Scared Straight Programs
She Looks Scary Alright, I want to Look like That!!! They Look Cool!
All you need to do is commit a crime!!
Scared Straight Programs Do Not Work!
Although designed with the best of intentions, scared straight programs do not work, if anything, they simply depict offenders as tough individuals worth emulating. Although the programs are intended to scare children from participating in criminal activities out of fear of turning out like some of the victims of bullying and mistreatment in prisons, they fail to take into account the fact that the children may actually wish to emulate the individuals doing the bullying. Secondly, such programs put emphasis on deterrence, by highlighting the punitive nature of punishment, rather than encourage discipline, restraint and rehabilitation, considering that offenders are in most cases never similar, and fear alone can never be sufficient to prevent individuals determined to commit crimes from doing so. The poster was therefore, designed for promoters of the “Scared Straight” programs, as well as parents who force their children to participate in such programs.
The content is quite appropriate for the audience, as it highlights a fundamental flaw in the program, which needs to be understood by both the promoters as well as willing parent participants. By being able to see the programs from the angle of a young, gullible and impressionable youth, the proponents of the program could actually see that the programs simply provide an avenue of exposing children to risky influences. The medium and language is quite appropriate as it is simple and easy to understand, the pictures convey an obvious message, while the wording is direct and to the point, as it indicates that scared straight programs actually result in the opposite of the desired effect.
