The BEST episodes of Beyond Scared Straight
Every episode of Beyond Scared Straight ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Beyond Scared Straight!
Beyond Scared Straight is a new series executive produced by Arnold Shapiro and based on his Academy Award and multiple Emmy-Winning documentary "Scared Straight!," that will profile unique approaches to juvenile crime prevention in prisons around the U.S. "Scared Straight!" has become an iconic name and a cultural phenomenon over the years. The film made a huge impact - showcasing the radical and effective juvenile intervention program that took place in a New Jersey prison. Since they were created, both the prison program and the film have turned countless kids away from drugs, violence and crime. The power of the original "Scared Straight!" program has inspired dozens of inmate-run intervention programs in men's and women's prisons across the country; and this series will showcase several of them. Under the auspices of Arnold Shapiro, "Beyond Scared Straight" profiles the new approach to keeping today's kids from becoming tomorrow's convicts. Much like the original version of "Scared Straight!," these youthful offender programs put boys and girls of all ethnicities, ranging in age from 13-18, into intensive one-day in-prison sessions that show them the realities of life behind bars. However, in many dramatic ways, these 21st Century programs are very different from the original because today's youth needs a different approach. For current teens, city streets can be as dangerous as the life they believe exists behind bars. TV, film and music have glorified the gang and prison experience and the task of "scaring" teens is more complicated now than ever. As a result, inmates have had to adapt their methods - making them more a combination of intimidation, information and communication - and the results for the new program have proven to be equally effective. Each 60-minute episode of "Beyond Scared Straight" will focus on a different prison program in the U.S., following 4 -5 at-risk teens. Viewers will follow them as they attend the program, experience the
#1 - Corcoran
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/27/2011
Hardened criminals at the California prison that is home to Charles Manson give teens a taste of life on the yard, where any prisoner can approach the kids and give them a feel for the dangers of prison life. The teens include Stephen, 16, a violent youth who threatens his teachers; Josh and Armando, 16, twin brothers and gang members; Elijha, 15, a car thief; and Abraham, 16, who thinks that going to jail is no big deal.
#2 - Lieber
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 2/3/2011
Six at-risk teens experience Lieber Correctional Facility in Ridgeville, SC, to get a first-hand look and feel at life on the inside. The inmate-run "Operation Behind Bars" program locks up the teens in tiny cells, gives them a taste prison food and offers a glimpse into "Lock-Up," a prison within the prison for the worst of the inmate population. Shaming the teens with a stern tone, the program coordinator, civilian Nell Westbury, adds a unique voice to the inmate's onslaught.
#3 - San Quentin
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/10/2011
Four at-risk teens are brought to one of the nation's most infamous prisons to participate in the S.Q.U.I.R.E.S. program? the oldest inmate-run youth diversion program in the nation. The program, short for San Quentin's Utilization of Inmate Resources, Experiences & Studies, shows these kids the realities of prison life. They see the state's only male Death Row, are paraded past the heckles of the prisoners in the overcrowded cells and discuss how the constant fear of violence and physical harm is around every corner.
#4 - St. Clair County, IL
Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/15/2011
A prison in St. Clair, Ill., is visited by teens who are threatened by screaming inmates
#5 - San Bernardino, Calif.: Hold on Turbo
Season 7 - Episode 3 - Aired 7/10/2014
A 14-year-old from San Bernardino, Calif., who hangs out with hang members spends a memorable day behind bars.
#6 - Fulton, GA: Facing Foxxxxy
Season 8 - Episode 4 - Aired 12/18/2014
A violent 15-year-old boy visits prison in Georgia.
#8 - Mecklenburg County, N.C.
Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/18/2011
In Charlotte, NC, teen troublemaker Jose goes head-to-head with terrifying inmates and Sgt. Garrett, one of the toughest female jail deputies Beyond Scared Straight has come across. When Jose refuses to follow an order, Sgt. Garrett makes it her mission to break him down.
#9 - Jessup Women's Prison
Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 3/3/2011
Four shoplifting friends are exposed to a degrading prison entry process.
