[Headie]

Does anybody else watch this? It's a show where they take 5 or 6 teens (different state each ep) who are in with the wrong crowd or are getting in trouble at school or are breaking laws etc. and put them in a prison with real inmates and basically try and scare them from getting in trouble so they don't end up in prison when they're older. Their parents sign them up for the show. It's 100% safe, the inmates get told to try and intimidate the teens and scare them, and they're always accompanied by prison wardens, but they are basically put in a prison simulation/regime for the day.

Here's a clip from the show:

Youtube video

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! programme has inspired dozens of inmate-run intervention programmes in men's and women's prisons across the country. In many dramatic ways, these 21st Century programmes 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 programme in the U.S., and follows four or five at-risk teens before they attend the programme, 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.
Where to Watch

Sky: 553 & 554 (+1)

Virgin Media: 237

BT: 433

TalkTalk: 433

[Ninastar]

i keep seeing little clips of this on fb and think 'omfg what is this? is this even legal?'

i saw one of a little black boy with glasses who was no older than 13 and he got picked up and like carried to one of the prison cells by one of the inmates

i couldnt believe it

[Drew.]

I'm Beyond Scared Straight at that girls eyebrows

[Raph]

Wow what an intense show, didn't know something like this could exist

[armand.kay]

I have loads of episodes recorded that I watch when nothing is on. It's really funny, I remember one episode this black girl hit one of the inmates and it all kicked off.

[kirklancaster]

I've been watching this excellent and highly entertaining program for over a year. I'm not sure how many of these young tearaways go on to re-offend long after the programs are aired, but I have a feeling that the success rate in permanently deterring a lot of them because of the 'short sharp shock' nature of the show, is actually quite high.

I love the way in which hardened convicts - some of them serving life sentences - have volunteered to be a part of the program, and by a mix of intimidation and lecturing, try to warn the kids away from a life of crime and the inevitable wasted life behind bars which follows.

I didn't know anyone else on here watched it too. Good news.

[Headie]

Originally Posted by SaintAlexis

I'm Beyond Scared Straight at that girls eyebrows

That's a guy

[Headie]

Originally Posted by armand.kay

I have loads of episodes recorded that I watch when nothing is on. It's really funny, I remember one episode this black girl hit one of the inmates and it all kicked off.

Is it on UK TV?

EDIT: Just googled it and I didnt even know this was on uk television