I watched Beyond Scared Straight for the first time yesterday. One I typically don’t watch Reality Shows, and two I make an extra effort to not watch these because they are generally unrealistic and drama filled. I guess the preview of a particular episode tweaked my interest and I watched it. I was rather impressed. I still doubt the “REALNESS” behind every scene but more so than other previews I’d seen this one seemed more real. They allow the inmates to really show what prison life is like without allowing the inmates to touch the young offenders. I’ve seen previews of other shows, showing where the inmate was allowed to make physical contact with the young offenders and I knew that just would not be allowed especially with cameras rolling which could be used as evidence in a law suit, nope, not real, so I never watched. The Scared Straight Program can be a useful tool. When you have children who are out of control and all other Avenues have been exhausted and in hopes of saving a child from have to call PRISON, HOME. It’s a worthwhile program. It’s not for your everyday, average disobedient child. It’s not for the child who has to be reminded to wash the dishes, or take a bath, or even do their homework. The Scared Straight program IMO is best geared for children who are doing drugs, (cigarettes and alcohol is a drug for minors under 18 and 21 years of age) abusing prescription drugs, huffing, hitting their parents, any child who given their current acts could land them in jail or prison. My mind says no child under 12 years of age should be allowed to participate in this program but the reality of it is that the age should probably be lowered to about 8-10 years of age. I did a search of youngest murderers in the U.S. and this site was one of the sites I saw www.criminaljusticedegreesguide.com/features/10-youngest-murderers-in-history

According to the website above these two boys of just 10 years of age kidnapped, sexually assaulted, repeatedly beaten and eventually murdered a 2-year-old child. The child became separated from his mother while at a mall.

I know the thought of approving your little innocent child, despite their behavior for many parents the thoughts of signing their child into a program allowing them to be  confined in an area surrounded by aggressive and violent prisoners can be scary. It should be, prison should not be a place anyone wants to reside at. What would you prefer? A few hours participating in the Scared Straight Program possibly learning the errors of their ways and getting their life together or staying on the path they are on and before you know it your child is serving a prison sentence of at least one year and a day. It’s tough but sometimes in order to save our children, we must make tough hard choices and not allow them to make us feel guilty about the choices they force us to make.