Please Help!... Long Term Change Needed…
Trouble Teen Causing Havoc!
Chances are that you have probably seen or heard about a "boot camp" approach for working with troubled teens. Where kids who have been creating havoc for their parents or locality and are carted off to become good citizens at a government run boot camp program. This is usually initiated by their parents or through the judicial system.
This type of rehabilitation has been used frequently on daytime talk shows and has even received extensive media coverage. Some of this coverage being reality television shows that are based on wilderness camps for unfit or unruly kids. But are these programs the be all and end all solution for disciplining the youth of today? and
What are you supposed to really think about these camps?
While there are radically varied opinions on these matters and in depth research that has been undertaken, in the end it is hard to say either way. Many questions are asked:
The ultimate question relating to juvenile disciplinary boot camps really boils down to:
Is there any value to the "tough love" approach that many of these camps are based on?
For those like maybe yourself who are fed up and worn out from dealing with their juvenile delinquent of a troubled teenager, you may see this as the better or only alternative to sending them to a juvenile detention centre.
Is this the right decision…
Recorded studies have shown that generally for both youth and adults the rate of people returning to similar activity be it illegal activity or general social behaviour after these types of camps is the same as if they went to any other type of facility. The alternate way of approaching these problems that a boot camp program offers doesn't appear to make a difference long term.
This is surprising as most of the offenders in these camps are non-violent or first-time offenders and the boot camp program also offers continual support through follow up care and counselling. This suggests that while a boot camp may work short term, or for some people, that it does not have a noticeable long-term effect compared to the alternatives.
Confrontation may not be the answer…
Positive social behaviour, some psychologists argue, is not taught best through the confrontational approach that is taken in many of these camps. This confrontational approach is taken straight out of military boot camps where discipline among other things is delivered through a drill sergeant or stern instructor.
This approach usually breaks down the participants to build them back up into strong soldiers. But with the types of people who are generally sent to a juvenile boot camp, being those that have a lack of positive role models in their lives and therefore don't know how to differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate social interaction.
This type of instruction can be detrimental and does not give the attendees something to aspire to or push for. Others argue that this is hooey, as everyone has a choice and this system works for other situations so why not this one.
A suggested alternative to create a more successful boot camp program is having the youth follow up with care and counselling because although this is offered on many camps. Many of the graduates do not continue this support and counselling and as a consequence do not retain many of the positive skills and behaviours that they learned in camp.
There are alternatives to boot camp, as well, but in the end a decision has to be made for each individual situation. While boot camps have worked well for some juvenile offenders, for others it has not. The problem needs to be explored and understood before one can recommend a solution. Is the problem a result of poor discipline, or is it something else?
Could it be a psychological issue or just laziness? Boot camp is a legitimate possibility, and one that should not be immediately ruled out if needed. It may be the solution you are looking for but remember everyone has a choice.
This type of rehabilitation has been used frequently on daytime talk shows and has even received extensive media coverage. Some of this coverage being reality television shows that are based on wilderness camps for unfit or unruly kids. But are these programs the be all and end all solution for disciplining the youth of today? and
What are you supposed to really think about these camps?
While there are radically varied opinions on these matters and in depth research that has been undertaken, in the end it is hard to say either way. Many questions are asked:
- Many people notice an immediate difference, but does it last?
- How does boot camp compare to other options?
- Is this the environment my children will benefit from?
- Does this even really work?
The ultimate question relating to juvenile disciplinary boot camps really boils down to:
Is there any value to the "tough love" approach that many of these camps are based on?
For those like maybe yourself who are fed up and worn out from dealing with their juvenile delinquent of a troubled teenager, you may see this as the better or only alternative to sending them to a juvenile detention centre.
Is this the right decision…
- Do boot camps really make a difference to the troubled teens attending?
- Will you get the results you are looking for?
- Will your child come home an angel?
Recorded studies have shown that generally for both youth and adults the rate of people returning to similar activity be it illegal activity or general social behaviour after these types of camps is the same as if they went to any other type of facility. The alternate way of approaching these problems that a boot camp program offers doesn't appear to make a difference long term.
This is surprising as most of the offenders in these camps are non-violent or first-time offenders and the boot camp program also offers continual support through follow up care and counselling. This suggests that while a boot camp may work short term, or for some people, that it does not have a noticeable long-term effect compared to the alternatives.
Confrontation may not be the answer…
Positive social behaviour, some psychologists argue, is not taught best through the confrontational approach that is taken in many of these camps. This confrontational approach is taken straight out of military boot camps where discipline among other things is delivered through a drill sergeant or stern instructor.
This approach usually breaks down the participants to build them back up into strong soldiers. But with the types of people who are generally sent to a juvenile boot camp, being those that have a lack of positive role models in their lives and therefore don't know how to differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate social interaction.
This type of instruction can be detrimental and does not give the attendees something to aspire to or push for. Others argue that this is hooey, as everyone has a choice and this system works for other situations so why not this one.
A suggested alternative to create a more successful boot camp program is having the youth follow up with care and counselling because although this is offered on many camps. Many of the graduates do not continue this support and counselling and as a consequence do not retain many of the positive skills and behaviours that they learned in camp.
There are alternatives to boot camp, as well, but in the end a decision has to be made for each individual situation. While boot camps have worked well for some juvenile offenders, for others it has not. The problem needs to be explored and understood before one can recommend a solution. Is the problem a result of poor discipline, or is it something else?
Could it be a psychological issue or just laziness? Boot camp is a legitimate possibility, and one that should not be immediately ruled out if needed. It may be the solution you are looking for but remember everyone has a choice.