Jan 12, 2011

Beyond Scared Straight Premieres Tomorrow

SPECIAL 90 MINUTE SERIES PREMIERE
Chowchilla Women's Prison
Thursday, January 13, 10/9C
 
I recently viewed a preview of this premiere episode and was impressed with this new show.  As the daughter of a police officer I've always been interested in criminal law (just not brave enough to be an officer or dedicated enough to become a layer).  I watch a ton of crime dramas.  But as I've mentioned here on my blog before I am also a reality TV junkie.  This was like the best of both worlds in a way.  To start the show they showed you just enough of these kids bad attitudes and behaviors that you feel the need for some serious intervention in their lives.  And then as they get a glimpse of where they might end up if they continue down the path they are on, they share enough of their hurt to see why they started down this road.  In this premiere episode you'll see serious hardened criminals as well as young ladies who made one poor judgment call and ruined their lives.  My heart broke for many of the girls in this episode, both those who were in prison, and those who were merely 'visiting.'
At the end they follow up with the young girls who went through the program to see if what seems to be a life changing experience really had an effect on them.  I won't ruin it for you though....you'll have to tune in to see if going Beyond Scared Straight really made a difference for these young girls.
One of the inmates gets in the face of one of the girls who doesn't seem to be taking this seriously. (Photo credit)

More about the show (from the website):
Scared Straight!, the Academy Award & multiple-Emmy®-winning documentary film by Arnold Shapiro, made a huge impact on audiences through its portrayal of an effective juvenile prevention/intervention program at a NJ prison. Over the years, both the prison program and the film have turned countless kids away from drugs, violence and crime, and kept them out of prison.
BEYOND SCARED STRAIGHT™ produced by Arnold Shapiro, profiles the new approach to keeping today's teens from becoming tomorrow's prisoners. The power of the original Scared Straight! program has inspired dozens of inmate-run intervention programs in men's and women's prisons across the country. In many dramatic ways, these 21st Century programs are very different, because today's youth need a different approach - a combination of confrontation, information and communication to try to reach these at-risk kids. These youthful offender programs put boys and girls of all ethnicities and backgrounds, ranging in age from 11-18, into intensive one-day in-prison sessions that show them the realities of life behind bars.
Each one-hour episode focuses on a different inmate-run program in the U.S., and follows four or five at-risk teens before they attend the program, throughout their day inside the prison, immediately afterwards, and then follows up with them one-month later to see the lasting impact of the experience on their lives. Beyond Scared Straight is about transforming the lives of young people through intervention and second chances.
Beyond Scared Straight is produced by Arnold Shapiro Productions for A&E Network. Executive Producer is Arnold Shapiro. Co-Executive Producer is Paul J. Coyne. A&E Executive Producers are Laura Fleury, Jordana Hochman and Robert Sharenow.


Disclosure: I received a complimentary preview copy of this episode but was not compensated in any other way for this review post.  All opinions expressed her are my own honest. personal feedback.

1 comment:

  1. This is a SCARY show. I am from that back end of the baby boomer generation and remember seeing the orig show on our floor model tv. Just as powerful as the orig show, but uberly more scary.

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