Beyond Scared Straight |

Follow Up

Jacksonville, FL

In Jacksonville, Florida, four at-risk teens attended a three-part “scared straight” tour where Johnny, a white, self-proclaimed racist, endured the wrath of the black inmate population.

Johnny

AT THE CONCLUSION OF PRODUCTIONThough no longer selling drugs, Johnny still smokes synthetic marijuana and occasionally shoplifts, drinks and fights. His sister still pleas for him to change.

LATEST UPDATE: FEBRUARY 2013Six months after his jail tour, Johnny insists the program was a waste of his time and did nothing to help him. According to his mother, Johnny has gotten worse since the program, and continues to smoke, do drugs, fight, and steal.

Concerned that Johnny's drug use would lead to other criminal actions, his mother and counselors worked to convince him to attend rehab. Initially, Johnny refused, saying, "There are some things in life I'm doing that aren't positive, but I'm not addicted to drugs." Their efforts eventually bore fruit, but after briefly participating in a residential drug treatment, Johnny committed an armed burglary and was sent to a juvenile correctional facility.

Now released, he is again trying to complete an in-patient drug treatment program.