buttrape him if he doesn’t stop.
And yet I’ve never heard anyone call this garbage special out.
I agree. Of course it won’t be successful 100% of the time, but my understanding is that the program only takes kids who are already at-risk and are not responding to other methods (though I admit that could have changed over the years;I haven’t really followed it since it first aired). IMHO, even at a 25% success rate, it would be a successful program.
Well, first off, success would be irrelevant to whether it’s good because the idea of using aggressive tactics to instill intense fear to motivate people is fucking wrong and abusive. But, as anyone should suspect, the data does not seem to support that this works, and likely makes things worse. If being an asshole worked, then emotionally abusive parents would have the best behaved kids, instead of the kids with the most mental issues.
As for why no one seems to be calling them out: because we have this attitude that being harsh on crime is the solution. We kinda have to believe this–our entire prison system is built up behind this idea.
Scared Straight has been taken to task before, as has D.A.R.E., and many other programs. They seem to inure the subjects to the criminal justice system instead of re-enforcing the fear they start out with.
I saw a Scared Straight “reunion” or something on tv a few years back. They interviewed a guy who was a kid on the original. He was noteworthy as being the grinning punk who was being screamed at, but just wouldn’t stop smirking. In the reunion episode he said that he was scared shitless, and that the smirk was a nervous reaction that he couldn’t control.
As for my opinion, scared straight as a behavior modification tool is as about as productive as a fist to the face.
This comment prompted me to look into the history of DARE, and holy crap, that was eye opening. Even after studies showed it was ineffective it persisted for well over a decade, with the administrators obstinately refusing to accept the science. The program was finally overhauled in 2009 and appears to be moderately successful now. I guess rather than scrap it altogether they kept the name and distribution network but completely replaced the curriculum. My daughter will take it in 3 years, it’ll be interesting to see what it’s like now.
I remember seeing the original “Scared Straight” telecast in the Seventies, when I was a teen and crime in New York City was at its worst.
My take at the time was, “This is horrible… I just hope it does some good.” But on the whole, it DIDN’T do much good. Most of the kids who went through it continued to get into trouble. Oh well, I figured, I guess it was worth a try, but now it’s time to scrap that approach and try something else.
I haven’t watched any kind of similar program in nearly 40 years now. And if such shows are still being televised, that just shows there’s a market for trashy “reality” TV. A lot of people like to watch crude, vulgar crap.
Yes I was watching the original one on YouTube few weeks back, the one from 1978. They did a 20 years later version hosted by Danny Glover, letting viewers know what became of the inmates and kids in that time.
I have seen the newer one from 1999 but not the show version that airs. Nothing like Scared Straight 78’.
The program will not be successful all the time, but it has helped many. Most of the former kids from 1978 turned out good, with few that continued breaking laws. Only one however was still in prison in 1998.
And yes all the kids who are in the program are law breaking kids.
Most of the kids from the original version did not go down the wrong path. Some did, and only one was still in prison in 1998 when they did a 20 year anniversary retrospective. Well now it is two, because one has been linked to a 1982 murder.
But again the majority had turned their lives around. So credit is due.
Cheeky. But as a guy who is starting to close the book on parenting children (they’re growing up, thank gawd), I heartily endorse this approach in the name of science. My money says you could do this with a hundred different kids and get a hundred different outcomes. I look at my brother and me (opposites), at my kids (opposites x 4), at other siblings, and I’m convinced it’s basically random whether your kid turns out to be a puppy-rapist or a messiah (my older son thinks he IS the messiah when he’s missed his meds for a few days, but that’s not what I mean). I used to be terrified of going to prison, but that’s not why I was a good boy.
My memory of the first one was in the 1970’s, and I thought that one was actually successful. Nema98 confirmed my memory of that first show and the overall success of it.
The problem is now, everything is reality TV and there are producers going for shock value and ratings. But that first one was scary to me and all of my friends, because that was the first time any of us actually saw the inside of a real prison.
I cannot imagine the 1970’s program would work on kids today. Kids are much more aware of their rights, what people can and can’t do to them, etc. everything is a TV show now, so I’d be shocked if they would even take it seriously. They know nothing is really going to happen to them, even if they lip off to a scary convict… They are on a TV show, and people will protect them.
Back in the 70’s, when I saw it the first time? Holy Jebus, that was some spooky crap. :eek: Now? Kids would laugh at those cons… It is a lawsuit waiting to happen.
I had no idea how unsuccessful D.A.R.E. was.
I watch the version that currently airs. The kids are still terrified. They cry. Even when it’s clear that they can’t really be touched. They do get roughed up a bit, though.
I’ve never seen the 1970’s version so I don’t know how the levels of intimidation compare.
