Starting in the 1970s, a program called Scared Straight exposed at-risk youth to the harsh reality of prison life. According to your textbook, which of the following is true about this program?
A) It reduced crime rates among troubled youth by 65%.
B) The program did not reduce the risk of incarceration and may have been harmful.
C) Many participants actually came to believe that prison life was preferable to life at home.
D) The program worked, but the effect was small.
Answer: B
Rationale: The Scared Straight program may have succeeded in scaring and shocking adolescents, but the youths who attended these sessions did not necessarily go down a straight path. Many were later convicted of crimes and incarcerated. According to some analyses, participation in the program is actually associated with an increased chance that adolescents would commit crimes.
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a. True b. False
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