WASHINGTON – Government officials are now saying that scared straight programs designed to prevent delinquency are actually ineffective and can harm youth.
A study by Anthony Petrosino and researchers at the Campbell Collaboration analyzed results from nine scared straight programs and found that participants were up to 28 percent more likely to offend in the future. As a result of such evidence, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) does not support scared straight-style programs and discourages the funding of such approaches to youth discipline.
Instead, it supports programs that it says are more effective, such as mentoring programs, which use positive relationships to modify youth’s behavior. Those programs should be 12 months in length or through an entire school year.
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