Boot Camps

Boot Camps

Boot camps are military-style, semi-penal institutions that use discipline , military

exercises, and rigorous physical training to “break”   a defiant adolescent and supposedly

return home a “good soldier” who will obey authority,   follow rules, and improve

behavior at home and school.   There is no therapy,   no psychology intervention to address

underlying emotional or behavioral problems that may have been developing over many

years.   The theory is that a swift “kick in the pants” will turn around a child who has

probably been acting out   for years.   There is more than one type of boot camp.   Some are

state run substitutes for juveniles jail.   Some are privately run “get tough”   camps where

the “guards” enforce strict rules,   some of them simply there for no other reason than to

challenge the student to follow the rules or break them, force physical exertion(forced

long runs and obstacle courses),   and generally shake up the child’s perception of reality.

The boot camps I will be referring to are run substitutes for juveniles jail.   In this report

we will explore the meaning of boot camp and look at the pros and cons of the boot

camp program.

Boot camp has been a part of the correctional and penal system of the United

States since the early 1980s. Model after military recruit training camps,   the program has

been based on shock incarceration grounded on military techniques.   In most US states

                                                                                                   
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participation in boot camps programs is offered to young first time offenders in place of

prison term or probation, in some states a young can be sentenced to participate in such a

program.   The time served can range from 90 to 180 days,   which can make up for prison

sentences of up to 10 years.   How serving time and boot camp time is equated differs

among   facilities and states....