#10 - Hagerstown
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/24/2011
Maryland inmates give a group of five at-risk teens a taste of prison when they are forced to eat "Lock-up Loaf," a brick of baked mush served to unruly prisoners. The teens include, Shane, 17, a redneck who is surprised he hasn't killed anyone, Garrett, 13, who HAS been kicked out of eight schools already, Brandy, 16, who skips school to smoke pot, her brother Shawn, 15, who protects Brandy at any cost and Richard, 18, a towering jock who drinks, blacks out and awakens bloodied from brawling.
#11 - Jessup
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/20/2011
Five teens learn the harsh realities of prison life at the Maryland Correctional Institution at Jessup, where dozens of menacing inmates, including convicted murderers, surround the kids and taunt them. The teens include Steve, 17, who likes the "outlaw" life; Brandon, 17, who's been arrested five times; Dion, who admits to selling drugs; and Sahn, 13, who steals polo shirts because he's got a "passion for fashion.
#12 - St. Clair County, Ill: Bunk & Junk
Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 6/26/2014
A stint in jail tests the loyalty of two close-knit sisters; a teenage thief follows in the footsteps of his younger brother.
#13 - Albuquerque, N.M.: Dance, Bieber, Dance
Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/3/2013
A stoner gets violent when inmates at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque, N.M., sully his girlfriend's honor; a 14-year-old "chick magnet" draws unwanted comparisons to a teen idol.
#14 - Fulton County, Ga.: My Father the Inmate
Season 6 - Episode 8 - Aired 4/24/2014
A remorseless 17-year-old car thief finds his world crashing down when he learns his stepfather is in a Georgia jail.
#15 - Dougherty County, Ga.: Songs for Sandals
Season 6 - Episode 7 - Aired 4/17/2014
A 12-year-old genius learns he isn't as smart as he imagines after he enters Georgia's Dougherty County Jail.
#16 - Oklahoma County, Okla.: Teen Father?
Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 4/10/2014
Two brothers and a sister on a rampage of crime and violence are separated after being admitted to an Oklahoma jail.
#17 - Portsmouth County, Va.: Without My Daddy
Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 4/3/2014
A 14-year-old girl and her younger half-sister act out violently in the slammer; two teenage brothers make different choices during their stint in a Virginia jail.
#18 - St. Clair County, Ill: Precious Time
Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/27/2014
A 19-year-old high-school sophomore breaks into home and hustles on the street; two teenage drug users join the residents of the St. Clair County Jail in Illinois.
#19 - Chester County, S.C.
Season 6 - Episode 3 - Aired 3/14/2014
A 15-year-old's world shatters when he sees his tough older brother wearing prison garb; a stoner takes a second tour of jail; deputies put the pressure on a baby-faced bully and a 19-year-old thief.
#20 - Douglas County, Ga: A Family's Loss
Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 3/7/2014
A teen trying to head down a better path meets a heartbreaking fate on the streets, inspiring family members left behind to live better lives.
#21 - Western Tidewater, Va: Family Ties
Season 6 - Episode 2 - Aired 3/14/2014
Aggressive sisters Quaja and Quona are joined by their cousin Tay-Tay for an evening in a Virginia jail.
#22 - Dougherty County, Ga.
Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/21/2013
A cocky thief, a pint-sized stoner, a violent ne'er-do-well and a serial shoplifter are placed in Georgia's Dougherty County Jail to experience the reality of life behind bars.
#23 - St. Claire, Ill.
Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/14/2013
Young brothers are separated soon after entering the St. Clair County Jail in Illinois; a stoner learns the pursuit of weed could land him among hardened criminals; a tough teen meets a meaner gang member behind bars.
#24 - Charlotte County, Fla.
Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/7/2013
A teenage football star's drug use and violent ways threaten his dreams of a career in law enforcement; a police officer's son believes that he is above the law; a hulking teen troublemaker meets his match.
#25 - Fulton County, Ga.
Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/31/2013
Small crimes threaten the light bond between two brothers; the teens visit an "alternative lifestyle" ward.