NCJ Number
144452
Journal
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology Volume: 26 Issue: 2 Dated: (July 1993) Pages: 171-183
Date Published
1993
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This paper traces the development and operation of a program established in Victoria, Australia, starting in December 1989 and was based on a similar program ("Scared Straight") in the United States designed to deter young adult offenders by showing them what a day in prison would be like.
Abstract
The Day in Prison Program in Victoria, Australia, was suspended in February 1991 following accusations of assault made by one of the participating youthful offenders. The program has subsequently resumed and expanded to smaller towns. In Victoria, the program was established as a special condition of postconviction but presentence bail. Offenders were between ages 17 and 25 and were facing imprisonment, but had not previously been incarcerated other than in youth training centers or police cells. Research on these programs in the United States and Australia has not revealed any significant crime prevention effect, however. More important, research further suggests that intimidating tactics either have no particular effect in themselves or are counterproductive, reducing any effectiveness found in such programs. Moreover, the continuation of the current program would place significant numbers of youth at risk of psychological and possibly physical harm. The programs also lack meaningful followup procedures, and their main problem is the assumption that brief interventions in the life of an individual can reverse or restrain the impact of long-term and pervasive criminogenic social factors. Finally, political pressures rather than consideration of the potential of the program for crime prevention appears to be the main reason the program was initially established. 29 references