Scared straight and other juvenile awareness programs for preventing juvenile delinquency: a systematic review

Abstract

Experiments in the US testing “Scared Straight” and similar deterrence-oriented programs indicate that rather than deterring crime, these programs may actually increase delinquency in participants. This meta-analysis included nine randomized studies conducted in the US involving 946 juvenile delinquents. The programs used intimidating tactics like confrontational rap sessions with inmates. Odds ratios indicate that intervention increased the crime or delinquency outcomes at the first follow-up period whether assuming a fixed effect or random effects model. Sensitivity analyses excluding studies with problems such as randomization integrity or large attrition from the initial sample did not alter the overall negative impact of these programs on crime outcomes. – AI-generated abstract.