Scared Straight!

The phrase "in your face" could have been coined for this landmark, hard-hitting, Oscar-winning 1978 documentary hosted by Peter Falk, which follows 17 cocky juvenile offenders on a not-so-pleasant afternoon's outing at New Jersey's maximum security Rahway State Prison, where they are confronted by the "lifers"--hardened prisoners who relate graphic stories of prison experiences, bandying about hardcore obscenities and threats of violence (even rape) in an effort to scare these kids straight before it's too late. But does this approach really work? In addition to Arnold Shapiro's original film, the DVD includes his follow-up Scared Straight!: 20 Years Later (1999), hosted by Danny Glover, which offers an update on the now-grown-up kids from the first film. Surprisingly, most of the "kids" have indeed gone straight (sometimes after several lapses), and now have homes, jobs, and families; they recall that important prison visit and other defining moments that transformed their lives. The sequel also revisits the "lifers" (some have died, a few are still in jail); some are now ex-cons who describe the daily struggles, influence of drugs and alcohol on their previous criminal lives, and the joy and satisfaction they find in family, freedom, and simple pleasures (the program also features emotional reunions between the former lifers and now-adult juvenile offenders). Although the final verdict on the "scared straight" approach to crime prevention has yet to be written, this two-program, 20-year study suggests that it can work. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)