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| Boot Camps |  Boot camps are military-style, semi-penal institutions that use discipline, military exercises, and rigorous physical training to break a disobedient teenager and supposedly return home a “good soldier” who will follow rules and improve behavior at home and school. There is no therapy, no psychological interference to address underlying emotional or behavioral problems that may have been developing over many years.
Boot camps for teens are usually short-term, typically 30 days. Teenagers who want to get a good exercise program may benefit from a boot camp. Teens that don’t have any emotional or behavioral problems, but are just skiving off a little in school and just need a little wake u call, may benefit from a teen boot camp.
What is Like to be in a Boot Camp?
Real boot camps include uniforms, marching in formation, and a “yes sir” and “no sir” mentality. They have a very structured environment that includes the trainers getting right in the face of the cadet. Military’s basic training program includes bunk beds, foot lockers, and a very strict, no holes barred system of inspections that must be completed without error if the teen is to survive the ordeal. Whether a teenager is able to handle this type of environment is actually a question that must be considered before parents put a troubled teen here. Boot camp environment doesn’t permit any outside contact for a prescribed period of time. Parents should consider whether their teen can survive and whether it is a right choice to send him or her to the boot camp.
The juvenile boot camps are usually a hostile environment, that’ why a teenager who is hostile will only learn that the louder you scream, the more action you will get. Boot camps are not established to cope with the emotional and behavioral problems of teens.
Teen boot camps are not appropriate for behavioral modification, because they are short-term and don’t provide treatment. Thirty days is not long enough to make permanent changes. By the way, they don’t have any support that is needed for troubled teens.
Are Boot Camps Effective?
- Boot camps do not reduce recidivism. Numerous studies of teen boot camps have shown that graduates do not better in terms of recidivism than offenders who were incarcerated. In fact, some researchers have found that boot camp graduates are at higher risk to be re-arrested or are re-arrested more quickly than other offenders.
- Boot camps may not be cost effective. Some boot camps enable jurisdictions to save money because youth serve shorter sentences. Other boot camps have found that that the extra costs of operating boot camps outweigh the benefits.
- Experts agree that confrontational approach is not appropriate. The use of this kind of model has led to disturbing incidents of abuse. Boot camps may be particularly inappropriate and potentially damaging for youth of color, as well as for the youth with emotional or behavioral problems.
- Positive changes demonstrated while in the program may not last when a teen return to his environment. Many teen offenders sentenced to boot camps reported that the program is helpful to them and they feel more positive about their future. It is unclear. Without significant therapeutic intervention, boot camp programs have been compatibly unsuccessful in rehabilitating youth.
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