| Inspired By: | Scared Straight! |
| Num Seasons: | 9 |
| Num Episodes: | 83 |
| Network: | A&E |
| Related: | Scared Straight! |
Beyond Scared Straight is a reality television series that aired on A&E from January 13, 2011 to September 3, 2015 running for 9 seasons. The series follows troubled teenagers who spend one to three days in prison to learn from the inmates about the realities of being incarcerated. The series was inspired by the 1978 American documentary Scared Straight!
In June 2015, the network announced the series would end after season 9, which concluded September 3, 2015.[1]
Based on the 1978 American documentary Scared Straight!, this series highlights juvenile crime prevention programs in prisons and jails throughout the United States. Each hour-long episode focuses on several at-risk teenagers. Throughout the series, these teens face intense confrontations from both law enforcement and inmates.
Each episode starts with individual interviews, where the teens discuss the reasons behind their habitual misconduct. Following this, they undergo the booking process, which includes removing jewelry, belts, hats, sunglasses, and other personal items. In certain episodes, the teens are required to wear prison jumpsuits.
They then experience life inside prison: visiting cell blocks, interacting with inmates, and eating prison meals. They also hear firsthand stories from inmates about their journeys to incarceration. An emotional segment lets the teens communicate with their parents via the prison visitor telephone system.
The episode concludes with a one-month follow-up, providing viewers with updates on the teens' paths. Some have managed to turn their lives around, while others remain on a troubled course.
Two Department Of Justice officials argued that the program was “not only ineffective but is potentially harmful." The program helps teens by scaring them straight through a lousy concept.[2] The series has been criticized due to the teens being in jail for adults which were considered life-threatening and dangerous, and that the show violated the federal Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA).