Mass media and delinquency prevention: The case of “scared straight”

Abstract

This paper focuses on the Oscar winning television documentary “Scared Straight.” This documentary describes the Juvenile Awareness Project (JAP) at Rahway State Prison in New Jersey, which attempts to deter juvenile delinquency by briefly exposing young offenders to the harsh realities of prison life. The paper analyzes the possible reasons for the popularity of this show and the JAP. It is suggested that factors such as the public perception of increasing crime rates, declining support for rehabilitation, and a dramatic promise of a new, synthetic solution for delinquency were among the major reasons for the success of the television documentary.