Tell A&E to Cancel "Scared Straight" TV Program

By now, you've probably heard about A&E's "Beyond 'Scared Straight,'" the reality show airing on A&E in which teens in the juvenile justice system -- some for status offenses -- are yelled at and verbally humiliated by adult prisoners. The goal is to "scare" kids "straight."
There's only one small problem: it doesn't work. In fact, doing nothing is more effective than this program, because teens who go through the program are more likely to commit crimes than teens who do not. That wastes money and lives. In terms of evidence-based programming, it's a dead end.
If you work with youth in the juvenile justice system or you're a policy maker who cares about effective programming, here's the bad news: according to Change.org, "Beyond 'Scared Straight'" is A&E's highest-rated show ever. Which means we're going to keep hearing about it for a while. Viewers will be pushing states and local communities to adopt similar programs.
What can you do? 
1. Keep advocating for evidence-based programming in your community. Remind policy makers that researchers and national juvenile justice experts say "Scared Straight" is a waste of money, and that the Office of Juvenlie Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) won't fund it.
2. If you'd like to let your voice be heard at A&E, Change.org is circulating an online petition to urge A&E to cancel "Beyond 'Scared Straight.'"

Photo: windy_sydney.