Shock incarceration programs, frequently called boot-camp
prisons, are short-term prison programs run like military basic
training for young offendersdult and youthful felons (MacKenzie
& Parent, 1992). Boot-camp prisons were first established in
Georgia and Oklahoma in 1983 and since then all states and many
counties have adopted this type of program. Boot-camp prisons
have proved controversial over time, as critics argue that this
type of regimen does not reduce recidivism (the tendency to
return to crime). In the late 1990s, allegations of misconduct
and abuse by boot-camp prison staff members against their
juvenile inmates have led to criminal investigations and the
closing of facilities. Nevertheless, this type of "tough love"
approach remains a popular option for correctional officials.
Those sentenced to boot-camp prisons are required to arise early
each day to participate in a rigorous schedule of physical
training, military drill and ceremony, and hard labor. While
they are in the boot camp, particip